University of Oregon Has Lost Its Appeal for U.S. Distance Runners

It's true

Time for Uncle Phil to reopen Historic Hayward field for public use, like it always used to be. Now only privileged insiders can get in to train. Citizens of Track Town are banished to train on crappy high school or junior college facilities.

Totally agree. I grew up in awe of those who ran track there at UO. Visited Pre’s rock, ran on the track during the Trials feeling like I was in Heaven. For most people including myself all that is now gone. Sorry, but the magic, the mystique and awe just isn’t there anymore. And the ticket sales for meets there reinforce that.

When Bill Dellinger was coaching, anyone could turn out for the team, as long as they showed up and did the work. I read story that Dellinger was teaching a P.E. class and saw Art Boileau's ability and told him to turn out for the team. Boileau later was 2nd at the Boston Marathon behind DeCastella.

South isn't a crappy track at all. In fact, I find it charming, and easy access to the trail to warm up on. Though, point taken. U of O mystique is certainly not what it once was.

Schumacher turned it into Injury Central. No surprise.

Lane 1 is wrecked on the homestretch and banks outwards on the second curve. Lanes 4-6 have waves on the backstretch. Only serviceable lanes are 2-3 and sometimes 7-8 if they aren't covered in leaves/pine needles. But appreciate that it's always open!!

Really? It seems like a great place to go if you are a sub four highschooler who never wants to run again!

The NCAA and it's consequences. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

If the NCAA wanted to mainly be a development pipeline for American athletes they would be.

it was on my athlete's list and then the last 2 years I noticed he stopped talking about them.

Dude they have had international athletes forever.

Ed Chez just show up in some gym shorts and ask for a spot?

J Cruz?

The ncaa has changed, they do have a lot of Oregon guys on their team still. But the internet exists!!!

There is much to be said about the West Coast losing most of the positive vibes it harnessed for decades. It's wildly expensive, Oregon is a boring cultural backwater in many ways, it's chilly and rainy much of the year, it's just not the draw it once was. The population centers east of the Mississippi hold most of the cards in this country, always have and always will. There was once an American love affair with 'The West' that has largely run its course and the Eastern US has rightly retaken its place of preeminence.

Also, Nike can pound sand as can weirdo Phil Knight and friends.

OP sounds like the bitter parent of a kid who wasn't good enough to run at Oregon.

These were the 7 runners who ran for Oregon at XC nationals in the fall. Americans are in bold.

Men:

Abdel Laadjel
Aiden Smith (Oregon)
Simeon Birnbaum
Michael Mireles
Benjamin Balazs (Oregon)
Connor Burns
Tayson Echohawk

Women:

Silan Ayyildiz
Diana Cherotich
Dalia Frias
Juliet Cherubet
Mia Barnett
Anika Thompson (Oregon)
Ali Ince

If you're counting at home, 6 of their 7 men are Americans, and so are 4 of their 7 women. That's a total of 10 out of 14, which is 71%. Very good!

Congratulations to Oregon for sweeping the men's and women's Big Ten XC titles and both teams finishing top 5 at Nationals, with the women making the podium.

You're right on the waves. There's that little hiccup right at about 50-70m from the starting line in lane 1 as well. I don't mind the bare spots quite as much though.

is UNC the new Oregon?

Boileau is Canadian and lived in Oregon on a green card. He ran on several Canadian teams at World XC.

Yes, Everyone wants to head to UNC and Oregon is bla!

Bad take, OP.

they got Simeon. The got Alli Ince. Revitalized Frias. Ellery Lincoln committed. Future is bright.