krumenacker...old school

also as to the great white hope issue, the comment was made by the white hope of PTI when speaking about that european boxer who's supposed to be coming through the ranks really quickly. HE said something like he's big he'll give lewis a good fight and he's a good white heavyweight, the fight should sell. Once again it seems like i was misunderstood because people see race in a post an automatically go blank without reading my post properly. I'm not saying they're not great black and white athletes, but the media and maybe the sports themselves are looking for a white superstar because it is rather difficult to sell a predominatley black league to a predominatley white audience. Please lets not resort to name calling, I'm in a really mellow mood these days and would rather not let this board upset me, I still would like to know what you think though even if it's a dissenting opinion.

As for tiger woods, that was one commercial but the fact is he's not black and his marketing with the exception of 2 commericals (both nike) never mentioned race. BUt i wasnt just talking about how nike marketed Tiger ( which included race), I was talking about how his camp marketed tIger to make him more accessible.

Those who are still insisting that race is not a factor in marketing and popularity need to look at some economic data comparing per capita income (i.e. disposable wealth) by race, talk to some sports marketers and agents, talk to some media folks, and then try to say race doesn't matter. And--if you can stomach it--compare the winter-time fawning over Tim Broe on this web-site versus the attention paid to Krummenacker. And don't forget to include the multiple recent posts of Krumm's photo that make fun of the way he looks. No one is calling you a racist, so don't get all defensive. But the fact is that us skinny white Olympic wanna-bes are inspired by the success of people who look like us, just the way, as ?-man points out, undersized white teenage b-ball players are inspired by Jason Williams. With more money and more peoplw in the white wanna-bes camp compared to wanna-be persons of color--at least in the distance running world--this is what drives marketing decisions.

Of course race plays a role in all of this, however small or big, but comparing Webb w/ Krumm is still not valid at this point. Let's see in a year or so how things shake out. If Krumm has the AR and Webb is still struggling, I would hope that DK will get full credit and support except from the usual idiots who knee-jerk that *anyone* who is improving at the top level is on drugs.

Besides, everyone knows the "Great White Hope" on these boards is not Webb but Ritz.

At this point, my impression from the boards is that the posters are looking for a "Great American Hope," period. If Krummenacker keeps improving, I think that at least within this community, he'll get talked up just fine.

Racism in sport in general, absolutely. David Krummenacker's press within a week of setting a PR as an example of it, I don't think so.

And the exclusion of Tiger Woods as "mixed, not black" seems just as racist to me as any thing else that might have been mentioned on this thread.

You say Krummenacker ins't getting props because he's black. Well, Nicole Teter is kicking just as much ass as Krummenacker and she's not getting USAtoday profiles, etc, so I guess everyone here is sexist too. But come to think of it, Broe didn't get any USAtoday profiles either.

LetsRun.com: Racist and sexists too.

Krumm is getting lots of press on other boards. And I might even dare to say then Broe got! If you follow the Dyestat 'Elite' board failrly closely, I think it's safe to say that Krumm is getting just as many props now as Broe got.

Heere we go... The deal is this. Krumm has been a world class bust until this year. Now out of nowhere Krumm is doing good things in a non championship year.... Oh by the way i'm affiliated with shoe companies and the bottom line is wins and market-bility. Krumm will get his Nike contract sweetened. Believe that!

Um TIger woods is not black he's mixed, I don't see where that's open to debate. He has alot of different ethnic groups in him and is not black sorry. You're not black by default.

krum is an adidas man, not NIKE............

I guess I'm just saying I don't see where it's up to you to decide one way or the other. Are you saying that if he claimed to be African American on a job application, he'd be lying? And do you seriously think that "mixed" ethnicity would bestow some benefit if someone was worried about racism? That's not how I've heard it worked.

Back to Krummenacker and marketability - I haven't seen any interviews with him - I'm wondering how good he is on camera. Of course, I've always though Michael Johnson was a complete dud on camera, and look how far he's gotten...

OK, so life?s not a meritocracy.

And white folks like to root for a white guy in the same way that black folks like to root for a black guy, Hispanics for a Hispano. And if a Native American Indian comes up, he becomes a ?role model for his people.? How many blacks watch women's tennis but are Lindsey Davenport fans instead of Williams sisters' fans? How many blacks root for Ernie Els as their favorite golfer?

Funny, the people who get the big contracts in sports or entertainment also are generally better looking than the average. Is this discrimination or favoritism? Yeah, it is.

So does the Webb thing play to those preferences? Absolutely, but I?m not sure that makes it racism.

I come from blond stock, and I?m attracted to blonds. I?m not attracted to Italian women at all. But I?m very attracted to Chinese women.

You can hurt your brain thinking too much about this and making it more than it is.

Go Krumm.

And, the award for most ironic name on the letsrun.com message board goes to.....WHITE BUT NOT BLIND!!!!!!How did you do it white but not blind?white but not blind: "well, what i do is read something and then completely misinterpret it even when its clearly written. Then I attempt to make a point by saying the complete opposite of what others had written, mainly good solid points made my MUXC2K3."What in the hell is wrong with you people. No matter how clear something is written, it gets turned around to the opposite of what is said.

White but not blind wrote:

the call by MUXC2K3 in this thread that Ben be banned from the board for daring to suggest that race plays a role in U.S. sports society. Who says that running consumers represented by the people on this board may not be completely open-minded?

Go back to my post. Read it again. I specifically said race plays a role in US sports society. Not only this, but you went 2 for 2. I said he should be banned for being racist. Not for saying that race plays a role in us sports society. How in the hell could you mess something up that bad? You could not have failed worse. Literally anything else you wrote would have been more accurate and thus better than that. Seriously I want to hear back from you as to how you went about getting the total opposite message from what I wrote.

4 points, MUXC2K3:

1.Just because you say Ben is racist, that doesn't make it so. You called for him to be banned from the board for saying the response to Krummenacker's success may have been stronger if he was white. That isn't racist, that's an observation about the role of race in society, and an accurate observation at that.

2. I think when you take one of MU's sociology or history classes, you will confront what a horror story racism really is, and how people have suffered and died from real racism, and that accusing someone of racism is nothing that should be done cavalierly. You will also learn that race plays a huge role in business, marketing, voting, and other popularity contests, which was Ben's original point.

3. You can disagree with Ben's post without naming names, especially one as volatile as "racist." You can also do so without demanding a "banning," whatever that is. Several others have disagreed with Ben both respectfully and presuasively. Exclamation points and capital letters, just like yelling, do not help your argument.

4. I disagree with you, but respect your passion. No doubt you will someday direct it toward justice. Peace.

Clint Wells is Native American and I have been trying to get him some exposure on a Native American website, with little or no success?? Natives are not really responding? Maybe he will have to win a Gold Medal, like Mills before anybody will realize that he is an incredible athlete?

Is not Krumm also of mixed races?

Yeah. He does the 800 and the 1500.

Ben

I don't understand you message to shoe companies. DK has been with adidas since his college career ended at GT. DK is having a tremendous year, and is making great strides.

Mike