Believe this, there's no "wink wink" involved. They both wanted more out of Cooks coaching than what he has. I know that's hard for some of you to believe that a coach doesn't know everything. If you are in high school or college you are kinda stuck with the coach you have. If you are a pro you can say thanks for the good times,literally, and move on, for better or worse.
The word is that while at Mason he was paying athletes and fudging home meet results to get athletes NCAA qualifying marks. Plus he and the women's coach really didn't like each other.
that is one tough chick, my question is what kind of day was this, hard, medium? I mean there was a heckuva lot of time and energy put into stuff other than real running.
not knocking her, her results speak for themselves. and from what I understand rupp, kara and the crew put a lot of time into plyometrics and what not. interesting, the two dominant 10K gals in the country are both doing this, as well as the top 10K guy.
I believe there is always more to the story. Just like I always knew there was more to Marion Jones story than the smiling face seen on TV.
John Cook (born 1956) is currently the head coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers women's volleyball team, entering his 9th season in 2008. He led the Huskers to two NCAA Women's Volleyball Championships, in 2000 by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers, and in 2006 by defeating Stanford. He is a two time winner of the AVCA National Coach of the Year award. Through the 2007 season, he has a 250-16 record at Nebraska. Prior to becoming head coach at Nebraska, Cook had a successful stint as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers women's volleyball team.
I don't believe she was talking about the training. Running doubles at the Trials and Olympics was not smart on the part of the coach. I don't know but part of his pay might have been based on that? Yes? No?
Coaches can get greedy just like agents. And then they cause the goose that laid the golden egg to seek help elsewhere. And, some coaches think they are more important than their client or the sport.
Must be a tough job coaching a bunch of tall gorgeous leggy Nebraska girls with great asses wearing skin tight shorts and singlets bouncing up and down all during practice and the games. I don't know if I'd ever want such a gig ;-)
Money talks wrote:
Perhaps money was the issue. Fired her agent AND her coach. Now her spouse Is filling both roles. Hopefully this isn't a case of penny wise and pound foolish.
That is exactly what it was. The agent (Stubbs not Flynn) was fired because husband (who doesn't work) is trying to justify his existence. Now they refuse to pay Cook a coaching fee from fat Nike contract. Husband had better get it right. I hear he's not so bright....
Wow. I didn't expect this at all.
It doesn't seem like a good move on her part but we will have to see how it works out. What American coach has had more success with professional runners than John Cook? Hopefully, Shalane finds someone that can at least keep her at the level she is at now.
It will be interesting to see if Coach Cook picks up additional runners.
cook has a dirty past. It's more than fudging meet results at GMU.
it wouldnt surprise me if wink wink was part of the new seperation.
What if Coach Cook (who has a checkered past) strongly encouraged Shalane to take performance enhancing drugs?
Or perhaps not something illegal but, just barely legal, like the Salazar trained athletes and Shalane was uncomfortable with it?
Or perhaps Shalane did take a PED under the direction of Coach Cook and she is feeling dirty, and wants a separation from the situation?
There are a ton of possibilities, but it is wrong for us to assume that Shalane is the problem when we don't know.
Just the money. Sad really....
D. Advocate wrote:
What if Coach Cook (who has a checkered past) strongly encouraged Shalane to take performance enhancing drugs?
Or perhaps not something illegal but, just barely legal, like the Salazar trained athletes and Shalane was uncomfortable with it?
Or perhaps Shalane did take a PED under the direction of Coach Cook and she is feeling dirty, and wants a separation from the situation?
There are a ton of possibilities, but it is wrong for us to assume that Shalane is the problem when we don't know.
But it is OK for you to assume that Cook was giving Shalane PEDs?
Maybe they just didn't get along. I gather that he is kinda a hard ass type coach. I don't know that just how he strikes me. If Shalane doesn't prefer this coaching type it probably just got to be unbearable now the Olympics are over. Some runners need or possibly prefer this type of coaching, some don't.
If someone knows or has run for Cook, correct me if I am wrong.
I DO NOT ASSUME THAT COACH COOK GAVE HER ANYTHING.
My point was that for anyone to assume that it was financial is equally as skewed. Even the front page poll has $$ as part of the poll. Why not include "ethics of the coach" as another hypothetical? My point is that a break up with a coach and an athlete could be several things and to assume anything is wrong.
I'd like to hear what Donohue has to say about all this
To everyone who is claiming it was about the money....then why did Erin also leave??? She hardly seems to be in the position, success wise, to be making financial demands herself. Do you think Erin just happened to leave at the exact same time but for different reasons? I think the fact that they both left supports it being a difference in coaching philosophy or some kind of specific incident. But who knows. I'm still curious how she fits into all this, since the fact that she also left is being overshadowed.
Please correct the front page - her agent was NOT Ray Flynn, it was Peter Stubbs.
JimG wrote:
Please correct the front page - her agent was NOT Ray Flynn, it was Peter Stubbs.
Jim,
That is an excellent point. Ray has enough athletes that he is raping financially. He should not be credited with this one.
I think its sad how everyone here besides Haji praises her for leaving her agent and coach to save some money. Her coach is damn good and probably helped a great deal in her current success. Last year everyone was busting Wariners balls because he didnt want to pay Clyde Hart an extra 5-8%. Its the same situation all over.
I think she is making a huge mistake depending on Kevin Federline to be her coach and agent.
D. Advocate wrote:
What if Coach Cook (who has a checkered past) strongly encouraged Shalane to take performance enhancing drugs?
Or perhaps not something illegal but, just barely legal, like the Salazar trained athletes and Shalane was uncomfortable with it?
Or perhaps Shalane did take a PED under the direction of Coach Cook and she is feeling dirty, and wants a separation from the situation?
There are a ton of possibilities, but it is wrong for us to assume that Shalane is the problem when we don't know.
All of what you and others who echoed your views are on the money I bet. Her quote about not being comfortable with some things Cook was doing said it all. It was hardly even a veiled reference to PED's. Who would really be surprised if Shalane had taken something in the "gray area" of what is legal and what is not (ie, really illegal, but convinced otherwise). Nowshe wants to try and replicate her previous results clean. Good luck with that. I doubt she medals again.