To "Bitterness is Ugly" and "Sagarin":
I am thankful for your responses. I posted this here with the intention of creating discussion. That's the point. For without discussion, change will never happen. My whole intent was to possibly inspire other elite athletes and individuals to take an active role in trying to bring about change. (I would love it if you actually had the audacity to provide your actual names next time :) maybe?)
My beef is not with Nike. With all due respect, if you had read the entire letter, you would see that I am an equal opportunist in that regard. It just so happens that half of the athletes involved were from Nike. In fact, Ryan Bak and Estwanik were both Nike athletes when they got hosed. I personally feel that the responsibility lies with USATF (hence the letter to Doug Logan and not Phil Knight).
I simply care about this sport too much to see it languish on tape-delayed television, or page 8 of the sports section. America identifies with the underdog. Why is the NCAA tournament so popular? Why is Nick Symmonds so popular (graduated from a non-D I school)? Why was it so awesome watching Christian Smith make the Team? Why was it so awesome watching Nick Rogers make the Team in 2000? Because it inspires the next generation that anything is possible, if it's your night. That's why it inspired me. In a country where Track and Field fights with Football, basketball, baseball, soccer, etc, it is important that the next generation see opportunities and fairness, and not simply a cookie-cutter National Championship recipe with athletes playing the "appeal" card. Or else, we might just wake up in ten years with a sport that only receives attention with a steroids bust.
The fact is, before programs like ZAP, Hansons, USA Minnesota, the qualifying standard was 13:51 for the A. That's not a misprint. I am merely hoping that things change before too many people get turned off at the current system, and USATF is forced back to the old standards. But then again, maybe I am too passionate about the sport.
As for not attending the conference, my job, coupled with full-time graduate school did not allow me the time. I appreciate the discussion. I feel it is needed to bring about any substantive change.
Kyle