"yeah ... umm ... well what i am saying is that the structure is all set up wrong"
I think what Joe McV is saying, and I agree, is how can you rip on something and not offer any alternative? If the structure is so bad, what do you think the structure should be? Should individual athletes form their own federation? Should the "New USATF" be guided by the club system? Do you have a proposal by where the "NEW USATF" is supported directly by Nike and their return on their investment would bring them a 100 billion $ profit by the year 2010? Tell us what you have in mind...
"but come on, put some money into it ... INVEST. not my job, i am out there entertaining the fans (cometitor, doing my job in training and racing ... and paying to compete in the sport to make the olympic team)..."
Who are you talking to? I'd say a full 95% of people who read and post here are doing the same thing you are, so who's job is it to invest if it is not yours? If you are so entertaining, who are you? Give me your name so that I can scream it out from the stands when I hear it at the "NEW USATF" national championships.
"all i am saying is that the one i compete for sucks and provides NO SUPPORT FOR THE ATHLETES AT ALL (except if you\'re the #1 person in you\'re event... I mean what did 2nd place get paid at nationals? maybe 2500 dollars? if even and first was maybe 3000 dollars?"
That is because they don't have any more to give. Sure they might grease a few palms with some of the $$$ and some might even end of in the pocket of those who don't deserve it, but in reality they just don't have any $$. And by the way, tell me which country's national champs gives MORE than $3k. I bet you can't find a single one.
"I ran in a few USATF elite events this year and at the athlets dinners, the night before the meets they were saying, "When you get interviewed by tv, make sure you say how AWESOME THE CROWD WAS!" Most times the crowd sucked and others there was hardly anyone there. At one meet the announcers on tv said there was standing room only when in fact the stands were about 10% full.... NO JOKE! False Perceptions = Don't get you anywhere and are a sign of weakness"
Actually false perceptions tend to get you very far. Why don't you invite all your buddies to come see you race, and why don't you start a marketing campaign in your area? Like: "Come Cheer Trackdaddy On to Greater Glory" and print up posters and send out mailers to the whole town, and send out some spam too, you might get some intrest there, plus set up trackdaddy.com to show everyone how special you are. Then you might start helping to fill those empty bleachers.
Really, Trackdaddy, the key is all about self promotion, or finding someone who will promote you for YOU. You just need to go out and cold call every business in your town, and tell them what YOU will do for them, and see how far you get. You will then understand why USATF has problems telling their sponsors what they can do for them.
So, Trackdaddy, go out and do it for yourself. Print up a resume, do a marketing campaign and get your own sponsorship package together and earn a friggen living. With the current USATF there is no free lunch. So until you form your own "NEW and improved USATF" you'll always be Trackbaby.