Just because someone "doctors" someone else doesn't mean they are a Doctor.
Just because someone "ministers" to someone else doesn't mean they are a Reverand.
Just because someone "coaches" someone else doesn't mean they are a Coach.
Even if they ask for money for doing it.
To be "Doctor____", "Reverand____", or "Coach____" requires more than self-appointing a professional title not yet earned. No one in medical school or the seminary would have the gall to confir upon themselves a title before successful completion of their education.
But coaches are a different type? The word "professional" means nothing beyond "getting paid for it"?
THAT'S why teachers and coaches aren't respected in this country, while being very highly valued outside these borders.
And that's one big reason why people native to those countries beyond our borders are KICKING OUR ASSES in the sport.
A cultural lack of value for true professionals gets jobs for people like Davis--good genes athletes with nothing else yet going for them--and usually at the expense of someone who IS qualified. The dumbing down of coaching, to borrow Robert's latest term.
That's how people like Plascencia, Spivey, Scott, etc., get jobs so easily when it is hell for others more qualified: The American Love of Celebrities.
And by the time it is realized that these people possibly can't do the job, a generation of athletes may be compromised. (The "star athlete", of course moves on to the car dealarship or whatever. Didn't work out, no big deal.)
What this country needs is a top-notch NCAA/USATF required coaching program, and no one allowed to coach outside of completion. (I know Davis isn't coaching at any established institution, but what do you think his next step will be, really now?) The way it is now, it is up to the people involved to seek education based on their desire for excellence as a coach. Some, like Wetmore, and Vigil, for example, aim for advanced degrees in Exercise Physiology.
Others, like Davis, seek the easy path, using their "star-power' and celebrity on the internet.
Davis may coach, but he's no "Coach" Davis.
Anominity means you have to look at what I write rather than making a purposeful distraction from the debate by trashing me personally for things outside of my comments. I have told everything needed to evaluate my comments and respond to the topic. Only the "snipers" need anything more, which they will not get.
Both Davis and Mack had reasons for not being anonymous, Davis to promote himself and Mack to disprove Davis' accusation he was me. I do not share those reasons. The lack of guts is in looking for the easy way to trash instead of debating my comments with a legitimate arguement yourself.
If honest questioning of Davis' coaching credentials when he calls himself "Coach" stirs him up, so be it. Personally, I don't believe he is bothered that much...eighties marketing philosophy says any attention, even negative attention, is a good thing. He's getting a lot of attention out of this thread of mine and if I were seeking only to nail him personally, I would have just ignored him in the first place.
Coaching is the backbone of athletics success--not shoes, tracks, or sponsorship--and Davis' self-promotion has opened the door to debate on the topic of good coaching vs. hacker/slacker coaching. Davis simply personifies the bad attitude that says the celebrity star athlete is almost soley responsible for the success and anyone can coach.
And later, all that celebrity star athlete needs to do to be a coach is to call himself "Coach." Nothing more needed.
And we are all supposed to support and applaud this embracing of the uneducated and mediocre...while the world kicks our asses.
Remember the last line from the Tom Hanks character to the Matt damon character in "Saving Private Ryan"...?
"Earn this!"
Davis hasn't. Not "Coach." Not yet.