The Future of Footlocker XC

You have that right. From all the press and internet buzz, it seems that the 2010 NXN Men's Individual National Championship might just have the best field of HS CC runners ever assembled. Who is not going to be there?

Futsum will be running FL.

Why? Know he has run FL in the past, but with the field choosing NXN why did he choose FL?

Something to do with several of his underclassmen teammates being able to run in class races at FL MW.

I'm not a moron or a joke. Just because my opinion differs from yours doesn't give you the right to attack me. For example- you are wrong but you are not a moron and/or a joke because of your opinion. You are moron and a joke because of your attitude.

People look at both races and decide which will suit them better. In NY- if you are marginal- like you may be 6th to 10th at FL - then you are going to try figure which out which race give you the better odds of going. Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive (you). Aisling Cuffe can run any race she wants and win- very few kids are in her position.

By the way, I am not supposedly a coach, I am one- of a program that qualifies for state championships AS A TEAM on a regular basis and sends more kids to college, with scholarship money, than all the other sports teams in my school combined.

Learn how to discuss like an adult (even though you are obviously a juvenile.

Wow. Team is great, but NXN has other races too plus a team race. Guess he will be well rested for FL MW and have an easier path at FL than NXN.

FL had the chance to go with the team/individual concept and have Nike's sponsorship. They turned it down. We have a chance to find a true national champion and we won't because there are two races. In NY/New England you can only do one.

I know kids who chose FL because F-M, Saratoga, East Aurora, etc go to Nike- that gives them a better shot at making it at FL. Sheesh FM scores 15 points at the States- they have some good individuals NOT going to FL.

Other kids prefer NOT to go go Long Island. Traffic and travel time are awful from most parts of Upstate NY and states north of NY.

It's not stupidity it's strategy- if you have a shot maximize your odds- in the North East FL is weaker because the top teams go to Nike.

Sorry.

Everyone knows the individual path to FL especially this year on the men's side is the easier way to go. In the NWN NE, Rosa/Cheserek and Elkaim plus a few others are not attending FL so that clearly provides others an easier opportunity to qualify at FL NE. Makes sense, but also proves the shift that is taking place.

Hey if your team is qualifying for a state championship on a regular basis shouldn't you and your teammates be at NXN? Hope you are going because outside of some pretty clear favorites the team races at NXN NE are wide open. A kid who is a possible 6-10 at FL NE hasn't got a shot in the world to get an individual qualifier at NXN NE. Actually, quality runners beyond those earlier mentioned are best served by choosing FL NE this year and that says a lot about the top end at NXN NE. Many quality kids have joined the FL NE fields as the handwriting is on the wall. Can't blame them for choosing the easier path like you said. Hey FL also has more qualifying spots as well so it makes sense to go the FL route.

Hey runn not only are the top NY/NE teams at NXN, but so are the individuals very clearly on the boy's side. Maybe the girls with outside FL shots because of FL's girls depth should have gone the NXN route based on your logic.

Time for the boy's with the stripped officials shirts to stick to the malls. FL pouring tons of their own dollars (no longer Nike's) into an event that is loosing the race. Not a bright business decision. Yes, they had their chance and took on the wrong opponent and that was a very poor business decision.

The media stats have Footlocker far ahead and growing. Web views, TV audience, tradition are for the old standby. Nike helps take up the 2nd rate kids. Thanks.

Media Stats do not make an event a success and you hit the nail on the head with "old standby" because that is all FL is now. An OLD Standby who has missed the boat.

PS ... have fun trolling from the boat Media Stats. With entries down almost 50% since 2004, migration of top rated boys runners completed with the girls to follow, I see your point with FL far ahead and growing especially with regards to media stats. FL had to win at something.

I don't understand how these clowns think Nike is killing HS xc by by bringing 44 teams and 100 individuals and their coaches out to Oregon to compete in a HS xc race, a real National championship. That is a huge commitment, they also put on 9 regional races leading up to it.

Footlocker flies 80 kids and no teams or coaches to their little individual xc race?

Pretty obvious who is making the commitment to HS xc and who is promoting the sport.

As a HS coach I will never again send a kid to run Footlocker, even though I have had three kids quailfy for San Diego in the past. Now that NXN is available it is a much better option and it promotes the team concept.

You heard it here. Watch for a major FL announcement after this years final. The clock is ticking.

Great point on reviewing who makes the larger committment to the sport while recognizing the team and individuals. How about an individual championship race between the NXN top 7 finishers and FL top 7 finishers for 2010. It would be no contest even with the girls with the strength of many great girls on NXN teams. Goodbye to the dreamers and the pretender.

FLNE got the brown end of the stick with VCP closed for repair and then deciding to host the race on an island off the coast of North America. FLNE will never recover and as NE goes so goes the nation.

Reread what you wrote and then get off of your soapbox. It's particularly insulting coming from a "coach". You specifically said that FL was for the second tier kids that couldn't make it to Nike. Verzbicas, as recently as last year, and the majority of the best girls (without ties to powerhouse teams) this year have chosen FL over Nike. That either makes you out of touch or yet another Nike shill. Don't try now to lecture me and come across as Mr. Manners; those were your words that you chose to post and you insulted the abilities of Cuffe, Venables, Futsum Z, etc. by writing them. Bravo - "coach".

Hey. Why did Futsum choose FL while the other top boys have chosen NXN? The fact is that no insult was/is intended. He choose the easier field and that is the fact with regards to this year's FL race. How is runn out of touch with his overall assessment? Always thought the best challenge themselves against the best. Futsum choose differently and has left many with the opinion as to why he choose a softer race. You cannot deny others their opinions especially when that opinion of Futsum is also an opinion shared by the runners who choose NXN over FL. If he wishes to be one of the best, then why not run with em'. Insult no question yes. He is now not looked at in the same competitive light by passing on the opportunity to prove himself against the NXN field. Unfortunately his choice raises questions that could only be answered if he was in the NXN race and not FL.

Cuffe is the girls standard so that's an easy analysis.

If you are not an elite HS XC runner you hang your hat on a team and go to Nike. Believe me, if you had any chance of qualifying for FL Nationals you would be there.

XC is about the individual, those that believe it's not are not usually the fastest in the race.

HS Superstar wrote:

If you are not an elite HS XC runner you hang your hat on a team and go to Nike. Believe me, if you had any chance of qualifying for FL Nationals you would be there.

XC is about the individual, those that believe it's not are not usually the fastest in the race.

Tell that to Lucas V.

I'm glad you are not on my team you selfish little brat.