Chicago, NYC Marathons

Or maybe JP Morgan Chase, Asics, the Rudin's and the other's contributions don't equal LaSalle's. I've got local race t-shirts with 50 sponsors that can't add up to much. One wonders if JP Morgan Chase continues their involvement amidst slumping business performance.

With all the other events operated succesfully during the year the NYRRC can't cozy up, woo, schmooze, or do whatever else London and Chicago do better with athletes and sponsors.

Still, a great event for the average spectator who watches to see their friend or relative. But the NYRRC has let it slip to 2nd-tier status in the running world.

Calling NYC "second tier" is a bit severe. Chicago's got bigger bucks and a handful (no more than that, really) of the biggest names, but :

1) Four men broke 2:09 in NYC this year. I'm not sure who else, on NYC's course, could do that. Not that it's worth doing two years out, but a case could be made for Rodgers Rop, now a winner in Boston and NYC, as a gold medal favorite in Athens in 2004. Flat course stars have not fared well in Olympic marathons.

2) The early, far away NYC start in Staten Island does present logistical problems and may be something of a pain in the butt ... but it's also immensely spectacular, over New York Harbor. Making NYC a five-borough marathon isn't just a gimmick, it has it's aesthetic advantages. Though going up to the Bronx did limit options for what could be an even more interesting course.

3) Not to be too antimaterialistic or anything, but at a certain point you have to wonder how much money Khalid Khannouchi actually needs, and whether or not the "short" view he and his wife take about Chicago and NYC will hurt them in the "long" run. Sandra's comments did seem recklessly intemperate. The people of New York know Khalid, they receive him well, he's visible at parties during the days leading up to the marathon. At some point, the guy oughta do this race that's 25 miles from his house.

Prestige -> Sponsorships: A little test we can perform. Who will get a bigger sponsorship deal next year - Khalid or Rop?

Nobody's asking if Jeremy Burnitz of the Mets is making too much money. Over $7,000,000 in 2002 for 19 home runs, 54 runs batted in, a measly batting average. Khalid should take all the money he can while he's hot. All of it. The rest of us can dream about love of the sport while we're in school or whittling away at our jobs.

Sandra has been Khalid's agent for awhile and has dealt with Chicago and New York for awhile. I'd call her comment refreshingly candid.

Senor Fabulous wrote:

3) Not to be too antimaterialistic or anything, but at a certain point you have to wonder how much money Khalid Khannouchi actually needs...

Usual view of runners by runners is that there is not enough support and money. Now all of a sudden a guy who is making a good living is Gordon Gecko. Where is Joe McV when we need him. Khalid is trying to get what he thinks he is worth so if that is Chicago then go for it. You may say that if he does win NYC he would be rewarded by more exposure, but then again maybe he won't. Nothing wrong with going with a sure thing.

Nothing against Khalid, but a major endorsement with a Muslin runner in NY would be, let's say, unusual at this moment in history.

JoeM. was spot-on with Fred Lebow. Fred made New York a national event.

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated has Joey Harrington on this week's cover.

Khannouchi has attempted to make his tradeoffs, viz. his run at WCA in '01, but let's face it, he could snap his achilles tomorrow (as "Carl" said in "Caddyshack," he'd never be able to shift his weight on his swing again) and his next job probably wouldn't pay as much as running so he has to earn now and has family pressures too (seems his brother's spending more time in Ossining and NYC, might be looking for a little tuition assistance soon enough).

His stretch at the top has been as long as for any marathoner in the past 20 years. Workign at that level, it typically chews guys up in 2 years...I understand completely. It just fustrates me when he cited the recognition issue...he knows his tradeoff by running Flora London and LaSalle Bank Chicago versus the (JP Morgan Chase) NYC and (John Hancock) Boston marathons

Hopefully he will be able to tee it up at the Olympics...and if he can grip it and rip it, being an American winner would solve that "Do you know me?" problem for him if New Balance and General Mills (Wheaties, babe) help just a little bit.

Burnitz was overpaid by a factor of 7-10 this year. That exemplifies why I like performance-based pay (like golf tournaments) for running, not guarantees.