Good riddance. Nothing worse than being a 19 year old collegian and running against 25+ year old Kenyans. Just like Lubbock Christian, they had a no talent ass-clown coach who won National titles simply by putting money in the right places.
Mountie,
Just wondering, what criteria did/do you use to evaluate the Lubbock Christian coach.
i.e. day-to-day observation, etc.
Thank you in advance for replying.
why did lifelose its chiropractic accreditation. too many athletes failing classes?
mountie, I would agree with you that Life had a "no talent" coach. But the fact that you are whining about running against older foreign athletes is pathetic. If you are the top NAIA American, then maybe you could have a beef. If you are not, focus on beating the Americans before you start putting yourself up on a pedestal and saying you are "competing" against foreign runners. Be honest with yourself, you are probably not "competing" with them at all.
Thanks Bloomers. God bless ya.
I am Mountie, and actually, I was the top American in the 10,000 meters at the 1996 NAIA track championships. I was sixth overall, the only American All-American. In cross-country, my junior and senior year, I was one of the top five Americans, so I have a legitimate beef. I knew guys in later years that were ninth overall at track nationals, but the top American. I have no problem competing against Africans, Europeans, or South Americans in college. It's just that those two schools in particular(Life and Lubbock) seemed as though they cared little about actual development of athletes and cared more about national titles. I actually feel bad for some of those foreign athletes. It seems like Life University is(was) just using these athletes to make a name for themselves.
I liked the Lubbock guys. A lot of them are still out there competing and making a career on the roads. I just don't think their coach new much of anything. Before coaching the cross-country team, he was a below .500 basketball coach.
Case and point...
1) He was inducted into the NAIA hall of fame last fall. In his acceptance speech, he talked about his first season of coaching and how he recruited a runner from Nigeria. He had heard that Africans were good distance runners, but he later found out that the "East Africans" were the good distance runners.
2) When a rival coach asked him for advice on how to make a good team, he told the coach, "Don't waste your time recruiting Americans."
Hope that answers your questions.
Life College's president, Dr. Sid Williams, seemed to live vicariously through Life's athletes. The "running eagle" statue in front of their gym is modeled on his body (he's 70+, but was once a star football player at Georgia Tech). I don't know all of the reasons they lost their accreditation, but talking to students there, it sounds like they did not have PhDs teaching science classes. Life College may look impressive, but I think it may end up like the handicap ramps that Fat Tony built for Springfield Elementary- good looking on the outside, but shoddily put together. With all of the power that Sid's family had at Life, I don't think it's a coincidence that Life's demise is happening at the same time as Enron, WorldCom, et al. I miss seeing Sid's wizened visage scaring me every time I watch an Atlanta Braves game (Life was a sponsor of the Braves!?).
As a former liferunner I can say good riddence to a program that does nothing to develop athletes.
I went to life as a decent runner (420 mile HS) nothing great. I was looking forward to running with some great runners (which I did) and getting some good coaching advice. What I received was a coach who would show up to a workout and ask us what we would be doing today. Or would make up some idiotic workout as he went along.
Mike Spino was a glorified recruiter who had to win at all costs for Dr.Sid. He would tell you whatever he thought you needed to hear.
To bad for the athletes, but good for athletics in general.
Well if he gets a new head coaching and can run 16 min 5k, just tell him your 14 min man and he will be naive enough to take you. ( this is what one of the paper kenyans did, and it worked for him, so give it a try). Or tell Spino your related to a famous runner he falls for that ruse also.
Where arer the current "athletes" going? Seb Cosson? Will they go NCAA or will they stay at Life if they can't lose there scholarship and run the road for petty cash. Maybe they will go to another naia school to build another foreign team.
Several guys are bailing to Abilene Christian, several to University of South Alabama and a few to Alabama State. I'd be surprised if Cosson comes back.
On another note, Mid American Nazarene is stocking up on Kenyans so be warned.
Where is Mike Spino going after Life?
Do you think someone will pick him up?
A lot of the Life athletes will have questionable eligibility; whatever school picks them up will need to look closely at their "transcripts." Many of them take $$$$ on the roads when they can and do a lot of things an NCAA institution can't tolerate. Past athletes included Jacques Van Rensburg, who ran three races for Life before another coach pointed out he had finished 5th two months before in the Peachtree Road Race, and had taken the money! That's just one example -- these guys have no shame. It was really a road whore in training program.
A few folks, like "Dr." Bob Irwin and Malcolm Campbell made the most of the academic opportunities there, but most of the rest of the athletes just used it for free room and board as they learned the American road scene.
A couple responses to other points on this string:
1) I think Coach Spino is a nice guy and knows the sport somewhat, but let his athletes coach themselves in order to keep them happy. Bad move.
2) Darrell Price at Lubbock was a great man, but with the talent he had, anyone could have won. It wasn't his coaching.
3) Good riddance to Life. I don't mind foreign runners, but the program was corrupt, from basketball to track, etc. They won at any cost, and that mentality grafted onto their athletes.
4) Nesbitt, I feel your pain. I ran along as the lone tall white guy in many an NAIA indoor 5K, etc., trying to keep up with a herd of Africans. Was never fun, but certainly made us run faster, huh?
The whole Life thing will be a mystery for a long time and we will never know how many of the national titles they won were legite. Im totaly for the africans come to run but i just wish there were more teams doing it cleanly. As for mid american i hope they shipped the old kenyens out cause they were horrible maybethe new ones they brought in on the bannana boat are better. Just a gut feeling but i think minot state runs away with the title just my thought. They have a class program and coach.
P.S I to was a lonley american battling the kenyens up front for a couple of years, but no complaints here they made me better
Don't forget Malone
Spino is a shyster who only landed at Life b/c of his GaTech connections (Dr. Sid loved anything associated with GT). The main reason Life started the non-chiropractic curriculum was so they could attract athletes to play basketball, soccer, rugby, and to run.
That said, they have a pretty nice facility there. I don't know if the Cerutty-style "sand dune" is still in place, but the track is gorgeous and there are a couple of miles of gravel trails. I hope the Marietta schools or someone can put that to use.
Like their shitty 15:20 kenyans they had this year
Slodog, yes the trails are still there around the campus. I run on them every morning. And I use the track every Tuesday/Thursday. Very nice set-up there.
This past week I've seen the same Kenyan on the trails with the same lime green tights. Those things have to be funky.
Kenyans generally arent known for the style