Congratulations to Stephanie Hightower for being named CEO today

Man, you scared the shit out of me. At least she can run some other operation into the ground before she gets a crack at doing it at USATF.

This is Hightower gaining experience people will point at so she is a viable candidate for the USATF CEO job when it opens up. Wake up fellas.

The minute she is named CEO, if it does happen, she will face government scrutiny, possible fraud charges, corruption and in an election year, there will be many politians wanting to make a name for themselves.

Mark my words. Vinny Lananna will be named CEO of track and field after the Olympic Games in 2012. He will bring back Michael Riley, who is currently helping our with London 2012, to be his right hand man. Vinny will move the track and field headquarters to Eugene or Portland instead of Indianapolis. The only reason USATF is in Indy is because it was convenient for Olan Cassell, the CEO many years ago.

Vin would be great BUT, he'd be a fool because he could only go down from there. It would purely be ego and unwise.

Plus, I don't see Vin being a "boy" to the likes of Hightower, Brooks, Dr. Evie Dennis, if you get my drift.

Vin won't be able to get rid of the old guard. Even if he got the gig, after two or three frustrating years, he would leave. The end result would be every significant NCAA and USATF meet for the next three decades will be held in Eugene, Oregon and NIKE will control every athlete capable of qualifying for a national meet.

Then Vin lananna will bail on USATF and John Chaplin will be named CEO.

Ideally Vin should start his own elite club in Santa Monica or Carlsbad, and go after Olympic and IAAF Outdoor medals. That could possibly make Vin a wealthy man but only if he can produce. Track and field fans want medals, medals, and more medals. Staying in Portland or Indianapolis is small time, a dead end. No matter the great things you do in those backwards towns, nobody will notice. That's why Joe Montana, Barry Bonds, Maurice Greene, Jim Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, etc. live in Los Angeles now. Vin deserves to be center stage and Hollywood TV is the biggest stage in the world.

Los Angeles BLOWS for training. The air quality is horrible and there are few places to really train and excel at anything over the 1500.

Sawd wrote:

That's why Joe Montana, Barry Bonds, Maurice Greene, Jim Brown, Oprah Winfrey, Larry King, etc. live in Los Angeles now.

Sounds as though Los Angeles has become a retirement community. Do they offer "Early Bird Specials" at all the restaurants? Bingo at the American Legion lodge every Tuesday evening?

Man, when I read the subject line, I was so scared that my arse got a headache.

So relieved that it wasn't what I feared.

The money is in L.A. That's what it's all about. Vin can house his distance kids a half-day's trip up US 395 at Mammoth or Tecopa, or a 2 hour trip to Chula Vista. The two lappers can train in Santa Monica. Vin should be center stage at CBS, NBC, and ABC broadcast TV studios where the pro sports shows are produced.

Do you think they threw her a going away party?

nikeman wrote:

Man, you scared the shit out of me. At least she can run some other operation into the ground before she gets a crack at doing it at USATF.

Me too!

I guess Columbus will go even further down the toilet.

Vin is the Ku Klux Klan

Stephanie is the Ku Klux Klan

the way I see it Vin would only take it if the organization agreed to make some changes before he came on board and they gave him much more power. he would certainly consider moving the organization to NYC, after all he is a born and bred Long Island guy and NYC is the pretty much the center of everything that happens in the country. with his power secure and in a new location he would be able to evict the old power structures and make T&F competitive more with "sports" like poker and bowling.

30% of the USATF membership is in So Cal. 1/2 the Oly/WC medal winners. 100% of the Broadcast TV network studios. USC is where the Olympics was held twice in 1932 and 1984. UCLA, USC, WCE, HSI, and SMTC are the only sure Oly/WC medal machines for USATF. The OTC is in San Diego. Los Angeles is the place for legendary monster HS meets, weeks-long four venue relays, and year-around outdoor all-comers, roads, ultras, cross, thons, etc.

I think we have to do what is best for our sport and station USATF executive offices, Media Production, High Performace, and LDR in Los Angeles where the weather is best.

We must continue to involve the entire USA. Championships should be held outside of So Cal most of the time as it already is now. We don't want any part of the US unfairly hogging our premier meets. So Cal is the best place to station only USATF headquarters and elite training centers. The entire USA is USATF.

dork stick wrote:

This is Hightower gaining experience people will point at so she is a viable candidate for the USATF CEO job when it opens up. Wake up fellas.

What's the new hubby's name Basil, Nigel, Bruce, Clive...?

The entire USA is USATF wrote:

30% of the USATF membership is in So Cal.

False, more like 5%. NorCal (Pacific) has a much stronger regional association.