WHY HASN'T THE TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES ASSOCIATION ISSUED A STATEMENT ABOUT THE LONDON DL MEET BARRING US ATHLETES?

Lolo Jones, a 2 time world champion is just a mediocre runner?

In NASCAR, these are the following points (and please don't take me to be a fan).There is a Lowes Motor Speedway in North Carolina (I think). They do not/cannot ban the Home Depot team car.The Coca Cola 600 did not ban the Big Red-sponsored car.The Fed Ex 400 did not ban the UPS-sponsored car.The Kobalt Tools 500 did not ban the Dewalt-sponsored team.The Toyota/Save Mart 350 was won by a Dodge!!!!Yet, this sport can have people dictate who can do business with whom, not out of "we are full in that event," "you aren't qualified", "we couldn't come to financial terms, etc. but rather I will put you in your place. Wow. And some on this thread think it OK.....

Bghghygubu wrote:

aadkfjdjf wrote:

The fact that Michael Jordan couldn't wear a "Gatorade billboard" on his back had nothing to do with his popularity.

But Nick's desire to do so is what got him banned from the meet.

Bghghygubu wrote:

aadkfjdjf wrote:

The fact that Michael Jordan couldn't wear a "Gatorade billboard" on his back had nothing to do with his popularity.

But Nick's desire to do so is what got him banned from the meet.

First of all, we don't know precisely why he was banned. Assuming that Symmonds was in fact banned for vociferously seeking more sponsorship opportunities:

If he was banned for 'desire' than most of us should be in jail for having desired, at some point to do something illegal. Nick has been explicit that he will follow current rules while doing everything he can to change them. If that makes him a rule-breaking liability, then I'm a murderer for that one time I wanted to kill somebody.

This isn't like the NBA banning Ron Artest for a certain number of games for injuring a fan--that's liability. Nick has shown no tendency to break rules. This is purely a strong-arm tactic by those in power to keep athletes from trying to earn a a decent living from being world-class physical specimens.

Ironically, the biggest liability to the London Diamond League meet is the meet director and his wife. Let the meet sponsors know it, Samsung and Aviva.

If their rule-breaking makes them such a liability, why aren't they banned from any other meets?

Personal vendetta?

TFAA is a shill for Nike. The website

http://trackandfieldathletesassociation.org

reads like it's Player's Union, but actually it's Nike's shill to keep a close eye on US athletes. Hope this helps.

long sox wrote:

Odd, I'm pretty sure I saw plenty of US athletes there, including one winning the women's 800m and another winning the men's shot put. Perhaps we were watching a different meeting?

Perhaps you are just stupid and not aware of the fact that Symmonds, Lolo, and Schumachers group were all banned from the meet.

Now think about that, these professional athletes have about 12 meets with which to race, place and make a living each year, fewer this year as many will have to skip certain competitions in order to make their OT and prep...

Fck Stewart.

Why are you yelling?

I noticed the same thing wrote:

Another view wrote:

To the posters who commented on the caps, f*ck you this is our sport we are talking about.

And you are obviously a very articulate role model for our sport. Congratulations!

I'm sorry, but using an all-caps subject line does not give us the impression that the OP is passionate about the sport. It actually appears to be the actions of a person who is starved for attention, immature, and has an exceedingly limited vocabulary. If they had any common sense, they would realize that most people will dismiss the opinion of someone who is ranting in that manner rather than admire it.

Hmmm.

You have a point. Feeling the need to reply to this thread is the sign of someone seeking attention. Judging someone else for using caps in a subject line...putting yourself in "superior" position is a sign of narcissism. The lack of much in the way of a strong vocabulary on your part certainly speaks to the limited vocabulary part.

Yes, you are immature. Projecting your liabilities on another.

Good job!

superman wrote:

This is letsrun.com. half the posts on this board are troll posts, and you're complaining about caps?

Get real. This isnt a congressional forum, its a running board where most people talk trash about elites.

I noticed the same thing wrote:

And you are obviously a very articulate role model for our sport. Congratulations!

I'm sorry, but using an all-caps subject line does not give us the impression that the OP is passionate about the sport. It actually appears to be the actions of a person who is starved for attention, immature, and has an exceedingly limited vocabulary. If they had any common sense, they would realize that most people will dismiss the opinion of someone who is ranting in that manner rather than admire it.

Well played.

I think you just hit the new slogan for Lets Run:

Lets Run: Where Most People Talk Trash About Elites

You are clearly not very cultured.

Most Europeans prefer and enjoy seeing athletes from all over the world; and the American athletes are always well received in Europe.

I know, I've been there. Both on the track and in the stands.

You sound really ignorant, small minded and intolerant.

Grow up.

Superman's amoron wrote:

I bet London was pretty happy with the athletes they got, like a US runner with a world championship medal. I don't think Nick adds much to the European scene -- 1:44 runners are a dime a dozen, they just arent in the US.

You don't understand the average European fan -- they like to see the entire world represented. Not just East Africa.

Bghghygubu wrote:

aadkfjdjf wrote:

The fact that Michael Jordan couldn't wear a "Gatorade billboard" on his back had nothing to do with his popularity.

But Nick's desire to do so is what got him banned from the meet.

You cannot compare the NBA where athletes are paid well, with track athletes.

For those mentioning that Symmonds or even Lojo are just mediocre runners and its not that big of a deal are ignorant. Both runners have PRs much faster than other athletes accepted, and both consistently run faster than other athletes entered. No matter any way you look at it, if they applied to get in that meet they should have got in. And on top of that they were directly told it was because they were a liability.

Symmonds has gotten the reputation as the loud mouth of the sport but he is doing it for the athletes and not breaking rules. He may be making an extra 11 grand but he is opening the door for the B standard guys who are living on food stamps to find their own sponsors.

For Lolo, that was just uncalled for! She has multiple sponsors outside of shoe contract, but she has not publicly been a nuisance to anyone. She has followed the rules and the only extra endorsements she has done is through twitter and internet videos.

When it comes down to it. IAAF needs guidelines and rules for how to choose people for meets, especially 'Series' like the Diamond League. If you get points that contribute to a championship, there should be guidelines, acceptance should not be random.

farmteamusa wrote:

The main problem is that the president of USATF used her connections with the London meet director (her husband) to exact personal vendettas against athletes she does not like. This is a direct abuse of her position and contrary to her duties. It would be like a game warden poaching wildlife from a reserve he was hired to protect.

Not the best analogy. Try again?

Otherwise, totally agree.

Weary wrote:

Until USATF is decommissioned as a federation and none of the current officers and board members can be on its replacement, we are going to have problems.

It is time to throw it out again, and start all over.

Unfortunately, it will need to be the way it happened last time, with the congress and the senate involved...

Hope this helps. wrote:

TFAA is a shill for Nike. The website

http://trackandfieldathletesassociation.org

reads like it's Player's Union, but actually it's Nike's shill to keep a close eye on US athletes. Hope this helps.

There is nothing on that site that indicates it is a shill for Nike.

First of all the site is not fantastically designed, and rarely updated.

SO WHY DON'T YOU TAKE YOUR HATE AND LIES ELSEWHERE?

--You've been Corrected.

You nailed it. Barring athletes from meets they are certainly qualified for, and could win points towards income...well it is akin to racism...this prejudice.

webby wrote:

If their rule-breaking makes them such a liability, why aren't they banned from any other meets?

Personal vendetta?

Other meets aren't sponsored by Aviva. Ian Stewart has gotta keep Aviva happy.