The issue is that he is a poster boy, good looking, single and had a chance to be a role model, yes, a role model, and runners probably serve as more influential role models than football players (simply because there are far fewer stars).
So what does pretty boy do this year?
Low class stunts.
He's gone from Kodak/Hallmark moments of kissing his mom after making the OT 4 years ago...to running a beer mile at Lane CC (cos he sure as hell would not dare to run one at Hayward.)
Symmonds, was the first to make the Rule 40 thing public...by auctioning off the temp tattoo space (temp tramp stamp) and he could have been a leader with KD etc., instead...they've taken the baton and left him off the team...and he has shown that he doesn't belong on the team.
I think KD was all too often a head case in races; but he sure is a class act off the track. --Which is something Symmonds can no longer say.
Pre, was an idiot for drinking and driving...and paid the ultimate sad price.
But, in his off hours...when he wasn't working cos he had to...he was doing charity and philanthropic work.
Symmonds, needs to drop the beer mile non-sense and go start spending time in pediatric aids wards or something and raise his image, raise his brand, bring a better "product" to the table off the track.
And btw, there is nothing wrong with calling the performance on the track "product," cos that is how the meet promoters refer to it.
And sports is entertainment, and ergo "product."