Why no love for Bobby Mack?

a very week field.....bobby mack should not be winning races

who?

Bobby Mack is a great runner, but the problem is he's generic and not an interesting story so when he achieves there's no press/story/sponsor.

Keith Stone wrote:

He ran pretty studly today, amazing kick at the finish to win the thing. I'm disappointed there aren't a few threads about him.

Video?

1) I gave him love by recapping it on the homepage.

2) I dont think most people knew they could watch the race online on BBC (i didn't and got lucky to find it) so it's hard for them to talk about something they didn't see.

3) Yes the fields are a bit weak/contrived but I thought it was great TV (i only watched the last 10 minutes of his race to be honest).

But mainly he's not getting love as their wasn't a lot of pre-race hype. We try to promote things ahead of time as the best part about running is predicing it before hand and then talking about it afterhand. But if all you see is a result, it means little.

The meet website PDF was so hard to read I gave up writing a preview of it to be honest. Maybe next year, we can do a better job of contact them ahead of time and what not but it's hard with the holidays and all.

What happened to your promise to sponsor him?

Isn't he that runner who murdered Biggy Smalls?

I thought he was still being sponsored. I think they are trying to give the love out to Bobby Mack, but it is unrealistic for them to give 100% of their time. TTYL okay.

Bobby is a class act personally & as a runner. He has represented his school, country and our sport admirably. We're not all going to be like Galen or Mo. Let's encourge runners to be like him. And a 27 min 10k PR and top 10 at OT doesn't hurt either!!

TRUTHT wrote:

Bobby Mack is a great runner, but the problem is he's generic and not an interesting story so when he achieves there's no press/story/sponsor.

Not to the Raleigh-area runners who know him. Bobby's probably the best non-sponsored male runner in the country these days. He just made T&FN's 2012 top 10 list for the 10000, despite not being associated with a pro team or shoe company. He works a regular job at a local running store and still works out with his college team and coach (NCSU). This isn't his first win either -- keep in mind he is the defending USATF XC champion, and also has won the USATF road 8k and trail 10k championships recently. Not to mention he's humble and active in the local running community.

Here in the UK it's common wisdom that American athletes can't run what we call cross country (ie, with mud and hills, not jogging round a golf course). I think Bobby Mack's victory raised a lot of eyebrows. Cut the guy some slack--what he did today will certainly have changed some people's opinion for the better

Depends, what did he do?

Is he an assistant coach for NC State? Or just a volunteer coach who trains with the team?

Him and Ryan Hill are good training partners.

TRUTHT wrote:

Bobby Mack is a great runner, but the problem is he's generic and not an interesting story so when he achieves there's no press/story/sponsor.

Actually, Bobby's story is a great one. There's no press because he has no shoe contract and thus no PR department hyping every move he makes. I think for the anti-Galen crowd this is refreshing. As prior posters noted, the guy is our blue collar runner.

too bad I don't live in Raleigh anymore, as I used to frequent his running shop all the time- knew all the NCSU guys who worked there. Sounds like a great story to me.

Volunteer. Works out with the team most days but doesn't do any actual coaching.

I'm excited to see an American win an international cross country race, even if the field may have been contrived. Congrats.

He also sounds like someone a shoe company would be smart to pick up.

I go to NCSU and I have wanted to get him to autograph my jersey ever since I saw him win cross nationals last year. I should work on hunting him down