Ritz apologizes for World XC comments

"It can be an important step in one's career, like it was for me when I was 19."

...

lol, nice recovery, Ritz.

Competing in the event is what would show some class. This bullshit about "not being sharp" is not fooling anybody. Get on the line and race, Ritz.

First, I'm a Ritz fan. That said, good for him to take the initiative, although personally I don't think he needed to apologize. He spoke his mind, and as far as I can tell he was accurate in his assessment. I'm not saying Poland or the interior of China are bad places, but come on. And for Ritz, running the Marathon should be his priority.

Grow up, calebb

T.J. wrote:

First, I'm a Ritz fan. That said, good for him to take the initiative, although personally I don't think he needed to apologize. He spoke his mind, and as far as I can tell he was accurate in his assessment. I'm not saying Poland or the interior of China are bad places, but come on. And for Ritz, running the Marathon should be his priority.

I agree. Ritz was correct in his assessment that the race is now insignificant. It's telling that Lagat and Rupp (and countless other elites) didn't even show up for the national meet. My best guess is that sponsors don't provide much encouragement for elites to run cross country, which then prompts athletes to focus on other events, like road racing. If Nike sponsored world cross, the race would be stacked for sure. But that's not the case, people, and Ritz is not the person driving these decisions.

Did anybody else notice that that prize money for 10th place at nationals is $100? That's an embarrassment and should be explanation enough for Ritz' comments about world cross.

Please, he's only sorry he received backlash for what he said.

Considering that he was vilified for an adulterated and distorted version of his comments, which was what was posted on this message board, this is all pretty sad.

Yeah, Ritz is hoping for another top 10 finish in the chicago marathon (he was 9th last year...out of like thousands of runners!). If everything goes right he might make it within 3 minutes of the winner (again, only about 3:09 back from contending for the win last year. Yeah, that is well over half a mile, but still a good showing for a rich american).

Unfortunately, XC beyond the college level does seem to be dying, but you used a poor example with Lagat and Rupp. When was the last time either ran XC? Ironically, neither showed up for indoor nationals either. Perhaps indoors is becoming insignificant as well. I'm old enough to remember when XC, indoor, outdoor and road racing were all more significant than they are now. What does the future hold for our sport?

calebb wrote:

Competing in the event is what would show some class. This bullshit about "not being sharp" is not fooling anybody. Get on the line and race, Ritz.

I agree with this.

Ritz was at his peak at 19.

If it was insignificant he would go over there and pad his resume with a win. However if he went now and got buried (and he would) people would wonder why he's competing in anything since he has zero chance of winning any top race.

Translation: Ritz would get waxed by the Africans if he raced World XC so he is not going to embarrass himself any more than he already has with his comments.

Here Ritz, I'll stand up with you and say it.

"NOBODY GIVES A FLYING F**K ABOUT CROSSCOUNTRY ANYMORE"

His apology shows weakness. Man up, run and do what you can do. His comments didnt warrant an apology. They were opinions. Don't apologize for how you feel.

another tool wrote:

Unfortunately, XC beyond the college level does seem to be dying, but you used a poor example with Lagat and Rupp. When was the last time either ran XC? Ironically, neither showed up for indoor nationals either. Perhaps indoors is becoming insignificant as well. I'm old enough to remember when XC, indoor, outdoor and road racing were all more significant than they are now. What does the future hold for our sport?

The fact that you can't remember the last time Lagat and Rupp ran XC does not detract from my point. If it was beneficial to their careers, I bet they'd be there. Also, I do think indoors was borderline irrelevant this year. Very little fanfare and effort on the part of USATF, as well.

The comment about 2015 being in inland China betrayed a lot of implicit cultural bias and imperialism, clearly suggesting that having the event in the most populated country in the world instead of one where English speakers could easily follow it was a sign of World XC's demise rather than, say, an attempt to appeal to a massive, untapped market. You hear this kind of talk a lot from Americans.

'That comment came off as careless and wrong. I know that, especially to the athletes who are competing there, it can be a very important step in international development.'

I don't think he really needed to apologise, but that's digging himself in deeper!

The world cross is not a development event its where the best are. He does admit he would get dropped later though

He does have class but he didn't have to apologize for being right.

It's sad that World XC has become nothing. I remember when it was huge, when our best runners competed and even won.

Bill Rogers a few weeks before Boston placed top 5.

The reality is that it's a pro sport and it needs lots of money to be significant.

High school and college runners are used to a well-structured schedule of cross country and nothing else in the fall, indoor track in winter, and outdoor track in spring.

For pros like Ritz, who is now over 30, there are many more choices, and many of them overlapping. February and March include major cross country, track, and road events, and it's up to the individual to decide what's most important. The USA Cross Country Championships and the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston were on the same day. Choices need to be made.