Never thought I'd say this, but with the way NXN shook out, Footlocker seems like an afterthought this year. The build-up to the race had compelling storylines and the action and results lived up to the hype (especially on the girls side).
See what happens when a "nationl championship" race is run on course that is not a mud bog.
Just hope that FL gets some coverage and chatter.
don't care, xc is over now.
Skip XC.
XC is not a major.
XC is not in the Olympics.
The athletes who are running will care. Their families and coaches. Maybe a college coach or two might check in on the results.
College coaches don't care as much about the meet as they do that it is in San Diego and they get to get away to somewhere fairly warm for a couple of days. These kids are known commodities, no one is going out there to find out who is good or not?
I cared about the girl's race at NXN and I care about the guys race at Foot Locker.
Boys NXN and Girl's Foot Locker....didn't/won't even read any previews and I will just check results.
Heading over to watch this weekend so I'm up for it.
I was at the Northeast Regional for Footlocker. I know I saw Steve Walsh, who is the head coach of William & Mary. They are a top-20 program for women's xc. I would imagine others were there as well.
Yeah if you suck. If you're among the top 40 in the country, you're running this weekend. A bunch of kids ran last weekend, but 98% of them should have been relaxing, watching college football instead. I heard some kid that was 3rd at his state meet won? That doesn't happen at FL.The Big Boys run this weekend in San Diego. How will they match up to past years? Watch and see!
xc runner... wrote:
don't care, xc is over now.
[quote]jorge washington wrote:
Yeah if you suck. If you're among the top 40 in the country, you're running this weekend. A bunch of kids ran last weekend, but 98% of them should have been relaxing, watching college football instead. I heard some kid that was 3rd at his state meet won? That doesn't happen at FL.
The Big Boys run this weekend in San Diego. How will they match up to past years? Watch and see!
Let me guess, you aren't running.
By your logic, YOU SUCK.
1) I care because footlocker to me has always historically been the best.
2) I am paying attention to the boys race at footlocker as based on tully speed ratings it looks better than nxn.
3) This year was the first year I really paid a lot attention to NXN individual race and that was just on the girls side
4) It's a shame the adults in the room couldn't have figured out a way not to split HS. Why couldn't the NXN team race just been added to Foot locker? (I know the answer is you don't spend millions and not get title sponsorship). I'm amazed FL has stayed relevant at all but it keeps holding on.
sports columnist wrote:
I cared about the girl's race at NXN and I care about the guys race at Foot Locker.
Boys NXN and Girl's Foot Locker....didn't/won't even read any previews and I will just check results.
Totally agree. Top Boys always seem to be at FL and top Girls at NXN.
Footlocker basics 1 0 1....
40 nationally caliber kids (runners), easy to understand!.....it maynot be the actual top 40 but it's close!
better profiles...better website...and better search ability
each region is easliy idenfied by color uniforms
easier to know what states are being represented by each runner
announcer is awesome!
video of the race is much better...NXN is all over the place!....and quality is better!
better course in my opinion...some big hills...history..etc
no slow runners.....everyone has the same strategy...TO WIN!...no just run for points!...no excuses here...I like that!
everyone is going all out, no team points here!
always seems like sunshine...you gottaaa love that!
by opinion.... NXN is mostly enjoy by the local schools (teams) going not by the mass fan base like FL is....there seems to be something special about having an event for the national individual champion....NXN has an individual championship....but it seems in most cases is watered down because of the team concept
no matter how many NXN individuals who go to NXN, it doesn't change the face FL will have 40 national caliber runners.....the race will always be a little better!
FL is a dream race for the better runners...that will never change!....the concept is simple and better....Olympic runners understand this!
rojo wrote:
4) It's a shame the adults in the room couldn't have figured out a way not to split HS. Why couldn't the NXN team race just been added to Foot locker? (I know the answer is you don't spend millions and not get title sponsorship). I'm amazed FL has stayed relevant at all but it keeps holding on.
It is my understanding (from a good source, but I could be wrong) that Nike was willing to finance the meet (combined team/individual championship) and keep the title of Foot Locker National Championships, but FL declined and wanted to keep their event as is. Nike took their money and shifted their event from Nike Team Nationals (NTN) to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN).
Personally, I don't see the need to point fingers at either event. It would be nice to have them co-exist (Nike as the team event, FL for individuals), but I understand Nike wanting to have a "true" national championship for teams and individuals and I also understand FL's motivation to maintain their tradition of a small, very elite race. Like it not, the quality of FL is not the same as it was 10 years ago.
RuKiddingMe!! wrote:
FL is a dream race for the better runners...that will never change!....the concept is simple and better....Olympic runners understand this!
You are correct in that FL is a "concept." A great race that has existed for over 30 years, but there is no other cross country race like it. State meets, NCAAs, Worlds, none of these well-known championship races are quite like FL.
Olympic runners, when they choose to run World Cross, also understand there is a team aspect to cross country.
Do you advocate that the NCAA get rid of the team portion of XC? Maybe the NCAA should just bring in the top 40 athletes if the concept is better. Think of all the money the NCAA could save by not bringing in another 170+ athletes for the championships. Maybe you're on to something here.
living in reality wrote:
Do you advocate that the NCAA get rid of the team portion of XC? Maybe the NCAA should just bring in the top 40 athletes if the concept is better. Think of all the money the NCAA could save by not bringing in another 170+ athletes for the championships. Maybe you're on to something here.
Why are you comparing it to the NCAA? Pretty random.
Like it or not. XC is the only sport that I know of with a legitimate method for establishing a National Prep Champ. Prep football, soccer, basketball, volleyball...no such thing. That's the cool thing about the sport. It's cheap to put on. There is no specialized equipment and it's running. Not much to understand. Even with a ready-made event, the powers that be still try to screw it up. I would like to see NXN and FL come together in some way in the future.
Everyone who cares about high school cross county cares.
I see your point and I don' advocate it (But FL was there first before the team concept, for that reason it will be hard to change things) by the NCAAs, but it seems to me that the individual champion is treated 80/20 percent better than the team concept. Just watch the live feed or video when sam chalanga (or other great runners) are out front.....90% of the race commentary is about the individual out there and total focus is soley on him......very little is being announced about what is going on in the back....and team points!......
BTY...Seems to me most posts on here are about past individuals champions, not team champions....personally i remember the individual champions for a long time, unlike teams, usually by the next year I forgot who won the team race.
I see what NXN is trying to do, but this HS, and as long as FL is present NXN will have issues with quality.....I do go to the NXN site but can't even tell witch teams are from which states.....??......I'm lost by the time the race is off! You have to be local to understand what the hell is going on????
RuKiddingMe!! wrote:
I see your point and I don' advocate it (But FL was there first before the team concept, for that reason it will be hard to change things) by the NCAAs, but it seems to me that the individual champion is treated 80/20 percent better than the team concept. Just watch the live feed or video when sam chalanga (or other great runners) are out front.....90% of the race commentary is about the individual out there and total focus is soley on him......very little is being announced about what is going on in the back....and team points!......
BTY...Seems to me most posts on here are about past individuals champions, not team champions....personally i remember the individual champions for a long time, unlike teams, usually by the next year I forgot who won the team race.
I see what NXN is trying to do, but this HS, and as long as FL is present NXN will have issues with quality.....I do go to the NXN site but can't even tell witch teams are from which states.....??......I'm lost by the time the race is off! You have to be local to understand what the hell is going on????
Except the team aspect of cross country as been around long before Foot Locker ever started. With regards to the coverage focusing on the top runners, I agree with you, but some of that is simply logistics. It's nearly impossible to cover the team aspect of a cross country race in real time. The only coverage is having relatively accurate team scores at each kilometer and/or mile.
As NCAAs approach, there seems to be as much interest (on the message boards) in the team battle as the individual race. Maybe I simply notice those threads more as I do think of XC as both an individual and team race, whereas someone else's perspective may look very differently than mine.
