It's stupid that people like Anderson and Maton have to choose between representing their team and contending for the more prestigious national individual title.
Consequently, we will not have a definitive boys champ no matter what, as Anderson is going to NXN and the others are going to footlocker.
NXN should really be the only one. The experience is not only fifty times better than Footlocker, but dear heavens. What does Footlocker NOT GET about cross country. It's a team sport. Those regional 'teams' are complete BS.
NXN is the real championships. The best team in the nation wins. If they want to have an individual championship, it IS NOT cross country.
I agree, XC is first and foremost a team sport, especially at the high school level. Track is more suited for individual entrants.
While I agree that the team aspect is paramount (take note, Mathew Maton), an individual national championship is an integral part of the culture of this sport.
Think of Ritzenhein vs. Hall vs. Webb and other classic Footlocker clashes... the individual national title is important. Athletes shouldn't have to choose between that and their team.
aslan wrote:
an individual national championship is an integral part of the culture of this sport.
While I completely disagree, Nike could simply allow the best ten or so individuals in.
butt... wrote:
aslan wrote:an individual national championship is an integral part of the culture of this sport.
While I completely disagree, Nike could simply allow the best ten or so individuals in.
That's against some state association's rulings. For instance, Michigan sticks out to me. They are very stingy about letting people run in all-star meets if it's invitation only. If everyone can enter then the Michigan association can't do much.
How does footlocker choose who gets into its regional meets?
My athlete enjoyed Foot Locker more than NXN, but I understand kids differ.
Also, the regional team race is important where I'm from. Not sure why your region would be okay with being mediocre.
Seriously if NXN is so much better then why will FLN get most of the top guys this year? What's not to like about San Diego in December? Not discounting the team aspect of the sport but I'm not convinced NXN is the better event if you're an elite HS runner
We will have a definitive boys champ - the winner of footlocker. If Anderson chooses not to partake then he is forgoing any claims to the national champion crown.
butt... wrote:
How does footlocker choose who gets into its regional meets?
Anyone can run them I think.
Crazedseepies wrote:
NXN should really be the only one. The experience is not only fifty times better than Footlocker, but dear heavens. What does Footlocker NOT GET about cross country. It's a team sport. Those regional 'teams' are complete BS.
NXN is the real championships. The best team in the nation wins. If they want to have an individual championship, it IS NOT cross country.
Ah, but NXN does not have the legacy that Footlocker does. Outside of the track, all that matters for a course is a historical record for comparison and contrast. It's more important for a course to be around forever and remain unchanged from day one rather than it be accurate distance-wise. That way someone like Craig Virgin (13:50 @ Deitweiler) can set a high mark and times begin to have meaning relative to the course, regardless of whether it's a full 3 miles or not.
I could name around 20 Footlocker champions. I could name maybe 2 NXN team champions and 2 NXN individual winners (Baxter and Efraimson).
stripes of a zebra wrote:
We will have a definitive boys champ - the winner of footlocker. If Anderson chooses not to partake then he is forgoing any claims to the national champion crown.
Seconded.
Also, Footlocker is one of the most exciting and entertaining events in running. NXN seems like a great motivator for top teams, and a great experience if they make it there, and it's probably a lot less great to go to NXN as an individual. I think the current system is actually pretty ideal. If you have a great team, NXN. If you are a star without a great team, Footlocker. If two stars don't race each other, it just ups the hype for their first NCAA matchup. And if one goes to the NAIA, then ditto for their first pro matchup.
I don't imagine stars who are on great teams can be too terribly bummed about not chasing individual glory as someone said. Getting to race with your team at NXN has got to be sweet, and you still get plenty of individual glory.
I can't name a single winner of the new Nike team championship race series.
I know every Footlocker winner, along with what time they ran, how much they won by... and their shoe size.
stripes of a zebra wrote:
We will have a definitive boys champ - the winner of footlocker. If Anderson chooses not to partake then he is forgoing any claims to the national champion crown.
And if Anderson wins NXN while Dressel wins or is within a few seconds of the win at FL? You're still going to try to tell us that the FL winner is the undisputed champion of the galaxy?
Anderson and Dressel both gave it everything they had at their state meet and Anderson won by a land slide.
McFatty wrote:
stripes of a zebra wrote:We will have a definitive boys champ - the winner of footlocker. If Anderson chooses not to partake then he is forgoing any claims to the national champion crown.
And if Anderson wins NXN while Dressel wins or is within a few seconds of the win at FL? You're still going to try to tell us that the FL winner is the undisputed champion of the galaxy?
Anderson and Dressel both gave it everything they had at their state meet and Anderson won by a land slide.
Even if Anderson is the best high school runner this year, if he doesn't participate in the footlocker individual national championship, he's not the individual national champion.
I would choose FL, unless I were a mid-packer with a team to go to NXN with.
I heard Dressel's still doing pretty high mileage, all focused on FLN. Still 4 weeks away.
Maton beat Dressel at Border Clash by 12 seconds last year. At FLN Dressel, Dressel beat Maton by 9 seconds. A 21 second swing right there.
What would be best is if you had the top teams in the country from each region selected and run a team championship the third weekend of November. Just take the top 20 teams in the country after their state meets. Pick them
Then the next weekend have the Footlocker Individual regionals.
Two weeks later have the top individuals race.