Brooks Johnson calls out USATF

polevaultpower wrote:

- That Robin Beamon has been charged and found guilty by AAU of financial malfeasance in her role with that organization (a statement supported by ESPN’s Outside the Lines

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/14172814/as-aau-grows-questions-how-spends-money-adheres-mission

)

I just read the ESPN report - I remember hearing about the Bobby Dowd "deal" a while back. I care less about the dealings Robin Beamon, a pawn in all of this, than I do the overall tone -- once I realized that USATF has many of the same characteristics s the AAU. Do I care about Max Siegel installing hardwood floors in his office or dropping four figures at a restaurant? Sure. Do I care about Stephanie and Max running out any employee or long-time volunteer that disagrees with them? Sure. Severance payments and hush-money paid out? Sure. Max putting staff from his marketing firm on the USAFB payroll and putting the same firm on the USAFB payroll? Sure.

But really pisses me off is the blatant disregard for the sport and its athletes. Every shady deal meant the members and athletes had to pay more in or get less out, that our sport was not marketed properly, that the next generation was not inspired.

Brooks is pissed that he is on the outside. If he could feather his bed, he would be in the same VIP suite or insider meeting.

Great post biz, but let's keep the focus on BJ's (legitimate) points. I think you're spot-on in summing that up.

Brooks left out the rolling eyes that dozens of Team USA members showed in Beijing when word circulated around that the grown children of certain long-time USATF Insiders had been issued green IAAF Support and yellow IAAF Press credentials with the USA Stars and Stripes proudly in color.

My Kids are more important wrote:

Brooks left out the rolling eyes that dozens of Team USA members showed in Beijing when word circulated around that the grown children of certain long-time USATF Insiders had been issued green IAAF Support and yellow IAAF Press credentials with the USA Stars and Stripes proudly in color.

Names?

I can still remember sitting next to Brooks Johnson at the first coaches meeting at NCAA's I ever attended. Left that meeting saying to myself, "that is the biggest ass&^%le I have ever been around. And nothing in the last 30 years has changed my mind about Brooks. Just one of the classic coc$#%$kers out there. Bigoted, egotistical, degrading to people. So I have absolutely no praise for Brooks.

BUT, as one who has had many, many dealings with USATF at the championship level almost everything Brooks says is spot on. So I guess the old adage, "don't shoot the messager" is appropriate. Having worked with Stephanie and the other higher-ups in USATF it is just a sham and shame that these type of individuals preside over an organization. I have no problem if people have disagreements with our leaders about policy. But the folks running USATF right now are not even good human beings.

Sadly, not sure what we can really do since everyone that is trying is getting fired, or ousted from the leadership team.

i am absolutely floored that after all the crap Robin Beamon has bestowed on this sport that she would be the ONE they would hire as a consultant for ANYTHING. This shows a total lack of judgement on whomever was behind her hire.

Gee, I must have sat on the other side of BJ at that coaches meeting.

You are exactly right in your assessment of the situation.

They hired who? wrote:

i am absolutely floored that after all the crap Robin Beamon has bestowed on this sport that she would be the ONE they would hire as a consultant for ANYTHING. This shows a total lack of judgement on whomever was behind her hire.

Why would ANY organization hire her... Let alone one that knows what she has done? It's appalling.