Why US Cross Sucks It's the Money Stupid

The US has great drug free distance runners. If Meb, Abdi, Shay, Brown, Sell, Culpepper, Broe and others along with Ritz trained to peak for this race the US would have a top three team. There is no money in cross. I repeat no no no money. It take a lot of time and effort to travel and interrupt your training for no money. These guys are not stupid they go for the money as they should.This is why a college freshman is our number one runner.

This has got to be a joke..

surely,

if not your an idiot

the reason your country does not do well in distance running is because of it's culture, perhaps one day if you lose the garbage that you all live for and have to start over than you can be competitive

Why?

Too many other distractions in US life...and no money to support our athletes. Bad situation.

see the 'why can't the us produce better distance runners" started by laura g.

this predates your comments

it IS cultural but not for the reasons you suggest

Ok im sorry that was uncalled for.

but come on man think of the two countires that won basicly all the medals.

Money is not the limiting factor, we could start an argument of what it is.

BUt, it is most certainly not money.

'garbage'?

what garbage would that be?

potable running water

sewage

electricity

transport

edible food, that is monitored by gov't inspectors

jobs

housing

education

hmmmm...yes, I could indeed see why we, with our faults, would want to cast them aside

(odd how so many millions yearn to come here, some risking life and limb to do so, to enjoy our 'garbage')

listen carefully, for the first time in the history of mankind, children in your country have been and continue to be diagnosed with diabetes, this speaks volume about your society and where it is heading. Your only hope of winning medals in distance running is to do what the gulf states are doing, buying runners from African nations.

you actually think the African countries have more to spend on their runners than us? Ethiopia only has ONE track. Like someone mentioned, its not the money, its the lifestyle.

How's that AIDS thing treating you guys? Do your leaders still deny it comes from HIV? That speaks volumes about your society and where it is heading.

Don't ever lecture me on health issues.

Fair enough, but this does not change the fact that most of our children can run and that most of yours can't...this is what this discussion is about, is it not?

i beg to differ. The truth is that some of our best athletes go for sports that would be most rewarding financially, not distance running.

money certainly isn't the only factor, but its probably a big one. as you said, look at the two countries that won basically all of the medals. how much money are those guys going to make if they don't run xc? not that much.

in america, its a different story. very few american runners (1?) make more as runners than they would if they were to hang up the spikes. so for them, it probably doesnt seem worth it.

the second biggest thing besides money that would make it "worthwhile" is glory, but its unlikely than an american man would medal through individual or team success.

so to me it seems like a top american man just wouldnt get anything out of the trip. note that it is probably worthwhile for the guys that do make the trip, as they probably value the experience much more than olympic medalists like meb.

ritz_fanGofortheGold wrote:

i beg to differ. The truth is that some of our best athletes go for sports that would be most rewarding financially, not distance running.

Can you name an American athlete you think would be a world beater as a distance runner who is currently in another sport?

We have better football players

It was at one point. You can't just say blanketly that the reason why we don't compete is because of our "culture" then insinuate it is related to an obesity problem. Culturally speaking, we don't need to run. For an Ethiopian who is a successful runner, he/she can escape poverty and the risk of starvation. Other than running though, there are not many avenues that will lead to this path of wealth. In America, it is almost the opposite. We do not need to run because we can find success in a myriad of other sports and, more frequently, through the educational opportunities that exist here. Ethiopians and Kenyans are focused on running. We are not and do not have to.

WE have better basketball players.

Michael Phelps, with his swimming endurance. Lance Armstrong also.

Cat Fancy wrote:

ritz_fanGofortheGold wrote:

i beg to differ. The truth is that some of our best athletes go for sports that would be most rewarding financially, not distance running.

Can you name an American athlete you think would be a world beater as a distance runner who is currently in another sport?