Was Foot Locker West really weak this year?

Foot Locker losing steam? wrote:

I was scrolling through the FLW regional results, and other than Claudia Lane I only recognize about two names. Just a few years ago this was the strongest region in the country where I recognized almost all the qualifiers names. What happened? To me the appeal of Nike is growing quickly for many and its on its way to becoming the undoubtedly true national championship

Nope - you just aren't following the sport as well as you once did if you recognize less names.

Unfortunately, you're right. It was pretty weak. For example, if you look at the merged California state meet results, places 2 through 10 all went to NXN. Basically every top ten California girl except Claudia Lane chose Nike! If you look at who made the FL West team from California, it's Lane and then the girls who finished in places, 12, 13, 16, and 33 at states. That's a shocking discrepancy and a bad sign for FootLocker.

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

Ghhjjjjjj wrote:

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

It's odd why anyone would pick FL over NXN.

The best runners go to NXN.

runn wrote:

Ghhjjjjjj wrote:

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

It's odd why anyone would pick FL over NXN.

The best runners go to NXN.

Because footlocker has history instead of just money and brand appeal

FrenchDawg wrote:

runn wrote:

It's odd why anyone would pick FL over NXN.

The best runners go to NXN.

Because footlocker has history instead of just money and brand appeal

So are you saying that if Lane had the ability to run herself into the past (to say 2010 or earlier) that her choice to run FL would have made sense?

runn wrote:

Ghhjjjjjj wrote:

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

It's odd why anyone would pick FL over NXN.

The best runners go to NXN.

debateable

Ghhjjjjjj wrote:

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

None of those CA girls were DEFENDING FOOTLOCKER CHAMPIONS already. Lane has the shot of being a THREE time champion... the best female HS runner EVER in the history of a historic XC race. No one has ever pulled that off before and she has a legit shot.

Bob Washington wrote:

runn wrote:

It's odd why anyone would pick FL over NXN.

The best runners go to NXN.

debateable

???

90% of top 10 CA girls chose NXN over FL

100% of top 10 NY girls chose NXN over FL...

Not much of a debate really on the girl side.

GottaGoFast wrote:

Ghhjjjjjj wrote:

Did Lane ever explain why she chose FL, when 90% of the top CA girls chose NXN? Seems like a strange choice.

None of those CA girls were DEFENDING FOOTLOCKER CHAMPIONS already. Lane has the shot of being a THREE time champion... the best female HS runner EVER in the history of a historic XC race. No one has ever pulled that off before and she has a legit shot.

It doesn't mean much anymore, JV national champ, king of like emerging elite division at Nationals in track. Woo woo

Is that why she is doing it?

So she will go there again next year?

Doesn't seem like the right race for her.

FrenchDawg wrote:

Because footlocker has history instead of just money and brand appeal

And Nike's department of trolls.

No, nothing could be that bad.

Gbybgybgygy wrote:

Bob Washington wrote:

debateable

???

90% of top 10 CA girls chose NXN over FL

100% of top 10 NY girls chose NXN over FL...

Not much of a debate really on the girl side.

Katherine Lee...

Footlocker west is weak because most of the CA kids have already been raced about as much as they can stand. The others (most of whom have been trounced by Lane) realize they are not competitive for an individual national FL title so skip. NXN has become a fallback meet.

Eventually CA will wise up and eliminate some needless meets before state.

Either that or FL reevaluates its selection process.

It would make sense to give

... auto qualifiers to < 9:05 /

Keep Up Buddy! wrote:

Foot Locker losing steam? wrote:

I was scrolling through the FLW regional results, and other than Claudia Lane I only recognize about two names. Just a few years ago this was the strongest region in the country where I recognized almost all the qualifiers names. What happened? To me the appeal of Nike is growing quickly for many and its on its way to becoming the undoubtedly true national championship

Nope - you just aren't following the sport as well as you once did if you recognize less names.

Here's what I mean:

FLW 2014 results:

1 3 Elijah Armstrong 12 Pocatello ID 15:24.2

2 5 Trevor Reinhart 12 Ross CA 15:28.4

3 1 Matthew Maton 12 Bend OR 15:36.4

4 2 John Dressel 12 Colbert WA 15:37.8

5 4 Conner Mantz 12 Smithfield UT 15:39.6

6 11 Austin Tamagno 11 Brea CA 15:43.5

7 6 Levi Thomet 12 Kodiak AK 15:52.6

8 12 Josh Collins 12 Midway UT 15:54.7

9 65 Garek Bielaczyc 11 Salt Lake City UT 15:56.5

10 57 Colin Burke 12 Oakland CA 15:59.9

This years qualifiers were:

1 Kashon Harrison Red Valley, AZ 15:38.4

2 Meikael Beaudoin Rousseau Sunnyvale, CA 15:41.1

3 Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos San Diego, CA 15:43.4

4 Zach Winter Farr West, UT 15:44.7

5 Roberto Porras Draper, UT 15:45.1

6 Collin Ullrich Galt, CA 15:45.4

7 Bronson Winter Farr West, UT 15:45.7

8 Turlan Morlan Spokane, WA 15:49.5

9 Darius Riley CA 15:51.3

10 Justin Hartshorn UT 15:54.0

Other than Beaudoin-Rosseau I didn't recognize any of these athletes. None of them are ranked in Milesplit's flo50 or in Dyestat's 30 deep (other than Beaudoin-Rousseau). It's not even arguable, the once deepest region has taken quite the fall in just a few years. All the CA runners are picking NXN

Nike should stop being so negative.

Jesus__ wrote:

Gbybgybgygy wrote:

???

90% of top 10 CA girls chose NXN over FL

100% of top 10 NY girls chose NXN over FL...

Not much of a debate really on the girl side.

Katherine Lee...

Ok, Lee is 4th or 5th in NY, so that's 90% for NY's top 10.

I think that you are pretty much proving my point. If we have to bring up Lee (and that's the only name you can come up with), FL has a problem