Who Hates USATF as much as I do

laughing all the way to the bank . . .probably correct. If the top dogs make that kind of money, then what about the others in the office? They all making the fat-cash too?

boycott usatf

legally blond wrote:

boycott usatf

Shouldn't be a problem for you guys since you claim you don't get anything.

You know its not the amount of money they make that pisses me off. Heck Massback makes lot less as a CEO then in the corporate world. My beef is that Massback has been in power for a while now and nothing has really changed. Do you see USATF and American Athletics getting better. I don't . Why should we waste money something as someone else said in earlier post on a non profit situation when they should be running this organization like a For Profit Business. I don't have all the answers, but I m not going to throw my money out the window for some Fat Cat to make a shit load of money and do Nothing. That is what Massback and few of these guys are doing. NOTHING........

The athletes have gotten better and we have started to close the gap with the rest of the world in the distances. We also have better drug testing and have finally gotten rid of some of the known drug cheats (ie Regina, Eddy, etc). I don't know if these things are because of the USATF, but just trying to answer your question.

Dude,

I don't think american running is closing the gap on the rest or the world. That is not the issue here anyway. Read a lot of the post in this thread. I think there are a lot more issues with USATF then just a few drug cheats and a few people getting paid to do nothing. Personally I don't support USATF anymore. Glad to see others feel the same way as well.

Oh you asked if we see that American Athletics is getting better, I was answering. I guess it was retorical.

Your so right. USATF is doing a fine job. What are you talking about. Every other sport gets more promotion then track ever did. My kids know more about the WWF and Skate boarding then they do about Track and Field. Ask me they need to hire a good Sales and Marketing team and get the American Public behind the sport. That is the problem. I m sorry, but current management ain't cutting it.

First, not that I think all is great - but I have read posts like this throughout this thread . . . with NBA, NFL, even WNBA (heck, someone even mentioned Minor League Baseball) and although there is some truth there, those sports also have a lot more to offer. WWF has no limits, they are specific entertainment only.

I do agree there the events in the states could be more aggressive with their entertainment (more like Europe) but I also hear the old farts saying music ruins the sport. As long as old people run this sport it will never get better. It needs to be more like WWF and get all crazy if it wants to grow but then that will destroy the integrity of track and field . . . but you know what, it will never be big here in the states. People just dont find it interesting . . . much like MLS soccer. Millrose Games was a start with what happened with the emcee - but was that USATF in control or someone else????

Florida wrote:

I would like to know what I get for my $20 a year USATF fee. Nothing...............

For $20 it looks like the benefits are actually pretty decent -

Last week i was traveling and used the discount they provide for hotels and saved about $10 at an Econo Lodge. The discount was even better than AAA was offering.

unattached running wrote:

Dude,

I don't think american running is closing the gap on the rest or the world. That is not the issue here anyway. Read a lot of the post in this thread. I think there are a lot more issues with USATF then just a few drug cheats and a few people getting paid to do nothing. Personally I don't support USATF anymore. Glad to see others feel the same way as well.

I think if anyone really looked into the support that Deena and Meb received leading into 2004 they will find that USATF had more to do with the medals than anyone realizes.

Stop comparing sports to entertainment. WWF and skateboarding can do anything to change their activity to suit the fans. If they want steel cages, razorblades, or explosives they can because THERE ARE NO RULES TO FOLLOW. It's like making a movie, they can do anything for entertainment without contraints. USATF has some rules to follow, they have a product to put out and can't change it just to entertain. T&F can only be so exciting. If everyone is so smart was is the USATF supposed to be doing?

.

Without a clue wrote:

Stop comparing sports to entertainment. WWF and skateboarding can do anything to change their activity to suit the fans. If they want steel cages, razorblades, or explosives they can because THERE ARE NO RULES TO FOLLOW. It's like making a movie, they can do anything for entertainment without contraints. USATF has some rules to follow, they have a product to put out and can't change it just to entertain. T&F can only be so exciting. If everyone is so smart was is the USATF supposed to be doing?

Why - why can track and field only be so entertaining. Take an event away from USATF and do what you want - call the shots. If an athlete wants in your event, you call the shorts (i.e., Stockholm the pole vault is a team competition. A guy and girl are matched up, not necessarily from the same country, but they compete together). Anything can be as entertaining as you are willing to go. Everyone compares USATF to the NBA, MLB, etc. all of which cater to the FANS . . . not to the athletes. FANS give the athletes money. Track is not a team sport therefore the potential is very high.

The fundamental "problem" with the sport T&F in this country is embodied by the basic organizational structure/mission of our national governing body.

In 1978 the foundation for today's antiquated organizational structure was put in place via the "Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act" (look it up and read it). The Federal Government legislated the manner in with the United States Olympic Committee and the national governing bodies were/are to be set up and run.

The emphasis on "amateur" sports laid the basis for keeping T&F from becoming a prosperous and exciting sport. The then leaders of the T&F community (some of whom are still hanging around today) lacked the vision and drive to take the sport beyond the "recreational/amateur" level. Instead of creating a dynamic, creative, risk taking entity, "The Act" gave birth to a bureaucratic nightmare of an organization that is populated by many decent hardworking volunteers, but "lead" by largely egotistical wannabes. Rather than promote the sport and create a dynamic entity that talented athletes are drawn to, these "leaders" rarely challenge the status quo and instead end up jockeying for perks and meaningless titles and "elected" positions.

Masback, like him or not, largely has his hands tied as a result of the very history/nature of the organization. However, my personal opinion of the guy is centered around his his failure to expeditiously purge the USATF athlete ranks of drug cheats. He did not take concrete actions to deal with the cheats until his ass was backed into a corner by other organizations and entities. And only then did he "escape" by getting USATF out of the drug testing business. He let others do the dirty work he could, but would not do. For that transgression alone I find him unfit to lead the organization.

One possible "solution" to the current state of affairs is for USATF to essentially commit organizational suicide. If Masback and Roe had the sack to do it they could publicly declare USATF as an outdated organizaitonal model and incapable of leading the sport today and in the future. They should lead the effort to COMPLETELY overhaul the very essence of the national governing body and create a strategy to get new legislation passed that would allow the sport to enter the 21st century.

A totally new paradigm needs to be created. One that puts heavy emphasis on TRULY promoting the sport. I do not doubt for a second that the T&F community is FULL of creative ideas on which a new organization could be founded. A collaborative effort by the athletes, administrators, sponsors, and others is essential to breaking the malaise that currently grips the sport.

Unfortunately, I do not think that Masback and Roe are motivated to take on such a daunting task.

unattached running wrote:

You know its not the amount of money they make that pisses me off. Heck Massback makes lot less as a CEO then in the corporate world. My beef is that Massback has been in power for a while now and nothing has really changed. Do you see USATF and American Athletics getting better. I don't . Why should we waste money something as someone else said in earlier post on a non profit situation when they should be running this organization like a For Profit Business. ......

You'd need to get some changes to the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act of 1998 in order to do this, not something the NBA, NFL etc. don't have to worry about.

You would not have to do anything if you just demolish USATF as organization. Start a brand new governing body as a For Profit Business.

This is a great thread. Does anyone else have some ideas to get rid Massback and the rest of the usatf idiots in Indy.

Dude,

Your wrong. Massback does not have his hands tied. All you need is start up a new associatiion as a proffesional sports business. Just like WWF, NBA, NFL, NHL and so on. Most people are brainwashed that this is not a proffesional business it is. Even if what your saying was true which is not. Lets face it. Massback and the rest of USATF do a real shitty job at running the business. It is time to get rid of the old dead wood and start fresh.

Massback I m hoping your reading these post and do the right thing for the sport. Resign asap.

See you answered your own question. The issue is that Row and Masback are not motivated to do anything. That is half our problem. Time for all of us runners to stand up and boycott them and move on and force people to come into the 21st century.

May the New USATF begin.

What about a "World's Fastest Man" contest at halftime during the Superbowl...?

Instead of Janet Jackson getting her clothes ripped off by homo Justin, why doesn't USATF/IAAF work a deal with the NFL to provide 8 superstars to run 100m at halftime (it would take up about 5 minutes of the halftime show). The NFL probably pays those boy band fags a lot more in appearance $ than the sprinters would cost...

This would get the 100m guys some huge exposure and maybe bring some fans over to the sport.

The 100m guys being the trash-talking stars that they are, would appeal to the NFL fans...

Why doesn't USATF stretch the creative boundaries a bit? Why does every contest have to be a 9 hour meet? I just watched the Helsinki meet on Eurosport and it was so slow I thought I would die. I am starting to think that for TV purposes, it would be better if T&F was split into separate sports: 1) Sprinting, 2) Distance Running, 3) Throwing, 4) Jumping. Since T&F is not a team sport, how does the action in the shot put add to the drama in the pole vault? Answer: it doesn't. By putting so many different events on in the same meet, it is like reading a novel where every other chapter is a new story...and the first chapter (story) you read doesn't get added to until the next meet...

Just some random musings...