Jenner on NPR

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

Bruce Jenner...isn't he the guy that used to imitate John Bulushi--?

[larwood]

Re: Jenner on NPR

Somewhat in relation to the unluckiest athlete to not win a gold medal thread, I remember Jenner interviewing Bob Coffman on ABC in 1960 after Carter had
decided to boycott the Moscow games. Trying to get a reaction, Jenner asked Coffman what he thought of the boycott. Coffman's reply:
'Bruce, if we had boycotted in 1976, you would not be sitting there' leaving a stunned Jenner sitting there in silence.

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

I think this says a lot about why Jenner is so well remembered. There's no question in my mind that the '80 boycott took a lot of wind out of track's sails. It might have happened anyway, as the NBA, etc, took off in popularity, but skipping Moscow meant an 8-year gap until track's next big moment on TV for the American audience. The sport never completely recovered, Carl Lewis's arrogant persona was nails on the chalkboard for a lot of general sports fans, and in 1988 the Ben Johnson scandal hit.

I mean if not for that history, why not Dan O'Brien? Dan kicked ass in the same event on U.S. soil and is less full of himself than Jenner. Sadly, I don't think nearly as many people remember Dan's name.

>Somewhat in relation to the unluckiest athlete to
>not win a gold medal thread, I remember Jenner
>interviewing Bob Coffman on ABC in 1960 after
>Carter had
decided to boycott the Moscow games.
>Trying to get a reaction, Jenner asked Coffman
>what he thought of the boycott. Coffman's
>reply:
'Bruce, if we had boycotted in 1976,
>you would not be sitting there' leaving a
>stunned Jenner sitting there in silence.

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

Jenner had the good sense to retire and go for the Real Gold. Dan hung on to try to keep competing. Jenner was very clever at marketing himself. Silly me, though, I kept wondering why he seemed to look different and I finally decided he had had an eye job (crows feet, etc.). So it was the nose! His original nose was fine.

[steve]

Re: Jenner on NPR

>6 5.5steve here to Steve:

are you serious ?
>you did not know he was '76 Oly Decath. champ and
>WR holder ?
Was this the same B Jenner that used to sell Wheaties?
Or is that the one that had the board game?
6 5.5steve, I was just kidding.

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

We knew him before NPR...

I was a (mediocre) competitor at the 1968 Connecticut State Open track meet. I well recall how, on that sunny Saturday afternoon, Bruce Jenner (then a senior) won the high jump at 6'2", the pole vault at 12'9", and placed 4th in the triple jump (distance unknown, but the winner did 47' 3/4"). And all with his original nose.

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

What NPR failed to announce today was that today is the birthday of Jim Beatty. Now Jim Beatty never won an Olympic medal, but he did compete in the Olympics. He set American records and of course you know he was the first person to break the four minute mile indoors. When Beatty was running in the late 1950's and early 1960's, American distance running was improving greatly. My question to you. What are your Jim Beatty memories on his 69th birthday? How's that from the decathlon to distance running?

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

Good point. There are quite of number of former t&f greats who deserve to be remembered & celebrated...

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: Jenner on NPR

met Jim once or twice at the Duke track in the early 60's. Peach of a guy.

[Guest]

Re: Jenner on NPR

I'm pretty sure I did hear Joyner-Kersee's name come up in that feature on NPR within the past two or three years.

>is there any other track and field athlete who would be mentioned in
>this context? I don't think Ryun would be. Nor
>Mathias nor Rafer Johnson. Perhaps Carl Lewis or
>Michael Johnson or Jackie Joyner-Kersee? I doubt
>it.