I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

[79.]

This incredible and almost unbeatable phenomenon
would be:

- Much less underestimated as he seems to be
nowadays.
- The emblem of US Track and Field.
- A multi-millionaire in dollars.
- Making at least 3 covers a year of T&F News.
- A hero, a model for the younger generations
all over the USA.

... but he is an Ethiopian, proud heir of the
legendary Abebe BIKILA and Heile GEBRESELASIE...

[No Name]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

Umm... the same thing could be said of pretty much any star distance runner from overseas.

[larry j greer]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

he might even be the top 1500/miler, steeplechaser, in the u.s.a. and give khanouchi competition in the marathon as well, of course he would be our best 5/10k and cross country runner.

[kuha]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

No "might" about it. He would be our top guy at every distance over 800. He would be considered divine and would make roughly $40,000,000 per year.

[Realist]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

Meanwhile, back in cloud-cuckoo land.... America dotes on sprinters and none of them get remotely the godhead you are proposing for Bekele. Wouldn't happen.

[kuha]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

Uh, I was being a touch hyperbolic. In truth, Bekele is so vastly superior to anyone we can even begin to imagine (as a home-grown US runner) we don't have a clue how he would be received. However, "divine" isn't too much of an exaggeration for how WE, the board regulars, would consider him.

[eldrick]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

kenny still has an awful lot to prove re:times

his PB's are "only" 7:30,12:52,26:49 (admittedly the WC win was worth close to 26:27).

i see no problem for him breaking the 10k WR,but lets see if he can get below 7:25 & 12:45 before we give him the crown

[kuha]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

The original question here was how he'd be received IF he was an American. Given that scenario, even his current "mediocre" PRs would give him whatever "crown" is on offer. I'd say that the double-double World XC thing is moderately impressive and, going out on a limb, I predict that he should--maybe, possibly--improve his PRs in the next couple years. A risky prediction, I know, but I live on the edge...

[Pego]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

Kuha, there is a big difference how an athlete is perceived and glamorized by those few hardcore fans such as ourselves on this board vs. the general public. Now, if he played "real" sport like football or basketball.....

[kuha]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

This hypothetical question was raised and answered by exactly that kind of "hardcore" fan. Should I have said that, given the original scenario, he'd be a nobody, working in a running store in Cleveland, making $90 a week? We are all painfully aware of the difference in this country between the cultural prestige of stars in track versus any of the "real" sports. My basic point is that Bekele is (even now, with his "piddling" PRs) so vastly superior to any home-grown talent we can even begin to imagine, that...well, I can't even begin to imagine.

[rmayes]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

It's not quite that bad...Webb's making pretty good money, I don't know what Goucher is making now but he signed a pretty sweet shoe deal out of college. While neither of them make what one might make in the NFL or NBA it's a far cry from $90 a week (and I'm sure some of the other top US talent, Culpepper etc. are doing OK as well)...and none of them are in the same league as Bekele (yet anyways). I was somewhat surprised after Webb broke Ryun's record at all the publicity he got, he was on nearly every major talk show. I would think if we had someone who was capable of winning Olympic golds and breaking world records they would probably become a household name in the US in the same sense that Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson were/are. What exactly that's worth financially is anyone's guess but probably somewhere between $90/week and $40,000,000.

[Pego]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

<It's not quite that bad...>

Perhaps if you only look at the income of say, 20 top stars of T&F, it may not be bad, but if you look at the overall perception, income and overall public knowledge of the athletes, it's even worse. As I live in Wisconsin, I'll use the local scene to illustrate the point. Stop people in the mall anywhere in the state and ask them to name some Packers, they'll know not only the glamour positions i.e. Favre or Sharper but even the offensive linemen. They'll know quite a few Bucks, or UW football or basketball better known players. Ask them about the so called "Olympic sports" and at the best they might mention Suzy Favor. Mention Hamm or FitzRandolph and you'll get blank stares.
After Eric Heiden's not-ever-to-be-matched performance in Lake Placid, many worldwide wire services, newspapers and other polling institutions placed him #1 world athlete of the year. In the Wisconsin polls he placed third, after a Packer, Buck or Brewer (whatever). I did not know whether to laugh or cry. I could go on, but this is a message board, not a place for a dissertation :-)))

[az2]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

i know who hamm is...

she's garciaparra's wife...

bekele is clearly a dominating talent, and on the world stage is recognized by many...

withing USA borders, how many folk would even know of bekele??

how many even know of geb??

as ton money and endorsements....

well, lebron james got his huge $90 million from Nike...

even freddy adu got a million from nike, and on the global stage...let;'s say in for years....adu will be better known than james...

it boils down to the CULTURAL INSULARITY of america...what we deem to be important...

and, while I greatly admire bekele...the 99% of my fellow americans would strain themselves greatly

[Pego]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

...and if anybody wants to argue with what I said a couple of posts above, the coverage of Boston should set it straight. A meaningless 3 minutes of a mediocre college basketball game stole 1/2 of the 1 hour coverage.

[trackhead]

Re: I f Kenenisa BEKELE was a US runner...

<Webb's making pretty good money>

Here's the bullshit part -- Webb's salary is equal to the annual operating budget of Hanson's. How many developing American runners could be supported on Webb's salary alone?