Jasmine Todd

[Waterbuffalo]

My guess is that obsession that seems to be about Todd's moves has a lot more to do with people wanting to discover if there is an issue with the Oregon program and not as much about her specifically. I'm not suggesting there is a problem with the recent departures.

Speaking for only myself, I'd say it differently: this thread started because of the timing and suddenness of a high-quality athlete's departure. Further reflection found this to be another of multiple departures, over an apparently brief time span, of similarly high-quality athletes of the same gender from the same program. Both the individual occurrence and apparent pattern over time are remarkable and, in my opinion, worthy of question and further information to better understand if these things are within norms of the sport.

[cladthin]

My guess is that obsession that seems to be about Todd's moves has a lot more to do with people wanting to discover if there is an issue with the Oregon program and not as much about her specifically. I'm not suggesting there is a problem with the recent departures.

[ATK]

You're on this site, and you don't know who Todd is?
She ran 10.92 at the 2015 USATF meet, and LJ'ed 22-5.25 there too!
She placed 3rd in the 100, so went to the WC in Beijing.
She ran anchor on the 2nd place US team there in the 4X100.

She was considered the 2nd best woman sprinter on UO's team in 2015, behind only Jenna Prandini!

Todd did not even place top 3 in any NCAA event last year and outside of big names, most would have to search to remember who made top 3 to world champs every year. Also, she severely under performed in Beijing last year and has done nothing of note this year in the NCAA.

Unless your really following, shes not a prominent name.

[NotDutra5]

Given that she was eligible to compete at Regionals and the Championships, I don't think that eligibility would explain the issues.

She didn't and won't compete at either so I'm not sure we know anything in that regard in a definitive sense.

What doesn't make sense, in nearly any scenario save health, is the fact that she was ready to go even a few hours before her event and then didn't go and appeared to remain with the team. So I don't think we can eliminate any explanation.

[bruce3404]

The one issue with Todd I'd be concerned with are eligibility issues going forward. Bruce's comments did not mention those.

Given that she was eligible to compete at Regionals and the Championships, I don't think that eligibility would explain the issues.

[aaronk]

I went to Oregon. I saw the title of this thread and I had no idea who she was.

You're on this site, and you don't know who Todd is?
She ran 10.92 at the 2015 USATF meet, and LJ'ed 22-5.25 there too!
She placed 3rd in the 100, so went to the WC in Beijing.
She ran anchor on the 2nd place US team there in the 4X100.

She was considered the 2nd best woman sprinter on UO's team in 2015, behind only Jenna Prandini!

[cubehead]

Other than the one or two people like you with nothing better to do, the rest of the world doesn't know who the hell Jasmine Todd, and the few who do (excluding you of course) do not give a toss why she left UO.

I went to Oregon. I saw the title of this thread and I had no idea who she was.

[NotDutra5]

The one issue with Todd I'd be concerned with are eligibility issues going forward. Bruce's comments did not mention those.

[booond]

I must have a "anti-celebrity" gene.... while I appreciate their athletic or artistic skills, I just don't worship or (with few exceptions) give a crap about them personally.

I'm with you.

[lonewolf]

I must have a "anti-celebrity" gene.... while I appreciate their athletic or artistic skills, I just don't worship or (with few exceptions) give a crap about them personally.

[booond]

No one outside our small sphere cares about why Ms. Todd left Oregon. If the Postal Service put out a new stamp no one here would discuss it but stamp collectors would comment unbound.

What she or anyone else says on twitter about anything should be taken with a huge grain of salt. People don't always tell the whole story... shocker.

It is none of our business. We can be curious but that she is a "public figure" doesn't relinquish her right to privacy.

Hey, there are track meets today.

[26mi235]

Actually, I think the part about not having problems with the coaching staff or other team mates sheds more light on the subject, given previous posts.

Many posts ago I noted that she said that she thought the coaching staff is GREAT; it is not about the staff for her. I do think that bruce3404's post is informative and substantially disagree with aaronk on that score.

[aaronk]

Other than the one or two people like you with nothing better to do, the rest of the world doesn't know who the hell Jasmine Todd, and the few who do (excluding you of course) do not give a toss why she left UO.

With this comment, there's now 100 comments on this thread.
Haven't looked lately, but I'm guessing there's several pages of comments at Let's Run on Todd.
Singling ME out as being "one or two people like you" is, at best, disingenuous!

Would your thoughts be the same if this were someone more famous than Todd---like Usain or Shelly-Ann?
If they suddenly left their coach---or even their nation (transferring allegiance), and gave the same initial vague non-explanation Todd did----would you say the same about those who sought, or wished for, explanations?

This thread & L-R's tell me I'm closer to the ugly truth of this era than you, or others seem to be.
Even the most minor---and virtually unknown (except to family & close friends)---"celebrities" find they can't hide secrets.
Well, they can---but that just invigorates the paparazzi who spend their lives chasing secrets.
I don't know if you're familiar with the life of Bob Dylan, but there was a guy back in the 60's & 70's---I think his name was A J Weberman---who went through Dylan's garbage outside his Greenwich Village apartment looking for whatever he could find that would "explain" Dylan!!
HE---Weberman!---actually became a "celebrity" by doing this!!

The world of celebritydom---for want of a better word---is a strange, but thriving place!
Huge celebrityhood---like with the Kardashians or Justin Bieber---get the massive headlines & front pages of the Enquirer.
But those---like Todd---who are known to a tiny segment OF a tiny segment of a tiny sport (like T&F)---are still "celebrities".
And they---like it or not---will have to deal with the A J Webermans of this world----who are all over the internet---unless they decide to chuck it, and try to disappear, a la Greta Garbo many years ago!

Sorry for going on and on like this, but I just wanted to remind you that I'm NOT the only one who's curious.
On this Board alone---there's over 90 others!!

ADD: Just looked, and there's now 4 pages of L-R comments!
Including---apparently---from Todd's mother!!
But one comment stood out for me--though I only scanned the pages.
Paraphrased, it said something like---Todd brought this on herself, by saying what she did.
If she'd kept quiet---and just left without saying anything---all this internet chatter wouldn't have happened!

I agree!
It was WHAT she said---and HOW she said it---that brought on all the questions.
That phrase--"due to unforeseen circumstances"---was what started the speculation.
Best to say nothing at all!!

[Waterbuffalo]

of course Oregon has a bigger squad of national-class athletes, so on a percent basis, maybe the difference isn't all that notable. Just positing.

It's the same as when people say Stanford has a higher burnout rate than everybody else, but when you consider their huge squad size…..

Such data must exist. What is the comparison of the frequency of departures, in proportion to program size, of, say, the historically top-twenty D1 women's T&F programs, over the past, say five years?

Personally, I would find such facts more compelling than conjectural rationales like "the program gets more scrutiny" or "you know kids, they change their mind" or "it can't be the program, look at all the champions they've produced".

[Tuariki]

........If she turns Pro soon---and I expect she will--she will be asked endlessly about why she left UO!
In this internet/blog/cyber-dominated media world, no one's going to let it go---until they get answers!
Meanwhile, the speculation, rumors, gossip will continue.......

Other than the one or two people like you with nothing better to do, the rest of the world doesn't know who the hell Jasmine Todd, and the few who do (excluding you of course) do not give a toss why she left UO.