True now as it was back then?

[joeltetreault]

I was leafing through the April 1992 TFN issue and came across gh's editorial on page 7. In the middle of the article he lists some of the problems with track:

* Falling participation / lack of new blood
* The threat posed by age-group soccer problems
* Poor presentation in stadiums (general spectator information)
* Not enough TV coverage, and what there is isn't of sufficient quality
* Lack of meaningful head-to-head competition and an overemphasis on breaking records
* Problems with the national governing body...

How many of these do you all think are still an issue?

[Daisy]

Re: True now as it was back then?

How many of these do you all think are still an issue?

All, except that the TV coverage is getting a lot better now that we have the universal sports option. I'd think that USATF are doing a better job too, although I don't follow them closely. I guess drugs busts were not on the radar then, despite Ben Johnson.

[bad hammy]

Re: True now as it was back then?

Yep, we fixed all of those things up . . .

[Marlow]

Re: True now as it was back then?

The threat posed by age-group soccer

That was a non-starter. Tons of kids on my track team come from age-group soccer, and it's a big plus. Getting kids running around fields today IS an issue and soccer does an admirable job of it, and we benefit.

[jhc68]

Re: True now as it was back then?

Yeah, soccer at least gets kids running around.
Me, I'd guess that lots of reckless, athletic boys who might have been pole vaulters a generation ago have gone into extreme sports like skate boarding, BMX, snowboarding, and the like.
Also, age group clubs in basketball and football and the elimination of season of sport practice restriction in high schools pull great athletes into narrow specialties before they have been exposed to T&F. Didn't some 8th grade quarterback recently get a football offer from USC coach Kiffin?

[kuha]

Re: True now as it was back then?

Yep, we fixed all of those things up . . .

Exactly! And now, with those slow & tactical 10,000s all over the country, we're ON TOP OF THE WORLD!

Yee-ha!!

[Conor Dary]

Re: True now as it was back then?

Yep, we fixed all of those things up . . .

Exactly! And now, with those slow & tactical 10,000s all over the country, we're ON TOP OF THE WORLD!

Yee-ha!!

Yes, these are the Good Days. It makes me weep....

By the way, all my runs nowadays are slow and tactical. Anyone care to watch.

[lovetorun]

Re: True now as it was back then?

I bet not as slow and "tactical" as my runs!