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Distance_Guru · Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2002 7:49 am Post subject: Darrel Brown Turns Pro.

Darrel Brown who is one of the top young sprinter in the world has chosen to forgo running in the NCAA and signed a 4 year contract with Nike. His immediate goal is to break Chambers junior record of 10.06, Brown's PR is 10.09.
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Conway · Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:45 am Post subject:

Interesting ... Especially given that he will be able to benefit from the coaching of the collegiate coach but NOT be bound by their competitive schedule ... Nice arrangement ... I would expect this to be a benefit ... INteresting that the other kid (who is as good) isn't doing the same thing ... Will be interesting to chart their results and see which "choice" was better ...

Both have tremendous potential ... And are a part of the future of sprinting barring inury or other unforseen circumstances ...
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Dan · Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2002 9:26 am Post subject:

Sounds quite a bit like the deal Nike set up for Webb...

I wonder how many of those performance incentives Brown will be able to hit his first year?

Dan

Conway · Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2002 10:29 am Post subject:

Similar deal but this kid seems to be using the college's coach ... Spry might be ok ... HE's a former long jumper ... Didn't do much for Coby Miller technique wise though ...

As far as the incentives I think normal progression whould take care of those ... So I guess the key will be just how well the ability to "focus" will help him ... Having the other kid there will almost be like setting up an experiment with two indivivduals of similar abilities training side by side yet with different "systems" ... May determine a president for the future of collegiate athletics ...
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Conway
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Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2002 11:46 am Post subject:

First Webb and now Brown. Could this be the start of a trend? And how will it effect college T&F if at all?
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Dan · Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2002 1:40 pm Post subject:

It certainly looks like a trend; probably influenced by the surge in numbers of kids going straight from high school to the NBA. I hope the net effect of that comparative trend does not hold true for T&F, otherwise it probably will not be a good thing.

Dan

Conway · Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2002 2:28 pm Post subject:

I think will be good for track and field ... Bad for colleges ... The kids will get better coaching .. And track kids mature lots faster than basketball ... But colleges will soon end up at DII or III level rapidly ...
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Distance_Guru · Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2002 3:03 pm Post subject:

I doubt it will ever get to a level compairable to basketball. For kids like LeBron (sp) James and the rest there are multi million dollar contracts waiting. There is much less money in track and field and therefore much less temptation. I think overall it could hurt the very top D1 programs a little, but if you look at all the very good foregin athletes that come to the US so that they can get college scholarships instead of turning pro you pretty quickly realize that there aren't very many kids out there that can go pro out of high school and have success. I also think that there are plenty of the top track kids out there that will choose to go to college instead of turning pro strait away anyway.
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Time is the fire in which we burn

Dan · Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2002 4:45 pm Post subject:

Don't forget, it was a mere 5 years ago that it didn't seem like there was more than 1 true HS hoops prospect every year or two, now it's closer to half a dozen per year. Times change rapidly once the precedent is set, and T&F has made a quantum leap forward in that respect in the past half year.

Dan

Distance_Guru · Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2002 7:23 am Post subject:

Very true, but how many HS athletes are there every year that are actually good enough to be a Darrel Brown or an Alan Webb, how long did we have to wait for that guy, wasn't it 20 something years (since the last previuos sub 4 miler). How many HS kids can compete on the world stage?

Question for the floor.

Hypothetical question, your a talent scout for Nike, and you get to sign all the HS kids you want, provided they can make a splash in 5 years, the time they would have spent in college. Who would you pick?
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Conway · Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:52 am Post subject:

Dan · Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:25 am Post subject:

Justin · Varsity Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 312 Location: London

A little late to this but...I think it's a bit of a shame Brown and other have to choose. Since he'll be at college anyway, it seems a shame he can't run against NCAA competition, which at its best provides 10.0x and 10.1x rivals, just a touch down from the GP meets. Gatlin certainly benefited from a couple of NCAA years before going fully pro.

Still, I guess I see the college's view. They need him to either commit to the team (relay duels and all) or not.

I noticed that Brown followed Mark Lewis-Francis as world youth champion (MLF 99, Brown 01) and world junior champion (MLF 00, Brown 02). What chance the perfect triple and MLF becomes world champion in, say 05 and Brown in 07?

Justin

Dan · Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2003 1:37 pm Post subject:

If that were to happen, could you imagine the expectations that would fall upon whoever follows in Brown's footsteps???

Dan

Conway · Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2003 4:38 pm Post subject:

I agree with Justin in that it is a shame they have to choose ... But the problem is not with the schools but with the NCAA itself ... I am sure there are lots of coaches that would love to have a Darrell Brown and "share" him with some outside competitions !!!!!
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