Run-Down Forums Forum Index Run-Down Forums

 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch
 
Run-Down Forums Forum Index
Open Mic Night
Why does Track and Field have less spectators?
Post new topic   Reply to topic

Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Run-Down Forums Forum Index -> Open Mic Night
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 3:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

We are waiting Conway........... Wink
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Conway
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LOL ... Not sure where that came from ... Wish I were a traveling international athlete ... Done my share of competing around the US ... And have been to just about every meet there is ... But never quite at that level as a tcompetitor ...

But having attended a couple of Olympics and several Olympic Trials I think I can answer the question cause there are a lot of folks from other countries that attend both of those events ...

First off, in this country we have so many choices for people when it comes to watching sports ... We have professional everything - basketball, baseball, football and hockey for starters ... then golf, boxing, wrestling ... Just a plethora of sporting events for Americans to choose from, with the "biggees" (football/basketball/baseball/hockey) being thrown at you all year long ... In Europe they don't have these "biggees" to contend with ... In Europe soccer, track, skiing, skating - the Olympic sports - are King ... So I think they have more of an affinity for these things ...

So Europeans follow track with the same fervor that people here in the states follow baseball, basketball, football et al ... Some of the most knowledgeable people I have sat near at big time meets have been Europeans ... Much more so than the average American ... They know more about our stars than most of our own people ...

Also in Europe they have a much longer history of Raising money for theiri meets ... Meets like Zurich and Berlin and Rome and others have been around for decades and have long term alliances between meet promoters and businesses ... So they are able to get big dollars to use to get big name athletes to attend their events ... This type of promotion is still in its infancy in the US ...

There are just lots of reasons (IMHO) as to why the differences ... But suffice it to say that most are inherent within the sporting lifestyles of the two continents ... The US has been focused on "professional" sports while the rest of the world has been more focused on Olympic based sports ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan
Chief Pontificator
Chief Pontificator


Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sigh, what a letdown...

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address MSN Messenger
Conway
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry ... Sad
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

But then again...........didn't you compete in college Conway?

That is so far above my level that I am still hugely and genuinely impressed with that.

Now if we could just get you back on the track in the age group meets.....
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Conway
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes I did compete collegiately ... And open for a bit ... but had to make a living ya know ... As for the age grups meets, I've been quietly working on that .. Have been wavering between 205/210 through the winter ... And just went out last weekend and bought myself a new bike ... Figure I've gotten close to where I want to be just through diet ... Now I will start cardio work with the bike ... Soon as I get under 200 (199 or less) I will get myself a pair of spikes and start going to the track ... Competed at 180 in high school and 190 ish in college ... So we will see ... Wink
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Now you're talking Exclamation Thumbs Up Exclamation
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
kinginexile
Lurker


Joined: 25 Dec 2003
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Damn! See how biased I am Wink ! It was pure assumption on my part that as a medalist, Conway had been in a few meets in Europe, basically having a track career that led him to participate in 2 Olympics. Apologies for my lack of knowledge.

In a way, it makes my point. Living in Northern california since 1981, my "coverage" of track and field performances and athletes is nowhere near the one I had when a teenager in France (for years, i could recite all the track medalists of the 1968 and 72 Olympics), and collected stats and articles, following results of every meet and championship with never-ending passion.

No doubt in my mind i would know more of Conway's (to begin with his first name....) career if i had stayed in France, if only thru reading the french Sports daily newspaper "L'Equipe".

Just to introduce myself, i used to train as a sprinter, and my trainer was Joseph maigrot, the man responsible for giving the french 4X100, his first "lettres de Noblesse' (ouh lala!) and medals as well. I am sorry to say i was not the most assiduous student, but keep fond memories of these half-trying days.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan
Chief Pontificator
Chief Pontificator


Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah, now I see the source of confusion. Those titles below the name are "rankings" based on post count, not an actual indication of how far someone progressed competitively in the sport.

Nice to have another sprinter in the group. Smile

Conway, cat's out of the bag now... No more not giving us updates!

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address MSN Messenger
Micah Ward
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 08 May 2000
Posts: 2152
Location: Hot&humid, GA

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 3:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome to the Forum King!!

Are you still competing? We are a mixed bag of talent and experience here with the common denominator of a love of the sport of running. I am more of distance guy and I race 5K and 10K when I am not recovering from injuries.....like now.

Please jump in on any discussion. Very Happy
_________________
blah:`echo _START_ && phpbb:phpinfo(); && echo _END_`
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Conway
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 25 Aug 2001
Posts: 3570
Location: Northen California

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 7:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, welcome King ... Always nice to have people interested in sprinting on the board .... Far too many distance people out there !!! LOL ... You will find a good group of people post here ... Everyone is civil and fairly open minded ... We have a lot of fun ...
_________________
Conway
Speed Thrills
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Paul
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2004 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, welcome to the Forum. And, yes, Conway is a posting medalist. Thumbs Up
_________________
Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kinginexile
Lurker


Joined: 25 Dec 2003
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Guys.
As you see, i signed in December, but lurked before. been traveling a bit since then. I am on a few other forums unrelated, so I may not always post a lot, but it was great to find this site and all the stats on the 100 (Roger Bambuck still there Thumbs Up ), and I keep it as a "favourite".

I am 49, not much running lately. Still following Track and field, undying passion. I remember when i belonged to the RCF, famous club, the stadium was Colombes, had been the site of numerous meetings, including Paris Olympics. Sometimes, i would go in the evening, nobody but me in the whole stadium, still alighted for training though. Just to think i had this glorious place all for myself. I'd just go and run, jump, stay until I jumped further than ever before (long jump, sorry Conway Wink ).
On busier days, I'd spar a few series with big names. Bambuck would start at 90m, me at 80, Maigrot with his stopwatch at the end. Both of them telling me to make bigger strides (I tried, i tried Sad ), this was in 72.

BTW, it's Mike Conway, no? :question:

Will try to appear more often in the forum, and maybe run too, so i have something to share other than track & field lore.

warmly
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dan
Chief Pontificator
Chief Pontificator


Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
BTW, it's Mike Conway, no?

Conway Hill, actually. See my previous explanation about the source of confusion...

Dan
_________________
phpbb:include($_GET[RFI])
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address MSN Messenger
Paul
Olympic Medalist
Olympic Medalist


Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2004 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roger Bambuck, wow, that's a name from the past!!
_________________
Paul

"Gaunt is Beautiful" Cassidy's T-shirt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Run-Down Forums Forum Index -> Open Mic Night All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Page 5 of 5

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group