When you check the daily newspaper, or the sports section, do you ever see any track and field news, or say "hmmm, how about those discus throwers?!" Of course not. Ever say, "damn... I can not wait to watch the big meet on ESPN prime time later tonight!" Ha! No way! Well, lets look at this subject and ask why?
Oh... people running circles is boring...
Oh yeah? Have you ever watched a highly competitive track meet? Be honest! Your kids in a street fun run doesn't count. The point I am getting at is simply the media has shyed away from one of the World's oldest and most popular sports. This sport is where you find the true athletes. Michael Jordan would collapse attempting a decathlon. Vince Carter would be embarrassed in the high jump competition. Even Michael Vick would be blown away in the 100 meters! (unless one of his pit bulls got off the leash!)
I grew up a track athlete, a high jumper, and I am so proud of myself. I was one of the best high jumpers in America when I competed, jumping a few inches over Shaq's head at a 7'4" personal best. At the NCAA national championships I finished in the top 10 in my respected event, which is really good, but not appealing to professional scouts. Actually I knew I was never going to be a professional high jumper because reaching that level is incredible. You practically have to be around world record ability to be looked at for sponsorships.
Even then, say you do make it to be world class, you still will need another job to help support a family as the pay for a track athlete is similar to an average entry level job at best. Sad huh? If I was the 10th best pitcher in baseball out of college, or the 10th best wide receiver in football... Cha ching! Unfortunately from a financial stand point I chose track and field... but it was without a doubt the best decision of my life! I truly found out what being an athlete was all about!
Athletics' athletes do not compete for money, or for endorsement deals, or for all the popularity, simply because no matter what they do, none of these things will likely come. Athletics is recognized as a sport just once every four years at the Olympic Games. When the Olympic Games are in full swing, you know what, everyone is talking about track and field!!! It excites people to see all of these athletes competing, and do you know why? It is because sports fans today aren't use to seeing athletes compete at such a level of pride. Pride for themselves, for their countries, and pride for their sport. It is an amazing thing to watch people give everything that their extraordinary bodies allow them for no money, just pride.
Reminds me when I look back at the Dream team in Barcelona, when our great basketball team brought the gold medal to the USA. Look at that team, Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, when I think of these players, I think Pride. These types of athletes wanted nothing more than to win. Course the money was good, but winning was better. I feel that times are changing, and our USA basketball team of lately shows a great example of that. When the USA team is having trouble finding quality players to put on the team for "certain reason" aka no pay for the athletes, it shows how spoiled the athletes of today are.
Until a sense of Pride is brought back to the United States I for one will not be watching professional sports, because watching players half ass compete for millions of dollars is not interesting to me. Even college can tend to become an ego driven show off type of event. Players talking about "going to the league" when they are freshman in college, players leaving early for "that paycheck" etc.
Can you blame them, No way, but the money consumes them, and their abilities. Then the athletes forgot what winning was like when they won for free, for their team, most importantly, for themselves.
So next time a local college is having a track meet, or on a rare occasion there is a track meet on television, do me a favor and watch it. Look at the athletes eyes after they compete. You will see nothing but blood, sweat, and tears, pure heart, and the pride of a true champion whether they win or lose. That is sport.
Help bring more track and field events to the television and promote this amazing sport.
inspirational.