Robinson v. Symmonds, Now We Need More
What a difference one day makes. Before Sunday’s men’s 800m dash, the rivalry between Nick Symmonds and Khadevis Robinson was nearly not existent. While a few knowledgeable individuals may have labeled the duo a quality tandem that could really make an impact on the world stage, few were pitting the two against each other.
Now, in less than four news cycles, Symmonds and Robinson are being touted as the greatest rivalry in our sport. Whether or not you agree with these two being matched up, I completely agree with the idea of creating rivalry in our sport. Any type of sport, anywhere in the world, thrives off of rivalry. Duke v. North Carolina in basketball, Boston v. New York in baseball, Chicago v. Green Bay in football. Match ups between rivals get the most media exposure each time they face off because of the great battles between these groups in the past and what fans hope to see the next time they face off.
If Sunday was the start of a rivalry between Symmonds and Robinson, then bring it on. Our sport hasn’t had an intense dual since…well, I don’t remember the last time two American track and field athletes were pit against one another in a fierce battle, and were actually publicized through national media. I suppose the last real track and field rivalry in the United States were the Dan (O’Brien) versus Dave (Johnson) commercials back in the day that Reebok got behind.
In an Olympic year, USATF needs to publicize our sport for all it’s worth. Agents and athletes need to promote their product as much as they can. Heroes can be made in our sport this year. Rivalries need to be showcased on the biggest of stages our sport can afford, and our governing body needs to get behind this and support it 100%, with time, energy and money. This is track and field’s year to really capitalize what we have to offer and I fear if we don’t, our sport will slide back into mediocrity for another four years.
Last 5 posts by Scott Bush- Who Should Be the Face of Our Sport? - June 4th, 2008
- Welcome to the Internet Age - April 7th, 2008
- College T&F Should Downsize - February 13th, 2008
- Keeping the Past in Mind - January 23rd, 2008
- Hello, (Running) World! - January 21st, 2008
February 26th, 2008 at 1:40 pm |
In my opinion, I think part of the problem is that, at least recently, everyone in track is too polite!
I know folks raked Mo Greene as a showboater after the fire extinguisher gag, but I think a rivalry requires a certain amount of that devil-may-care attitude on and around the track… and the interview mic.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:40 pm |
Another solid entry, Scott. One of the callers commented on this during the last show in regards to that our sport is so focuses on marks and records, that the human spirit of competition is left out. You know what I remember about Michael Johnson (yes, perhaps a bad example from someone who own so many records), his match-up with Donovan Bailey in the 150 meters in Toronto. I know the race didn’t end up with the result that everyone wanted (even NBC’s Tom Hammond’s stated that MJ faked his injury since he was losing at the 50m mark), but it was the marketing and rivalry that carried the event for people to watch. Right now, our sport is lucky to see all the top athletes compete against one another, especially in the sprinting events. Do you hear me Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell? When our top athletes skip their own indoor championship to compete in another country (Jeremy Wariner), you know there is a marketing problem. I’m not saying that athletes such as Wariner should have competed in Boston, but there needs to be more competition in place for the sport to grow and for fans to simply not just watch the clock at the finish line.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:41 pm |
I completely and utterly agree. I enjoyed watching both deny such rivalry on flotrack and found it funny. Now, being the adverstising major I am, all I can think about is the great storyline it is and what commercials should be shot.
February 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pm |
Couldn’t agree more. To add to what others have said, everyone remembers the Mo Greene vs. MJ showdown at the Olympic Trials in the 200m. Although it didn’t turn out that well, it was big and captivated more than just track fans. We lack the big time rivalries that help create the drama that attracts fans to the sport. We’ve had them in the past and been succesful (Dave vs. Dan, Ovett vs. Coe, Landy vs. Bannister, Ben Johnson vs. Carl Lewis, Lewis vs. Powell, etc.).
You have to have two stars. There’s a reason it was Magic vs. Byrd or Lebron vs. Kobe.
Bring back the drama (and elliminate rabbits…)
February 26th, 2008 at 3:43 pm |
I completely I agree with each of you.
Jeremy - Our sport needs some trash talking, even if it is just friendly. I hope Nick and Khadevis take it upon themselves to build this up a little. One doesn’t need to sound cocky or like a prick in order to create a rivalry. That Mo Greene stuff a few years ago was hilarious, and as much as you may not like him, Gabe Jennings offers a lot more character to the sport than any other distance runner in the past twenty years.
Tom - I am always happy when you chime in on things. I was going to mention the MJ v. Donovan Bailey match-up, which I fondly remember, but I wanted to focus more on U.S. v U.S. athletes. I truly believe the entire problem of our sport not being “mainstream” right now is because of the lack of organization and promotion by the powers that be (i.e. USATF, meet directors and agents). I truly wish Mary Wittenberg would get the USATF CEO job and clean house and create the organization with the same vision she is using now at NYRR. All you have to do is look at the Ritz v. Webb match-up taking place in Central Park in three weeks.
Cara - You’re points are all so valid! I am in the same boat as you it seems. While I don’t yet have a marketing/advertising degree, I have spent the better part of the last four years reading every business book I could get my hands on, mostly on how to build a successful company and how to market products. I thought of ten rivalries today off the top of my head that I know would benefit the sport. I’ll do another blog post later this week hopefully with those thoughts.
Thanks everyone. Keep the comments flowing.
February 26th, 2008 at 3:56 pm |
Good stuff. Perhaps the “fued” between Hoffa and Cantwell in the shot put press conference can add more of this fuel. Not that we need help in the men’s shot put anyways, which is another topic I believe you already discussed as far as television coverage.
We have the best athletes in the world right now. However, they’re not competing against each other very often on our own soil. I’m sure Boston was a treat to watch, but it’s the kind of dessert that needs to be served more often.
Too many times, we (the fans) are left with a “yeah, but just imagine if they actually RACED against each other” after every result.
I also believe that it’s important for these athletes to compete against each other AFTER the Olympics. Don’t let NBC and other big media pump up your egos and then disappear off the face of the Earth after the Olympic flame is put out. Get out there and take advantage of what the fans want to keep watching. Don’t wait another four years for them to come back again.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:12 pm |
I saw this rivalry coming last June in Indianapolis. However, when the athletes leave the US and are merely two faces in a larger crowd, any ability to set them up as rivals fails because their main competition is definitely not each other.
So we have a limited opportunity to build up the hype. Will there be enough 800m races on the VISA tour to make it happen?
On the other hand, at the Penn Relays and while abroad, it could be possible to show the advantage our sport has. At home these two are rivals, but against the world they are teammates.
As far as track people being too nice…well, maybe we can get Alan Webb to start a fight in the stands, or Allyson Felix to shoot someone in a nightclub.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:19 pm |
To be honest, Tom, I think there is still a LOT of room to capitalize on our shot guys being the best in the world. You watch them on TV and they make it look so easy. I wonder what sort of press coverage you could get by having a “Shot Put Summit” on the floor of Grand Central in NYC, with Nelson, Hoffa and Cantwell. Maybe even put them in a standing-put showdown with Michael Strahan and, I don’t know… a WWE guy or something.
Even if you cut out the last two, I think if given the chance to see the grace and strength those three men exhibit, up close, in person, you’d have thousands of new converts walking around New York. I mean, you hear the thud of a shot in person, and you IMMEDIATELY recognize that it couldn’t possibly have been easy to push that thing 70+ feet.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:49 pm |
Pick one event per meet from the 60m to 800m. Set up seeded brackets, 1-8. Then run a series of four races with each winner moving on to the next round. At the end of the meet, the final. Times would have to be self-regulated to insure you could last the requisite number of races, but also have payoffs for each race won with the big payoff for the final. We can’t just have our athletes go one race and out every week. They aren’t out there long enough to get known, or for the above-mentioned rivalries to develop. Once again, staging and presentation are key, not fast times for the sake of fast times. That doesn’t work. That much we know.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:36 pm |
I think Symmonds runs scared. He just sits and kicks. The thing is, he does not have world class final 200 speed. I wish he would race from 600 out instead of 400 out. He might suprise himself and do better than a 3rd place outside of the United States.
If Robinson sat and kicked on Symmonds he would murder him but they would always run 1:46’s. Nuff Said
February 28th, 2008 at 5:46 pm |
Hmmm… is laying back until the end of the race a demonstration of fear, or of utter confidence?
March 1st, 2008 at 12:31 pm |
Confidence for sure, and more to the point, the maturity to believe in your own race plan and not try to run someone else’s race.