July 9th, 2008
The Toni & Matt Show #17 - Vin Lananna
A full debrief of the Olympic Trials with special guest Coach Vin Lananna (co-chair of the Eugene ‘08 organizing committee and director of track & field at the University of Oregon). Toni and Matt kick off the show with their assessment of the Trials - the highs and lows, surprises and disappointments - before bringing on Coach Lananna, who gives a candid recap of the show.What lived up to his expectations? What can be improved for 2012? How do we make the sport more professional? Can USATF succeed in Indianapolis? This and more on the Toni & Matt Show.
- LetsRun.com Eugene '08 - June 30th, 2008
- The Toni & Matt Show #16 - June 17th, 2008
- USOC to USATF: Change Now! - June 14th, 2008
- The Toni & Matt Show #15 - June 11th, 2008
- Toni & Matt at the Running Film Festival - June 11th, 2008
July 10th, 2008 at 1:02 pm |
Addressing the lack of teenagers at the Trials:
Make tickets more available for high school coaches and their athletes! By the time my coach and I looked for tickets for the trials, there were none left. Plus, we couldn’t afford the trip to Eugene, hotel rooms, AND event tickets.
I realize the Eugene 08 organizing crew’s job is make money and have a well put-together meet, but catering to the next generation of the track and field community must also be placed as a priority.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:02 am |
One reaction on the coverage is how difficult it is for Europeans to view some action on the track of the trials. I did watch Flotrack, but I had to do with pictures. Even the NBC website isn’t accesible for Europeans. But okay… NBC interest isn’t abroad.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:03 am |
Interesting point put forward by Toni on the teams. I think team colors make athletes (beside the superstars) more recognisable. The best example is Hansons with their Brooks vests. Also the story about Boit is making this clear. From a Razorback champion to an ordinary Kenyan.
Why is Ian Dobson running in the same Adidas-kit as the McMillan-Elite group? Why doesn’t Dobson have comparable colors with Hall, Kastor and Keflezighi? And why don’t brands try to evoluate the apparal on certain athletes. For example soccerteams play always the same colors on their homekit, but still the change every year. Teams and athletes will be more recognisable en perhaps more marktable (on wheeties-boxes)
And thoughts on this, or maybe you can invite anyone from a marjor brand to comment this in the show?
July 15th, 2008 at 7:58 am |
I think that the trials set-up was ideal for the athletes, and for the fans that could go, but I think that the late night TV time slot due to the West coast location probably did not help it to reach many new fans, and build the buzz nationwide. No one but the die-hard enthusiasts will stay up until 1AM on a work night to watch the distance races. Though it would have been a blast to go, it makes the trials seem very insular.
July 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am |
As NY runner says, the late night East TV times “made the trials seem very insular”. Perhaps so. But we must first consolidate/energize our base before reaching out into the wider world. Eugene did just that. A necessary step in generating renewed vigor within the family of T & F.
Sure, as a veteran TV producer told me, ‘If you couldn’t do it in Eugene, then you’d never be able to do it’. That said, they did do it. And now a new template for the future has been established.
Just as athletes don’t jump fully formed into being Olympians, process is required, so was Eugene `08 the process of renewal begun.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:04 am |
NA Matt,
Bill Schmidt is a Canon Mac Grad
Coach Mark Schwartz
USATF Three Rivers Assoc.
Track and Field Chr.
Pittsburgh,PA
July 17th, 2008 at 6:43 pm |
Hi Mark - Thanks. I didn’t know that. It’d be great to get someone from the ‘Burgh in there!
July 18th, 2008 at 11:10 am |
Matt,Yale?
I got the word yesterday from an inside USATF source at the big time national level that lives in Pgh that Bill was not the choice. Logan lived and worked in Wheeling/Oglebee WVA which is in our USATF Three Rivers Assoc.
I worked in the studio/course watch for Channel 11 with Tony Reavis for one of the Pgh Marathons.
Keep up the good work in promoting our sport as you know I do for penntrackxc.com,the Harrier,Eastern Track,XCXpress ETC.
Mark
January 24th, 2010 at 11:30 am |
The author of runnerville.com has written an excellent article. You have made your point and there is not much to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not argue with: A little insanity is a wonderful thing. Thanks for the info.