Runnerville

Track visionaries have been saying it for years: the sport of track & field is stale and requires massive change to elevate its status to that of other professional sports. Those who voiced such opinions, pleading for change, ran up against brick walls. Then proceeded to bang their heads against said brick walls. Years of banging resulted in severe apathy - track is track; it is what it is. Except among a select few who kept the movement alive and inspired the next generation. So here we are today, witnessing a perfect storm of BALCO, the internet, world-class U.S. performances, a second running boom, and the chronic underperformance of our governing bodies. Finally someone has taken notice.

In a stern letter from Jim Scherr, USOC chief executive, to Bill Roe, USATF President and our guest on The Toni & Matt Show #13, track’s governing body was given an ultimatum: change your structure or else risk sanctions and possible decertification. USATF has until June 24 to submit a plan. If the USOC chooses decertification, it will actually take over USATF until a new federation can be formed. Although rare, it has happened in modern pentathlon, team handball, and taekwondo. (click “read full article” for the rest of this story) Read more…

I guess some people are just plain opposed to progress. First there was skepticism over Beijing organizers promising perfect weather for the duration of the Games. Now, it seems the USOC will be sending sponsor-supplied foods to China so that US Olympians aren’t forced to consume Chinese chicken breasts that are 30% chicken breast, 70% steroid:

When a caterer working for the United States Olympic Committee went to a supermarket in China last year, he encountered a piece of chicken - half of a breast - that measured 14 inches. “Enough to feed a family of eight,” said Frank Puleo, a caterer from Staten Island who has traveled to China to handle food-related issues.

“We had it tested and it was so full of steroids that we never could have given it to athletes. They all would have tested positive.”

There’s always that one stick in the mud, isn’t there? The pessimist says Oh, eating that chicken will make you test positive. But an optimist would point out that when you buy a chicken of that size, it will carry your groceries out to your car, and may even offer to drive home once it sees how exhausted you are from yet another hectic day at the office. (But it may also turn on you and kill you when you try to cook him.)

Wary US Olympians Will Bring Food to China [NY Times]