Sad as it is, P Dunit and Oprah have brought more attention to our sport than any homegrown american running 2:05 would ever do b/c people relate to 4:14 and not sub 2:10. It's comical and I realize that we're all having fun with it but runners like the solitude of what they do and they complain when they get attention but then turn around and bitch when someone undeserving gets the focus.
The old notion that America's best runners are standing on the street corner completely unaware of their talent comes to mind...maybe P diddy inspired some of them and who knows what could happen. Can't you imagine the headline in 10 years, some guy from the inner city runs 2:06 and owes it all to P diddy! matt -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob Duncan Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 8:55 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: t-and-f: This Week's Sign that Track Apocalypse is Upon Us Excellent! Seriously, I applaud P. Diddy for doing what he did. The fact that USATF chose him over any number of US collegiate XC men and women is the sad part. But he raised a lot of money plus his time isn't *that* bad for someone who rides around in a limo with bodyguards and gets to go to all the good parties. I guess he'll get a Nike contract next and be in commercials like Spike Lee and Dennis Hopper. Not that he needs the money. bob ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 6:39 PM Subject: RE: t-and-f: This Week's Sign that Track Apocalypse is Upon Us > Wait a second here...isn't this athlete of the week appointment a > little premature? heck, the guy's B sample hasn't even come back from > the lab yet. > > MF > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jim Gerweck > To: Track & Field > Sent: 11/4/2003 12:42 PM > Subject: t-and-f: This Week's Sign that Track Apocalypse is Upon Us > > ³P. Diddy² Combs named Athlete of the Week > > INDIANAPOLIS Sean ³P. Diddy² Combs has been named USA > Track & Fieldıs Athlete of the Week for raising $2 million for charity > by finishing > the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday. > > A first-time marathoner, P. Diddy finished with a chip > time of 4 hours, 14 minutes, 54 seconds, accomplishing his goal of > bettering Oprah Winfreyıs marathon time of 4:29:00 she set at the 1994 > Washington D.C. Marathon. His performance raised $2 million for > charitable causes, which > was double the amount he had expected to raise. A native of Harlem, P. > Diddy trained two months for the race and ran with an injured right > knee. > > Combs plans to split the money between New York Cityıs > public school system, the Children's Hope Foundation and Daddy's House > Social > Programs, which are two childrenıs advocate groups. The entertainment > mogul called his charity effort, ³Diddy Runs the City.² Major donors > to Combsı cause included New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, rapper > Jay-Z, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. "We set a bar and we crushed > that bar,² said P. Diddy. ³This is just a start. This wasn't a > publicity stunt." > > Combs' efforts generated interest to thousands of kids about > long distance running in bringing it to a new light due to his > pre-marathon coverage through non-sporting and track & field media > outlets. > > > >
