Masters hurdler McCloud hypes Hightower for USATF prez
Stephanie Hightower of Ohio, a former world-class hurdler, is running for president of USA Track & Field, and her campaign manager appears to be masters hurdler Dexter McCloud. The first I heard of her candidacy came in Dexter’s post yesterday on letsrun.com. Almost immediately, she was being ripped a new one by letsrun denizens. Stephanie’s main rival, I assume, is incumbent president Bill Roe of Washington state. (Later update: Roe is termed out; see other candidates below.) Although I’ve had some titanic rows with Roe, I think Stephanie might be a step backward. She’s already under a cloud of financial mismanagement. Dexter himself has been involved in some scandals — the Charlotte DQ reversal and the Eugene Trials 5K fiasco. So who knows who’s best?
Here is Dexter’s post from yesterday:
Dear Athletes,
As most of you know, Stephanie Hightower is running for the office of President of USA Track and Field. As the Chairs for the “Athletes for Hightower” Campaign Committee, it is our honor and privilege to be in the position to ask for your support on behalf of Stephanie.
As a former world-class hurdler and the current Women’s Track & Field Chair, Stephanie has represented and defended athletes best interests at every opportunity. Now here’s OUR opportunity to say, “thank you Stephanie, for all you’ve done for us”; by electing Stephanie as President, we can insure that athletes will continue to have a strong voice where it’s needed most – at the board level of USATF.
Now the only way you can cast your vote for Stephanie is to do the following:
1) You MUST be a voting delegate for your association and come to the convention. Contact your association and let the President of your association know that you wish to be an athlete delegate, if you aren’t already. Most associations are clamoring for athlete involvement during the Annual Meeting.
2) Because of the very important issue of restructuring, make your travel plans to arrive before the 1st day of the Annual Meeting, since this is when the initial election will take place.
If you have any questions, please contact us:
Dexter McCloud
Co-Chair – “Athletes for Hightower” Campaign Committee
dexterm@mindspring.com
Sharrieffa Barksdale
Co-Chair – “Athletes for Hightower” Campaign Committee
blairs383@yahoo.com
Let’s elect someone “for us, BY us”
BTW, Sharrieffa at one time said she’d try to make the 2008 Olympic team — at age 47. She didn’t qualify for the Trials, though.
Although I don’t have great affection for the current USATF president, Bill Roe, I think Hightower is probably a huge step backward. She’s already been accused of cronyism and financial misdealings.
How much more mismanagement can USATF take?
The election, BTW, will be held at the USATF annual meeting in December in Reno, Nevada.
For more on Hightower, see her video from last February, denying an interest in Craig Masback’s CEO vacancy.
In May, she told Larry Eder of her intention to run for USATF prez.
Masters hurdler McCloud had bit part in Trials fiasco
As fate would have it, my roommate at the dorms in Eugene was a track coach from Colorado named Mark Misch. During the Trials, I learned the sordid details of Mark’s attempt to get Blake Boldon into the 5,000-meter heats. Blake’s case echoed that of Roald Bradstock, the 46-year-old thrower who was prepared to go to war (diplomatically speaking) if he weren’t allowed in the javelin field. Roald prevailed but Blake didn’t. Coach Misch neglected to share one detail of his failed appeal — it went through masters hurdler Dexter McCloud (who has been the subject of other appeals). Here’s an eye-opening story about how Dexter failed to adequately represent a fellow elite athlete.
6 Responses
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Jim Barrineau - July 21, 2008
The answer is simple: Go back to a single qualifying standard. Make the standard and you are in. No ifs, ands, or buts. So what if you can’t control the field size? There are smart enough people around to come up with a reasonable qualifying standard based on historic data. Better to have large fields than to leave the system open to accusations of unfairness and having athletes with “provisional” marks left hanging until the eleventh hour.
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mellow johnny - July 21, 2008
The whole situation with the men’s 5000 was extremely unfortunate. It was talked about at length in and out of Eugene during the Trials and left a bitter taste for several of us.
However, I think the problem is with the system rather than with the appeals committee(s) personally.
I’m a proponent of the “top 3 and you go” (assuming you’ve meant the “A” standard) idea that the Trials upholds. But it’s hypocritical to then turn around and say “this guy appealed and is in with a provisional mark slower than 7 other guys.” -
mellow johnny - July 21, 2008
oops…MET the “A” standard
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David E. Ortman - July 21, 2008
FR: David E. Ortman (M55) Seattle, WA
“But where are the clowns
there ought to be clowns
Well, maybe next year.”
Assuming the information provided above, there appears to be a disconnect between the Appeals Committee, which is driven to find the top three Olympic team members per event, and the athletes who have a dream of making it to the Olympics, but can’t unless they compete in the Trials.
So the Appeals Committee may think they know who is going (or should be going) based on qualifying times, but there is still a chance for any athlete who lines up to race to have a PR and fulfill a dream. But not if they can’t get to the starting line.
What is so hard about a rule that says that if the top 24 qualifiers run, they run, but if one or two drop out, even if it is an hour before the race, #25 and #26 are offered a chance to compete?
As a spectator at a day and half of the Olympic Trials in Eugene, I was struck by the number of empty lanes, due to injury, withdrawal, or something else. An empty lane is a missed opportunity for some athlete to exceed his/her expections and make the Olympic team.
If there is an empty lane in a sprint final, let the ninth fastest time have his/her chance.
After all, if we knew the results of the Olympic Trials before they started, there would be no point in holding them. -
stefan waltermann - July 22, 2008
John Chaplin, chair of USATF’s Men’s Track & Field Committee said, “Those clowns in the bottom half of the 10,000 have no chance on God’s green earth of making the Olympic team.” Clowns? That is truly outrageous! The athletes he is talking about ran the qualifying times for our Olympic trials. Coach Andy Palmer told me years ago that going to the Olympic trials was a dream come true, a proud moment of his athletic career. John Chaplin is an idiot.
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Ken Effler - July 23, 2008
Great article. It makes my blood boil to read that there are still cretins involved in key roles within the USATF/Olympic Trial’s. While there used to be many of these people involved in the past, I always thought the current organizations had staffed up with competent officials.
Jim’s statement above says it best…you either meet the qualifying mark or you’re out. If the fields need to be adjusted to accomodate a larger number of competitors, so be it.
It’s also sad to see what Nike has become. I worked for them in the early days, and we always railed against Adidas, and the bullying role they played in sports such as track and field, and soccer. Now it seems that Nike has become what they used to despise… keeping officials on their payroll to make favorable decisions…employees that physically assault the training staff of athletes…intimidation of athletes not wearing their products. I guess it’s true what they say about greed and power corrupting the soul.
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Masters hurdlers to run 42-inchers at Mt. SAC Relays
Don Drummond, 38, and David Ashford, 45, will be in adjacent lanes this Sunday when a heat of the men’s 110-meter high hurdles goes off at 1:50 p.m. at the Mt. SAC Relays. For Don, the 42-inch “international” barriers should be little problem. But I’m eager to see how M45 David negotiates the higher sticks. Ashford may be shooting for an unofficial single-age world record in the event. According to Pete Mundle’s Masters Age Records (whose flaws are legion), the best time for a 45-year-old in the 42-inch highs is 15.2 by Valbjorn Thorlaksson of Iceland in May 1980. (But in June 1980, when he was 46, he ran 15.1). The best American time for age 45 is Barry Kline’s 17.8 in 1985. Don doesn’t have a chance at the M38 WR. It’s 13.98 by Spain’s Carlos Sala in 1998. (Or not. Who really knows?)
5 Responses
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david ashford - April 15, 2008
Thank you mr,stone ,for putting such a nice tribute for ken dennis i grew up in california and have always been in awe of his sprint ablity,as a young runner in high school and will always remember his great performances and would tell myself one day i can be a master runner,my condolances to their family ,but lets always remember his dedication to compete,a will to win ,with inspiration win or place,im shooting to break the m45hh 42 inch wr in honor of ken and each step i will push as hard as i can to do so . love you ken ,thank you for all of the years of advice and encourgement.god be with you always. dave ashford
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Ken Stone - April 15, 2008
Olympic champion Allen Johnson, 37, also is entered in the 110s. His invitational race goes off at 2:50 p.m.
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Cornell - April 15, 2008
I will miss Ken tremendously. When I move to Los Angeles in ’86, I began competing in all-comers meets and was blown away by Kenny’s talent. Once I was told his age, he became my sprinting inspiration. At the 1994 national’s, he heard in a conversation that my roommate didn’t show and he just moved right in. The balm he rubbed on every night was killing me but I respected him too much to mention it. I will always cherish the time I spent talking to and learning from my friend. Rest in Peace your job was well done!
God Bless, Cornell -
Don Drummond - April 16, 2008
The adrenaline of competing is all that I desire. I am just excited to line up each and every race. Looking forward to racing under the California sunshine. Mt. Sac is a great meet and I have not competed thier since High School.(Diamond Bar, Ca)
Thanks for the recognition and David and I will try to represent.
Don Drummmond -
Men Outdoor 110 m Hurdles
(Last update: 01 March 2008)
Age group Mark Name Country Age Meet Date Meet Location
M 35 13.11 Colin Jackson GBR 35 10.08.02
9 Responses
There is a two-term limit for USATF President, so Bill Roe is definitely not running again.
Ah yes.
Got this note from someone else:
Candidates have until Oct 3 to submit their nomination materials. Roe is
not running, as he is termed out. You should be able to get info on
everyone from Sherry Quack at USATF. The 3 so far are Stephanie
Hightower, Dee Jensen and Bob Bowman.
Ken Stone,
As usual, whenever you write a blog and include my name in it, I find it patently offensive.
First of all, I am a co-chair of a committee called “Athletes for Hightower”. That in no way implies that I am Stephanie Hightower’s Campaign Manager. However, I would have been proud to serve in that capacity had she asked.
Secondly, I don’t understand why you continue to try to link my name with what you call a “scandal” or “fiasco”. A reversal of an incorrect decision by an official which I had no part in other than to be the athlete in the race does not constitute a “scandal” on my behalf. And, to rule on an appeal on a “b” athlete on the Olympic Trials, that WAS WITHIN THE RULES, is not a “fiasco”.
Third, you cite another blog THAT YOU WROTE as a reference to Stephanie being “under a cloud of financial mismanagement.”. Yet, YOU DID NOT EVEN MENTION HER IN THE ARTICLE THAT YOU WROTE.
I have learned very early while getting involved in the administrative side of USATF (notice that I said “administrative” and not “political”), that politics can be a dirty undertaking. But that’s to be expected from “politics”. However, there is also an expectation from a “journalist” to maintain some level of objectivity. Somewhere in your career, you’ve decided that you can get more people to read your work by claiming, “the sky is falling” and other forms of sensationalism. The fact that some people respond to it does not make it right.
I suggest that when you go to the Annual Meeting, that you attend the public forums and ask Stephanie for the FACTS as it pertains to the innuendo that you’ve printed in this story.
This is your blog, so I supposed you can do what you want with it. But, if you want to REPORT the news then do it factually and accurately. If you want to give your OPINION, then at least take the time to make it an informed one.
I posted this in the original Eugene Trials 5K post and I’ll do so again as I still feel the same way:
“The whole situation with the men’s 5000 was extremely unfortunate. It was talked about at length in and out of Eugene during the Trials and left a bitter taste for several of us.
However, I think the problem is with the system rather than with the appeals committee(s) personally.
”
Dexter,
Check out the comments section of my blog on USATF board financial mischief:
http://masterstrack.com/blog/002756.html
Stephanie is named as one of the offending parties.
See U in Reno.
I’ve read the comments before. As I said, the article was written by YOU. As a “journalist” I would expect that you would verify the facts of a story of your own accord. If Michael Roth’s comments are to be believed, why would he come to you in “hopes that you would bring it forward”? Basically he’s using you to stir up a bit of controversy because he doesn’t have the balls to do it himself. I don’t know all the facts myself but even with what I DO know, I wouldn’t go to press with it just to make a story on a blog.
You still were wrong in Charlotte. wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong
You, and you only, created the “scandal” and “fiasco” due to your EXTREME unsportsmanship.
That is Dextex being wrong that I was referring to, and not Ken. Ken has been fair to everyone, and just pointout out the obvious “cloud” that has continually follows Dexter around. It is Ken’s blog, and he does a great job with it.
Surfer Dude,
Clearly, you don’t know what the hell you are talking about. If you want to continue to beat a dead horse about a hurdle race that I won 3 or 4 years ago, get your facts straight. An OFFICIAL reversed my DQ! I didn’t know anything about it until I returned to my home in Atlanta. Otherwise, I would have gotten a medal.
So, I would be interested to hear what it is you think I was wrong about. And by the way, real men don’t hide behind fake names if they want to try and call someone out. If I have something good or bad to say to you, you’ll KNOW it came from me!
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