Track & Field News

lilwayne1814 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 432

Upon arriving at the Texas Southern Relays on 3/22, Wariner supposedly asked the announcer to mention over the PA that he did not want fans talking to him or asking for autographs. The fans were perplexed. He was, however, received well while running the anchor leg of one of the three USA teams.

lonewolf · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 4048 Location: Indian Territory

While at Baylor last weekend, I noted Wariner, Williamson and Richards all have freshly painted reserved parking slots inside the fence on the back side of the track.

I had breakfast with Clyde Hart at NCAA and visited with him Saturday. He did not mention Wariner.. and neither did I.

paulthefan · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:14 pm Post subject:

very sad .

dakota · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1413

Well soon he won't have any fans and the problem will be solved.

tandfman · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 12083

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject:

Is that just a rumour / Did the announcer actually make such a requst?

If he did then that is very sad.

Sanya Richards is the epitome of grace and politieness with fans.

Of course fans who bug athletes before they are compete are idiots but a top athlete knows how to turn on that stuff off and concentrate.

lilwayne1814 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 432

gm · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 2:47 pm Post subject:

Wariner split c44.2 on a 3:01.1 Waco all-star team

Flumpy · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1857

What a tit. It seems that more than his mentors running success has rubbed off Sad

stallion · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 744

This guy appears to be fan-friendly, although I think his best chance to beat JW is in the 800. Very Happy

http://www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6120&Itemid=2

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject:

Gosh that really is a turn off.

He is not Elvis. Rolling Eyes

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject:

paulthefan · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject:

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject:

Flumpy · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1857

I don't get it. What's wrong with the picture Question

lilwayne1814 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 432

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject:

jney · Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 293 Location: Shippensburg

texas_speed · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 963

I was at the meet and for anyone that has ever been at TSU Relays, its definitely much different than other meets. Picture a Bayou Classic type atmosphere inside an older high school football stadium (which is about the equivalent of the TSU facility, no exaggeration). Initially during the meet ANYONE was able to walk around the infield, which was the designated warm up area for the meet. There were literally close to 75-100 people in casual clothes just walking around the infield. It was kind of ridiculous to be honest.

Word has it that the last time Wariner was there, he was literally mobbed. So when he and the other pros began warming up for the relays, not only was the announcement made but the meet officials and security had to take about 15 minutes to clear everyone that wasn't participating in the meet off the infield. If I remember it correctly, when the announcement was made, they didn't say it was per his request. They just asked everyone to respect the fact that he was trying to warmup for the race and to allow him to do so.

Honestly, I don't think it was as big of a deal as it was made out to be. At first glance it sounds kind of lame but if you were there, I think you'd understand. I think all the athletes actually appreciated having a cleared area to warmup as opposed to having to weave in and out of people on the infield.

stallion · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 744

tandfman · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 12083

texas_speed · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 963

Marlow · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject:

Molehill into mountain. In the hour before comps, athletes SHOULD be left alone to warm up. I bet he was approachable after the comp.

paulthefan · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject:

.. The italians have been under-performing in the dashes for quite some time.

mojo · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks for those details texas speed.

It sounds reasonable now.

tracknut · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 103

When the nationals were held at the Home depot center in 2006, I observed a young fan (8-10 years old) approaching Warnier for an autograph. The kid received a quick "no". What disturbed me most was that there was not a huge crowd pursuing JW who was in street clothes and pretty much done for the rest of the meet (Remember he only pursued the 400 that year). I've heard of MJ doing some similar things with fans. Regardless of his performances I have had a different view of JW. As a added note I have run into coach Hart on the subway and was introduced by an associate. Coach Hart was the first to extend his hand in "hello". Just some food for thought from what's going on in the JW camp.

jney · Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 293 Location: Shippensburg

I have heard from some people that MJ has done that. LIke at Indy last summer, I heard a bunch of people were turned down.

lilwayne1814 · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 432

lonewolf · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 4048 Location: Indian Territory

I have known Clyde Hart for more than forty years and Jeremy Wariner before he was famous. Jeremy is always cordial and polite. He will loosen up among friends but he actually rather shy and is not gregarious and outgoing by nature with strangers. As someone noted, it is almost as if he has adopted the Michael Johnson public attitude. No one out-aloofs Carl.

It does strike me as a tad strange to make a public address request for privacy but I am giving him a pass under the circumstance described by texas_speed.

EPelle · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 20108

Wariner may have been better served to have used another entrance and to have kept out of site. Had no other entrance been available, he could have walked through a secure area where fans were not permitted.

TNT · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:40 am Post subject:

My wife got his autograph at the airport after the USATF Convention in Portland. He seemed very nice.

gm · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:34 am Post subject:

gh · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 32024 Location: 4 8 15 16 23 42

Other than the pressbox, are there any meets in the U.S. where the fans don't have complete access to the entire stands?

Walt Murphy · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1432

gh · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 32024 Location: 4 8 15 16 23 42

Where can't they go?

jney · Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 293 Location: Shippensburg

at Penn you can't get to the section right by the finish line, lower deck. they reserve it for what seems to be the Jamaican contingent. They are also very quick to boot you out of there.

tandfman · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 12083

Actually, at Penn, most, if not all, of the seats in the lower stands are reserved and on Saturday, they can be full or close to full. There are ushers checking tickets at the entrance to each section. Never having tried to sneak into a section where I didn't belong, I can't say how difficult that is to do. But at least theoretically, you can't just go where you want to.

gh · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 32024 Location: 4 8 15 16 23 42

Ahh.... I was forgetting there are a handful of meets in the country that actually have/enforce reserved seating..... but the thrust of the original statement was that other than the pressbox, where could a Wariner go in the seating area of a stadium and not have fans there too?

EPelle · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 20108

texas_speed · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 963