USATF CEO Doug Logan is on warning from the organization's Board of Directors that if his performance doesn't improve by August he could lose his job. Curiously enough, he was called to Columbus for this dressing-down rather than USATF Pres Stephanie Hightower traveling to Indy to do it.
This was reported yesterday and only one follow-up article has been written since. Neither specifically addresses what he has done and left undone to warrant such harsh treatment -- it took years for USATF to finally dump Olan Cassell -- and so we're left with less public means of figuring out why.
My only two connections have dried up. Tom Borish (TrackShark.com) gave up on covering track when his website got killed off, and Adam Jacobs (TheFinalSprint.com) passed away. The only person who seems to really know anything is Track and Field News editor Garry Hill. He said there were major rumblings of dissatisfaction coming from the board at the USATF Championships in Des Moines, and that this announcement came as no surprise, but either could not or would not say what the specific complaints were. He did say, though, that Nike (USATF's main sponsor) wasn't the source but that they're not happy either.
Everything else, then, is mere speculation. Everyone has their own particular gripe, which would be true even if USATF were a vibrant and successful organization, which is most certainly is not. So when you hear someone say "This is why he's on the hot seat" they're probably just saying what they hope is true. It's not that USATF is such a tight-lipped organization, it's just that track and field barely warrants any attention from the type of writers capable of getting leaks.
I don't believe for a second that there's anything he can do to save his job. So for the second time in two years, USATF will be searching for a new CEO. Struggling organizations looking for leadership are usually in the same boat as someone who is fat, 50, and divorced: the ones you want you can't get, and the ones you can get you don't want. As Paul Merca tweeted, "regardless of one's feelings towards the USATF national office or staff, this is not good".
What's on today
Today is World Junior Championships day #3. Finals on tap are the men's shot put, long jump and 100 meters, and the women's javelin, 5k and 100.
The best homepages are from the IAAF and the CBC.
CBC has a live blog and a live stream.
TV coverage will be on CBC from midnight to 1 AM.
Flotrack's World Juniors coverage page.
Meet the 100 meter favorites: Jamaica's Dexter Lee and Britain's Jodie Williams. The latter has won all 146 races she's ever run.
Other track on TV:
Prefontaine Classic rerun, 6:00 PM, Universal Sports
Diamond League Paris rerun, 9:00 PM and 2:00 AM, Universal Sports
Looking ahead to tomorrow, the Diamond League comes to Monte Carlo. The big deal is a Gay v. Dix rematch at 200 meters.
Live webcasts begin at 2 PM at UniversalSports.com for US viewers, CBCSports.ca for Canadian viewers
TV coverage is at 9 PM on Universal Sports, and at noon Saturday on CBC
Previews from the IAAF and from Universal Sports
Flotrack will have coverage of the meet
Other links...
Runner's World has the daily headlines
Track and Field News interviews US 400m champ Greg Nixon
Brian Cazanueve's weekly roundup of Olympic news
Dathan Ritzenhein will run this fall's New York City Marathon
Jenny Meadows says Caster Semenya will never be considered an equal
Justin Gatlin talks about the end of his suspension
Brianna Glenn blogs about foreign cultures and personal space
The Utah Utes track will soon be completed
David Oliver wants to beat Robles and his world record
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