tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29551596.post2908795026651356545..comments2023-09-26T08:59:46.076-04:00Comments on The Track & Field Superblog: Cathedrals of the SportThe Track & Field Superfanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17106381988515014325noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29551596.post-73349263708621520362010-03-05T18:27:37.877-05:002010-03-05T18:27:37.877-05:00Speaking as a UW alumna, I can say first-hand that...Speaking as a UW alumna, I can say first-hand that the UW track is crap. I only ran speed work there a few times because the track was so work out you could see the underlying pavement in some areas. I was wearing racing flats for those workouts and can't imagine running on spikes there.<br />And Edwards only needs "minor changes" to host an IAAF World Championship? I now live in Berlin and went to several days of last summer's championship. The 70,000 seat stadium was sold out. I can't imagine Edwards being updated to the level of the Berlin Olympic Stadium.<br />Of course, I'm a little biased, as I'm from Oregon, but NCAA titles do not a "track town" make. Eugene (and Oregon in general) has a long history of devotion to track and produced some of the most recognized figures of USA track and field (Prefontaine, Bowerman, Salazar). Hayward has been the site of 3 Olympic Trials for a reason: the crowd is knowledgeable, with a large number being runners themselves. Ask international runners which US track is their favorite and 9 times out of 10, they'll say Oregon (10 out of 10 if they're distance runners). The fact is, the 2 Diamond League track meets hosted in the USA are in New York and Eugene and there's a reason for that. Even though Eugene is a tiny venue compared to all the rest, the IAAF knows they'll bring the fans.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11734564268249330969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29551596.post-70651829346577187032010-03-05T16:17:49.737-05:002010-03-05T16:17:49.737-05:00With regards to the title of "Tracktown USA&q...With regards to the title of "Tracktown USA" . . . just check the number of NCAA Championships and this argument easily sorts itself out.<br /><br />By the way . . . where is the U of O Indoor Track facility? Here is Arkansas':<br /><br />http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=68914WizardofhOgZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16124603739590467730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29551596.post-55659553982203016292010-03-04T13:13:53.073-05:002010-03-04T13:13:53.073-05:00I thought that the LA Coliseum was the largest sta...I thought that the LA Coliseum was the largest stadium with a track, but alas, I see from their web page that the track is no longer there, and in the history section they don't even mention track and field.<br /><br />One disadvantage for UCLA's Drake Stadium (named for "Ducky" Drake the long time UCLA coach who coached Rafter Johnson and CK Yang, who came in 1 - 2 in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympics) is that they don't have a hammer facility, and have to throw 30 minutes away at WLA College in Culver City. <br /><br />Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego has one of the most scenic track facilities in the country. Go to http://www.pointloma.edu/Athletics/Facilities.htm to see the track overlooking the Pacific. Alas, PLNU just announced that they are dropping men's track and field (and men's XC) at the end of this year. <br /><br />UCSD has a scenic track facility and a nice hammer area where hang gliders can often be seen flying above the Pacific.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08133807423860312095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29551596.post-30602638453960335152010-03-03T21:05:24.184-05:002010-03-03T21:05:24.184-05:00Washington actually hasn't hosted the Pac-10 C...Washington actually hasn't hosted the Pac-10 Championships since 1997 and isn't on the schedule to host them in the near future (2010 will be Cal, 2011-Arizona, 2012-USC, and 2013-WSU). It is a shame they don't host large meets, but they just can't do it at this point because their track is 20 years old and in disrepair. Since it is in the stadium, football trucks drive over it when setting up for games and temporary bleachers are put over the east turn. In addition, the hammer throw facility is 30 minutes off campus, making it difficult to host bigger meets. There are plans to remove the track if the school ever gets enough funding to remodel the football stadium.Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15619332184994092131noreply@blogger.com