China coming to... Manhattan?

[mancattanite]

http://www.kstatesports.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/081612aaa.html

Sometime this fall, six to eight Chinese high jumpers and sprinters, plus a coach and interpreter, will be moving to Manhattan to be coached by Rovelto during the next year.

I mean, I know we have Chinese students and we have foreign athletes, but for some reason this surprised me. I guess because I was so focused on USA beating China.

['taterblast]

i hope they like us 

[puniraptor]

they better hurry up and finish hunan express

[Belvis Noland]

“Name me a major company – building computers, you name it – where countries aren’t helping, or learning, from one another,” said the K-State track coach. “Our university is full for foreign students learning from our professors in a variety of fields.”

True.  But, I still don't like it.  Chinamen need to teach themsel(r)ves how to be fast at running and good at jumping. 

[Dugout DickStone]

Rovelto is going to teach them to jump exactly 1 inch below Kynard.

[pissclams]

Rovelto is going to teach them to jump exactly 1 inch below Kynard.

oh i think you're prob referring to ksu eric kynard of cbs late show david letterman fame?

[steve dave]

you know who loves to tweet to eric kynard?  yep, our guy D.  loves it. 

[Saulbadguy]

you know who loves to tweet to eric kynard?  yep, our guy D.  loves it. 

Just once, I'd like to be standing over D. Scott's shoulder as he comes to the realization that a KSU athlete blocked his ass on twitter. I'm sure it's happened, I'd just like to be there when it actually does happen.

[mancattanite]

“Name me a major company – building computers, you name it – where countries aren’t helping, or learning, from one another,” said the K-State track coach. “Our university is full for foreign students learning from our professors in a variety of fields.”

True.  But, I still don't like it.  Chinamen need to teach themsel(r)ves how to be fast at running and good at jumping.

I always thought computer companies were rivals and didn't help each other actually... I didn't get that part. I mean, Mac vs. PC right?

[sonofdaxjones]

Hey uh Cliff, why don't you worry more about coaching up the K-State track team so maybe ONE DAY they'll actually sniff a Big 12 Track Championship again.

[mancattanite]

Hey uh Cliff, why don't you worry more about coaching up the K-State track team so maybe ONE DAY they'll actually sniff a Big 12 Track Championship again.

For outdoors: The women have won 2. They aren't where they have been in the past. But the men have never won one, and they had their second best finish ever this year in the Big 12 with 4th.

For indoors: Neither have ever won a Big 12 championship.

The last conference championship for the men was in 1976. Can you name the coach at that time?

[Dugout DickStone]

Rovelto is going to teach them to jump exactly 1 inch below Kynard.

oh i think you're prob referring to ksu eric kynard of cbs late show david letterman fame?

The guy I am thinking of wears Stars and Stripes.  He loves his University (KSU) and his country and jumps wicked high over the bar.

[skycat]

Hopefully K-State is requiring China to pay big bucks for the use of our coaches.

[SEK_EMAW]

Hopefully K-State is requiring China to pay big bucks for the use of our coaches.

Guess who just bought some naming rights?

Hu Jintao Family West Stadium Center

[Belvis Noland]

question.  will these chinamen be enrolling as students and be members of the track team? 

[SEK_EMAW]

The chinaman is not the issure here, Dude.  I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude.  Above this line, jump, you DO NOT...


Seriously though, if the greatest high jumpers were coming out of China, do you think they would let us send coaches and athletes over there?  I don't think so.

[mancattanite]

question.  will these chinamen be enrolling as students and be members of the track team?

That would actually be awesome... seriously.

As far as I know (and I follow the sport pretty close) NOBODY from China has ever done this before.  If Rovelto builds up a relationship with these guys? And eventually they start sending athletes over here??? That's a 1 billion something person talent pool that K-State was the first to get into.

However, China has their own system set up. The college aged athletes don't go to school, they are in training and that is their job. I doubt China would change that.

[Belvis Noland]

And, by virtue of the fact that they're send over a chinaman coach, I would suspect they will train with the wise American for a season, learn his tricks and go back to the Orient. 

So, now I'm firmly opposed to this crap.  If they're not enrolled students and members of the track team, our University employed coach has no business coaching them during the season.  or ever.   

Coach K isn't going to coach the Spanish olympic basketball team and he certainly isn't going to do it during the basketball season.   

[mancattanite]

Well... This actually happens fairly regularly in track and field.  And normally the idea is to improve the American athletes by having them train with the better foreigners.

For example: Galen Rupp got silver in the men's 10k at London.  This was due in large part because he trained under Alberto Salazar along with the gold medalist Mohamed Farah.  It was beneficial for Rupp. I think Salazar even was quoted during the olympics saying that the only reason to train with foreigners is to improve Americans.

Now, in our case here at K-State, I don't get it. I don't see what we have to gain, other than a hairline thin crack of potential recruiting opportunities.  It seems that Rovelto already has a group of some of the best high jumpers in the world training in Manhattan, and they're all Americans.

And our university employed coach already has been coaching professionals.Every college coach worth a crap also coaches pros. Just have never heard of Chinese pros being coached in America.

[Belvis Noland]

Well... This actually happens fairly regularly in track and field.  And normally the idea is to improve the American athletes by having them train with the better foreigners.

For example: Galen Rupp got silver in the men's 10k at London.  This was due in large part because he trained under Alberto Salazar along with the gold medalist Mohamed Farah.  It was beneficial for Rupp. I think Salazar even was quoted during the olympics saying that the only reason to train with foreigners is to improve Americans.

Now, in our case here at K-State, I don't get it. I don't see what we have to gain, other than a hairline thin crack of potential recruiting opportunities.  It seems that Rovelto already has a group of some of the best high jumpers in the world training in Manhattan, and they're all Americans.

And our university employed coach already has been coaching professionals.Every college coach worth a crap also coaches pros. Just have never heard of Chinese pros being coached in America.

I didn't realize that University track coaches were regularly training foreign (non-students) during the season.  I know many train here collegiately and train here professionally after college.  Rupp and Farah are both professional runners training at Nike's Oregon Project. 

Maybe I'm drawing a distinction without a difference, but I think it's different that Farah isn't a perceived athletic rival and it's different that he wasn't training with the University of Oregon during the season.  It's also different that his training here is making our American athletes better.  We shouldn't be in the business of training chinamen athletes so that they can beat us in 4 years.   

I imagine there would be outrage if Chinese swimmers were training at the US Olympic Development Center in CO. 

[mancattanite]

Dug this one out from a while back...

http://kstatesports.cstv.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/103111aaa.html

That’s his mission statement for current Wildcats, K-State graduates, international athletes and post-graduates from other universities.

Of K-State graduates, Rovelto says, “A lot of programs kick kids out the door, but we feel they are a part of our commitment if they want to continue their career.”

With foreign athletes, he adds that football and basketball players want to reach the NFL and NBA, and, “My sport is no different. If they want to reach the Olympics, I’m here to help them.

“If Lithuania would ask me to be their Olympic coach, I would hesitate to do that. But if individuals want my help, why not jump at that opportunity?” asked Rovelto. “My commitment is to the individual, and not the country.”

The professionals that are volunteer coaches are both Americans: Bettie Wade and Kasey Hill, heptathletes.  And there's been plenty of press coverage about Rovelto being the coach for all 3 Americans at the olympics.  So he coaches a lot of Americans. But it would seem that he's open to coaching foreign pros. Whether that means just foreigners that went to K-State for college or anybody, it doesn't seem exactly clear.

[michigancat]

anyone remember when kenyon martin was going to come train in mhk?

[skycat]

Hopefully K-State is requiring China to pay big bucks for the use of our coaches.

Guess who just bought some naming rights?

Hu Jintao Family West Stadium Center

WOULD TAKE. I can't wait until we open up the Mao Tse-tung People's Football Training Palace. T Boone Pickens, eat your heart out!

  (except with a Chinese flag background)

[sonofdaxjones]

Hey uh Cliff, why don't you worry more about coaching up the K-State track team so maybe ONE DAY they'll actually sniff a Big 12 Track Championship again.

For outdoors: The women have won 2. They aren't where they have been in the past. But the men have never won one, and they had their second best finish ever this year in the Big 12 with 4th.

For indoors: Neither have ever won a Big 12 championship.

The last conference championship for the men was in 1976. Can you name the coach at that time?

DeLoss Dodds. *




*(Did not have to look it up)

When I was on the track team, we had no where close to the amount of money they have now, and the only thing that kept up from challenging for conference titles was lack of numbers.   It's great that Cliff is considered a good to great high jump and Hep and Decathlon coach.    But K-State's overall Field Performance (of the track and FIELD Component) is EXTREMELY WEAK on a conference level.    K-State could make up lots of ground in terms of winning conference titles by bolstering the FIELD areas across the board.    K-State is always going to struggle against schools like Texas in the sprints, so make up ground in the throws, jumps and multi-events. 

[mancattanite]

Hey uh Cliff, why don't you worry more about coaching up the K-State track team so maybe ONE DAY they'll actually sniff a Big 12 Track Championship again.

For outdoors: The women have won 2. They aren't where they have been in the past. But the men have never won one, and they had their second best finish ever this year in the Big 12 with 4th.

For indoors: Neither have ever won a Big 12 championship.

The last conference championship for the men was in 1976. Can you name the coach at that time?

DeLoss Dodds. *




*(Did not have to look it up)

When I was on the track team, we had no where close to the amount of money they have now, and the only thing that kept up from challenging for conference titles was lack of numbers.   It's great that Cliff is considered a good to great high jump and Hep and Decathlon coach.    But K-State's overall Field Performance (of the track and FIELD Component) is EXTREMELY WEAK on a conference level.    K-State could make up lots of ground in terms of winning conference titles by bolstering the FIELD areas across the board.    K-State is always going to struggle against schools like Texas in the sprints, so make up ground in the throws, jumps and multi-events.

BTW, that wasn't a test of knowledge. I just thought it was kinda interesting that Dodds was the last one.

That's awesome that you were on the team. What years if you don't mind me asking?

I'm guessing that other schools are spending more money on track now than they used to, also. Just like all the other sports.

I feel like what you're saying K-State doesn't do exactly what they do... One the men's side they scored 58 of their 75 points at the Big 12 championships from the jumps, throws and multi events. Only team that scored more points in the field events was Texas, who scored 96.  So... I guess I would have to disagree with you that "K-State's overall Field Performance (of the track and FIELD Component) is EXTREMELY WEAK on a conference level." Actually, it would appear to be the exact opposite. It is actually very very strong. In fact, it is the strongest part of the team. That doesn't go to say that there isn't room for improvement.

What I would hope to happen is that Rovelto can recruit to fill in the gaping hole left by A&M.  They have been one of the best teams in the nation for the past 4 years, and I feel like there would probably be a lot of points to score in the events that they dominated.