Great Battles: Maurice Greene & Michael Johnson

It is no secret that trash talking and track go hand and hand. At the 2000 Olympic Trials former greats Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene made a career out of their beef.

Fast forward and the 2008-09 season has officially come to a close and with it a piece of track culture, trash talking is officially done.

It's over and may very well be the end of an era.

It's like when Jay Z announced that he wouldn't wear throwback jerseys anymore kids all over Brooklyn and the NYC quickly buried theirs deeply in their closets.

Where is the world-class trash talking in the sport today, chest pumping, and bravado?

I'm not sure who won the war of words in 2000 but here is what Michael said during the back and forth in the press.

"I can honestly say that since Carl Lewis left this sport, there's not an athlete that I get excited about running against," said Johnson. "I get excited about achieving my own goals.

Not to be out done, check out what Greene had to say.

"First, Michael Johnson is the world record-holder, but he hasn't run anything close to that time in four years," said Greene. "Second, he's not strong enough to finish with me in a sprint. He'll have to be three or four steps in front coming off the curve, or it's over.

Sure, neither one finished the race at the 2000 Olympic Trials but the country was riveted by this showdown.

Click here to watch the Maurice Greene vs. Michael Johnson build up to the track battle.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.

Michael Who? Michael Johnson On Bolt Breaking His World Record

Michael Johnson has a great sense of humor and a great sense of history as the sport's newest superstar Usain Bolt steps on the scene.

By Jay Hicks.

Interview With Agent Michael Johnson

Jay Hicks & John W. Davis catch up with Michael Johnson at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Timing is everything in this world. At the U.S. Olympic Trials, John W. Davis and I had the opportunity to speak with Michael Johnson in the "mix zone" about his rising sports agency. The "mix zone" is a holding pen for the media horde comparable to the movie star/paparazzi scene at the Cannes Film Festival

Currently Johnson's roster of athletes includes: Jeremy Wariner, Natasha Hastings, Eboni Floyd, and Jacquelyn Johnson.

Everyone on his crew earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. Jeremy Wariner is leading the U.S. efforts to sweep the men's 400-meters in Beijing. Natashing Hastings and Eboni Floyd are members of the relay pool for the women's 4x400-meter relay. Jacqueline Johnson placed a very respectable second place in the women's heptathlon.

I can be seen on the left side of the video and John is filming the question and answer session with 200 and 400-meter world record holder Michael Johnson at the U.S. Olympic Trials. John W. Davis, a talented news personality, is holding down the filming and he edited and published the piece.

By Jay Hicks.

Is the American 4x400M Relay Record That Includes Michael Johnson Coming Down?

-Indianapolis-We're not talking about the current American 4x400m relay record being broken by Jeremy Wariner, LaShawn Merritt, & Co. in Beijing next month. USA Track and Field is looking at wiping the record clean from the record books.

The team of Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Tyree Washington and Michael Johnson in 1998 ran 2:54.20 to set the American and world record in the relay, but Pettigrew in May admitted to engaging in doping activities dating back to 1997.

With that, the newly appointed USA Track & Field CEO, Doug Logan has asked for the re-examination of the record by the Men's Track & Field Chair John Chaplin. In a press released just issued today Logan said...

"Removing this record is the right thing to do, pure and simple," Logan said. We have no interest in a record that the facts - not rumors - have exposed as being achieved by fraudulent means by at least one athlete on the team. Obviously, Tyree Washington and Michael Johnson played no part in the doping activities of others, and it is a shame that they may suffer as a result. But our message is clear: compete clean, win clean and break records clean. Or, get out of our sport and out of our record books."

The American record would then go to the U.S. team of Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Butch Reynolds and Michael Johnson, who ran 2:54.29 to win the 1993 World Outdoor Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

This is a tough call. I understand where Logan is coming from on the matter as he is establishing himself as tough on crime. Currently the doping issue is a black eye on the sport.

But a quick look around the professional sports world will provide a look at how the big, professional, and highly funded sports tackle the issue.

For a very good reason, Major League Baseball is not amending the records of players that tested positive over the last decade. The issue becomes that re-shuffling of times on the all-performance list is a public relations nightmare.

I know the purist at home are boiling over as these words jump off the page. But track and field is a business and maybe the best business decision may be to take Pettigrew's name off of the relay team that official appears in the record books in order to minimize the public relations blow back.

The irony not totally lost in this story is that the record that is to replace the current American record includes Butch Reynolds as a team member. Reynolds found his way back into the sport in 1992, after winning a high profile lawsuit to overturn his two-year doping suspension as a result of shoddy testing methods at the labs.

The timing of the announcement could not be worse. It is just days before the Opening Ceremonies at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Less than two weeks before the games the spotlight will shift away from Allyson Felix, Jeremy Wariner, and Lolo Jones. The media will sniff this story out and then here we go with the next round of stories about how track is riddled with drugs and cheaters.

There are no easy solutions in handling the doping issue but it is also necessary to make sure that the mission of routing out drugs is not the biggest story during the biggest coverage period that the sport will receive until another four years comes around.

By Jay Hicks.

Michael Johnson is Prepared for Records To Drop

Change is a constant. Records come and records go—no one understands this better than Michael Johnson. At the time he set the 200-meter World Record of 19.32, conventional wisdom said it could stand for at least generations of runners. Until last year, no runner has come within a smell of 19.32 seconds.

That was until Usain Bolt blasted on the brink to the 200-meter record. Michael Johnson provides invaluable insight looking into the metamorphosis of Usain Bolt.

"I'm ready to kiss it [200m record] goodbye...if he keeps on doing what he's doing," said Johnson at the U.S. Olympic trials.

Sprint legend Michael Johnson is, of course, talking about Usain Bolt and the work he had done to run 9.77 in June to set the new World Record at the 100-meters. What is ironic is that Bolt has traditionally been seen as a 200-meter runner. This year, Bolt broke the 100-meter world record, and that feat now sets him up to break the 200-meter world record.

“He ran 19.75 [a year ago], which was amazing enough, given that he's not the most technically sound 200-meter runner,'' Johnson said of Bolt. "Whatever technical flaws you have at 200 are going to be highlighted at 100. But, you take a look at his 100 when he broke the world record...he has fixed a lot of things [technically] in the off-season.”

The drama continues to mount as last Friday in Rome, Bolt ran just his third 200 of the year and delivered 19.67, the fifth fastest time in track history. Bolt is finding his way closer and closer to 19.32 each time he steps on the track.

Usain Bolt broke his own Jamaican national record in the 200 meters last night, clocking a spectacular 19.67 seconds at the Tsliklitiria Super Grand Prix at Olympic Stadium in Rome.
"If he is as technically sound at 200, or the improvement at 200 in technique matches what we have seen at 100, there's no telling what he is going to run," Johnson added.

It has been the 400-meter record of 43.18 that Johnson set in 1999 that was predicted to be the first record of his to fall. Johnson is now an agent, and his star client, Jeremy Wariner, is nearing that milestone with a personal record of 43.45. Records tend to come when athletes are running easily so, the 400 record may fall but it probably will not be broken at the Olympics.

MJ, who remains one of the biggest forces in the sport, is ready for the times to move down the performance list. Spoken like a true champion, Johnson went on to say, “I don’t wake up every morning thinking, ‘I’m still the world record holder, and it’s another good day because of it.’”

Johnson understands that his time on the track is behind him and today he readily embraces his new role helping today’s runners realize their goals and dreams.

The looming question is whether the 200 or 400 record will fall first?

By Jay Hicks.

Just Press Play - Michael Johnson 1992 Olympic Trials

This is a classic. 5 days before the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon is an appropriate time to watch a legendary race from the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials. The 200-meter race featured arguably two of the greatest modern Olympians in Michael "The Man" Johnson and Carl "King" Lewis.

19.79 from lane 8--who does that?

The lesson taught by MJ is that it doesn't matter what lane you end up with in the finals. Watch Michael Johnson light up the track from what looks like another area. The race also had sprinting great Mike Marsh, who also run under 20 seconds that day. Every athlete heading to the trials should study this race before boarding the airplane for Eugene.

Click here to watch the 200-meters featuring Michael Johnson from the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.

By Jay Hicks.

6 Biggest Track and Field Disappointments

• Carl Lewis - “Never Underestimate Greatness”

The U.S. missed an opportunity to win the 4x100 relay at the 1996 Atlanta Games when they left Carl Lewis off the race. Love him or hate him, Carl Lewis is arguably the greatest 4x100 anchor ever—even at 35 with gray hair and ancient legs. A victory could have been accomplished by moving Dennis Mitchell – one of the best third legs in the game, to his natural leg instead of the anchor leg. Instead, TEAM USA was run off the track by Canada in the finals. There is little doubt that the addition of Lewis to the team would have made a difference in the race results.

The lesson? Faced with do or die—always give greatness a try.

• Mary Decker Slaney - “Tripped Up”

Going into the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Mary Decker Slaney – who held seven American records at the time – was widely considered a shoe-in to medal in the 3,000 meters. Halfway through the race, Slaney tripped when her legs got tangled with those of her main rival, Zola Budd of South Africa. While Budd recovered to come in seventh, Decker sat in the infield in pain and disbelief.

• Pro Track & Field in the United States - “Lost In Translation”

The highly anticipated start of the 1997 professional track and field season did not bring any answers, or even a new, improved professional product to United States fans. Instead, there were actually fewer meets and reduced media coverage for the season’s meets. Somehow, some way, track had failed to capitalize on the golden opportunity to grow professional track in this country after hosting two Olympic Games on U.S. soil in a twelve-year period.

• Dan O’Brien - “Height of Expectation”

Before the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Reebok pumped some $25 million into an advertising campaign involving decathletes Dan O'Brien and Dave Johnson. Dan promptly missed the opening pole vault height and failed to qualify for Barcelona. Dave made it to Barcelona, but only managed a third-place finish. What a let down for so many viewers.

• Michael Johnson vs. Donovan Bailey - 150-Meter “Showdown”

Michael Johnson, the Olympic champ in the 200m and 400m from the 1996 Games, and Donovan Bailey, the 100-meter champion, had to settle the world’s fastest man controversy. After months of hype for the showdown at 150-meters in Toronto's Skydome, the payoff never came. Seconds after it started, the race was over. Michael Johnson pulled up hurt after coming out of the turn. It’s a terrible way to end a race. It was arguably the biggest disappointment since Dan vs. Dave.

• Dave Bedford - “Failure to Launch”

At the 1972 Munich Games, Dave Bedford of Great Britain was one of the most feared long distance runners. He ran a disappointing 5000-meter race, but had a chance to redeem himself in the 10,000. Bedford seemed to have the race set up for him when it settled into a slow, tactical contest. After four laps, when he was due to move ahead, Bedford seemed weighed down by expectation. He lost heart and finished at the back in the pack.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist.

The Last Lap: A Week of Shock and Surprises!

Even Michael Johnson was "shocked" by 9.76. Usain Bolt should get a bonus for that feat alone. Read Telegraph

Pay me! Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards running for real gold after the Olympics. Read Austin American-Statesman

Jeremy Wariner tells it like it is. The Texas sensation is running his own race. Read Gulf Times

PreraceJitters.com told you months ago this little known sprinter may be a threat in Beijing? Michael Johnson even says so! Read IAAF

Did rookie Bianca Knight catch vet Veronica Campbell by surprise? Yes, she did. Read Jamaican Gleaner

Allyson Felix knows what’s important to her. Read Sports Illustrated

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist.

Michael Johnson Weighs In On Greene

When Michael Johnson talks, people listen to the champ for obvious reasons. The Baylor graduate accomplished everything there is to do in the sport. In a recent British Telegraph article, Michael ripped Maurice Greene and said the former 100 Olympic gold medalist has some explaining to do about these doping allegations. It is alleged that Angel Guillermo Heredia, who is getting help from the government with “visa” issues is not just alleging they sold him drugs. Heredia has evidence such as cancelled checks, wire transfers, and email correspondence.

Michael Johnson also went on to write that boycotting the Games only hurts the athletes, and PreraceJitters.com couldn’t agree more. What was the IOC selection committee thinking? Anyone with an a clue knew it was a terrible idea when the 2008 host city was originally announced.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist.

Wariner, Richards Tune Up in Sprint Wins!

Some of track’s biggest names continue to record fast times in the early portion of this outdoor season. The Bobby Lane Invitation at the University of Texas, Arlington on March 29 was a popular meet for pro runners this weekend.

Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards are the world’s top ranked one lap runners, and both were using the sprint races to increase their speed at 400-meters. Spotted in attendance at the meet were Olympian Michael Johnson, Olympian Jon Drummond, and Grammy award winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin.

Jeremy Wariner ran the world’s best time this season in 20.37 beating Olympian Darold Williamson and Darvis Patton, a TCU ex. This is a fast time for Wariner in his fourth meet of the year considering his personal best is 20.19, set back in ’06.

Sanya Richards ran 11.28 in the 100-meters, and she also won the 200 in 22.56 at the Bobby Lane Invitational. By the time the Olympic Trials roll around, in July Richards said she wants to be in the 10.9 range at 100-meters.

"I really want to be on the 4x100 relay team in Beijing, so today was kind of a rehearsal for that,"Richards told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. " In a perfect world, I'll get three gold medals - one individual and two in relays (4x100 and 4x400)."

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

Texas Relays A Sporting, Cultural Event

Everything in Texas is bigger. And the Texas Relays are no exception to the rule. Track and field is not just a sport, it’s a culture in the great state of Texas. A quick check of the facts reveals that, according to the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, the meet brought in 200,000 visitors, $8 million to the city, and is the second largest relay meet in the country.

The 81st running of the Texas Relays takes places at the Mike A. Meyers Stadium on the University of Texas, Austin campus from April 5 – 8. Races are held in the high school, college, university, and invitational divisions for relays events.

The relay meet is almost surreal for track fans. Texas Relays is an example what track can be in North America. The meets popularity is due in part to the fab meet management operations and marketing by the University of Texas staff. It also helps that the track federation has little to do with Texas Relay.

From the world class runners to the packed stands and runners of tomorrow-- it’s no surprise to those who have attended that the meet continually gets bigger each year. The fervent fans are aware of the key match ups and cheer loudly during the race. The stadium buzzes with speculation on who will win relay match ups.

It’s almost a right of passage for pro sprinters to place their feet on the track. Past legends to have run at Texas Relays include: Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell, and Maurice Green to name just a few.

Some coaches, athletes, former athletes, fans, meet officials, and timers have come to Texas Relays for years without missing a meet. It’s also a social gathering to see and be seen. The Urban Music Festival presented by Dell is back in downtown Austin for a third year featuring Jeffrey Osbourne, After 7, and Trey Songz. Fans are also promised a guest appearance from former Longhorn standout Vince Young. Only in Texas baby!

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a Track Evangelist.

11 Greatest Olympic Track Performances in the Last 100 years

• Jesse Owens: Non-verbal rebellion, inspired by hatred.



The revolution was televised. The black-and-white footage of Jesse Owens defeating Hitler’s Aryan nation still brings a chill. In front of packed crowds, he showed the world Hitler’s theory was a crock of crap. Jesse achieved international fame in winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games in the 100, 200, long jump and 4 x 100 meter relay.

• Bob Hayes: No one faster than the speeding bullet.

By the summer of 1964, Bob “The Bullet” Hayes was dubbed the original “World’s Fastest Human” at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. The U.S. team was in fifth place when Hayes got the baton in this famous 4 x 100 meter relay — he couldn’t even reach out and touch them.

In perhaps the most memorable 100-meters in track history, he blew away the competition and turned a nine-meter deficit into a two-meter victory. The winning time of 39.0 seconds was a world record, and Hayes' leg was timed unofficially in 8.6 seconds, still the fastest ever. That’s not running, that’s space travel.



• Bob Beamon: The leap heard around the world.

Life is short, but great performances last forever. Just after Beamon barely made the 1968 Olympic squad, he unleashed the most fearsome long jump ever, featuring the most perfect combination of running and jumping. Beamon surprised even himself, collapsing when hearing he soared 29 feet, 2 ½ inches. He shattered the original mark by almost 22 inches. That’s as close as man has ever come to human flight. Bob’s record stood 23 years.

• Dave Wottle: It’s never too late to be great.

Once upon a time Ethiopian and Kenyan runners dominated the middle distances. Against this backdrop at the 1972 Munich Olympics, 24-year-old American runner Dave Wottle was in last place in the 800-meter finals. Then the tension set in: starting at 500 meters, Wottle starting picking off runners one at a time. Coming down the final stretch, he hit the gas and won the 800-meters by .03 at the finish line. To this day, Wottle remains the only American to win at 800-meters since Munich.

• Carl Lewis: The misunderstood track genius does it like no other.

Although an often polarizing figure in the sport, Carl Lewis was a magnificent, daring sprinter. He was a flawless runner and jumper with a keen ability under pressure. Carl Lewis pounced on every step of the 100-meters, 200-meters, and long jump, 4 x 100-meter relay to win every battle in which he competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The elaborately executed performances became an Olympic memory reminiscent of Jesse Owen’s four gold medal feat in 1936.


• Michael Johnson: Track’s leading man.



Between 1992 and 1996, Michael Johnson was track’s most reliable mindblower: winning 58 straight races over eight years. By 1996, the stage had been set at the Atlanta Olympic games, as some of the greatest 200-meter runners ever gathered for the event’s finals.

The gun went off, and MJ stumbled the fourth step. He then covered the first 100 meters faster than any human ever, even out running the NBC track side camera. He crossed the line, and it was immediately evident he was track’s undisputed champ having offered further evidence of his mastery.

• Jackie Joyner-Kersee: From Nowhere to Somewhere.

It is a gritty road to the top, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee couldn’t compete in a more demanding event than her signature heptathlon: 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and 800m. It’s a definitive test of quickness, strength, and heart.

Her 1988 Olympic appearance produced the still-standing world record of 7,291 points. Not enough to let that victory stand alone, JJK showed up five days later to grab the gold again – this time in long jump, gliding to 24 feet, 3 ½ inches. JJK had the audacity to stake a claim at being the greatest female athlete ever—and then pulled it off.

• Sebastian Coe: Britain’s Iron Man delivers.

In 1983, Sebastian Coe had recently undergone lymph node surgery – a situation that his detractors said would sideline him for that year’s World Championships. But the following year, he was determined to win back-to-back Olympic 1500-meter titles.

It wouldn’t come easy – he was facing challengers Steve Ovett and Steve Cram, who was considered the odd’s-on favorite for the gold at the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angles. Coe shocked the critics when he ran a perfect race, pulling away from Cram and the rest of the field in the final straightaway to win by six meters. His determination, style, and pace influenced a generation of runners.


• Flo Jo: Brilliant at the highest speeds.

This track queen is an icon on two counts: she gave the first cross-over performance by a female track athlete and gave one of the most mesmerizing performances in recent history. The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games were Flo Jo’s show and she had her own superstar act. Her races included decorated nails, stylish outfits, and stunning looks. In the 100-meter final in Seoul, the 5-foot-7, 130-pound Joyner bettered the Olympic record with her 10.54. She blistered the 200-meters finals, and Flo Jo delivered an amazing 21.34 in capturing her second gold medal. Joyner, who died in her sleep in 1998, still holds the women’s 100 and 200-meter world records.

• Edwin Moses: A self-made man.
Getting over hurdles was a skill Edwin Moses learned early in life. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta which had a track team, no track, and no coach for him. He had run just one hurdle race prior to March 1976. As a 20-year-old unknown college student, he went to the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Moses broke the 400-meter hurdle world record running 47.64, winning gold by an eight meter victory in his first international competition.
• Carl Lewis: Outraging fans and sponsors.

By the summer of 1996, Carl’s meteoric career had suffered some set backs. Though he won four gold medals at the 1984 L.A. Olympics, he never won fans over, at least in the United States. This time, the King of Track was in a battle with Mike Powell at Atlanta Olympic stadium.

Carl wanted revenge: Powell had beaten him at the previous world championships and broken the long jump world record. An athletic shade of his former self, Carl Lewis delivered big. At 35, he pulled out some mojo to jump 27 feet, 10 ¾ inches, his longest distance in four years. That night in Atlanta was a reminder that others had run faster and jumped farther, but few had sustained such a high level of performance for so long.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist.

My First Guest Blog!

Michael Johnson looks on as Heisman Trophy runner-up and possible No. 1 overall pick Darren McFadden at the Michael Johnson Performance Center at Craig Ranch.

Guest blog leads to a deeper question.

From: SpeedEndurance.com and guest writer, Jay Hicks.

I wrote my first guest blog with byline at SpeedEndurance.com, "The NFL’s top candidates are hoping track legend, Michael Johnson’s sprinting wisdom brushes off on them. Two of the draft’s top running backs, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, are in a six-week training program for the scouting combine at the Michael Johnson Performance Center (MJPC) in McKinney, Texas, just north of Dallas."

The post is a must-read about the five-time Olympic sprint champ’s $20 million training facility for youth athletes, elite athletes, and professionals. Johnson also plans to host elite meets at the facility’s outdoor track.

Interesting.

Seriously, how long will it take the Dallas area native Jeremy Wariner to begin training part-time at MJ’s new spot once the outdoor track is complete? PRJ has recently learned that J Dub has purchased a home in Craig Ranch in McKinney, the same development where the MJPC resides.

Tensions must be sky high at the Baylor track since Jeremy Wariner split with Coach Clyde Hart and decided to train with Baylor assistant coach Michael Ford.

I’m not saying…I’m just saying!

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

Nike, Adidas Gear Up For Sneaker War!

These shoes are made for running.

The bar for spikes was set sky high by Michael Johnson running into history sporting Nikes at the Atlanta Olympic Games, where he clocked 19.32 seconds in 200-meters and won gold in the 400-meters. Millions still remember Johnson’s custom spikes, and that’s exactly why Nike customized the shoes for him.

Sneakers are more than functional footwear. They need to feel good, look good. They represent our individual style and taste.

Shoemakers have long battled for the Chinese market, but the Beijing Olympics are the battle ground for bitter rivals, Nike and Adidas. The Chinese market, made up of mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, is the second largest market in the world and is worth a whopping $1 billion a year in sales.

Nike is hedging their bets on Asafa Powell. They imprinted his feet and studied his running style to deliver the lightest and strongest kicks ever for the 100-meter world record holder.

Powell will wear a different shoe at meets before the Olympics. The prototype will be tweaked after each meet leading up to the Beijing Games, and then Nike will present Powell with the final pair just before the opening ceremony.

Whew! What color will the shoe be? Will they sport the black and yellow Jamaican colors?

Adidas is also betting hard on Beijing and paid roughly $80 million to win the Beijing sponsorship, in addition to sponsoring elite athletes such as Allyson Felix and Jeremy Wariner. The German shoe company is also spending millions on the “Impossible is Nothing” ad blitz and is opening about two stores a day in China.

While not an official Olympic Games sponsor, Nike is spending millions sponsoring 22 of the 28 competing Chinese federations.

The athletic apparel companies promise this to be the biggest Olympics ever, and it is almost guaranteed to be the most commercial ever. It will be interesting to see who wears the illest gear, while throwing down the most memorable feats.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

J Dub Definitely Over Coaching Spat

Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner is preparing to break Michael's Johnson's 400-meter world record.

Jeremy Wariner has the track world talking again!

The 400-meter sprinter spoke with the press on Monday at a promotional event set up by Adidas in Beijing.

Jeremy refused to talk about last month’s coaching change, however he did take the opportunity to proclaim that his agent, Michael Johnson, might lose his status as the 400-meter world record holder in Beijing or possibly sooner. Last season, Wariner ran a personal best time of 43.45 and is rapidly getting closer to Johnson’s world record of 43.18.

"I'm looking forward to defending my title and hopefully breaking the world record," he said on Monday. "Honestly, if I haven't broken it before the Olympics, I know I can break it at the Olympics."

He and long-time Coach Clyde Hart split ways over a contract dispute in which Hart was offered less money to work in 2008. Despite what has been said by critics, J Dub does not regret the decision to train with new Baylor Assistant Coach Michael Ford.

Jeremy is currently preparing for his 2008 debut next week in Australia. He is no amateur at the Apollo.

He knows what it takes to win big.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

Jeremy Wariner Has New Coach

Jeremy Wariner won the Men's 400m in a personal best time of 43.50 on August 7 at the DN Galan Meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

It didn’t take very long. Jeremy Wariner has switched to Baylor assistant coach Michael Ford—who coaches Wariner’s training partner and former teammate Darold Williamson.

Coach Clyde Hart announced yesterday he split with Wariner because of a contract dispute.

An official contract with Coach Ford has not been signed but the decision is not surprising. The move allows Jeremy to remain in Waco at the Baylor track and train in the system that has made him successful.

Coach Ford was a standout 400 meter runner at Baylor and has been an excellent track coach at the university for eight years. Ford is prepared to coach the planet’s fastest 400 meter runner.

Sure, this is a distraction today. It is likely that very little will change in the long run. Jeremy has a talented management team to steer his career that includes agent, Michael Johnson, and manager, Deon Minor, who was a two-time indoor NCAA 400-meter champion at Baylor.

Next week Wariner is headed to Beijing on Olympic publicity work, and then he is back to the Baylor track to work on winning Olympic gold and breaking the world record.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

Jeremy Wariner Kicking Off Season In Australia

Jeremy Wariner and his agent, Michael Johnson, recently announced in an IAAF interview, legendary track Coach Clyde Hart – who also guided Michael Johnson – swears this meet does not deviate from Wariner’s training schedule to defend his Olympic title in Beijing next year.

Wariner joins two more prominent runners at the Melbourne meet. Asafa Powell the 100-meter World Record holder announced last week that he will train and compete in the Melbourne meet, as will Darold Williamson, a fellow Baylor alum and member of the 2004 Olympic gold medal 4 x 400 meter relay.

Like other pro track runners the last few years, Wariner has skipped the indoor season entirely. The weather can be hit or miss when he traditionally kicks off his season with low key meets in March.

However, Wariner has shown in the past that he is bold and daring. For example, he has been running the 200-meters in major races to improve his speed to break the world record.

Whether he dips under 45 seconds in Australia’s warm weather will depend on how much training can be done before February.

Running in Melbourne that early in the season will definitely make for a long season but Wariner has already pulled off the nearly undoable triple crown – winning indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships and the Olympic gold medal during his last year at Baylor University.

Wariner plans to put on a show this upcoming season.

Fans will have to wait and see if Jeremy can strike gold again in Beijing and break Michael Johnson’s record of 43.18.

By Jay Hicks, aka Track Evangelist

Asafa Powell Going Down Under

The maneuvering by track and field athletes, coaches and managers has begun. They are hoping the proper strategy will deliver a berth to Beijing.

Otherwise, those reservations for Beijing won’t be necessary.

The road to Beijing 2008 Olympics has officially begun with Asafa Powell’s love affair with boisterous Australian track fans.

Yesterday, Powell and his manager, Paul Doyle, announced his first race in 2008 will be the Sydney Athletics Grand Prix on 16 February.

Five days later he will run at the IAAF World Athletics Tour meet in Melbourne (21 Feb). Meanwhile, more and more runners are skipping the indoor track and field season all together and opting for races in warm weather climates.

Asafa and his crew will travel to Australia on February 9 with coach Steve Francis.

Powell has been criticized by track legend Michael Johnson and others for his lackluster performance at this year’s World Championships 100-meter final race. He was beaten by American Tyson Gay and Bahamian rival Derrick Adkins.

Asafa resurrected his season by lowering his own World Record to 9.74 seconds in September. The race still could not quiet murmurs that Powell disappears on the major stage.

MJ contends that Asafa is not a competitor at all—that he can’t win the big races, and his fast times are in races with nothing on the line.

Powell has been unfazed by his critics, and his eyes are locked on getting things started in Australia

By Jay Hicks

A Fan's Track Manifesto

A frenzied rant. One man’s insane vision for the sport. This is the unleashing of my inner Ted Kaczynski.

I’m dropping my Track Manifesto –- the gospel according to the Track Evangelist. It’s my list of 27 profound track and field beliefs.

As track fans, we have one thing in common: A passion for the world’s most exciting sport – a passion that keeps us coming back for more, no matter how frustrated we get.

So, with no further delay—and in no particular order—here are the 27 top reasons I’m back in the arms of the greatest sport there is.

1. I believe that I’m done explaining why I am an enthusiastic track fan. But that’s not going to stop me from writing about it religiously.


2. I believe track and field is the greatest sport on the planet. Yes, it’s even better than the International Strongman Competitions on ESPN. Hard to believe, huh?


3. I believe track athletes are the toughest athletes in the world. What we call a sport, other athletes consider punishment.


4. I believe that it is my right to purchase $7 beers at all professional track meets. Beer and sporting events are as American as apple pie. Just because the Visa Series Championship meets are held on college campuses is no reason to keep me from fermented hops.


5. I believe that if Atlanta is “Chocolate City” then Texas Relays is “Track Mecca”. The stadium is electric – it’s a car show, a fashion runway, the hottest nightlife and a stunning display of athletic prowess all in one weekend. Texas Relays – it’s what track can be in America if we all put our passion behind it.


6. I believe that Kanye West would make ‘em say the sport must become socially relevant to go to the next level. Cuz it’s all ‘bout goin’ to the next level, right?


7. I believe the sports’ future is Lindsay Lohan. Attracting hot, young, out-of-control fans is what it’s all about. A sexy NASCAR for people without beer bellies. Panties optional.


8. I believe that track must be like Halle Berry. Entertaining and engaging. And pregnant – with possibilities, that is…


9. I believe Marion Jones is the Jay Leno monologue of track -- a joke that’s not particularly funny. Track fans wish she would stop talking and go far away. Enough said.


10. I believe anyone who doesn’t watch the World Championships is seriously missing out. With each step around this massive global stage, athletes are leaving their footprints in the pantheon of track history.


11. I believe Flo Jo may be the greatest track athlete name EVER. It’s got style, meaning and flash all in just five letters.


12. I believe Jackie Joyner-Kersee is the greatest all-around female athlete ever. She scored 1,000 points during her UCLA hoops career and struck Olympic gold in the heptathlon, long jump and 100m hurdles. All without “flaxseed oil”, Marion.


13. I believe the penalty for testing positive should be a meeting with Joe Clark and his bat in the principal’s office.


14. I believe Mike Conley, Jr. would contend for the 100-meter title today if track was his thing. Amazing! He dribbled as fast as defenders could run alongside him during 2005 NCAA March Madness.


15. I believe Jesse Owens is the best-remembered Olympic star of all time. Not because he ran faster than any of Hitler’s Aryan army, but because he ran better than anyone else ever. He ran right into history without choking.


16. I believe indoor track should have only one track size. Burn the rest. Track is about running – not math. Get rid of the time adjustments. It’s just confusing and is another way the sport keeps itself from being accessible to the casual fan.


17. I believe Denzel Washington would make a great track commissioner. Man, can Denzel deliver a speech. Do you Remember the Titans? I do.


18. I believe that the media is piling on. Where is the love? Track has its’ issues, but at least the sport’s athletes are not constantly on police blotters, and track isn’t dogged by accusations that the games are fixed by game officials.


19. I believe I shall call for Clyde Hart to be nicknamed “The Quarter-Miler Whisperer.” He makes coaching back-to-back 400 meter Olympic champions look easy.


20. I believe the mile should be run at American meets. Everyone can relate to a mile.


21. I believe Allyson Felix and Sanya Richardson are professional track & field’s G-Girls. These young, rich and beautiful females are burning up tracks around the world.


22. I believe that there will never be another Carl Lewis. Carl was a brilliant sprinter and flawless long jumper. He went 10 years undefeated in the long jump. Although he didn’t win over all the fans, he maybe saved his best for last in winning his 9th gold medal at the ripe age of 35.


23. I believe Penn Relays is the most entertaining track meet. Texas Relays may have the cars, the clothes and the nightlife – but Penn Relays is a carnival that attracts more than 100,000 fans and a sea of proud Jamaican supporters, mon.


24. I believe Bernard Lagat will establish a new era of U.S. dominance on the middle distance scene. He proved he is for real by winning the 2007 World Championships in the 1,500 & 5,000 meters.


25. I believe there is nothing more exciting than the countless camera flashes exploding throughout a sold-out stadium in the split-second before the starter’s gun goes off. It’s a singular moment that symbolizes the anticipation, speculation and possibilities of the seconds that will fly by once the runners hit their stride.


26. I believe Michael Johnson is the Jay-Z of track & field. MJ’s reign over the sport is unparalleled: nearly a decade as track’s top man, a headline-grabbing duel in which he defeated Carl Lewis, a run of sprint domination that outlasted the rest of the pack. Michael retired at the top of his game and arguably as the richest track runner in history. MJ retired and then turned CEO & entrepreneur. Sound familiar?


27. I believe every able-bodied adult knows that nervous feeling that comes over you as you step up to the starting line – any starting line: Prerace Jitters!

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist