terrific piece by Bob Rodman (and a companion piece by the alwasy readable Ron Bellamy) in the Friday Eugene Register-Guard about the current down state of Oregon track programs
http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020510/1c.sp.notrackfans.0510.html There are lots of reasons for lack of attendance, and I buy them all, but this in particular caught my eye: <<• Oregon's home-meet schedule has dissolved into a dual against Washington, a three-way in the snow against a couple of Big Sky Conference teams, the Oregon Invitational that is not far from being considered a glorified all-comers meet and a watered-down Oregon Twilight meet prior to the Pac-10 championships. • Oregon's athletes, particularly from the men's team, chase the Pac-10 and NCAA qualifying marks at Stanford, Calif.; Tempe, Ariz.; Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio, and seemingly everywhere but Hayward Field.>> In other words, chasing Q's has all but destroyed the most fabled program in the country. Hopefully the creation of Regionals hasn't come too late. gh
