This is what the "P.R." in my title does NOT stand for---
Puerto Rico
Personal Records
No, I'm referring to Public Relations, that nebulous offshoot of journalistic communications that are SUPPOSED to take place between an organization or an individual and the public!
It's also seen as the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by an organization or famous person.
The above paraphrased definitions come from Wikipedia and similar sources!
But here, on this blog, I'll try to connect P.R. to the sport of Track & Field--especially the elite elements!
Let's start with how I collect all the results you read about in the blog!
For the most part, I scan the results (many times DURING a meet!!) provided by a meet.
I also use TFRSS--but they despoil their offerings by errors (the most egregious being the Champagnie LJ of 6.56)--as well as merge Oversize Track marks with legal ones--and they convert some times using altitude & track make-up formulas!
Third, I study my Twitter page, where I find marks made in European or Australian or Asian meets that I don't see elsewhere!!
I must DEPEND on those sources---if I want to be the FIRST to present those scattered results in a collective setting--my "results" blog posts!
(I'm often ahead of even T&FN's eTN!!)
But what happens when a meet (and/or the timing company they hire) fails to provide ongoing results of their meet?
Or if the "results page" just isn't working?
Isn't THAT---providing ongoing results (as in series jumps or throws, or times per lap)--what those businesses are supposed to do?
Another problem often encountered is that different meets use different timing services--with their differing methods!
Some--as the ones used by Boston University and Arkansas--are easy to follow!
Others require multiple steps just to find one result from one event of one gender!
UGH!
P.R. also means getting news before their target audience---in our case, the T&F fan!
The bigger meets (IAAF meets, big domestic meets--both INdoors & OUT) do this in a few ways.
Weeks before their meet, they will "reveal" some Olympian or 2 or 3 who "will" be appearing!
They might even say a certain athlete will be attempting to break a World Record!
Week by week--day by day--new names will be announced!
Sometimes, the athletes themselves will assist--by tweeting about their upcoming entry in XYZ meet!
This is good--it builds excitement & anticipation for what's to come!!
Then Meet Day arrives!
That Olympian--or Record Holder--or just "Famous Name"---that made you A) buy a ticket for the meet--B) sign on with Flotrack or some such organization because you REALLY want to see THAT athlete---or C) make you spend HOURS following a meet's results online so you can see what this athlete does----THAT athlete winds up being a very last minute DNS!!
Yes, he or she DOES NOT START!!
Even though WEEKS of announcements & urgent news stories--and other promotional elements are used to BLAST that name into your brain---so your anticipation is at orgasmic heights!!
And then----DNS!!
Let's be honest!
The ONLY valid excuses for DNS'ing ON THE DAY of the meet are---
Death
Injury or Illness
Other Emergency
Not showing for ANY other reason is just---well, poor Public Relations!!
This hurts the meet, the city, the meet organizers--AND the athlete!!
It helps---NO ONE!!
We must ask WHO is responsible for having an athlete show up?
Should an athlete feel an obligation to be there?
Is it the Meet Director?
The Coach of the athlete?
Or the athlete??
Where does a "contract"---whether verbal or written--make it an OBLIGATION for the athlete to fulfill said contract?
And it's not just about the athlete "showing up"!
What about when an athlete says they will be attempting a World Record (or just a VERY fast time) in a meet?
They ask for--and are provided--professional "rabbits" to lead them through at least half the distance at an arranged pace--arranged by and asked for BY the athlete!!!
So ABC race begins!
The rabbit sets off at exactly the asked for pace!!
"Perfect" pacing!!
BUT---the athlete---even after ONE lap (of an INdoor track--so 200 meters!)--is now 3 to 5 meters behind!
In a perfectly paced race, it's normal for the athlete to "ride the shoulders" of his or her rabbit!!
They're almost touching!!
WHY would that athlete lag several meters behind his or her ASKED FOR & HIRED pacer??
What can possibly be their excuses?
(See above for the list!)
This connection between the fan and the athlete--or between the athlete and the Meet Director--must entail a sense of RESPONSIBILITY and OBLIGATION!!
When that connectedness is broken--so too is the vital link between the fan and the SPORT!!
What can---or should--the athlete do to build this connection?
Things have demonstrably changed since the last century and this one!
We now communicate almost entirely via the computer or other technological "toys"!
Twitter, InstaGram, Facebook--and who knows what else!!
Many athletes---and MEETS (and Universities & even High Schools!!)--have their own Twitter or FB pages or sites!
Several athletes "blog"---or use You Tube---or have created "Vlogs"---which I believe can be defined as "video'ed blogs"---such as Natasha Hastings's "Tea Time" sessions---or the amusing & informational ones by Emma Abrahamson of Oregon!
Lolo Jones does a LOT of this!!
Several people do "podcasts"--long audio interviews with popular athletes!
Carrie Tollefson is known for this!
But what about those athletes who stand aside from Social Media"?
I speak mainly of Professional athletes---not those attending a College or HS!!
You really can't demand (or even politely ask!) a 15 year old (Katelyn Tuohy??) to provide frequent (or even occasional) tweets about their lives---even their athletic lives!
But what about the Pro?
What CAN we ask of them?
And what should THEY feel a responsibility and obligation to provide??
Their daily or weekly training grind--with photos or videos?
News of injuries--or pregnancy--or anything (travel troubles--sudden food poisoning) which might force them to be a "DNS"?
Some really personal (and even intimate!) insight into their lives---such as Lolo being a virgin at 35--or someone dating so-and-so--or someone "outing" themselves as Gay or Lesbian?
(Think Alysia Montano during her pregnancies! Or Shawn Barber saying he's gay! Or the almost daily photos & love messages between Hunter Woodhall and Tara Davis!!)
I hesitate to bring up Mary Cain, but her situation provides a good example!
After 2 "bad" years (2015-2016), she "disappeared"!
Until about October of 2017!
Then a "one liner" from her agent (POOR P.R.!!) saying she'd been injured, and was back training for a return in 2018!
I think I used more words in the above sentence than her agent used!!
Then, suddenly, Let's Run puts up a good Q & A interview with Mary---in which she provides some detail of her situation!
(She was also shown in a video presenting Ms Tuohy with the 2017 XC Athlete of the Year trophy! Tuohy was also interviewed--briefly.)
So it took L-R's initiative to get Cain to talk!!
Not her agent!
Not her shoe sponsor!
Not her coach!
Not even HER!!
It took Let's Run---that often vilified website--to provide "P.R." for Ms Cain!!
Usain Bolt has been "DA MAN"---nay, the FACE!!--of Track & Field for almost a decade!!
He's now "retired"!
But in his last few years, his appearances were few and far between!
He was Big Money for the sport!!
He "made" a meet---even if he ran a poor (for him!!) race!!
And he made it his RESPONSIBILITY & OBLIGATION to make good on whatever "contract" he and the Meet Director had formulated!!
He SAID he'd be there!!
And he CAME!!
Whether through "contract" or a "gentleman's word"---he was THERE!!
But this "P.R." doesn't just fulfill a contract!
It makes a real intimate connection between an athlete and his or her fans!
(Think of your youth---when you went to a baseball game, and your "hero" stopped to sign a baseball for you--or pose for a photo!)
This happens in our sport too!
Jenny Simpson is well known for this!
Prefontaine had HIS people!!
Christian Taylor (and many other jumpers) get THEIR fans to "rhythmic clap" before a jump!!
On their victory laps, many Gold medal winners--wrapped in their country's flag--will "high five" the crowd along their route!!
THIS is GREAT Public Relations!!
We need more of that!!
MUCH more!!
Whether in person (at a meet), or online (through the various Social Media outlets listed above)--the Professional athlete should feel an obligation---born through an unspoken responsibility--to provide honest & informational insights into their profession---whether it's running, jumping, or throwing (or Walking!!)--and even their LIFE!!
This P.R. we speak of is for the "famous person" I mentioned in my Wiki'ized introduction!
It's NOT for other Professionals--think those Pro's who do NOT meet the public on a daily basis--or have 1000's, or even millions, of fans!!
This is for the Professional who HAS that public fan base---or wants one!!
Who ARE our heroes?
Who ARE these "famous names" whose Marks & Records we can quote verbatim?
When you read about these people in my blog, do you feel a connection to them---or are they just a series of numbers on a page?
What is their hair color--or style?
Are they married, dating, single, a shy recluse?
When is that baby due?
Will they be at that meet they SAID they'd be at??
Will they REALLY try for that Record they PROMISED they would?
What do they eat?
What are their favorite Netflix shows or movies?
It's all Public Relations---whether through responsibility or obligation---or just plain "liking their fans"!!
It's P.R.!!
And I don't mean Personal Records or Puerto Rico!!
See you soon!
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