 Put this put this up here. Okay, everyone. So publishing two videos today This is the second one talking about Nike So this is not a vlog This is me talking and sharing my thoughts on what has happened and transpired over the past I guess it's been probably about three or four weeks now and for those that don't know a New York Times article was released I'm gonna say early November. Sorry. I don't know the exact date, but early November and it was an interview with a great runner Mary Cain and Mary Used to run under a coach Alberto Salazar who was a coach for the Nike Oregon project up in Oregon in I guess it'd be in the Portland area and The article outlined Basically some very Serious allegations about Alberto Salazar and the culture of the Nike Oregon project basically shaming Ladies and Mary about their weight and about how they need to lose weight in order to compete Better in running and I'm summarizing very very simply, but So this article is posted. It's the New York Times So it's a really big deal and a really caught hold I would say outside of the running world as well like people who have nothing to do with running and don't really You know care about the sport of running. We're talking about this article So the reason it's taken me now it's what late well heading toward late November It's taken me a while to bring up the topic. First of all I was in Argentina representing the United States at the world mountain running championships And yes, the USA USA track and field is their I guess main sponsor is Nike So there's the Nike swoosh. So I was busy and then also I was finishing a book Called shoe dog probably some of you have read it It's about the founding story and yeah the founding story of Nike It's the memoir of Phil Knight who is the yeah, he was the founder of Nike Along with eventually Bill Bowerman a former coach at the University of Oregon So I was finishing that book and I wanted to finish the book so I could really fully grasp the story of Nike So the timing was really interesting the dropping of the New York Times article and literally I think two days later I finished shoe dog the book and then lastly I've learned over time not to put my thoughts out on the internet and like immediately like People like social media is just so aggressive And I like to let a story kind of play out a little bit and sure enough as I was kind of researching everything on the flight To Argentina another article dropped by the Oregonian a paper in Oregon I think it was you know kind of giving Alberto's side of the story Alberto Salazar side of the story and for those that Don't know Alberto Salazar Very successful marathon runner back in the 70s won the New York City Marathon three times in a row and Really? Yeah, so he's a very accomplished runner back in the day Okay, so I must say the book shoe dog did Open up a lot of layers behind Nike and behind the founding of Nike behind Phil Knight It appeared to me to be a pretty fair assessment of the struggles that Phil Knight went through and also kind of the aggressive nature of Nike as they grew and grew and grew in the really in the well Yeah, really in the 70s and 80s especially late 70s and 80s and you know Nike's come out of come under a lot of fire in the past, you know even in this book Phil Knight's memoir He brings up. I don't know if you remember like the sweat shops I guess in China that were just really bad working conditions that Nike was making their shoes in This was don't quote me, but I think this was like early 2000s. It kind of came to the light and Overall, I think the book was pretty fair. It was just pretty fair. Oh, and you know, I'm an outsider looking in but it gave me a decent respect. I'll just put it that way for Nike You know, no one's perfect. No, no, no company is perfect Of course, you know, usually if you're at the top of the mountain, everyone's gunning for you So Nike's at the top as far as revenue. I think Adidas is second Like, you know, just in terms of dollars and cents like they're the biggest shoe company in the world I still think Michael Jordan's influence on the company will forever cement Nike at the top for a long long time So Then all this news begins to break about Mary Kane and the Nike Oregon project Which is a training group up in Oregon For elite runners who are trying to make their career As professional runners whether it's on the track whether it's on the roads Galen Rupp is a name. Of course that everyone knows Cara Goucher Used to run up there. A lot of great runners have gone through the Nike Oregon project Amy Yoder Bagley is another name that's come up in this whole situation and So from what I and I guess also yeah, so I have a couple names written down here I've got Mary Kane Cara Goucher and then kind of a third one that would not and I don't know this story as well But that would have not have been Would not have been connected to I'm sorry to Alberto because she's a sprinter, but Alice in Felix. So Alice in is I what I mean, she's got to be the right the best. I would say the best us sprinter of all time, you know I don't know how you could argue against that. She's just she's been crushing it for a decade plus She's just been amazing. So then she becomes pregnant and You know, she's gonna have a child and from what I've read She her contract was Basically put on hold and like she because she was gonna have a kid Nike pulled her contract and again, I don't know all the details I've read as much as I could but that is just a bunch of you know, what? That gets me real fired up. And so Alice in Felix left Nike and now she runs for Athleta and any I don't know know something. I'll put it on the screen right now. I anyway and She's trying to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. I hope she gets it. So so bad I hope she got rooting for Alice in Felix. She's 33. So she's a year younger. She I think she's 33 bottom line is What happened under Alberto Salazar is also a bunch of you know, what and Makes me very upset and the fact that Cara goucher a former Buffalo and I'm looking at my screen here because I'm looking at my notes She's she's come out very vocally in and listen Cara and Alberto Were like this so Cara's father was killed by a drunk driver when she was a kid and from what I could tell again outside are looking in Alberta was a little bit of a father figure to Cara and So I think this has been really really hard for Cara who was also Her weight became an issue for the Nike Oregon project and Alberto and so it's just ridiculous and Here's where I'm struggling is this systemic Within Nike. All right, meaning is this go beyond Alberto now now kind of I guess a bright light is Shalene Flanagan who just ended her elite marathon running career She won New York City last year and now she is a coach at the Bowerman track club Which is also a Nike affiliated training group up in the Portland area So she I think she's come out and I've read some of her stuff like she's like trying to change the culture of What's happening up there in Portland with these runners these elite runners who are chasing down dreams and So I hope a tide is turning through Shalene in the Bowerman track club and would also really tease me off You go to the Nike Oregon project comm website It doesn't even exist like so I'm just one like it's it's literally not there and so At least on my computer and so Mark Parker the CEO of Nike I Haven't seen any major Now, let me know down in the comments if I'm wrong. I haven't seen any major vocal stance about this situation With Alberto who is now also on leave for four years from coaching because of other issues. I'm not even gonna get into it and so bottom line I am Now the question becomes and I'm not afraid to go here Does this mean I won't wear Nike? I Will say this much so I'm obviously wearing something Nike right now. I've got Nike shoes right here I'll say this much if I don't hear some more vocal stance against what's happening like okay The US Olympic trials 2020 June see you in Eugene. Okay. I'm coming I I It's like it's at the it's at the University of Oregon Which is a Nike like everything at the University of Oregon is run by Nike on as far as buildings and new stadiums and everything There's gonna be protests if there's not a more vocal stance against whatever is happening up there now Maybe chelene plan again can be a voice in a light in the darkness But if Mark Parker and again, please help down in the comments Is he making a stance? So I am Now I will also just say one thing The dignity of the human person I truly believe in it even yes, I'll even say it Alberto Salazar We need to We need I believe every human being has dignity and I don't want to trash Alberto down in the comments I don't want to trash anybody I just want to make sure that there are healthy Relationships and healthy Training and healthy everything going on up there in Portland. And so I just want to make that point like I still believe in the dignity of the human person and it appears Nike that you've placed winning and money and Sponsorships maybe above the dignity of the human person in the past I don't know if it's gonna happen continuing moving forward But please Mark Parker if you're out there, just let us know like because at the end of the day, right? Everybody it stops with the CEO that buck starts. Yeah, how's that saying go the buck stops with him? Is that how you say it? It stops with the CEO So if somebody's got to speak up and I just haven't heard it yet again I've been traveling and I haven't really had a chance to read all the articles but that is my position that is my stance on the Nike situation and unfortunate situation I Hope that Wounds can be healed. I hope all three of those women Kara Alice and Mary and all the other women that were impacted by this Nike Oregon project Debacle can heal from it because I know it can be painful To talk about weight and to struggle with that and eating and oh my gosh, it gets really serious really quickly And now Kara goucher. She just ran the north face 50 mile. Yeah out in San Francisco. She's becoming an ultra runner It's amazing. Anyway, I'm very disappointed. I'm still gonna wear Nike I'll just I'm not afraid to say it, but I'll say this much. They're on watch with me on They need to be a little more something needs to change and obviously getting rid of the Nike Oregon project is a start if it's gone for good. I don't know and I again, hopefully Shalane and the Bowerman Track Club can Turn things around Love you guys. Thank you for listening. I know that was a little different a little bit of a rant and That is that so I'm sure I'm missing something I look forward to your thoughts down below and yes question of the day for this video is Share your opinion. Where do you stand? Where do you fall? Am I missing some information? I probably am I try to do as much research as possible. There's a lot of information out there That's that