Topic: Video: Sam Maxwell, who CJ 200 as a Jr, Visits St. Pete!!!

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Sam clean and jerked 200kgs as a Junior!!! He still lifts weights!

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[patrick ward]

lol...I like the front squats so casual in sandels.


Chris, who is it doing that James Taylow cover of Fire and Rain?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Thats "Me First and the Gimme Gimmes."

[Jim Moser]

Chris:

There are two things Sam knows:

Sam knows weightlifting and
Sam knows finances.

Sounds to me like the perfect candidate to handle the finances for the USAW. I guarantee you Sam would run a tight ship and at the same time see to it the Athletes were rewarded proportionately for there efforts. Sam knows first hand what it is like to be disappointed and let down by the weightlifting establishment. Sam would be a major asset to any Board and a huge step in the right direction to putting our lifters back on the medal stand.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Jim,

My impression from talking to Sam, and I could of course be wrong, is that he has little interest in involving himself in the politics of the USAW....and I can't blame him.

I'll quote something he said to me on the visit. I was talking about how sad I think it is that we are such a small community that share so much- such a "narrow" interest and how many in this small community hate each other, and I think Sam put it well when he responded, "Like a big dysfunctional family."

[Jim Moser]

I think Sam like a handful of others under the right circumstances and if they were asked more then likely would get involved. It is amazing what can be accomplished with a little respect and gratitude.  After observing and participating since my son has been involved it is my observation that neither group or groups have any interest at all in hearing what the other side has to think or say. To get anyone to pay attention to an idea, opinion or for that matter a suggestion literally takes a sledge hammer upside one's head.  I have not run across this level of arrogance in a long time.  

I think TS Elliot said it best "most the problems in todays world are caused by people of little importance trying to be important" Of course history has taught us about gridlock, when gridlock occurs nothing happens. As a result the sport we all love suffers to the point of mere existence.

A friend of mine who has been involved with the sport now for 50+ years summed it up the best I have heard so far.  The way the USAW acts and looks at things is like a school where the teachers think the school exist's for them to teach. We all know the school exists for children to get educated it does not exist for the faculty and administration. The same is true for the USAW, it exists for the athletes. The only reason we have a USAW is because of the athletes, no athletes no USAW. The USAW must put the athletes best interest first and understand it is a servant to the athlete. The USAW is one organization that needs to be turned upside down. At the top of the Organization Chart needs to be the athlete. In it's truest sense the BOD and administration work for the athlete not the other way around. At the bottom of the Organization Chart should be the BOD, one notch above the board should be the Executive Director and so forth.

This would create an environment where athletes would flock to our sport along with corporate sponsorships and TV money.  Nobody wants to pay money or participate in a sport or event that is in a existence condition. I think the first step would be to get everyone to agree from here on out the athlete is number 1 and that every decision from here on out would be made in the best interest of the athlete. Seems simple enough but in reality it is a very difficult thing to do.  You are asking people to put aside there differences, personal agendas and ego's for the advancement of the common good. Good luck with this bunch.....................

[Janet Beckham]

Jim,

In all areas of life the simplest path often becomes the most difficult.  We think 'it can't be that easy' so we keep trying various approaches and end up with a myriad of complications.  And the issues are compounded by years of building on what has already been established.  Sometimes you just need to step back, look at the big picture and break it down to the most concise point.  What's the focus?  The athlete.  Of course to benefit the athlete it requires organization, guidelines and funds.  But the first and last question in every decision should be - how does this affect the athlete?

It's easy for me to sit here in my chair - on the outside looking in.  It is a simple task they and yet a difficult one.

Great post.  I enjoyed your thoughts.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Jim,

From my perspective from over 20+ years competing in this sport, little has changed except the adminstrations running it. We have had several of those. Thus, I do not believe that the problem is our "weightlifting family" except that it can't get along and/or can't form consensus. Despite all the good efforts of all these different administrations, our sport faces some daunting problems.

#1) Doping is completely out of control on the international level. This means we will get 1-2 Olympic spots for the mens side at best, most of our, even elite, lifters will never make an Olympic Team, never win a World or Olympic medal, and will never get a fair contest in any IWF competition. The situation on the womens side is nearly as dismal and will equal it soon enough. Meanwhile, the powers in the IWF claim our sport has the best  doping controls around and catching cheaters all the time is proof. This does not bode well for actually getting a system in place that actually stops the cheating. The IWF and the Olympic Committee for that matter are content to "pretend" to have a drug testing program that works and "pays" big fines. Eliminating the doping = eliminating these big fines.

#2) Weightlifting is a sport that requires tremendous discipline, sacrifice, and willingness to accept discomfort and even pain on a very regular basis. It is not a glamour sport and since we have no Olympic spots, no medals, and no real hope (see #1), there is no money or incentive for the "new youth of America" to do it or even stick with it. Heck, you won't even get huge and make the cover of one of those silly bodybuilding magazines in this sport.

In my opinion, blaming our own family which I believe all want success for our athletes is counterproductive. Instead, I think we need to get along well enough to form a strong enough consensus to force doping and/or Olympic qualifying reform on the IWF and IOC. Without better doping control and a fair (to non-cheaters) system of qualifying for the Olympics, we can do little but tread water and even slowly sink perhaps. On the other hand, forward thinking is required in this emergency and these problems must be addressed in creative ways to have any success at all against them, in my opinion. So far, I see little willingness to do things different, from anyone in our family- whether in power or not.