Comments on: These Kenyan Athletes Are So (like) Underpaid

By: lord

lord — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:02:55 +0000

KE
The RV highlands must have been a hostile teritory…populated earlier by cushitic people…The kalenjins must have fought/rustled this cushitic people eventually over thousands of years forming the modern Kalenjin people….

The kalenjin language is very cushitic and many kalenjin persons show some cushitic heritage..this is also true for their cousins the maasai….I think the masai would be just as good as Kalenjins but only they live on lowlands (altitude)…..Yes the Narok Masai are very fast…Rudisha,Koncella,Ngatuny…etc (narok is highest altitude on masai land)

THis just my conjecture or a hunch

By: lord

lord — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:54:43 +0000

#KE

You are right…any SANE person would have to question the disproportionate (more so even on world stage ) kalenjin athletic faculty.

I think its DNA….There are so many people living in high altitude even higher than RV (mexicans,peruvians,Nepalis,Chagas) yet they produce no athletes

Being a horseless and cattle keepers and first degree rustlers and the fastest of them prospered creating over thousands of years this unique race of people.

The altitude too assists but that means they must have lived in RV highlands for several milennia for evolution to take place….So they are right when they TALK of ANCESTRAL LAND…..genetics supports them

By: kenyanentrepreneur

kenyanentrepreneur — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:21:51 +0000

makebelly:

You said the following:

“But that revelation however profound it may seem, does not change the fact that you still see the Athletes as a group of People who are basically good at what they do as a result of their cultural or environmental background. That attitude is what defeats the purpose of using them as a marketing tool”

Um…when 99% of the runners in Kenya come from one tribe, I thinks it’s prudent to look at it and find out what it is within the culture or environment that uniquely prepares kalenjins for long distance running.

I already mentioned the high altitude weather in the rift valley as one environmental factor. I’m not sure of the others, but there has to be something there.

By: Coldtusker

Coldtusker — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:25:12 +0000

When I say “TV-friendly”… many top notch – not all – American athletes interviw well… Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods do this very well…

By: Coldtusker

Coldtusker — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:23:08 +0000

Kenyan athletes for all their success do NOT have the cachet of the Americans…

I loved it when we won the golds esp the 800m… BUT the Kenyan athletes are not “TV-friendly” like Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods…

Companies are in business to make money… sure they may throw some for CSR but they need sales…

BTW, Nissan did try with Douglas Wakihuri for their pickup…

By: Lord

Lord — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:24:18 +0000

@MakBelly

You seem to point to the crux of the african achilles!! You do put it though diplomatically.

Whats the use of (sportsmen or bussinesmen) working so hard in a ‘nobodies’ land? Where nobody owns. Would it NOT be a good idea another BERLIN conference of 1885 ?

Again MakBelly when a group of people who are culturally identifiable exceed a darwinian horizon on any field ,that field automatically becomes associated with them. It does not neccesaary create hatred in other groups…Thats why JET LI or BRUCE LEE would endorse a product succesffuly any where in the world despite the fact their displine is specific to a group of people

By: makbelly

makbelly — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:23:16 +0000

I agree, it would be a good idea for Coca Cola Africa to use these Athletes to promote their products. But a good idea to who ? Coca Cola is not a charitable organization. If their research has shown that using the Runners is just as good as using the ordinary guy on the street fiscally, then why spend millions on an athlete whose marketing influence is basically zero. That is just a sound business decision. Just because they are doing it in India and America doesn’t meant they have to in Kenya. Bollywood is the biggest movie industry in the world, Do you understand how much influence the likes of Anil Kapoor have on the Indian public ?

On the issue of Mursik, I am glad that you now have a different perspective to their natural abilities. But that revelation however profound it may seem, does not change the fact that you still see the Athletes as a group of People who are basically good at what they do as a result of their cultural or environmental background. That attitude is what defeats the purpose of using them as a marketing tool. See you have to see these athletes as individual achievers in order to be influenced or swayed by their endorsement. When Young Americans go the clothes stores to buy Jordan gear, They are fully impressed and excited by Michael Jordan himself. They do not consciously choose to buy those products because Jordan is yet another excellent African American basketball player.

By: kenyanentrepreneur

kenyanentrepreneur — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:03:37 +0000

Makbelly:

I gave the example of coca-cola africa and why they wouldn’t use these kenyan athletes in their advertisements? Look at all the healthy alternative drinks they are trying to sell to other Kenyans/Africans? athletes are always good marketing choices for health oriented beverages and foods.

The multinational companies in India use bollywood stars in their ad’s and I’m saying that they should start doing the same in Africa (use our local “heroes”).

On Mursik:

I do think it’s quite healthy, but I’ve now concluded that the reason the Kalenjins and Ethiopians dominate long distance running is because both groups reside in the rift valley – a place of high altitude weather that seems to create the perfect conditions for the training of long distance runners.

By: makbelly

makbelly — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:41:48 +0000

When you talk of Underpaid, you have to remember to ask yourself –
by who ? Most Kenyan Runners as other world runners do not work for anyone. They mostly run for their countries and are generally expected to as talented citizens. All they get in return are monetary Gifts, not salary and a sense of national pride. That is why they wave the flag after winning, right ? In other countries, ie USA the likes of Michael Phelps end up making money from endoresements etc provided by private enterprises. FYI, The USA govt. was only offering $25,000, for each gold medal won at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. (so i guess Michael did make at least 200k with his 8 Gold medals)
But do not compare and expect Kenyan companies to follow suit coz you need to keep in mind that American culture is conducive to endorsements from athletes as a result of the Pro – sports industry ie NBA, NFL ,etc So the public is already used to this and private companies can make money or improve the image of their companies by having sports professionals ie Michael Jordan, tiger woods etc on their side.
Lately, there has been a lot of “defections” of Kenyan runners running for other Countries for material benefits. They may stand a better chance of earning some endorsements money there than in Kenya, because in Kenya, Runners tend to come from one ethnic group and are in abundance therefore creating a nonchalant attitude towards runners in the general public.
The writer of this article is a classic example of the kind of attitude i’am talking about. she/he writes, “Maybe one day someone will figure out what these Kalenjins are drinking and they’ll package it and sell it to future runners. Is there a special ingredient in Mursik that nobody has discovered yet?” This is a sad and bigoted view. Worse still is how many other Kenyans would laugh at this bigoted comment. Do you think such people will be influenced into purchasing any product endorsed by Pamela Jelimo ? See you have to respect someone before you can heed their opinion.
In some countries that are desperate for recognition in the world sports arena, they are ready to spend ridiculous amounts of money to anyone who can bring them that Glory, that is why some Kenyans Ran for some Arab countries but still came up short. In China, gold medal was worth at least $150,000 in national government prize money. But look at the trouble China went through to try and secure the top spot in Olympics ?