Flashes of Panic

There’s a story I can tell now.

After seeing Adam “Space for Rent” Nelson throwing at the Boston Indoor Games, I had a few questions to ask about his sponsorship situation, not for an assignment but for my own curiosity. Sometimes those lines of inquiry go nowhere; sometimes they go somewhere interesting.

It’s pretty improbable that nobody would be interested in sponsoring Nelson, who has won two Olympic silver medals in the shot put and is probably one of the most interesting, intelligent, and exciting athletes in that event right now. It’s more likely that when his contract with Nike came up for renewal, the terms weren’t to Nelson’s liking, and he hasn’t yet found anyone with Nike’s deep pockets.

So Brian Cazeneuve and I buttonholed him at the USATF indoor nationals, and asked a few polite questions about his situation. Then I said,

“Have you thought about putting yourself on eBay?”

“Actually, yeah,” he said, “We have thought about that.”

(Ooh! And I’m covering one of his meets for an outlet which will want a throws report! This is going to be fun.)

Now Playing: Secret from Day Two by Endochine