I wanted to get some of your opinions on Jimmy Pedro's recent letter to USA Judo. It is posted on judoinfo.com, the links are below. I thought the letter to be politically motivated meant to undermine the current USA Judo board, but that is only my impression I could be mistaken.
http://judoforum.com/index.php?showtopic=3322
and it is continued in this thread
Hey all,
Everyone on the executive committee and the board of directors form
recieved the same letter. It would be cool if it were real. Politically
motivated perhaps, but Jimmy is a great guy. What I saw was that
people during the election were reacting to those around him. On his
own Jimmy could do a great thing if he is willing to work with the
executive committee that is coming in now.
Glad I am out and working with my kids.
David
What good would it do to undermine them? They have been recently re-elected. As I understand it, Tripp can only serve two terms.
Does he want to be the next USA Judo President? Well, yeah. He's made it clear.
What's the worst that happens? Jimmy doesn't follow through on the promises that he makes as Executive Director. Wouldn't be the first time, that the hype didn't match the reality in judo politics. It could only hurt his chances for election in 2008. He wouldn't even be running against Tripp in 2008. Undermining them would be just about the dumbest thing he could do.
But what if the best thing happened? What if Jimmy renewed some enthusiasm in the USA judo community? What if he raised alot of funding? What if everything he did helped our athletes during the next 4 years?
Wouldn't that give people confidence in electing him President in 2008? Wouldn't he deserve it?
Though his supporters think different, the fact that he had not served in the USJI hierarchy before running for President was a legitimate reason not to vote for him.
Give him a chance to prove himself in a new role.
The argument against that would be that Tripp might have his own guy in mind. Legitimate, but so what? Why couldn't that guy assist Jimmy?
i think Jimmy can learn a lot of the system and solidify his position to
run in the 2008 election, unless we get lets say Resnick to run against
him (prompting a resnick response). Now that would be a debate I
would love to see. Shit I would pay for that one.
David
lol.
Ive been mulling this one over since i saw the letter. even went to the dojo last night and talked to Mr. Uchida about it to see where his wisdom laid.
I think Jimmy should get the spot. completely. Reasoning is this.. We know that companies in the USA find him to be a face they are familiar with-- he has been on NBC quite a few times and i think he could get us there again as exec. director.
we know his education is top-notch, but i think that the same is true for Joe Marshall as well.
You never heard about Jimmy not being able to fundraise. In fact, thats a huge part as to why he was able to get to the level he is. Hell, it if wasnt for Jimmy Monster.com wouldnt have given the money to the Olympic trials either. It would not shock me at all to hear that monster.com has donated $100,000 to USA Judo the moment Jimmy became Executive Director.
Jimmy has womderful contacts in Europe and i think that he could do a lot to establish a home-base for our athletes to go there and train at for extended periods at very little cost.
Jimmy knows what the US ANti-Doping Agency is all about and he knows exactly how to deal with them should it be necessary.
now, this does not mean that i'm not skeptical about the scenario, but i always said the Jimmy should have a role in USA Judo, just not president from the get-go.
I think Joe Marchal is a great guy, nothing against him. When i first heard he was in the running I thought he'd do a decent job, but i think Jimmy would do a better job. I must say, Joe was a major role model of mine as a kid from Wisconsin and he helped me a lot when i was getting ready to go to japan on my own.
but he has been living in japan for well over a decade. he does not know the atheltes here and they dont know him at all. He does not, as far as i am aware, have the connections in Europe that Jimmy does, though his connections in Japan are unmatched. He was not present at the Olympic Trials, or at least i dont recall seeing him there.
Jimmy has worked with the USOC, USADA, large US-based companies who support Olympic Programs and has face recognition. Executive Director is spelled out right there.
Why am I agreeing with Josh more and more now? It’s amazing!
Anyway I agree with Dave and Josh for the simple reason of Jimmy’s record as a competitor and his ability to yearn for what it takes to win. In this case winning would be a combination of everything he mentioned that was important in this campaign in his letter (Pedroforusajudo.com). He has what it takes and I think he should have the chance to make a difference.
Without funding we would be exercising on the low end of US Judo’s potential. And Jimmy can definitely show us the money…
I agree with Josh on this one.
I think jimmy should deffinitely get the spot.
I also think that jimmy should have been given the presidential seat, but I believe that jimmy could still do alot of good in this posistion.
Quiet honestly,
Folks I did not know that Joe wanted the position. Now if thi sis true
then you need to look to more then just emotion of winning and
current athlete, business sense is very important here. There is no way
that anyone can say that a guy who has made millions in Japan and is
connected to just about everything in asia where money is that is.
There is no way you can displace him because he wasn't at the trials or
that you do not think he knows the athletes. My executive director here
in San Jose birings in 1.6 million a year to support our after school
programming. He was a soccer coach prior to this position. You have
got to be kidding if you don't go with someone who can do something
like that $100k means nothing. We need much much more. Nothing
against anyone going after the position, but lets think and use our
heads. Emotion is great but lets look for some greatness. If Jimmy is
that guy then so be it, if it is Joe Marchal great, and if it is another
person with a proven management and money raising ability then lets
do it, but think with your head not your emotions.
David
Dave..
i know that Joe is a great financial guy. if joe gets the job then he gets the job.. but i dont want him getting the job beuause of some "friends help friends" thing. that isnt right and it wont help USA Judo.
i support ron in being president. i was against jimmy being president becuase of his past voting record and becuase he simply wasnt very active politically over the past quad.
i think that if you take the things that Judo Guy said above and really look at things objectivly.. considering that Jimmy already has lots of connections with companies who have olympic sponsorship programs, he already knows people at the USADA and USOC (or at least knows the rules and bylaws that they operate under)..
i just think he can hit the ground running moreso than anybody else could.. unless that person is hand-picked by the USOC itself that is.
personally... i wish we could hire somebody who was exec director of of of the tier-I sports like gymnastics, wrestling, etc... that way we'd know we are getting the real deal.. we just cant afford them.
It's all about the betterment of USA Judo.
It's a known fact when good heads are put together the results are often positive.
I'm with Josh.
I don't know much about Joe Marchal other than what's been posted here and that he was an Olympian. Without more information, I don't see how he would be a better candidate than Jimmy.
Here is what I would want to know before I would consider him a better candidate.
USAJUDODAVE stated that Joe has made millions over in Japan and is connected to just about everything in Asia. Based on that information, I would want to know the following.
1) What has he done in the last 4 years to exploit those asian contacts to bring money into the USJI?
2) Has he been an active contributor financially to US Judo or any other United States based judo program over the last 4 years?
I took the time to go through the annual meetings posted on the USJI website since 2000. I don't see him mentioned as attending in any official role. I don't see any mention of potential sponsorships coming from Asia that might be related to him. The biggest personal donation mentioned was in 2000 for the amount of $70,000 and it wasn't him.
Here's what I know about Jimmy.
1) There was more media coverage of judo this Olympic year because of Jimmy.
2) Jimmy Pedro did attend many of the annual meetings in some official role.
3) Jimmy has raised money for US Judo before he ever considered running for Executive Director.
4) Jimmy is very active in raising the profile and level of American judo as a coach and player.
Joe Marchal very well could have done alot of stuff for US Judo or some other judo programs during the last few years. He could have been doing it behind the scenes.
But I'd like to know that before I ever thought he was more qualified than Jimmy.
don't get me wrong guys, I don't want to give it to Joe. I am talking
about making a decsion based on emotion. I would take my current
exec over both, but he has no intention on moving to CO. Money is
money and I don't want us make a ruling on something silly. I wish luck
to all going after the position and glad that it isn't me.
I just want to see that we make a great reasoned decision
David
i agree.. but i also think that part of a "reasoned decision" would be something that shows there are no hard feelings.. bringing jimmy in would do that and go a hell of a long way to making a better peace with the JA (seeing how feverently they supported jimmy in the election).
So I am guessing you guys don't agree with my assessment :) LOL