Dellinger blasts Bowerman as 'vindictive’
By Mike Riplinger
and Steve Turcotte
Of the Emerald
Allegations by former Oregon
track and field coach Bill
Bowerman that Oregon athletes
received free athletic equip
ment from Nike and Adidas has
Oregon track coach Bill Del
linger furious.
“Bowerman is vindictive,"
Dellinger claimed Wednesday
“He is causing a lot of problems
for his company and the
University of Oregon track pro
gram "
But Bowerman said he had no
knowledge of the incident
“I really don't know what you
are talking about," Bowerman
said Wednesday night when he
was contacted about the al
legations
Bowerman, one of Nike's
original stockholders, noticed
last spring that Oregon athletes
switched shoes from his com
pany's products to those of
Adidas
The changes were noted in a
Sept 17 four-page letter from
Vice Pres for University Rela
tions Curt Simic to Bowerman
which adresses concerns that
the former track coach appar
ently had expressed to Univer
sity officials
The letter detailed the cir
cumstances under which Nike
and Adidas equipment was
given to two track and field ath
letes at Oregon last summer,
and also mentions another ath
lete who was paid $450 tor con
sulting work on a shoe design
The three athletes are dis
tance runner Jim Hill, and
weightmen Dean and Brian
Crouser, according to the
Oregonian s evening edition,
which did not specify where it
received its information
The letter is the result of
Simic's investigation this Sep
tember into Bowerman's allega
tions
Simic’s letter addressed two
issues — "the relationship
Emerald Photos
I think there has been some
kind of misrepresentation’
Bill Bowerman
between equipment companies
and athletes currently at the
University, and the relationship
between an equipment com
pany and coaches currently
employed by the University."
But Dellinger indicated that
the use of free shoes is common
practice for track and field
teams all over the country
"The NCAA violation is for
receiving free equipment
Because the shoe giveaway is
so big the NCAA has just turned
its head Bowerman is bringing
it to the point that the NCAA is
going to have to do something
about it." Dellinger said
This all goes back to the
Pac-10 meet when (Dean)
Crouser switched shoes from
Nike to Adidas," he said, refer
ring to Oregon’s NCAA discus
champion
"The athletes switching of
shoes prompted Bowerman to
hire a private investigator."
But when asked about Del
linger's charge, Bowerman said
that the only thing that I have
done for the Oregon track pro
gram is that Dellinger has asked
me for some help with funds,
and within the limits of confer
ence rules I have always tried to
help him "
"As far as violations, I just
don't have any knowledge,"
Bowerman said
Adidas' adoption of a webbed
shoe designed by Dellinger —
which Nike rejected when Del
linger approached them with
the idea first — is at the root of
Bowerman s charges, accord
ing to Dellinger
"Ever since the Adidas shoe
with the webbing has become
popular, Bowerman has
become vindictive. He is trying
to discredit the University of
Oregon track program," Del
linger said.
Bowerman, however, says he
doesn't know anything about
any alleged violations
"I think there has been some
kind of misrepresentation." he
said "I think it ought to be
cleared up "
The letter refers to a meeting
between Simic and Bowerman
last summer in downtown
Eugene at the Town Club
Bowerman "suggested that an
equipment manufacturer was
paying U O athletes to wear a
particular brand name, the let
ter stated
Yet according to Bowerman.
no meeting between the two
ever took place "I certainly did
not talk to Mr Simic earlier this
summer," Bowerman said.
According to Dellinger,
Bowerman s private investiga
tor looked into the use of shoes
by Oregon track and field ath
letes
"All the shoes companies are
giving away shoes," said Del
linger "I don t tell the guys on
the team what kind of shoes to
wear They wear what they
want "
Shoes and other equipment
were given away by Nike if an
athlete met specified times or
marks, according to the letter
In the letter, an unspecified
athlete "attempted to have his
name placed on a special Nike
list which would entitle him to
whatever equipment he need
ed ”
He "was told that he would
have to meet a standard in
order to qualify for the list ...,•*
the letter said
A member of Oregon's track
and field team, who asked not to
be named, concurred that Nike
offered free shoes and other
equipment to Oregon athletes
depending on their times or
marks
Shoes were given to athletes
who met the specifications stat
ed in a "B" list, while athletes
making the more stringent "A"
list were offered sweatsuits and
other Nike athletic equipment,
including shoes
As an example, a runner who
'Bowerman is trying
to discredit
the Oregon track pro
gram.’
Bill Dellinger
ran a 10 6 100 meters last year
qualified for the "B" list, ac
cording to the Oregon track
athlete, while the ‘'A” list
required a time of 10 4 or better
in the 100 meters.
"There are probably 50
athletes on our team receiving
free shoes," Dellinger said,
“I think it is unfortunate that
Bill is trying to make the Univer
sity of Oregon track program
look bad by getting three ath
letes ineligible,” Dellinger said.
"It could hurt the whole track
situation in the United States "
Dellinger said that Bowerman
should quit living in the past,
and that Bowerman's vindictive
attitude will cost everyone in the
long run.
"If the NCAA would say that
the three athletes are ineligible,
then they should audit Nike and
its giveaway program and look
at all the athletes getting free
shoes,” Dellinger said
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Pag* 9