This definitely has a coverup feel to it to say Salazar might have been a crazy, maniacal runner (who was probably half way just being a drama queen) and he was great for a bit but this was, as admitted in the documentary, before the Kenyans are other people who were competing, but he didn't win the Olympics in 1984 so why would they say he was the best and most determined athlete ever?
Carlos Lopes was the champion and Rogers won more Bostons and I'd take Steve Jones and others over Salazar and his ego any day.
Malcolm Gladwell has shown for years that he's a snob and elitist and he is way out of his depth here trying to defend Salazar at every opportunity. DB.
The guy has so much evidence to back his suspension and he doesn't belong in coaching anymore ever and he's just like Lance Armstrong who claimed for years he was not doping and stated that he was the most tested athlete ever and we see how that turned out.
I gave it a 5 because it's not completely wacky and it's about the sport I love.
Nike's Big Bet
2021
Action / Documentary / Sport
Nike's Big Bet
2021
Action / Documentary / Sport
Plot summary
On October 1, 2019 Alberto Salazar, perhaps the greatest track coach on Earth, was suspended for doping violations. Did he do it? Or is Salazar being victimized for his obsessive methods of pushing athletes to their absolute limits.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
July 29, 2021 at 05:48 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Gladwell is such a DB & this is not real journalism
Biased damage limitation for Salazar and Nike. More Nike advertisement/product placement than documentary.
Was this 'documentary' actually a Nike advert?
It didn't dare say anything beyond what Salazar was found guilty of. Most of the participants were Salazar apologists, especially Malcolm Gladwell who went full-blown cheerleader for him, basically saying the only thing Salazar was guilty of was pushing the legal boundaries because he was a dedicated winner.
The last half hour was an advertisement for the Nike Vaporfly shoe (not even mentioning similar energy return shoes, like Adidas's AdiZero Pro, etc).
The entire Oregon Project was a drugs cheating programme, and how to avoid detection - that's what the USA is a world leader at. Russia are absolute cavemen at cheating compared. >90% of athletes have to cheat to make a living, as the rewards are too great and the chances of getting caught, and the punishment, too low. It's well-known any idiot can avoid testing positive. The USA has the best medical knowledge and funding - so obviously their athletes benefit from drugs cheating more than the other notorious offenders: Russia, Jamaica, China, Kenya, and the Netherlands, etc - they're all peasants from the dark ages in comparison.
It never once mentioned Chris Whetstine, a whistle-blower who worked with Salazar, who was assaulted by a Nike enforcer to attempt to keep him quiet.
Terrible 'documentary', which seemed more like a paid-for Nike presentation for the purpose of damage-limitation of Salazar and their company.
It also served as continuous Nike product-placement - although that had little affect on me, as I know from experience Adidas make far better shoes, plus I wouldn't want my money going to Michael Vick (who they re-signed after he'd served time for torturing and killing dogs).
4/10, as it was otherwise quite well-made.