Make Your Money And Run

Nike announced this week that it is ending its partnership with The Livestrong Foundation and will stop producing its Livestrong Collection of products after the Holiday 2013 line is shipped. I can understand why Nike ended its business relationship with Lance Armstrong in the wake of his doping scandal, but why Livestrong too? Armstrong no longer holds any official position with the very fine foundation he started and Livestrong’s good works to improve the lives of cancer survivors continue on. And, meanwhile, Nike merrily goes on producing and selling the Tiger Woods Collection of golf equipment and apparel, despite his public fall from grace. Apparently the Tiger Woods Collection continues to be quite profitable for Nike and they just aren’t making enough dough by playing the cancer card in selling the Livestrong Collection to cancer survivors and their supporters?

I own only one item of Nike golf stuff, a long-sleeved SPF 50 golf shirt I found on sale this spring. I won’t be buying any more. And any overpriced Nike golf balls I find out on the golf course will become the sacrificial balls I pull out of my bag when teeing off over water hazards. Not that Nike cares, but all I can do is vote with my checkbook; and I hope thousands of other cancer survivors will do the same.

To the tune of “Take The Money And Run” from Crosby & Nash...



Make your money and run
Like a cheat that played the cancer card
Make your money and run
Like I’m s’posed to like your style?
Make your money and run
'Cause you found out that this cancer’s hard
So make your money and run
Because we are out of sight
You cannot sell me any more lines
You cannot pull the wool over my eyes
Make your money and run

Make your money and run
'cause the Livestrong sales are sinking down
Make your money and run
'Cause us poor things ain’t your show
Make your money and run
'Cause your verdict has been handed down
Make your money and run
Because there's no space left to grow
You cannot give C any more time
You’re already makin’ too much on Tig’s
Make your money and run

Make your money and run
Like a cheat that played the cancer card
Make your money and run
Like the god of sporting lines
Make your money and run
Because you found out that this cancer’s hard
So make your money and run
Because we are out of sight
You cannot sell me any more lines
You've already taken too much from mine
Make your money and run