Although I was very impressed with Sabir the swimmer, I was not impressed with Sabir the person. What was up with him flexing his muscles before the 50 FLY? Is this the NFL/ NBA or is this master's swimming? I didn't appreciate the "hey everyone, look at me" attitude. Swim the race, shake hands with your competitors, and be thankful for the gift God has given you. Don't show up your competitor like a Pro Wrestler. I wonder how much muscle flexing Sabir will do before events at the olympic trials! I have much respect for him for his talent and swimming accomplishments. But after his display before the 50 Fly, I have little respect for him as the person.
Originally posted by swimr4life
I think it would be GREAT if kids emulated this. I see way too many young swimmers taking their swimming too seriously. They are often so nervous that they can't stay loose and swim to their full potential. Most of them will never make the Olympic or National level. They are doing it for fun, camaraderie and fitness....much like Masters swimmers. When they get too serious, it stops being fun. As long as they aren't showing poor sportsmanship...spitting in others lanes or talking trash...I see no problem in it. I think it is great for people to show a little personality and emotion. It means they are excited and having a good time.
I hope you get what you ask for then.
I think it would be GREAT if kids emulated this. I see way too many young swimmers taking their swimming too seriously. They are often so nervous that they can't stay loose and swim to their full potential. Most of them will never make the Olympic or National level. They are doing it for fun, camaraderie and fitness....much like Masters swimmers. When they get too serious, it stops being fun. As long as they aren't showing poor sportsmanship...spitting in others lanes or talking trash...I see no problem in it. I think it is great for people to show a little personality and emotion. It means they are excited and having a good time.
I agree, Sabir was goofing off, not showing off. When the 50 fly came up, a bunch of us started cheering for Neil (the non-Race Club swimmer). :) Then the crowd started getting into it. It was at this point that Sabir did something to amuse the crowd. His actions were enough over the top, I didn't take it seriously for a second.
If Sabir had flexed at his competitors before the crowd cheering, you might have something. I think he was just responding to the atmosphere.
(I also remember the post-race warm-down. Sabir waited for another Race Club member to get closer in the diving well, then jumped in so the splash would hit his teammate by surprise. They were definitely playing around.)
I think he just wanted to have a laugh. It was fun. Did you see him and the others in the diving pool? They were sitting at the bottom of the pool playing around while swimmers were relaxing in the surface!!
Ask youself how you are going to feel when kids start to emulate this behavior. How are you going to feel about that? If you are fine with it then why not encourage all kids to adopt it as part of their pre-race ritual. Let's get the parents pumped up! I can just see the pre-swim posedown between a couple of big kids. That'll add lots of excitement to agegroup meets. And when the skinny 10 year olds pick it up, that'll be way cool.
Yes, I'm old school and I can hear geek telling me to lighten up but I'm not going to. I agree this is bad form.
Originally posted by swimmer
Ask youself how you are going to feel when kids start to emulate this behavior. How are you going to feel about that? If you are fine with it then why not encourage all kids to adopt it as part of their pre-race ritual. Let's get the parents pumped up! I can just see the pre-swim posedown between a couple of big kids. That'll add lots of excitement to agegroup meets. And when the skinny 10 year olds pick it up, that'll be way cool.
Yes, I'm old school and I can hear geek telling me to lighten up but I'm not going to. I agree this is bad form.
The spirt in which he did it was fun and goofy. What is happening at age group meets is not. And that is the trash talking in the bull pen and waiting behind the blocks. I would much rather have the fun goofy muscle flexing in kids, then the meaness I sometimes see at age group meets. Of course where does that come from, hmmmm.
Originally posted by dorothyrd
The spirt in which he did it was fun and goofy. What is happening at age group meets is not. And that is the trash talking in the bull pen and waiting behind the blocks. I would much rather have the fun goofy muscle flexing in kids, then the meaness I sometimes see at age group meets. Of course where does that come from, hmmmm.
It all comes from the older role models. Maybe you'll get lucky and have trash talking kids flexing behind the blocks.
Cute, and they probably already are. Actually at the young age, it is more how they are taught by their parents, not until a little older is it by example by other swimmers. I have seen many youngsters a product of what their parents have made them, both good and bad.
