Though this topic has received some attention in various threads over the years, it is the dead of winter, and I think that those of us in the Northeast, at least, could do with a little blood boiling to warm up the extremities!
To this end, I am wondering how many of my fellow swimmers have had swim times disallowed ex post facto in USMS sanctioned meets, and if so, for what reason?
As some of you who read my blog may recall, I have had a number of TT-worthy times disallowed for various reasons over the years, ranging from lack of timeliness in submitting the paperwork, to swimming a couple races in the "Open" category.
Recently, I have had my first and only All American swim retroactively yanked, some five weeks after the Top 10 list was officially published. Obviously, this is not as bad as those unfortunate souls who have had World Records declared ineligible for consideration.
Nevertheless, it does sting. I invite you to read the details of my De-All'ing (from my perspective) here: byjimthornton.com/.../
Note: I do not question the right of USMS to have rules more stringent than USA-S and FINA. What I do believe is unfair to us swimmers is when these rules apply to us but not to those in charge of making sure that all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed when they secure sanctions for meets and collect the meet fees. My own AA-rescinded swim was done at Michael Phelps's famous pool, the North Baltimore Aquatics Club, in a meet that had a USMS sanction number. Skip Thompson, who traveled from Michigan to swim in this meet, told me he asked about the pool measurement and was told that it was on file. There were no bulkheads involved. I did not make the mistake of swimming in an "open" event. I feel I did everything right this time!
I also feel that the USMS rule book is so dense and complex that it's hopeless for swimmers to know if they are complying. I feel like the mole in a game of bureaucratic whack-a-mole!
Anyhow, if you have your own examples of TT or All American or even World Record times that were rescinded after the fact, please use this thread to post them!
I highly doubt Jim views USMS as "heartless." If you read his screed, you know that he's had several meets worth of times that have been thrown out in the last couple years. So he feels snakebit. I think this is a fairly normal reaction in the circumstances.
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Given our current rules, it doesn't seem like USMS had any choice but to pull the times in this instance given that the pool was short. But I don't see the problem in letting Jim express his frustration. He'll move on, and continue his self-described quest of sustained mediocrity. Hopefully, he'll grab another AA at some point.
What, Jim is the only one allowed to go over-the-top in his descriptions?
I certainly don't blame Jim for being frustrated or mind that he expresses his frustrations. (I really only get upset when he makes statements about how USMS volunteers don't really care about the welfare of the swimmers, or some such.)
It was a particularly cruel turn of events this time around, but I'm sure that Mary Beth fully expected that the times would be validated and that's why she left them in. It is easy to second-guess after the fact, and as they say about referees we only notice the bad calls.
I'm sure it is small consolation to him, but the PDF ("printed") versions of the Top 10 never change -- they are truly frozen -- partly because they are mailed out to some people and partly because it would be asking too much for the person who formats them every season to do it every time there is a change.
So I believe Jim's "AA" swim will live here forever:
www.usms.org/.../2012_t10_lcm.pdf
I highly doubt Jim views USMS as "heartless." If you read his screed, you know that he's had several meets worth of times that have been thrown out in the last couple years. So he feels snakebit. I think this is a fairly normal reaction in the circumstances.
...
Given our current rules, it doesn't seem like USMS had any choice but to pull the times in this instance given that the pool was short. But I don't see the problem in letting Jim express his frustration. He'll move on, and continue his self-described quest of sustained mediocrity. Hopefully, he'll grab another AA at some point.
What, Jim is the only one allowed to go over-the-top in his descriptions?
I certainly don't blame Jim for being frustrated or mind that he expresses his frustrations. (I really only get upset when he makes statements about how USMS volunteers don't really care about the welfare of the swimmers, or some such.)
It was a particularly cruel turn of events this time around, but I'm sure that Mary Beth fully expected that the times would be validated and that's why she left them in. It is easy to second-guess after the fact, and as they say about referees we only notice the bad calls.
I'm sure it is small consolation to him, but the PDF ("printed") versions of the Top 10 never change -- they are truly frozen -- partly because they are mailed out to some people and partly because it would be asking too much for the person who formats them every season to do it every time there is a change.
So I believe Jim's "AA" swim will live here forever:
www.usms.org/.../2012_t10_lcm.pdf
