The award for the most ridiculous, self-absorbed, overzealous all sports entertainment network in the world goes to...
ESPN, for the 10th year running.
They have once again proven that outside the 4 major sports, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters, you're really not much of an athlete. Unless you count token consideration of Cael Sanderson and -ahem- Sarah Hughes (don't even get me started on figure skating).
No offense to college athlete of the year Sue Bird (UConn BB) but a certain swimmer from Cal who set at least 6 AR and 1 WR over the short course season would have had my vote.
Anyone else? Natalie Coughlin, female college athlete of the year as awarded by the USMS discussion crew?
-RM
Parents
Former Member
The Krayzelburg interview below says it how it is (especially the last two paragraphs) - it was like this 40 years ago already when I swam competitively. He should get into masters where he can swim instead of having to watch. Relatively new to masters myself, one of the things it has going for it is that there are no heats, semi-finals & finals - boring to watch and painful to go through - I don't miss it at all - and I was a sprinter - just imagine having to go through 1500 eliminations!
Olympic Champion Krayzelburg Can't Stand Watching
April 09, 2002
MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. triple Olympic gold medallist Lenny Krayzelburg says American swimmers get little recognition and the sport is unpopular in their country.
"Swimming is not popular in America, it doesn't make any money," Krayzelburg was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of Russian daily Izvestia. "The U.S. national championships are held in empty arenas, just like in Russia, if you don't count friends and relatives."
Krayzelburg was born in Ukraine but moved with his family to the United States at the age of 12. He underwent shoulder surgery last year but did some commentating for television at the Moscow world short-course championships which ended on Sunday.
Asked if he had any influence in the American sporting community, Krayzelburg, who won gold in the 100 and 200 meters backstroke and medley relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, replied: "What makes you think that?
"I am a triple Olympic champion, but only in swimming, and swimming in America is not the type of sport in which people pay attention to those who compete in it.
"In America, they pay attention only to those who can fill 20,000-seat arenas to capacity."
"In America, only a handful of swimmers can make a living by doing what they do, all the others have to have other jobs. "But I think I make more money than anyone else in swimming in America."
Krayzelburg says he wants to stay in the sport until the 2004 Olympics in Athens and then turn to television journalism. "I want to become a TV sports journalist and I have already done some work for small cable companies in America," he said.
"But I don't want to become a swimming commentator. Anything else, but not swimming," he added. "I don't like watching swimming, it's very boring.
"Maybe some finals are a bit interesting but the rest is completely rubbish."
The Krayzelburg interview below says it how it is (especially the last two paragraphs) - it was like this 40 years ago already when I swam competitively. He should get into masters where he can swim instead of having to watch. Relatively new to masters myself, one of the things it has going for it is that there are no heats, semi-finals & finals - boring to watch and painful to go through - I don't miss it at all - and I was a sprinter - just imagine having to go through 1500 eliminations!
Olympic Champion Krayzelburg Can't Stand Watching
April 09, 2002
MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. triple Olympic gold medallist Lenny Krayzelburg says American swimmers get little recognition and the sport is unpopular in their country.
"Swimming is not popular in America, it doesn't make any money," Krayzelburg was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of Russian daily Izvestia. "The U.S. national championships are held in empty arenas, just like in Russia, if you don't count friends and relatives."
Krayzelburg was born in Ukraine but moved with his family to the United States at the age of 12. He underwent shoulder surgery last year but did some commentating for television at the Moscow world short-course championships which ended on Sunday.
Asked if he had any influence in the American sporting community, Krayzelburg, who won gold in the 100 and 200 meters backstroke and medley relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, replied: "What makes you think that?
"I am a triple Olympic champion, but only in swimming, and swimming in America is not the type of sport in which people pay attention to those who compete in it.
"In America, they pay attention only to those who can fill 20,000-seat arenas to capacity."
"In America, only a handful of swimmers can make a living by doing what they do, all the others have to have other jobs. "But I think I make more money than anyone else in swimming in America."
Krayzelburg says he wants to stay in the sport until the 2004 Olympics in Athens and then turn to television journalism. "I want to become a TV sports journalist and I have already done some work for small cable companies in America," he said.
"But I don't want to become a swimming commentator. Anything else, but not swimming," he added. "I don't like watching swimming, it's very boring.
"Maybe some finals are a bit interesting but the rest is completely rubbish."
