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
My interest in this topic extends to my fear of what is happening to swimming in the US in general. We've all read the stories of how many college programs have been dropped and there's a fantastic article in swim technique about the current "crisis".
With the loss of college teams, the hige drop out of boys in the sport, mothballing of pools and lack of ability to build new and maintain older facilities, we've got some problems.
I've "challenged" people on this thread to think outside the box as to how we can build our sport (refering to swimming in general, but also masters), one of the benefits I believe would be more media coverage (for those of us who tape NCAAs and fast forward through the 70% commercials).
The bigger benefit however is that maybe we can help stem the tide of of the slow death of competivive swimming that seems to be taking place in our sport.
My interest in this topic extends to my fear of what is happening to swimming in the US in general. We've all read the stories of how many college programs have been dropped and there's a fantastic article in swim technique about the current "crisis".
With the loss of college teams, the hige drop out of boys in the sport, mothballing of pools and lack of ability to build new and maintain older facilities, we've got some problems.
I've "challenged" people on this thread to think outside the box as to how we can build our sport (refering to swimming in general, but also masters), one of the benefits I believe would be more media coverage (for those of us who tape NCAAs and fast forward through the 70% commercials).
The bigger benefit however is that maybe we can help stem the tide of of the slow death of competivive swimming that seems to be taking place in our sport.
