Ion

I was a little hard myself particularly on Bert to prove who I'am. I sometimes get a little carried away with the subjects. What I wrote to you was when I was a little upset. Sorry, for repeating the posting doesn't let one delete it. So, I write sentences that are turn around in wording.

I was a little hard myself particularly on Bert to prove who I'am. I sometimes get a little carried away with the subjects. What I wrote to you was when I was a little upset. I was also at fault with you believing that you thought I was Ion.

After reading the many posts and comparing points-of-view, topics presented, and strong opinions on our sport, I have one question: Does anyone else think that Cynthia Curran and Ion could be the same person? (Sorry Cynthia)

Since you live in Dana Point. I did lived in Orange County until 1996. Ion lives in San Diego. I live in Arizona now. I never met Ion Beza. He is like me probably not much of a swimmer compared to the rest of you. That doesn't mean we can't have opnions. In fact Ion is very different from me. I like to do breastroke and he doesn't. And I did know Shirley Babashoff when I was a kid.

Also, I graduated from Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley California in 1975. I doubt that Ion is familar with that school. Maybe, living in south orange county in Dana Point you never heard of Los Amigos High School. Never been to Romuna in my life. Like Matt S I like anicent history. Something I doubt that Ion does. Maybe, I sounding a little to pissed off. Oh well. Bert you didn't pay attention to what Ion wrote about the Espy awards and me. I think that other sports are just as important. While Ion does not. Also,Ion stated he was 6'0", while I mention once I was only 5'4".Which means you just barely read what we were saying.

Ion is just an average Joe swimmer that doesn't mean that he can't enjoy the sport. The best swimming fans were usually ex- age group swimmers who were several seconds from nationals. I was one of those age groupers. I think I will not write anything for a while. Bye.

I value your posts Cynthia, I always did, from your experience at Mission Viejo as an age-group swimmer (who probably competed with Brian Goodell and Casey Converse), to a passion for Olympic sports, for which I saw in one of your recent posts here that you didn't realize I also have. As for an interest in ancient history, people from Europe like me, we do get intensive education in ancient history, in classical music and arts, including painting, literature, and sculpure. As for me being an "...average Joe..." in swimming, ex age-group swimmers aside but considering late starters, I am better than an "...average Joe...". Keep up the good posts, with intelligent information for all of us.

Ion, I think that you might have stumbled onto something important in your statement: "As for me being an "...average Joe..." in swimming, ex age-group swimmers aside but considering late starters, I am better than an "...average Joe..." . . . I think that many folks in Masters' Swimming don't want to be the proverbial "average Joe." That's why they are constantly improving themselves, be it better stroke technique or that faster time in an event. Certainly, this is what Masters' Swimming is all about . . . improving one's personal best. And, I dare say that many later-starters many even see this as more of a challenge as they never had the advantage of being an age group swimmers. By and large, the information exchanged in this forum is worth its weight in gold (or whatever is valuable). And at times, things seem to get a bit crazy, but I would hope that everyone will keep on contributing. Regards, Mark in MD PS For those attending Cleveland, I wish everyone the best.

I went to watch nationals in 1979 at Mission Viejo. I think this is when Tracey Caulkins was coming up. I swam at the LA Invitional as a member of a C team relay doing the breastroke in 1973 in Mission Viejo but I wasn't on Mission Viejo. I was on a team with Shriley Babashoff called Huntington Beach-Phliips 66. At that time Phillps 66 had two teams. One at Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Flip Darr a famous coach of the 1970's brokeaway from Long Beach and Phillps 66 around 1972. Anyway. Flip Darr went on to coach other teams and many good swimmers like Shirley went to Mission Viejo and others like Bruce Furness went to Long Beach. Today Huntington Beach is known as Golden West and Long Beach as Beach Swim Club. I was on several less famous teams. And finished swimming at Golden West college. Its true we are not average Joes or Josephine's. I was probably 500 or so in the 100 yard breastroke or butterfly one time in the United States. But compared to Sr national swimmers, I defintely was an average Joesphine. And my current speed doesn't put me in the top 10 in my age group 45-49. However, my swims over 20 years ago would if I could currently swim them. As for Ion ,he does well considering the mileage he puts in workouts and the fact he started late in the sport.

Originally posted by cinc310 Anyways, I know that your country Ion was known as Dacia in Roman times. Very good Cynthia. Dacia was reminiscent of the Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great, when it broke in three at his death in 350 BC. Roman emperor Traian got beat in Dacia by Burebista, when trying to conquer it. After Burebista's death, Traian got beat by Decebal. In 100 AD, Traian beat Decebal at Sarmisegetusa, and Romania was born from this mixture of Macedonians and Romans. In Rome, the monument Column of Traian, depicts the last battle. We can speak also about Louvre's paintings in France, but to get back to swimming and your post about the Phillips 66 club, I read about Ron Ballatore coaching in Pasadena, Flip Darr coaching in Huntington Beach where swimmer Gary Hall was based in 1969, and Don Gambrill coaching in Long Beach. The Long Beach program, produced in the late 70s, the likes of Tim Shaw and Bruce Furniss. Together with Brian Goodell, Mike Bruner, Bobby Hackett, Paul Hartloff, these were the predecessors of Aussies Grant Hackett and Ian Thorpe, and they didn't have time to mature because in 1980 US boycotted the Olympics.