Enjoyed the articles about us ordinary people

Dang! Ion's ego crashed my computer again, right in the middle of a post.

Aquageek, I agree with your post in many areas and you make some excellent points. Having said that, let me continue to foster the kinder more gentle approach I took in my earlier posts to Ion. Ion is what he is always going to be and regardless of what we say or do, he is what he is. The bottom line to my posts was an attempt to point out to Ion that he has very positive character traits and a history of success in many areas of his life, and he should build upon those positive things in his life rather then chase and/or set fires that do not exist or should not exist. I noticed after reading his posts closely, that he becomes combative, rude and attacks others and gets off on his tangents when he feels cornered or ridiculed. Clearly he does not understand sarcasm and reacts vehemently to that type input. He consistently demonstrates a need to be right. Historically he has demonstrated a continued desire to be recognized and understood. Gosh, the reason for this behavior or actions is way above my pay grade. But, what I attempted to accomplish in my recent posts was to point out that IF I COULD SEE the very positive side to Ion, then many, many other USMS could as well, and perhaps his approach should change from a combative one to a much more positive one. Basic 101 “Cause & Effect.” I hope he continues to respond and post in a positive manner that does not draw continued attention to HIM. I could be all wet here…so take what I write knowing full and well that I am not a professional counselor or physiologist. I realized something was off track or some part of the equation was missing when he referred to Matt Biondi as a flash in the pan, then had no clue as to what he had said and the way it was received. WE ALL HAVE OUR +'s & -'s....and no one is perfect...and if I was being received in the manner he is....I would welcome decent, positive feedback and insight.

Aquageek, I agree with your post in many areas and you make some excellent points. Having said that, let me continue to foster the kinder more gentle approach I took in my earlier posts to Ion. Ion is what he is always going to be and regardless of what we say or do, he is what he is. The bottom line to my posts was an attempt to point out to Ion that he has very positive character traits and a history of success in many areas of his life, and he should build upon those positive things in his life rather then chase and/or set fires that do not exist or should not exist. I noticed after reading his posts closely, that he becomes combative, rude and attacks others and gets off on his tangents when he feels cornered or ridiculed. Clearly he does not understand sarcasm and reacts vehemently to that type input. He consistently demonstrates a need to be right. Historically he has demonstrated a continued desire to be recognized and understood. Gosh, the reason for this behavior or actions is way above my pay grade. But, what I attempted to accomplish in my recent posts was to point out that IF I COULD SEE the very positive side to Ion, then many, many other USMS could as well, and perhaps his approach should change from a combative one to a much more positive one. Basic 101 “Cause & Effect.” I hope he continues to respond and post in a positive manner that does not draw continued attention to HIM. I could be all wet here…so take what I write knowing full and well that I am not a professional counselor or physiologist. I realized something was off track or some part of the equation was missing when he referred to Matt Biondi as a flash in the pan, then had no clue as to what he had said and the way it was received. WE ALL HAVE OUR +'s & -'s....and no one is perfect...and if I was being received in the manner he is....I would welcome decent, positive feedback and insight.

Oh my goodness...I actually beavered away on a very earnest addition to this thread, but my service provider crashed & washed it all away! C J ? Reverse the initials & look in California is my guess & no I wouldn't race him in freestyle. I have known people from Ion's original neck-of-the-woods, & yes, they talk like he posts & I learned to understand that, but they also learned to respect my sensibilities as well- so we became friends. Could that be possible here? As I see it, it would take a little more effort on Ion's part. As to relative performance issues- I swam masters on an elite level (as a bachelor), on an average-to-fast level (married with kids) & now as injured indefinitely & all the way through realized that there were 12 year olds who could kick my ass. The people who I've met- that's what I'll carry through to my dying days, not my times or placements. Life can be short for all of us my friends; recognize that, decide what's important & hold it tightly.

:mad: I swim for a large fun team in Evanston Illinois, the Wild Catfish, a sub group of Illinois Masters. We have excellent coaches, parties and comaraderie and that shows with our 20 year winning streak at the Illinois State Championships. The coaches have to balance 9 lanes in a 25 yard pool with 6 swimmers each and make us happy, informed and tired. They do a great job. As does Swim magazine and USMS. Ion Beza was part of our team for a brief while in the 90's. It was a nightmare. His negativity went from how dirty the water was, to how cold the showers were, not to mention the frequent attacks on his lane mates. Our pool hosts both the Illinois Boys and Girls HS State meets, it is not all that shabby. He was a nuisance to most teammates that met him. He made folks want to quit. He tried to poison our happy pool. It was time for us to encourage him to move on. We were a happy team once again. Lose a few members or kick Ion out? He makes the posts negative and I don't want to read that anymore. Ion is a chore. Kick him off the Discussion boards. We are losing members because of him. I will not back down, I know the "freak" and what he did to my team. Many swimmers directed me here as a joke. I was not amused. I rarely post here, and have swam since college and am a USMS National Champ! Ion, lighten up or go away, this is a hobby and you make it work!:mad:

Ion's head fit in a lane with five other swimmers?

When you guys push "Button A", your going to get "Button A" response.

I have been waiting for one of Ion's teammates to speak up and say, "Hey wait a minute, you all have him all wrong." It appears, as I knew it would, that, that will not be the case. As I've said before, Ion has much to offer, evidenced by his accomplishments, but it is all going to waste because of his behavior and attitude. I wish him the best. Elaine

Holy lane lines Alfred! Hang on to your pull buoy because this one's going to get turbulent. What fiendish deeds will he be up to next?

I'll chime in. I do not swim with Ion but have met him and had several conversations with him at meets. I've found him to be intelligent, curious and personable. English is not his first language and at times he will use words I wouldn't but that's to be expected. I've also spoken with others that do swim with him and coach him and they spoke highly of him. I'm sure there are those that don't care for him just as there are those that don't care for me and some of you who are on the bandwagon. As I recall, some of the very people getting on Ions case haven't always been the most popular in other threads. The number of people that read these threads is still relatively small. The fact that nobody from his club is speaking up is meanlingless. I agree with Tom. The button has been pushed knowing what the result will be. Maybe Ion will be bigger than some of you think and sit it out. Ban people from the discussion boards? Give me a break.