how many posts??

All, thank you very much for the kind words....but I'm not comfortable with all this attention....I am simply another guy out here banging away...

Originally posted by Frank Thompson I have to give Tom Ellison a lot of credit. Her has had 48 posts on the USA Swiiming forums in the last 8 days defending the USMS honor. Frank, I hardly consider a 50+ year old yelling and screaming with a 40+ year old on a forum meant for children to be "defending the USMS honor." (But mommy, Ion was being mean.... give me a break!)

Oh, now there is actually a USMS forum vs. USS forum discussion thread started over with those young folks...I have actually enjoyed Tom & others (including he-who-shall-not-be-named) flailing away at each other 'way past the point where our gentle monitors would have pulled the cord. I have resisted the urge to duke it out myself (other than to send an admonitory email to a certain 13yr old backstroker) but sometimes a good rumble helps clear the air (but who are the Jets & who are the Sharks in this rumble?). Having said that, Tom- it is time to come home where we don't play around with a star-rating system, nor do we quantify the unquantifiable.

The moderator over there allowed the one guy some rather wide latitude in the things he posted. As to the slam where I had to go to Mammy….Well, many things can be said of me Lefty, but that is not one of them….. Frank & Lefty, was I out of line on taking that one guy on in front of kids…Probably in retrospect I was. I stand corrected and will delete my postings over there. I have nothing to offer this forum anymore. This will be my last post on USMS….I wish all of you the best life and swimming has to offer. Take care… Kindest regards, Tom Ellison

And a quick update on the post race – Connie is still way out front, only 4 shy of the kilo-post line, but she seems to faltering near that mystical 1,000 post line. Hello, are you out there? I’m pulling for you! With help of a shot of VO2 Max and a goose from a Moose, Tom is making a charge, just shy of 950 posts. And, even with all the abuse heaped on by some of us (sorry), Heather is making a run at Tom, just 10 posts behind and closing fast. And making a run at the lead, from the far left is aquageek with 919 posts.

Say it ain't so, Tom! Your contributions are always wanted, so don't let us down- keep posting!

Tom, some of the comments might have been a little strong, but, honestly he needed that! He thinks he can go around spouting his opinions and claiming them to be fact...you tried and I believe did set the record straight. At least some of the youngsters over there probably have a better understanding of some of the aspects of coaching. I think the only reason the moderator let him get away with what he did, was she was gone for the weekend. That's why she was cleaning stuff up starting yesterday. We (at least I believe most of us) value your views and opinions, and definitely DO NOT want you to leave this place! Anyone else? Opinions on this?

I think Ion wants to be left alone, and I think that Tom is to blame for bringing him back here. That long thread where Ion came and bragged about his accomplishments came one or two days after Tom badgered Ion on the US site. My humble recommendation would be for Tom to stay here where he is appreciated and Ion to stay there where he is appreciated. The bickering between the two has got to stop! Now none of this is meant to dissolve Ion of blame because in most respects he desrves more contempt than Tom, but let's not pretend that Tom and TJ or whoever else got involved in that ugliness was doing so to defend the honour of USMS or Eddie Reese, or whatever hackneed reason you can come up with!

Tom, Please don't go. Stay Lainey

Lefty...don't know you from Adam...so for you to speak for me is wrong! You don't know my motives for getting into that at all! If you ever want to sit down...I'll buy the beer. Then, if you still have the same opinion of me...you can write what you want. No questions asked!