Call me an old fashioned cynic, but Gary Hall's oh so exclusive "Race Club" seems to generate more amusement than intimidation. To review the bidding for those with real lives, Mr. Hall announced a few months ago his intent to form his own club dedicated to elite swimming. It has a fabulous location and training facility in the Florida Keys. It will cover travel, training and living expenses. (I'm tempted to ask who is fronting the money, but I won't denigrade Mr. Hall's ability to raise funds.) If you want to join them, send in a resume; don't call us; we'll call you. Let us look over your accoplishments and decide whether you are worthy.
Hmm, great facilities, don't have to share pool time with the non-world class members (i.e. 99%) of a Swim Club, just about all expenses paid. Unless you have your own lucrative endorsement deal, what swimmer wouldn't want to join this team?
Well, the initial members of the "Swim Club" were announced last week. www.swiminfo.com/.../6097.asp Eight Olympians sounds real impressive. But then you look at the list a little more closely. Eleven swimmers, and although I have not googled everyone of them, all of the ones I have googled are in their late 20's or older. Or in other words, 3 of the 11 swimmers are chronologically at the back end of their careers, and they have not yet made their nation's Olympic Team. Closer scrutiny reveals 10 of the 11 are men. Just about all of them swim the 50 free or 50 fly, and few of them seriously compete in anything other that the 50 or 100 free or fly. In contrast to the lack of age, gender and event diversity, the team does have members of many nationalities and ethic backgrounds. However, the most telling stat of all is that roughly half of the members I checked are not currently ranked in the World Top 20 Rankings, LCM or SCM, in any event.
Overall, the "Swim Club" sort of reminds me of the kind of team a rookie fantasy league coach would assemble--there are a lot of names you would recognize, but their most productive years may be behind them. To be fair, all of these folks are amazing, world-class swimmers. Their careers to date have been awesome, and they remain extraordinary today by any standard, except arguably World Rankings. In contrast, I am an opinionated loud mouth. I would be delighted to see them find new speed and light up the scoreboards next year with medals and records, and make a complete monkey of me. As of right now, I think may the "Swim Club's" gloss may have exceeded its actual capabilities.
Matt
Parents
Former Member
well, Brain Goodell did a 15:05 way back in 1976. Now women swimming has progressive much faster, if you swim like Shirley Bashashoff in the 800 meter at the elite level you would not medal. And Shirley was a very fast sprinter in her earlier career. In 1972, she won two silver medals in Munich at the 100 meter and 200 meter. And for sprinting its not easy but its easier to do than 200 yard swims or longer and swim a half decent time. I knew novice swimmers in California that could swim a 50 yard butterfly in 28 seconds for a girl back in the 1970's. They workout around the 3,000 yards that masters do. The same girl in the 100 yard could not hold out and I out touch her. And I was only a 30.0 to 31.0, 50 yard butterfly as a teenager Why the US male team can't be good in distance like the ladies, I don't know.
well, Brain Goodell did a 15:05 way back in 1976. Now women swimming has progressive much faster, if you swim like Shirley Bashashoff in the 800 meter at the elite level you would not medal. And Shirley was a very fast sprinter in her earlier career. In 1972, she won two silver medals in Munich at the 100 meter and 200 meter. And for sprinting its not easy but its easier to do than 200 yard swims or longer and swim a half decent time. I knew novice swimmers in California that could swim a 50 yard butterfly in 28 seconds for a girl back in the 1970's. They workout around the 3,000 yards that masters do. The same girl in the 100 yard could not hold out and I out touch her. And I was only a 30.0 to 31.0, 50 yard butterfly as a teenager Why the US male team can't be good in distance like the ladies, I don't know.
