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
Former Member
Originally posted by shipleywm
Possible? Sure... I guess!?! But I'm thinking that they aren't going in there with a mission to win the meet. The just want to swim at a fast pool together for (1) their preparation for Trials and (2) to have a chance to compete on relays together since they can't at a USA Swimming meet. Your thoughts?
I think that the reason the Race Club is going to the meet is to: 1) Promote themselves 2) Promote the team 3) Promote the sport 4) respect for Ma$ter$ swimming
They have great competition by practicing together each night.
Hall an 18 in the 50 yard free? Possible.
Possible? Sure... I guess!?! But I'm thinking that they aren't going in there with a mission to win the meet. The just want to swim at a fast pool together for (1) their preparation for Trials and (2) to have a chance to compete on relays together since they can't at a USA Swimming meet. Your thoughts?
Originally posted by seltzer
Don't count out Lyndon Ferns. He faltered a little at Pac 10s and NCAAs, but the guy swam a 42.40 100 yard free in DECEMBER to break the former U of A record held by none other than Schoeman!
Originally posted by lefty
US will have 4 guys with 48 flat start. Noone else will have 2.
Russia
Popov
Kaprasalov (spelling?)
South Africa
Neethling
Shoeman
Townsend (outside shot)
Also Germany and Netherlands may have two sprinters each who can do a 48 with flat start. We'll see how they swim LC this Spring.
Having said all of that US still should be favored since Crocker, Hall, Lezak, Walker, Phelps should all be capable of 48 with flat start. BTW, where is the current US record holder Ervin? Has he retired?
RE the 800 free relay it will be a dog fight. I envision Phelps leading off against Hackett with the winner determinig the relay winner. There both awesome competitors but don't think Hackett will beat Phelps under those circumstances. That's the race I'd go to Athens to see...the US finally reclaiming the 800 free relay.
I stand corrected on RUS, Kapralov did go a 48.9 twice at World Champs. I don't think Neethling has ever been a 48, but it is certainly a possibility. The thing is, I see the US going under 3:13, and I don't think that any county can go much under 3:14.
I was also think about Klim. He will be at the Olympics, he got a spot as an alternate on the 400 free relay. Since he is recovering from injury, MAYBE he will be up to (or CLOSE) to form by the end of the summer. And being on the 400 Free realy means he can swim the 800 Free relay as well. Not likely, but possible.
Originally posted by lefty
I stand corrected on RUS, Kapralov did go a 48.9 twice at World Champs. I don't think Neethling has ever been a 48, but it is certainly a possibility. The thing is, I see the US going under 3:13, and I don't think that any county can go much under 3:14.
Perhaps we should move this discussion onto the Olympic predictions thread. I don't necessarily disagree with Lefty's prediction of US victory in the 400 free relay but merely wanted to point out the race will be CLOSE. Neil Walker has not improved his time in several years and while Jason Lezak did become a better sprinter post-Olympics neither swimmer is a sure thing to get that much better in the Olympic. Gary Hall has been out of serious training for quite some time and really has never done better than Kapralov with flat start. I think it extremely unlikely that Hall will swim faster in 2004 than 2000, even though he is an incredible talent. So where are the up and coming US sprinters beyond Crocker (who is still not the most consistent free sprinter LCM) and Phelps (granted is improving and is the X factor for the US). I see a VERY tight race in the 400 free unlike the Medley where the US should be able to win with some significant margin.
After all the hype, two of the race club guys didn't swim the 100 fly and the one that did got 4th in his agegroup. I imagine they'll show for the 50 free.
Maybe it was Hall's really evil, shorter twin in street clothes. :D Sabir is 6' 7", Hall is shorter. (He wasn't taller than me... unless he was doing the swimmer's slouch.)
Fairly certain that it was Hall swimming on the relay. That man has blazing speed between the flags! (Between the streamline and the dolphin kick, Sabir gets amazing distance off the turns.)
Mere speculation but whoever swam the other female leg of the mixed relay would not have been a member of The Race Club, as The Race Club only had one woman participating (Nadine Rolland) since Michelle Engelsman did not swim, hence the DQ.
