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
Hello Lobster Haters!,
I totally agree with you guys! Yeah, so I guess "the Race Club" is taking their breath control techniques to the beautiful southern florida key waters...what IDIOTS! I think they should ignore the wonders of the world and stay in that square tub of water with the lines on the bottom that they have been up and down for the good part of their lives!.....So just to make this clear:
Lobster Haters...puh leaaaase puh leaaaaaaase? Puh lease what? Puh lease open your eyes! What is the big joke about diving 35 feet and peeping into the coral for some lobster. I have been snorkeling in 15 feet and had a difficult time staying under for 30 seconds, these guys are diving twice as deep and staying under for 2-3 minutes! But since they are having fun while expanding their lung capacity it becomes a joke??? I guess you Lobster Haters would stop saying puh leaaase, if they posted that for their breath control sets involved them taking a deep breath, sinking 6 feet to a cement bottom, staying their for 2-3 minutes. I've had to do this in breath control sets, and let me tell you the whole 1:55 I was down there I was imagining that I was swimming in the ocean diving and checking out the sea life that flourishes in the coral rock of the bahamas and southern florida!
SO! ONE MORE TIME, puuhh lleaaaaaase get whatever chips off your shoulder and open your minds, you might be able to see that the sport can be fun while productive at the same time. These "old timers" as you seem to think of them, are more accomplished swimmers than "99%" of swimming. It seems as if though that 99% could look up to these heroes of the sport instead of criticizing their attempts to prove that the "back half" of the swimming career can be the strongest. I know that if I was a world class athlete, I would continue doing it as long as I could...I'm sure you all have your reasons for still swimming as well.
So why dont you guys stop with the stupid little chat conversations, about how big of a joke it is or whatever you think. If you are going to write something that isn't in support why dont you write what "The Race Club" is doing to hurt the sport or the careers of swimmers? Otherwise, keep your negativity to yourselves. Maybe check out their new website, you at least could stop making outragous allegations and exaggerations. You might even find out that "the Race Club" is going to recruit ALL swimmers in ALL events.
I remember seeing a bunch of Olympians in 1997 in some Phx meet, I saw all the kids running to get their T-shirts signed and I can still see the huge grins on their faces (oh yeah the kids were smiling too). I saw that and wished there could be more meets like that one, unfortuneately I havent seen of or heard of one since...
"the Race Club"? yes puh leaaaase
OK, OK,
Since using small words has not succeeded in penetrating the craniums of a few folks, I'll limit the number of small words I use.
Memo to the Race Club: less bragging, less fund-raising, more swimming, more delivering on your stated goals. Good Luck.
BTW, please note that the web address is www.theraceclub.net If you go to .org, you will get fast cars on land.
Matt
Pontificate to your hearts desire Matt S. (you really do not do that) for I immensely enjoy reading your thoughts....and by all means...please continue using the big words.....Please do not let these other dull raspier posters deprive me of thinking beyond the doldrums of my everyday mundane life. I am inspired by your writings as I feel the linier motion of my brain cells striving to understand and collectively comprehend the meaning of your writing.
And, at the days end….I'll swap you my karma for your dogma...:D
It does/has sounded a bit “Elitist”…but as posted…it is a free country. I do not want to speak for Matt S. and having said that…perhaps his main point is a question of how much “class” this whole thing brings to swimming.
I personally do not have a problem with this team, but I have always been under the thought process that seeking out the media with self serving intentions tends to side on the classless side of things.
Matt,
Your comparison to The Right Stuff is really interesting. Just who exactly is Chuck Yeager in this parody? You? And you think Gary is self-aggrandizing!
You do realize that Gary has already been to the moon? He is the reigning 50M Freestyle Olympic Champion. And then you have the gumption to compare Gary and his 8 Olympic medals to a swimmer who possess the same number of Olympic Medals as my unborn child! You somehow respect that more?
Finally, you would rather have Emmett Hines as a coach instead of John Olson? Well, I think that about sums it up.
Actually I would rather have Emmett.
Gary Hall Jr. could have won two gold medals in 1996, but his lack of technique at the finish cost him the gold. He actually looked up as his hands finished, that is like putting a parachute out!!! He got lucky in 2000, Ervin is a better swimmer.
Gary Jr. also has a poor start, is usually one to 2.5 tenths of a second behind at the 15 meter mark. He would be better served training under Bert.:D
I am like Bert, I don't think any of these guys will win the Gold in the 50 free. Quite frankly the europeans who swim World Cup have better starts, better technique and better finishes. That is what comes when you race for $5,000 a race, $25,000 for a world record etc.
Originally posted by breastroker
He got lucky in 2000, Ervin is a better swimmer.
You don't win olympic gold medals because you are lucky. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to win the next one? I guess all the really prepared swimmers were unlucky that day and the ones that are well trained made even more mistakes.
Check out http://www.garyhalljr.com/ He lists 4 Gold on his bio.
Notice the women in the photo, would have to be a backstroker:D Way too much resistance to do any of the other three strokes.
You really have to agree the media people behind Gary have done a great job packaging him. More swimmers should have professional help packaging their images to the public. The web sites and the clinics are all professionally done. Amy Van Dyken will always be remembered negatively for the spitting. Getting positive images out there is great for swimming.
lefty, not arrogant. Just a perfectionest. At least I knew it was Jon, and it was 4 Golds. I have looked at the finishes of the 1996 Olympics hundreds of times:mad:
I just get very upset when our swimmers get beat by swimmers from other countries. I really believe it is because of the World Cup swimming. Many of our swimmers have started doing World Cup, and all seem to get better because of it. I call it geting RACE hardened, being able to win on any given day. Amanda Beard is the best example in my opinion of american swimmers doing world cup and getting beter because of it. The times produced in short course meters is amazing. starts and turns become very important when $5,000 rides in them. And $25,000 for a world record or swimmers of the meet is not chump change. Great swimmers can set world records while in heavy training, or in practice (Mark Spitz), the hardest thing in competition is training for many years, tapering and being able to produce on that one day in the Olympics.
And yes, he could have swam better and could have won two individual Golds in 1996. Popov became the greatest sprinter by putting his head down and beating Gary Hall Jr. in 1996. I will say Gary did not make the same mistake in the 2000 Olympics.
Perhaps you forget, Gary did not come back from the 1996 Olympics a great hero. But he learned from the Russians and his coaches and came back from the 2000 Olympics a great hero, overcoming diabetes.
Mark Spitz did not do so well in the 1968 Olympics, learning from our mistakes and having a second chance is wonderful. I hope Ed Moses will meet all his potential at the 2004 Olympics.
I wish Gary Hall Jr. well for the 2004 Olympics. He will have Popov back, a true race of champions.
Just because you passed certification tests doesn't mean you can coach.
Originally posted by breastroker
As an ASCA Level 5 coach like Emmett ...
You are either the best coach in the world or at least the most arrogant.
Originally posted by breastroker
Heck, give me 5 great swimmers and I know I could make them faster still.
