I think it is sad we have slipped down the slope we call “being civil”. Being away from these posts for the better part of a week has allowed me to look at them in a different light then before. The thoughts and feelings of many of the people who post here are very raw right now. Decency, understanding, compassion, patience and kindness have been lost to pain and anger.
I have learned some very valuable lessons over the past nineteen months. Often, anger is directly driven by pain. I read pain into many of the post here. People have offended one another and tramped on each others toes and people have been hurt emotionally.
Gosh, I am the farthest thing from a counselor or referee for that matter, but I am qualified to say that each of us has good days, and each of us has bad days. Without exception, EVERY SINGLE POSTER was decent, understanding and compassionate towards me during a very tough time in my life. Ion has a way of invoking anger and hostility in people. Having said that, he reached out to me during a very tough time and demonstrated a very different and compassionate side then the one we see here.
My point, in the final annalists we call life, what more do we really have then one another? We are a body of swimmers who share a common bond for the love of swimming and adult exercise in the water. Let us keep to this course as opposed to offending one another and fracturing our beloved sport with pain, hard feelings and anger. We are different, yet, we are the same. We all love our children, we all want to excel in life, we all want to think of ourselves are winners, we all want to be free people, we all want to raise our families and enjoy life as best we can. Regardless of how fast we are, how smart we are or anything else…. in the final toll….we all want and strive for many of the same things. As we all did on playgrounds all over the world as children, let’s shake hands and make up….
Former Member
Originally posted by Ion Beza
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- things that apply to my technique, one is 'you cannot teach an old dog new tricks', another is that at slow speed I deliver good technique but at high speed under the stress of the load technique is sacrificed in the process, not just for me but for Olympians to
Now you are getting what I mean....
I swam faster at age 50 than at 37 in the distance stuff...not thru
grinding out big yardage, but learning how to swim more efficiently.
You, Ion, are an old dog too. Very hard to teach...
And I have nothing to sell.
Originally posted by Ion Beza
In fact the Europeans laugh at the religiousness of U.S., and consider it a culture of third-world superstitions.
Are you a European? Just take this question at face value, please.
Originally posted by laineybug
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Ion, I've LIVED (not visited) in Europe also.
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Do you speak French?
I bet you don't.
I do.
The French speak in French with me, not you.
Originally posted by mattson
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You should consider that there is more to Europe than just France.
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I've read this statement a few times, and it still doesn't make any sense. I do not remember any threads where anyone said, "the key to swimming is Jesus" (or Allah, Buddha, etc.).
I lived in France for eleven years, studied, and did visit Belgium, Germany, Austria.
It is secular.
There are plenty of posts like this, here:
Originally posted by Mark in MD
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I am totally amazed at the guys and gals who are indeed awesome in the water ... but I also realize that each person has a special gift from God. Be it long distance...
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Mark
Just superstions.
Instead of learning the nature in a scientific way.
Originally posted by mattson
I think you've hit the nail on the head.
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She doesn't speak French.
Neither are you.
I speak and know the French culture.
Well my point is that the French laugh at Americans in my presence, when they speak with me in French.
I even don't needle them on this.
They are spontaneous.
The last time l looked at a map, there were other countries in Europe other than France. So I'm wondering why you think a few of your cronies (birds of a feather) are representative of all Europeans.
Originally posted by Ion Beza
Just superstions.
Instead of learning the nature in a scientific way.
Did you read the article Mark relayed re: Phelps?
Phelps is an incredible worker, but is also a "freak" with regard to his
specific physiology and flexibility..whether you want
to call it God's gift or just genetics is moot.
