Gary Hall fined $5000

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 16:37:51 GMT

Originally posted by Tom Ellison Paul Scansaroli Wow, you hate Mr. Moose....! Ralph and I are very hurt that you hate us....What is this world cominng to? Ooops, sorry about the typo. I meant Mr. Mouse!

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 15:38:06 GMT

I may have posted the 4 X 200 free rather then the 4 X 100 Relay...It was the relay he was not slotted to swim on but was the back up...and did not show up at the Aquatic Center that night.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 14:00:51 GMT

Paul Scansaroli I also agree with Arm. I don't like what Hall did, but boy did it ever get us talking. I also hate the Yankees, Cowboys, Lakers, Mr. Moose..... you name it. Wow, you hate Mr. Moose....! Ralph and I are very hurt that you hate us....What is this world cominng to?

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Mon, 30 Aug 2004 05:47:14 GMT

Governments give over to different bodies the right &/or priviledge to represent that government in national & international organizations, conferences. these organizations are US Olympic Committee and many nongovernmental service organizations. The organizations may get tax money and other benefits, as if they were in fact govenmental bodies. Generally, the organization has to follow basic laws of the US but can impose almost any restrictions or requirements they want on those particiapting in the event as a member of the organization or receiving services from that organization. I think that the USOC is one of these very special organizations. It is not possible to swim as a US citizen in the Olympics with out being a member of the team. This is why there are citizenship requirements.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:53:02 GMT

Originally posted by Sam Perry Reese making a Texas relay has got to be one of the most preposterous assumptions I have read on here and that includes Ion quotes from the past. I'm not sure why that's so preposterous. He trained Crocker, had confidence in him, and maybe subconsciously it influenced his decision-making. Presumably he thought, sick or not, Crocker was still a better bet than anyone else, Hall included.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:47:10 GMT

This isn't really about relay selection. We erred and went toward that. If we stick to the topic then it's about the Gary getting fined. Some of us think the fine was justified and some don't. I just happen to think when he signed his name on the dotted line then he agreed to the terms. Breaking the terms left him open to the fine not to mention it brings into question his integrity. The right thing was done. Gary will live through it. I doubt he cares. American swimming will go on.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:46:42 GMT

So Crocker is ill on the night of finals. We need Hall to swim (even though he did not go 48.5 in the AM per Reese's qualification requirement to swim at night) he went 48.7, where's Gary to take Crocker's spot? GONE! I don't care what he wore before the 50 his perogative, but not there for his teammates was classless and self serving. I don't know how anyone can think any differently. I am not belittling his swimming or past accomplishments, but if he is the "elder statesman" of US Swimming (which I don't think he would ever want to be called that), then he should live up to that and root his teammates on. Reese making a Texas relay has got to be one of the most preposterous assumptions I have read on here and that includes Ion quotes from the past. Give me a break!

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:44:10 GMT

Oh, I get it.....you can call him either Bill or William....but either way...he is still the same guy. Wow, now that is interesting...wonder how that works....?

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:39:50 GMT

Phelps didn't swim the 100 at the trials nor in the prelims of the relay. Did he belong on the relay? Of course he did. The coaches were allowed to make that (obvious) decision. I see nothing wrong with suggesting that some of their other decisions may have been off. Coaches are human and capable of mistakes like anyone else. And sometimes they can lose their objectivity.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:37:07 GMT

Bill or William? I'm lost again....

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:34:31 GMT

Bill or William?

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:31:00 GMT

Oh, and nice melodramatic picture you paint, Geek. I would imagine that many reading are just rolling right now, you big "fight-the-man", "Overcome-Big Brother" thinker, you. Geez, slow down.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:30:32 GMT

Boys....boys.....boys....be cool.....or big brother may send you guys to your room....!

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:28:02 GMT

Interesting. I have never been a huge Hall fan and this seems like a good a time as any to jump in. Arm, if Aquageek wants to continue to be "off-thread," than the topic will continue to go in that direction. (BTW, you represent your country, they ask for certain things: compliance, attendance, performance, uniform; you do it or someone else would be PROUD to represent the country) Hall relishes this "me against the world" thing that he and his manager are spinning. "In '96, I was too young; '00 I had diabetes, and this year I was too old" What the he-- is he talking about? We rooted against him in Sydney b/c he had diabetes?!? The "rivalry" with Lezak?!? Apparently, someone forgot to tell Jason that he and Dave Salo were supposed to jaw back at Camp Hall between the Trials and Olympics. Gary is one of the best sprinters this country has had. (I still take Biondi). His problem is with expecting that based upon his history he is "deserving" of a spot on the 4x100. Issues: 1. He finished third at Trials. By our tradition, he is only guaranteed a spot in prelims. 2. He knows that what you do in Prelims determines who makes Finals; Reese did the rare thing of actually announcing a time they had to hit. It was Hall's, Walker's, and Woodward's responsibility to show what they had that day (not to fax in a resume with their efforts of four years ago). "Morning swimmer?!?" Come on. This is the Olympics and if you want a spot in Finals, you better freakin' earn it NOW. Michael Klim is a perfect example. A stud 4 years ago; he got older and injured. Without complaint, he swam prelims on the 4x200, busted his a-s and made the finals team and earned a silver. Good for him. Gary's resume is great; but no matter what he has done in the past, he didn't show it at Trials or in prelims, the others did and we went with our strengths (at that moment). Crocker and Phelps don't factor because we don't know what Crocker was feeling the day before the final and he earned his spot at Trials. Phelps earned his in a regulation 50-m pool for 100 meters. Semantics don't count: I want him on it because he motors! Hall skipping the meet, tripping off to some island smacks of a spoiled child having a tantrum and storming off to his secret little hiding place waiting for someone to come over and say that everything is okay, we are sorry, and ask him if he would come back and play with us. This is a TEAM and more importantly a COUNTRY and Gary walked away from us. He is disrespectful, selfish and boorish. It's a shame, because of what he HAS done in pool and for diabetes (I worked in the industry and know how serious this is and what they need to beat it), but I am not sure that the press he is drawing is something that LifeScan, Boeringer Mannheim and others are proud to have. He is tired and needs to go now. Let's move on.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:19:59 GMT

This thread was started due to the fine that Hall recieved for not wearing the correct warm up. The issue of his behavior is actually irrelevent to the original post. Start a seperate topic that addresses his behavior, i.e. not making the relay team, not showing up for the relay as an alternate, being upset with coaches, etc... Seems to me that Aquageek is one of the few remaining focused on the topic at hand when he discusses the warm up/uniform issue.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 16:18:03 GMT

Your middle initial is A, right? Now I think I know what it stands for. You win. Gary Hall is the best. The coaches are biased and suck. Down with establishment. Down with the man. Power to the people. Anarchy rules. Aquageek for president. I think I'll go have an intelligent discussion with my 5 year old.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 15:59:02 GMT

Reese must have been the coach. Any implication, intentional or not, that Reese was biased towards Texas swimmers is ridiculous but what else is new. Kudos to Gary Hall for winning the 50 free and being a role model with his work on diabetes. Bad on Gary Hall, the elder statesman, for signing an agreement and then breaking it. Good for the establishment for holding him accountable.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 13:34:47 GMT

actually I think Hall is a former Texas Longhorn-1 year only. Not sure if Reese was the coach then.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

aquageek — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 12:32:45 GMT

I was not aware that the failure to wear a uniform was the definition of anarchy. agitator or a-hole? I'm guessing the latter.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

aquageek — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 12:04:21 GMT

Kudos to organizations that turn athletes into robots. And, if you don't think college coaches choose their own, you live in a chlorine induced fantasy land. I'm glad Hall stood up for himself and didn't wear the beurocratically prescribed outfit. I was proud of him and his performance. Maybe we should make all our athletes the humorloess automatrons that characterize the Chinese team or the former Soviets, that's the way to go.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 10:55:55 GMT

Originally posted by tjburk How could Reese have put Hall on the relay, if he wasn't even at the pool? According to NBCOlympics.com, Crocker had a sore throat for three days before the relay finals. Reese would have had plenty of time to make the substitution. It was a judgment call (assuming he even considered using Hall). Arguably, it was a bad call. He still should have shown up to watch.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 10:04:35 GMT

I could be wrong, but we are talking about him not being on the 100 relay and then skipping the 200 relay (for which he was an alternate) in protest/anger/frustration? He did not swim the 200 free so he wasn't even considered for the 800 relay. Only the 400 free relay was what he was considered for. He did not show up to the finals on night 2 to watch his team contest the relay.

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 09:01:42 GMT

Easy there, a simple thanks is plenty, but to call me a Gentleman is going a bit too far, lol. :p

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

mattson — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 08:58:57 GMT

Originally posted by Sam Perry He did not swim the 200 free so he wasn't even considered for the 800 relay. Only the 400 free relay was what he was considered for. Back on page 2, I read this: Originally posted by Tom Ellison Had I been Eddie Reese; Hall would have NEVER swam again in the Olympics because HE was the backup swimmer on the 4 X 200 relay when he decided to sit at the Olympic Village during that race…. So before we add another car to this highway accident, maybe someone (who knows for certain) can clear this up. Is Tom correct, that Gary Hall was the backup swimmer for the 4x200 relay? (If not, who were the backup relay members? Just curious.)

RE: Gary Hall fined $5000

Former Member — Fri, 27 Aug 2004 08:55:11 GMT

Ok Swimr4life, fair enough. I will revise that statement. Swimming needs a major kick in the trunks if it doesn;t want to fall victim to lack of interest(yawn), and the bigger "money* sports.