Not sure if anyone is watching, but Florida's Ryan Lochte (Olympic Gold/Silver medalist) has been incredible:
First night;
- 50 back medley relay leadoff = 20.92
- lead off the 800 free relay = 1:33.07
Last night;
- 200 IM = 1:41.76
- 100 back lead off 400 medley relay = 45.19
This morning "floats" a prelim swim in the 400 IM = 3:46.95, finals start in just a little bit so we'll see if he gets Dolans AR of 3:38.18?
Looking forward to seeing him and Phelps go at it next time!
Parents
Former Member
Just had to chime in on the Univ. of Illinois situation. Phil Whitten has written a terrific article on how to "drown-proof" your old college's swimming program from budgetary pressures. It is available at swiminfo.com at www.swiminfo.com/saving_our_sport.pdf
There is a recurring them in his article. Make yourself so damn useful and so damn vocal long before your college is even facing budgetary pressures, that even a football coach/AD would think that cutting swimming is too nuts to consider.
Let's be honest about an uncomfortable fact about our sport. The coaching profession has its share of eccentrics and colossal egos. We're not unique, but we have less margin for error than, oh say...the Indiana Univ. Men's Basketball program ten years ago. My understanding is that a major clash of personalities between the mens swim coach and the AD was part of the background in both UCLA and Illinois terminating their programs. I do not have all the details, but it is simply human nature that if the AD "needs" to save money, and the swimming program does not have much perceived support from the alumni or other power bases, and the swim coach is a headache, that the AD would consider making a pleasure of necessity.
Matt
Just had to chime in on the Univ. of Illinois situation. Phil Whitten has written a terrific article on how to "drown-proof" your old college's swimming program from budgetary pressures. It is available at swiminfo.com at www.swiminfo.com/saving_our_sport.pdf
There is a recurring them in his article. Make yourself so damn useful and so damn vocal long before your college is even facing budgetary pressures, that even a football coach/AD would think that cutting swimming is too nuts to consider.
Let's be honest about an uncomfortable fact about our sport. The coaching profession has its share of eccentrics and colossal egos. We're not unique, but we have less margin for error than, oh say...the Indiana Univ. Men's Basketball program ten years ago. My understanding is that a major clash of personalities between the mens swim coach and the AD was part of the background in both UCLA and Illinois terminating their programs. I do not have all the details, but it is simply human nature that if the AD "needs" to save money, and the swimming program does not have much perceived support from the alumni or other power bases, and the swim coach is a headache, that the AD would consider making a pleasure of necessity.
Matt
