New Gary Hall commerical

The problem with Gary Hall Jr. (imo) is that he hasn't figured out that swimming is a team sport. A case in point is during the past couple of Olympics, he dons the "Gary Hall Jr" boxing robe, those stupid Apollo Creed style shorts and struts on the blocks like Roberto Duran while his teammates wear traditional Team USA uniforms and generally conduct themselves with class. He also fires up his Australian opponents with "air guitar" comments without regard for his teammates. Small wonder that he was excluded from the 4x100 relay team in Anthens even though he is among the world's fastest sprinters. He's an enormous talent and it's a shame that he squanders it because of his selfishness and immaturity. Gary Hall Sr. was on those two amazing men's Olympic teams in '72 and '76 and didn't feel compelled to act like a jerk. I'd be more inclined to buy a product pitched by Hall Sr, Phelps, Vendt, Crocker, Malchow, or just about anyone besides GH Jr.

Aquageek!!!!!!!!!! I agree. I saw him interviewed and he was dignified and classy, I thought.

I think if swimming was a team sport we'd all be playing water polo. I don't think that swimming is a team sport in any way, other than racking up INDIVIDUAL points contributing to your team. Gary Hall in my opinion showed his team spirit by just being from the USA, and I think he's great for wanting to stand out.

I would have to say that Gary Hall is not just an athlete but a performer. The rivalry between the U.S. & Australia is not just hype & I think he fed off that. I mean look at the Red Sox & the Yankees. So he's a show off, big deal, he's at the olympics for crying out loud.

Flyers are alcoholics posted by SwiminOnandOn Maybe that's why I have trouble remembering my college years then?....Are there any other bad habbits flyer's tend to have?....I can't seem to remember. Newmastersswimmer

Depending on who you ask flyers tend to be attention whores too ... Oh, and flyers are simply the coolest.

I was in Athens with Gary and know first hand that his absence during one night of finals had nothing to do with lack of TEAM, but everything to do with the time he needed to refocus before the 50, the one event he had to best represent his TEAM and his COUNTRY. As far as the show he puts on before his races - this is his mental game, and as swimmers we should all know there are some things that pump us up. For Gary, it's shadowboxing. For others, it's spitting in their opponents lane (Amy Van Dyken, Alex Popov, Jason Lezak, just to name a few). I'd say shadow boxing is a lot less JERK-like than that. He also is a big TEAM player when it comes to working with diabetes. Aside from showing thousands of children and adults that you don't have to go blind or lose a limb by age 40 - that you can actually live a normal, or supernormal life - he also raised a ton of money at his first annual Circle of Champions bruncheon held in Miami last December. This year he hopes to double it. His Team Race Club is the best thing that has happened to swimming in a long time. The funding his foundation provides for elite swimmers from all over the world to come to Islamorada, Florida can't even be matched. Now he has created camps to allow swimmers from all levels take part on this TEAM, in which part of that money will go straight back to paying for more elite swimmers to have the opportunity to keep swimming. I say Gary is an inspiration and probably the best thing that's ever happened for the promotion of swimming.

Jerk is a pretty strong word. The guy has broght more press and attention to swimming than anyone else in decades. He's charismatic and one heck of a hard trainer. He's also quite the ambassador for diabetes. And, he promotes swimming on his own although he apparently now does commercials for the worst shaving cream ever invented. I'll take his warts along with his good deeds. We need more flambouyant characters like Hall in swimming.

I like Gary Hall until Athens. I didn't have a problem with him until the whole relay debacle. I'm sorry but if I'm coaching the team I'm putting the four fastest athletes on the relay wether they technically qualified or not. Phelps was on fire in Athens he deserved to be on that relay. But what really pissed me off was that he didn't go to one night of finals (which was required for all the swimmers to attend if they were not swimming) and instead he went off to one of the islands. Swimming isn't exactly a team sport. But when you are swimming at the Olympics you are (like it or not) part of the US Olympic swim team and you are representing your country. He's a phenomenal athelte and much of his episodes I did and do find humerous. I also think he's a big jerk.

I think that he brings attention to the sport which is good. I just like the flair that he has and the confidence that he displays. He's fast and he sure is fun to watch. He is a showman and I think this got a lot more people to watch.