Did anyone see the new Gary Hall, Jr Barbarsol commerical. It is about time swimmers get some good endorsements besides Speedo and the other swimming apparel companies. Madison Ave has really come a long way in the last few years. You would never see a swimmer in a commerical a year after the Olympics before. It is nice to know that all the endorsements aren't going to Phelps even though the boy more than deserves whatever endorsements he get. I mean Phelps is out of this world.
Former Member
I posted information at www.usswim.org about Gary's 4x100 free relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
It is said in this thread that coach Eddie Reese set the condition for being in the 4x100 free relay, and that Gary blew up two chances then felt entitled and deprived.
This is wrong.
Eddie Reese set the condition of achieving a 48.5 in the morning preliminary relay, alright.
But he set the condition unilaterally, forcing it without the consent of Gary.
The condition is too high and unrealistic.
Gary tried to achieve the condition.
The condition shouldn't have been binding, as in being too high and unrealistic, an unprofessional decision.
Why?
1.) Entering the 2004 Olympics, Gary was #4 American (behind Lezak's 48.17, Phelps's 49.05, and Crocker's 49.06), so with a fair decision he is in the 4x100 free relay.
Gary finished the 2004 as #4 American, #12 in the world.
2.) Entering the 2004 Olympics 4x100 free final, Gary came in with a morning preliminary relay time of 48.73, hard to match.
3.) In the 2004 Olympics 4x100 free realy, Phelps at 48.74 and Crocker's flat start at 50.0x, didn't match Gary's 48.73 morning relay time and 49.16 flat start at the 2004 U.S. Trials.
4.) In the Olympic training camp, Phelps didn't practice relay starts with the U.S. team, and that's why he was slower than Gary's morning relay swim.
5.) Crocker was ill and this was known to coach Eddie Reese.
Eddie naively blew it to put Crocker in the relay in spite of Crocker's sickness.
6.) Gary performas faster at night than his 48.73 morning swim, he is not a morning swimmer.
7.) Gary has an experience of fighting big time relays battles, and he often comes from behind in races where he is like overachieving.
8.) Coach Eddie Reese wrongly mocked Gary by stating that at 29 he is old and past his best years.
This is unprofessional and naive.
A few days later, Gary won gold in the individual 50 free.
Beating everyone in the world, in speed.
9.) In 1995, coach Eddie Reese at University of Texas was poking fun at Gary not making intervals in practice.
Coach Mike Bottom was listening.
Coach Mike Bottom took Gary to:
.) five medals at the 1995 Pan Pacific Games,
.) silver in the 50 free and silver in the 100 free at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics,
.) gold in the 50 free and bronze in the 100 free at the 2000 Sydney Olympics,
and together with Olympian and coach Jon Olsen has a hand in Gary's gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
10.) 1.) thru 9.) are not hindsight, it is the professional duty of coach Eddie Reese to address them for competent foresight.
Eddie Reese has egg on his face:
the 4x100 reee U.S. team could have won silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics, behind R.S.A. but ahead of Holland.
I met Gary at the 2004 U.S.M.S. Short Course Nationals in Indianapolis.
He is a friendly champion.
Positive and respectful.
(His younger brother, Brian, has same qualities).
I do not know Coach Reese...but I do know a few very good swimmers (who are decent people) that know him well....and it is my understanding that he is NOT given that type action.....at all.
In Phelps' defense the kid is a helluva swimmer and was having a fantastic week. I would have put him on the relay, too. If I remember correctly Gary had the third fastest 100 time in prelims, morning swimmer or not he seemed off his game in the 100 in Athens. I think Eddie Reese (and I don't know him at all) made his decision based off of that information. Did he have bias b/c he knows Crocker well, sees him swim everyday and know that the kid can step up when he needs to? Probably. I'm not entirely sure things would have been different had Hall swam.
Quote: Gull80--"Understood, but he is human, and personally invested in the UT swimmers. And Gary Hall seems to provoke strong feelings in people."
This is a good point or question which has been bantered around since Athens, but again, IMHO, from the input I have from people that know Coach Reese and know him well....They all say it would be tough to connect those dots....It just is not Eddie Reese from what they tell me.
