There has been a lot of discussion since Athens about foreign swimmers training in the United States. Most of them attend U.S. Universities, receive athletic scholarships, and compete at NCAA's. Some notable examples include Duje Draganja (Cal), Fred Bousquet and Kirsty Coventry (Auburn), Markus Rogan (Stanford), and the South African sprinters (Arizona). Some train in the U.S., but don't compete for a university (Inge de Bruijn). All of these athletes benefit from U.S. coaching, from training with U.S. swimmers, and in some cases, from financial support provided by U.S. entities (athletic scholarships). They all turn around and then win medals for other countries.
A couple questions: 1) What do you think about this arrangement generally? 2) Is it of benefit or detriment to U.S. swimming to have these foreign athletes training and competing here? 3) Should we be giving athletic scholarships, which are a scarce resource in swimming, to foreign athletes who will represent their own countries internationally instead of U.S.-born swimmers who will represent us internationally?
I'm sure there are other issues, but these come directly to mind.
Parents
Former Member
Both are silly . . . but if you want to step back and observe from a disinterested standpoint, I'd have to say that theft trumps failing to "show up and cheer" by a measure or two if we have to categorize items as good or bad.
I mean look at it, drinking and then stealing a local artifact. Hell, I did that when I was in college, in my fraternity, and it was a prank, but illegal nonetheless. I was not an Olympian, representing the U.S. in the premier international athletic competition on the planet. So, drinking and stealing in that context . . . muy malo.
On the other hand, wearing non conforming shorts or staying away from a competition . . . less than steller . . . breaks the rules . . . but you're not going to hear me whine, complain or bad mouth him about it.
I'd take Hall's conduct over the former any day.
my six cents
Both are silly . . . but if you want to step back and observe from a disinterested standpoint, I'd have to say that theft trumps failing to "show up and cheer" by a measure or two if we have to categorize items as good or bad.
I mean look at it, drinking and then stealing a local artifact. Hell, I did that when I was in college, in my fraternity, and it was a prank, but illegal nonetheless. I was not an Olympian, representing the U.S. in the premier international athletic competition on the planet. So, drinking and stealing in that context . . . muy malo.
On the other hand, wearing non conforming shorts or staying away from a competition . . . less than steller . . . breaks the rules . . . but you're not going to hear me whine, complain or bad mouth him about it.
I'd take Hall's conduct over the former any day.
my six cents
