I'm with Heather. Peirsolfan, I don't think any of us ever intended to make this a sensitive issue at all, and I apologize if what I posted was taken as such. You have to understand that I type like I talk, but the silly tones just don't carry over the computer. *sigh* They really need to create an updated computer voice that sounds like me. Then it would be fun, and I would stop making people think I'm serious if/when I'm not.
That said, I do think the swim-fan sites are nearly the same as football/actor/musician fan sites, with the single exception that swimming is a less-recognized category universally. There is a boy in the company I work for whose name is (no kidding) Michael Phelps. I didn't know it until his paperwork for vacation requests turned up at my desk today. It was very nearly a wiggins, let me tell you, when my supervisor saw me laughing my a** off and asked me what the hell was wrong. Naturally, she didn't know what in the world I was talking about when I showed her his name, until I explained that, and the faintest of recognition registered with her.
I do think there are borders and lines you can cross when you're following a public figure around, but like i said, swimming being less universal, I think that the plus side is these swimmers can get involved with their fans, and enlighten the non-swimmers to the sport, while at the same time encouraging the swimming fans to reach for their dreams.
But really, could you just see on of the Texas Trio's face if they saw their used chewing gum up for auction on Ebay? It's almost tempting to e-mail their connections and beg for "something, anything, oh please god i'll do anything just to be near something he touched!!!" squeaky girl routine. Hehe. Could be fun.*
**Disclaimer - I won't ACTUALLY do that. I swear it, my wooden-spoon wielding Irish grandmother wouldn't stand for it.
I'm with Heather. Peirsolfan, I don't think any of us ever intended to make this a sensitive issue at all, and I apologize if what I posted was taken as such. You have to understand that I type like I talk, but the silly tones just don't carry over the computer. *sigh* They really need to create an updated computer voice that sounds like me. Then it would be fun, and I would stop making people think I'm serious if/when I'm not.
That said, I do think the swim-fan sites are nearly the same as football/actor/musician fan sites, with the single exception that swimming is a less-recognized category universally. There is a boy in the company I work for whose name is (no kidding) Michael Phelps. I didn't know it until his paperwork for vacation requests turned up at my desk today. It was very nearly a wiggins, let me tell you, when my supervisor saw me laughing my a** off and asked me what the hell was wrong. Naturally, she didn't know what in the world I was talking about when I showed her his name, until I explained that, and the faintest of recognition registered with her.
I do think there are borders and lines you can cross when you're following a public figure around, but like i said, swimming being less universal, I think that the plus side is these swimmers can get involved with their fans, and enlighten the non-swimmers to the sport, while at the same time encouraging the swimming fans to reach for their dreams.
But really, could you just see on of the Texas Trio's face if they saw their used chewing gum up for auction on Ebay? It's almost tempting to e-mail their connections and beg for "something, anything, oh please god i'll do anything just to be near something he touched!!!" squeaky girl routine. Hehe. Could be fun.*
**Disclaimer - I won't ACTUALLY do that. I swear it, my wooden-spoon wielding Irish grandmother wouldn't stand for it.
