I realize this thread will create a lot of controversy.
Over the past five years I have worked very hard to develop clubs and increase membership in USMS. The very fabric of my work and others in this area is building relationships and comradairre within the LMSC and or Club. Small clubs and large teams are proud of their "elite" swimmers and boast of their successes. With this said, it is very disturbing to me as I read through the FINA World Championships Physch Sheets to see the number of elite swimmers "jumping ship" to other clubs to swim on "elite" relays. If USMS had "Team USMS" I would have no problem with everyone coming together for a team effort. I don't have a problem with four guys coming together who swam in college using the Worlds as reunion of sorts. Where I have problem is the swimmer or swimmers who have been a member of a club or LMSC for years and because of individual egos leaves his team. What this says to me is our "elite" swimmers ego is more important than his or her club. How do you think the other 3 swimmers who normally swims on the relay with the "elite" swimmer feels. We are good enough througout the year, however we are not good enough for the Worlds. Instead of swimming for his or her club so all members of the club can be proud of the "elite" swimmers accomplishments, it is more important to this swimmer he or she represent someone else at the Worlds for personal gratification. If the relay team does win and breaks a WR the record does not show USMS as the record holder, but the name of a club the swimmer transferred too.... what a shame...
It is regretable I bring up this discussion, but it tears at the very fabric of the USMS mission regarding building club or LMSC relationships...I realize what these swimmers are doing is within the rules.. I just think it is wrong.
Mel
I was looking over the Team TYR team roster and recognized a lot of names from past AAU, USS/USA, Olympic Trials, Olympics, and USMS Natiional Meets. Names like Jeff Commings, Anna Pettis Scott, Greg Rhodenbaugh, Rich Saeger, and Susan Von Der Lippe (RAP). Oh yes and Robert Paul, John C, and Paul L, the Smiths. In fact, this relay with Rowdy Gaines, won the 200 Free Relay in 2004, at Indy, with a 1:24.05 and smashing the record and beat the second place team by 5.89 seconds. I remember watching that relay and seeing a great leadoff by Rowdy Gaines, but it must of not been him because the Record in the Top Ten said he swam the anchor leg when in fact I though one of the Smith's did. Anyway I wonder if that same relay will be assembled and who will be the 4th person or any persons with the Smith's because the possibilities are endless.
Which brings me to my next question. Team TYR has an Ace in there card deck that no one has mentioned and I noticed immediately. He is one of ony six people on the 26 person roster than is not an Individual Event All American. Of the 6 people that are not individual All American, three have been named USMS Relay All Americans and this Ace is not a Relay All American. In fact he has never been in the USMS Top Ten.
The person I am referring to is maybe the greatest swimmer on there roster. His name is Vladimir Pyshnenko and he placed 5th in the 200 Meter Free at the 1992 Olympic Games. He was also on the United Team (Russia) that took the Gold medal in the 800 Free Relay in a World Record time of 7:11.95. In fact that was the first time in Olympic history the USA had lost that Relay. That World Record stood for 7 years until the Aussies got it. But what he is famous for is that he had the second fastest split of anyone in those Olympic Games in the Relay at 1:46.58 and even beat his countryman and Olympic Gold Medalist in the Individual Event, Evgeni Sadovyi who went 1:46.83 and the only other person to go faster at those games was Holmertz of Sweden and he went 1:46.16. In fact at that time Vladimir was the 4th fastest relay split of all time behind Lamberti (1:45.53), Biondi (1:46.44) and Holmertz. He also won the bronze medal in 1994 in the 100 Free at the Goodwill games when Alexender (Russian Rocket) Popov won gold. He was also on the 1996 Silver 400 Free Relay and had to swim against Gary Hall when he went the fastest relay split of all time to that point. The Rocket swam second on that relay.
So, may I ask, how did you recruit this foreign swimmer or maybe he is not because he probably got his green card. Was this something that Team TYR did through there connections. This guy used to work out with Popov and in fact I believe his coach was one of the great swim coaches of our time Gennadi Touretski. In fact this guy is real good friends with Popov and boy that would have been something if you could have gotten him to join the team even though he is a true Arena product man.
There was another Russian that swam masters and was All American in 1993 and his name was Sergey Mariniuk and he was friends with Vladimir and Popov as well. He was is the book "Gold in the Water" and was still training in 2000 and trying to make the Olympic team. I wonder if he is still swimming.
Which beings me to the question, is he going to swim in Rowdy's place on the relay or is Rich Sager. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to. If any of you know this guy on your team I would like to meet him if I could. I know he is only signed up for the 100 Free (:52.64) and the 200 Free (1:56.32) and he will be racing some world class talent like Josh Davis but I believe they are in different age groups. Anyways I look forward to seeing this relay of who ever it is smash the World Record. Because of how John feels about foreign swimmers, Cruise is going to have a field day with this. Also its to bad that Greg didn't ask his sister Kim from Team Rhodenbaugh to swim in the meet and then you would have had the complete USA Women's team in the 200 Meter *** from the 1984 Olympics on Team TYR.
I did a little research and found some news on Vladimir and I will not comment on it because I don't want to or know how to comment on it and I will provide a link here. I know that he was coaching High School and Club team somewhere near Northbrook, Illinois but that was a while ago.
www.swimnews.com/.../displayStory.jhtmlchronicle.augusta.com/.../spo_overtime.htmlwww.sfgate.com/.../article.cgi
I was looking over the Team TYR team roster and recognized a lot of names from past AAU, USS/USA, Olympic Trials, Olympics, and USMS Natiional Meets. Names like Jeff Commings, Anna Pettis Scott, Greg Rhodenbaugh, Rich Saeger, and Susan Von Der Lippe (RAP). Oh yes and Robert Paul, John C, and Paul L, the Smiths. In fact, this relay with Rowdy Gaines, won the 200 Free Relay in 2004, at Indy, with a 1:24.05 and smashing the record and beat the second place team by 5.89 seconds. I remember watching that relay and seeing a great leadoff by Rowdy Gaines, but it must of not been him because the Record in the Top Ten said he swam the anchor leg when in fact I though one of the Smith's did. Anyway I wonder if that same relay will be assembled and who will be the 4th person or any persons with the Smith's because the possibilities are endless.
Which brings me to my next question. Team TYR has an Ace in there card deck that no one has mentioned and I noticed immediately. He is one of ony six people on the 26 person roster than is not an Individual Event All American. Of the 6 people that are not individual All American, three have been named USMS Relay All Americans and this Ace is not a Relay All American. In fact he has never been in the USMS Top Ten.
The person I am referring to is maybe the greatest swimmer on there roster. His name is Vladimir Pyshnenko and he placed 5th in the 200 Meter Free at the 1992 Olympic Games. He was also on the United Team (Russia) that took the Gold medal in the 800 Free Relay in a World Record time of 7:11.95. In fact that was the first time in Olympic history the USA had lost that Relay. That World Record stood for 7 years until the Aussies got it. But what he is famous for is that he had the second fastest split of anyone in those Olympic Games in the Relay at 1:46.58 and even beat his countryman and Olympic Gold Medalist in the Individual Event, Evgeni Sadovyi who went 1:46.83 and the only other person to go faster at those games was Holmertz of Sweden and he went 1:46.16. In fact at that time Vladimir was the 4th fastest relay split of all time behind Lamberti (1:45.53), Biondi (1:46.44) and Holmertz. He also won the bronze medal in 1994 in the 100 Free at the Goodwill games when Alexender (Russian Rocket) Popov won gold. He was also on the 1996 Silver 400 Free Relay and had to swim against Gary Hall when he went the fastest relay split of all time to that point. The Rocket swam second on that relay.
So, may I ask, how did you recruit this foreign swimmer or maybe he is not because he probably got his green card. Was this something that Team TYR did through there connections. This guy used to work out with Popov and in fact I believe his coach was one of the great swim coaches of our time Gennadi Touretski. In fact this guy is real good friends with Popov and boy that would have been something if you could have gotten him to join the team even though he is a true Arena product man.
There was another Russian that swam masters and was All American in 1993 and his name was Sergey Mariniuk and he was friends with Vladimir and Popov as well. He was is the book "Gold in the Water" and was still training in 2000 and trying to make the Olympic team. I wonder if he is still swimming.
Which beings me to the question, is he going to swim in Rowdy's place on the relay or is Rich Sager. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to. If any of you know this guy on your team I would like to meet him if I could. I know he is only signed up for the 100 Free (:52.64) and the 200 Free (1:56.32) and he will be racing some world class talent like Josh Davis but I believe they are in different age groups. Anyways I look forward to seeing this relay of who ever it is smash the World Record. Because of how John feels about foreign swimmers, Cruise is going to have a field day with this. Also its to bad that Greg didn't ask his sister Kim from Team Rhodenbaugh to swim in the meet and then you would have had the complete USA Women's team in the 200 Meter *** from the 1984 Olympics on Team TYR.
I did a little research and found some news on Vladimir and I will not comment on it because I don't want to or know how to comment on it and I will provide a link here. I know that he was coaching High School and Club team somewhere near Northbrook, Illinois but that was a while ago.
www.swimnews.com/.../displayStory.jhtmlchronicle.augusta.com/.../spo_overtime.htmlwww.sfgate.com/.../article.cgi
