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
Former Member
Originally posted by swimgold92
Toooo bad, that I'm not OLD enough to be on those relays :D
THANK GOD you're not old enough to make those relays!!! :D
Originally posted by Paul Smith
Giuseppe......if I can get my teamates to join me at some point I'll gladly make the trip.....but you have to promise me the same crowds of Italian women at the bars wanting to buy my suit as rumor has it you and the Brazillians drew here!
January may however be a tough time.....John may be having shoulder surgery, Rich has a new baby on the way, Rhodenbaugh is in the heat of the college season (coaching at U of A) and thats one of my busiest times of the year.....summer long course may be an option however.....lets see what we can come up with before Perth in 2 years!
Kokkole can set you guys up with some babes but I don't think you need any help...
Another option could be our Italian National long course, usually they take place the last week of June. Normally this wouldn't be an open meet but I think that under these special circumstances we could get you guys to compete in them.
It's up to you guys, we're here anyway... ;)
Paul,
Any women that buys your suit can rent it out as a termite cover for a small house.
As for the Italians...... if my wife finds out about this Italy invitation, I will have ZERO dollars left in my wallet. She has been aching to go there for years.
John Smith
Sorry for bringing up an old argument but I couldn't help it since we're talking about challenges here, serious stuff...:D Before I begin I will introduce myself since I am not a very active user of this forum. I am one of the swimmers on the Italian 160-200 relay team that swam against our TYR friends in Stanford.
First of all I would like to express my opinion about "cherry picking" swimmers for relays. My team mates and I live in the same town, work out together and have known each other for 25 years because we were part of the same club team since we were kids. All these years later I feel blessed from a swimming point of view because I can train and compete with my long time buddies, but I also realize that not everyone has the same luck. We lost both relays to the Smith & Smith Co. So we’re bitter from losing to four guys that don’t even work out together and that have joined forces “just” to set world records, right? Not even close. The truth is I don’t care and neither do my team mates, all that matters is that we raced and in the end lost to four incredible swimmers and we feel privileged to have had the chance to compete against them and hopefully this can be the beginning of a long distance friendly rivalry, especially since Fabio is back in business and will without doubt be at his standard level in no time.
So to make it official we accept the challenge in Italy in short course meters. Yesterday my buddies and I had our traditional "beginning of the season meeting" (lots of food and drinks... we talk swimming for all of about 2 minutes, just a tad over the time that Saeger takes to swim a 200 free...) and came across your posts and couldn't help but smile. These are the kind of things that keep us motivated to train and lead a healthy life.
So now that the challenge is set where and when? Agreed that the rematch be in Italy allow me to make the suggestion. Traditionally here in Italy masters swimmers prepare an event in the winter short course and then another cycle with culminates in the National Championship in the summer long course. Since we don't have short course Nationals we make do with a meet that takes place the last weekend of January in Desenzano (on Lake Garda for those familiar with Italian geography), most Italian masters prepare and shave down for this meet. If you have some time off after the meet it is very close to some great skiing resorts and just 90 miles away from Venice. The schedule of events does not include relays but in the past the organization has been very positive about organizing record setting attempts at the end of the days races. That’s where we DDS set the 160-200 world record short course for the 200 medley relay. The atmosphere would be great because people would hang out just to see the Americans swim against the local boys…
So, my friends, now the ball is yours, get your sh…tuff together and come and race across the Atlantic!
