Swimmers get no respect

To most people, anything that ESPN televises is a sport. It's just that all of us are inundated with the male sports: men's football, basketball, baseball. And swimming is televised only a couple of times a year or pre-Olympic Games. Maybe it is because swimming is not a profit sport. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone coming up with a swimming pool like a football pool and everyone gets numbers and waits for outcome of a game (or swim) to find out who won the money in the pot. It may be because swimming has not gone "pro." After that athletic scholarship is granted, the swimmer winds up in Masters or Triathlons. Both good places to be, but it is not the "pros" like football, etc. Oh, and my brother-in-law was a Formula Atlantic pro driver for years. He did lift weights and spent a lot of time in saunas. But he did tell me that race car driving required a person to have tremendous motor skills (eye-hand coordination). Donna

What???? There is no Diamond Lane in NASCAR? That is unsafe!!! Donna :rofl: Nope, no diamond lane. Not to totally hijack the thread, it's especially fun to watch 'em three or four wide on a super speedway at 180 mph, probably less than 12" apart. Talk about skills ... I've had my car up to over 135 mph (on a nice smooth straight stretch of deserted highway) and found I was concentrating very closely on every little thing that happened. But, that's nothing compared to the kind of concentration it takes to do that at even higher speeds with others so close!! They are amazing folks. As to auto racing being pointless, I believe one could say that about just about any spectator sport. And, there are no doubt many folks who would find watching swimming to be pretty dull, too. Thus, we only get to see it on TV at Olympics time. Participating is different of course. Someday I'd like to take a shot at one of the high performance driving schools or perhaps Richard Petty's NASCAR "u-drive" experience. Until then, swimming has to feed my need for adrenalin!! Ken

I play rec flag football with a guy who used to be a backup QB for USC back in the 80's. He's generally not too happy that every spring, I tend to bail on half to season to swim, mostly missing b/c of zones and nationals (and maybe a preparation meet). The last two years, I have done the 4.4mi Chesapeake Bay Swim on the Sunday that usually is the day our league playoffs. I got a ton of respect from him for having done the 1 mi Challenge, and after two years and some very respectable finishes in the 4.4mi, its pretty much a given from the start of Spring Football that I get that weekend off.

I just like to give tris a good ribbing, they are generally very good athletes and teammates. That's right. In fact, swimmers get no respect because they're not triathletes!

I have respect for anyone who is competing in anything,or even exercising regularly. I even have respect for noodlers,as it takes courage for some people to even get into a swimsuit and be active. I tell my patients that exercise is the best natural anti-dedpressant,anti-anxiety,anti-stress thing they can do. I especially respect anyone who competes at an elite level in any sport(unless they are cheating.) That said "my sport is better than your sport"and Breaststrokers Rule:thhbbb:

.... exercise is the best natural anti-dedpressant,anti-anxiety,anti-stress thing they can do. ...and Breaststrokers Rule:thhbbb: Breaststroke: It's the Rolls Royce of Swimming...true story. :D All I can say about my mental health. I ws in a bad spot about 2 months ago. Nothing has changed except I get in the water 3x a week...and I am getting a need to swim. I haven't felt like this about an activity in years. I want to go swim. I have to go swim. I need to go swim. I'm jonesin' for it man...brb going to stick my head under the cooler... :)

Am I the only one who thinks this is dumber than boxing? I'll drive a race car any day of the week but I would sooner swim the English Channel before getting into a boxing ring.

Do football players ever run the mile or a 10K for time? Why would they? A football field is only 100 yards long. I'm assuming the 40 became the standard because it's close to the distance a football player would need to run on a typical play. Anyway, these threads are always the same. I don't understand why someone would be offended by swimming being bashed as a sport then in the next sentence declare "yeah, but X is definitely not a sport." Swimming, football, golf and bowling are all sports. They are just all very different sports. Every sport does not require great endurance, strength, strategy, etc., but they do all require skill and practice to do them well.

Why would they? A football field is only 100 yards long. I'm assuming the 40 became the standard because it's close to the distance a football player would need to run on a typical play... Anyway, these threads are always the same. Geek just said earlier that they do have timed mile rules. If you don't like the threads, why bother reading them? I think most people were just having fun.

I think most people were just having fun. Yeah, but I think they're serious, too. I just seems like the whole "my sport is better than yours" thing gets a little tedious.