Dara Torres-Amazing

Now it is time to criticque her parenting skills. We have no proof of drugs. Next we will talk about any skin blemishes. I once saw a movie it was called the Never Ending Story. The price somebody pays when they draw media attention is full scrutiny of their life! Who knows how Dara's parenting skills are. If she is living an unconventional life, people are going to have a hard time "liking' her. If you like somebody, you are less likely to doubt their accomplishments. I'm certainly no judge of her as a parent. Just a listener and reader of comments made by women Dara's age. Bottom line, if you are unconventional, best to be low-profile. Dara kind of reminds me of Princess Di, rest her soul. She loves the attention of the media but it may be the very thing that takes her down.

Bottom line, if you are unconventional, best to be low-profile. Dara kind of reminds me of Princess Di, rest her soul. She loves the attention of the media but it may be the very thing that takes her down. If you are unconventional, best not! It's great marketing. Dara is, hands down, the best speaker among our elite Olympians. If only Ryan Lochte could take some public speaking sessions from her and quit his incessant mumbling, maybe he'd make some more money and be better appreciated. This lay low stuff is ridiculous. This is her time to shine.

Blech. :eek: I don't personally agree with ANY of these statements and I'm a 40 something mom. Jim: Geek can't invoke option E and he really hasn't. He previously stated that no master can really compare themselves too well to Dara -- and he's right. Fortress - Actually, the comments to which I refer were heard and read outside the USMS forum. I will admit, however, that I'm stuck in the dark ages. Hard to believe I interned for one of the most liberal Senators in Congress when I was in college. Seriously, if Dara was a man (no pun intended), would she be going through this ordeal? Even after all the BALCO stuff, if a 41 one year old Mark Spitz type made it, I think his accomplishment would get some questioning but probably not as much as Dara's.

No one should be able to do a lifetime best after age 40 :shakeshead:. It helps if you quit swimming at age 14 to pursue wine, women and song full time for 15 years and get super tubby.

If you are unconventional, best not! It's great marketing. Dara is, hands down, the best speaker among our elite Olympians. If only Ryan Lochte could take some public speaking sessions from her and quit his incessant mumbling, maybe he'd make some more money and be better appreciated. This lay low stuff is ridiculous. This is her time to shine. O.k. I know I'll get some eggs thrown at me on this one, but is Dara Torres the role model we want for 41 year old women? Would it be good for society for all athletically inclined mothers to devote more time to their athletic endeavors than to their family? Hersey and Coughlin seem like better spokeswomen for our female Olympians. More humble than Dara.

No, I wasn't meaning to imply that Geek could use that excuse, although I'm now highly suspicious of his accomplishments this past year. No one should be able to do a lifetime best after age 40 :shakeshead:. Come on Jim you know no one trying to discuss this topic is making this argument...you've purposely left out every single other key element ties to the skepticism some of us had...your far smarter than that so play fair. The accurate way to say what you said based on this long discussion would be; "It's questionable but possible that a 41 year old former elite female athlete after a 7 year layoff from swimming, an 18 month comeback, two surgeries, a completely redesigned physique can not only do a lifetime best but set 2 AR's and such an athlete in spite of undergoing testing should and is aware that people will question such accomplishments based on the drug culture that continues to grow in the world of sports"

Fort...way to put it! Why do we have to be conventional? People that stick to these thoughts are usually left behind when it comes to opening up their potential and exploring what the world has to offer them. It's called humility and I, myself, need to be more that way. Isn't humility all the more important in folks that have a chance like Dara to be among the best?

Had even hoped to take a shot at going pro. It was, however, not worth the toll on my family. No athletic endeavor is when you have kids. ...for you and your family. Athletic endeavors do not always equal a toll on families. Your situation may be very different than other people. For some it is possible to pursue certain athletic endeavors (or other activities) and still raise their children with the same love and attention.

Just pointing out the folly of that statement. There is some folly, to be sure. There is a substantial difference between staying in shape and competing consistently on the international elite level. I'm not sure what TaeBo has to do with any of this. I'm not even really sure that TaeBo is, some kung-fu huckster video series I suspect, that made someone rich.

Elise- Balance is exactly right. Balance is something you find for yourself and your family. Don't proclaim that the balance you have found is what others need to comply with or by judged by. Lighten up. Tree O.k. Looks like I rubbed a few the wrong way. Sorry about that. Just expressing an opinion. Nobody is a bad person for working out 5 or 6 hours a day when they have kids. Not even Dara! Certainly did not mean to come across as judgmental! Isn't the purpose of this forum to express opinions and share what we've learned with others?