"Dara Torres should be the face of United States Masters Swimming"
Brent Rutemiller, October issue Swimming World Magazine
"Of Course, Torres isn't on this trip alone. Aside from the support of Hoffman, her daughter and her coaches, Torres relies on a team. She has a nanny who tends to Tessa, a strength coach, and physical and massage therapists who work her like a piece of dough."
John Lohn, October Swimming World Magazine
With all due respect to Mr. Rutemillier & Mr. Lohn I would suggest that they spend a little more time around the people who not only compete in the meets of our sport but with the people who are the backbone as volunteers in the day to day running of it....Dara's only contribution has been making a few workouts early in her comeback, attending a couple of meets and signing autographs and collecting checks for clinics.
If you want a "face" of Masters Swimming look to Susan Von der Lippe who beat Dara as the first person over 40 to qualify for Trials....and she did it training with a masters team 3x a week...working par time, no nanny, no trainers....no PR person....that to me this is the core of what we are in my opinion.
How about Rob Copeland who somehow manages to run this entire organization, swim extremely well, post on our forum....all without a massage therapist and pilates instructor....again this is what Masters represents...to me.
Dara has done something remarkable for anyone her age... give her credit..but lets see if at some point she wants to time at one of our meets...or be on one of our committee's to help promote masters...without an appearance fee.
Former Member
Oh goodness, that could quite possibly be the most boring TV event ever, with a nielson rating of -9.
I disagree. An Iron Man Tri is much more boring. But if you use the Kona Show format. Explain it so the average Joe can understand it and Joe will begin to root for the athletes.
Where are the USMS watches and athletic wear (not swim wear)? I remember (in Florida) as a kid Guard gear was the rage. What about selling those big coats I see at the meets? Wherever I go, I see running and Tri shirts; never seen a swim meet shirt (except on a pool deck at practice).
There are just too many ways to make money and improve swimming as a public sport. No one joins USMS because no one knows it exists.
Oh goodness, that could quite possibly be the most boring TV event ever, with a nielson rating of -9.
NASCAR made it to network prime time. The world series of poker and billiards are on ESPN. It's all in how you package it. Human interest stories, cool graphics, great music, and of course a lot of skin (which should not be a problem) packed into a 30 minute segment would draw viewers--and raise awareness of masters swimming.
NASCAR made it to network prime time. The world series of poker and billiards are on ESPN. It's all in how you package it. Human interest stories, cool graphics, great music, and of course a lot of skin (which should not be a problem) packed into a 30 minute segment would draw viewers--and raise awareness of masters swimming.
Then what? Sponsored Masters with logos painted on their bodies?
"Aleve"
"Geritol"
"Depends"
"Viagara"
"Florida Tourism"
I have met and interviewed Dara Torres, and think she would be the first to say she doesn't represent all Masters swimmers. But Dara is in a very unique position to raise awareness about Masters swimming by talking about how she got back into competition.
Personally, I'm very thankful she feels strongly enough about her Masters swimming experience to talk about it in interviews. I'm glad she's had a positive experience, and wish her well in her journey to redefine our concept of human athletic performance and aging. After all, isn't that the legacy of the Masters swimming movement?
:duel:
And here I thought flattening made you speedier.
Oh it does. BUT, there is some satisfaction in still beating your competition in something that's not proven for speed. And how much faster does it actually make you? I went 31.31 50m fly in a $20 dolphin suit vs. 30.66 in a $180 knee skin. I built the 31.31 swim and was not in shape. . . so I really wonder. Anyhoo, a little lift never hurt anyone. I'm willing to sacrifice a few tenths if anything at all. Getting through the dive or an OW swim in a fastkini is another story. . . I'm thinking industrial strength glue.
It will be interesting to see if in 20 years we look back and think, "I can't believe I raced in that fastskin get-up!"
Going back to an earlier part of this thread regarding insurance...Sun Devil Masters just announced that they are going to self insure and no longer require USMS membership to participate.....
I'm gonna be blunt, there's no chance that any network either wants to or is willing to show any USMS meet. These 30 minute tris they show have elites, sponsored elites, same with beach volleyball. There is zero market for non elite, non sponsored 30-90 year old USMS swimmers. While it's a noble cause, it's a losing proposition. We should turn our attention to things that can help USMS and are feasible. The production costs for a USMS meet would be, at best, 500 times the revenue generated from airing it.
Sorry, but that's the way it is. We can hold hands and dream about this nirvana land where USMS is on TV but it is really just a pipe dream, and a pipe loaded with some ganja at that.
Beach volleyball is one of the most widely viewed segments during Olympic broadcasts. Womens mostly. Wonder why??
I don't know but I get channels from 2 time zones so during the last Olympics I got to watch it twice. :D
