Bowman leaving Michigan!

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:47:36 GMT

You don't always have to sit out a year. If the school releases you typically you are fine. I'm not sure if Michigan will release him but with a coaching change they very well may. As for college coaches ... there likely are some of each type. My guess is that depending on where the swimmer comes from (super fast or not) there is going to be a fair amount of molding and in some cases stroke fixing. Mup, let's take Eddie to dinner and pick his brain! Yeah, this is pretty much true across the board except for the SEC. The SEC, from my understanding, has a mandatory one-year sit out for anyone transferring into the conference regardless of sport.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

swimr4life — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:38:36 GMT

If you transfer, don't you have to sit a year and lose a year of eligibility? I assume swimming is like other sports. I know it used to be that way and I think it still is....

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

aquageek — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:22:46 GMT

If you transfer, don't you have to sit a year and lose a year of eligibility? I assume swimming is like other sports.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

FlyQueen — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:20:53 GMT

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Paul Smith — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:27:30 GMT

Rats fleeing the ship? Scott Spann transfers to Texas after Bowman announces his departure....how many more to follow? PSU coach leaves for Ohio... Maryland changes coming? Interesting to see where the returning scorers end up for next years NCAA's...

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Allen Stark — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:25:39 GMT

interesting About Spann.When Eddie Reese went from Auburn to Texas,Spann's father transfered there with him.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

gobears — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:47:01 GMT

If anything has changed it's the number of athletes that stay in the sport after college. That may be a draw for some coaches--coaching young adult "professionals" and being able to focus on the international (long course) scene and not just short course yard dual meets and NCAA Championships. Bowman said most of this in the interview, I believe.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

aquageek — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:29:18 GMT

I can't agree with that assertion, Mup. College coaches are critical. They get these kids as they are entering the peak of their swimming career. Coaching plays a huge part, especially keeping them improving for four years. I've heard many kids home from college speak to the benefit of a great college coach and how much they've improved.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Muppet — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:30:18 GMT

Bowman identified Phelps as a major talent very young. Perhaps he would prefer the ability to identify and build talents starting younger... something that WOULD be allowed at a USS program like NBAC. While swimmers often stick around after graduating and continue to train with their college team, it is rare that the college coach would work with them before college years (actually aren't there rules against this?) I was just thinking of this in she shower... I'd hedge my bets that most college coaches aren't really coaching kids all that much these days. At this level, I'd bet most of a swimmer's coaching has been done over the previous 10+ years, and that NCAA is more like mentoring and guiding at this point in a swimmer's career. Perhaps someone who swam in college could verify my assumption - at least in their case. But when you recruit someone faster than any of your current swimmers and all you have to do at meets is tell them "swim fast and beat the guy next to you," other than winning, there can't be much professional satisfaction in that.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:13:34 GMT

For what its worth (2nd hand info)...was at a Northwestern meet, and a Michigan grad of 10 yes or so (who seems to bleed blue)...relayed this deep dissension within the ranks of that team...bad good with Bowman and key squad folk)...again, 2nd hand and thus probably not worth mentioning but this thread reminded me of it.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

aquageek — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:38:27 GMT

You forget concessions at the pool. You have also neglected to figure in that each swimmer buys (at the very least ) $150 worth of gear a year at the pool's swim shop, if they have one. If they have meets, there is the $10 per heat sheet they charge

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Muppet — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:11:44 GMT

With 1,000 swimmers, he’ll need an assistant or two on the payroll. He'll need some administrative help (it’ll take at least two to tangle with 12,000 invoices a year). Won't he have to divert some cash flows into the pool for rent, and into the benefits and retirement pools too? I think they own the land already. You forget concessions at the pool. You have also neglected to figure in that each swimmer buys (at the very least ) $150 worth of gear a year at the pool's swim shop, if they have one. They do - it is the size of my cubicle. But fully stocked.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:04:59 GMT

guys this was for the money. I disagree. Lefty, you seem to be imputing your personal reasoning/motivation onto someone else. I don't claim money is not *an issue*, but it just does not appear to be a significant one compared to the others he mentioned in his interview. But I tend to take what people say at face value when it makes a lot of sense.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

james lucas — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:12:57 GMT

I'll admit I don't know the "pool" or the "club" business, but from the looks of these numbers, Bowman won’t out-earn the traders at Bear Stearns. with 1,000 swimmers paying $100 per month you have $100,000 of revnue per month. With 1,000 swimmers, he’ll need an assistant or two on the payroll. He'll need some administrative help (it’ll take at least two to tangle with 12,000 invoices a year). Won't he have to divert some cash flows into the pool for rent, and into the benefits and retirement pools too? This may beat government work in Ann Arbor, but not by much according to the back of this envelop ... I’ll bet most coaches coach because they can.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:15:56 GMT

I can't recall anything specific about his turns, per se. But I do know that at every turn is an opportunity for him to use his not so secret, but still immensely effective weapon, the SDK.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 10:10:40 GMT

As for Phelps and SCM records, I don't know how fast he would be in SCM. He has admitted many times that his turns suck (suck being a totally relative term... I would be content to have turns like his) and when he does swim an scy race, he is not as fast as his converted LCM times. I haven't paid attention to his SCY races, but I've paid close attention to his turns in long course. They're leagues ahead of anybody on the planet.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:26:26 GMT

guys this was for the money. And I totally do not begrudge him for this. He is going to make a lot of money doing this. I think that he and Phelps actually bought the team as part of this deal. I have run through this before, but with 1,000 swimmers paying $100 per month you have $100,000 of revnue per month. Alot of cheese to go around.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:58:39 GMT

I thought that it was interesting that the first thing he mentioned in the Swimming World interview when asked about the right environment for international caliber swimmers like Phelps was the opportunity to pursue Long Course Meters swimming.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Jeff Commings — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:38:08 GMT

We have an interview with Bob Bowman on today's "Morning Swim Show." Watch it here.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

knelson — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:02:53 GMT

Those UM kids have been slaving away indoors 9 months of the year, battling the hockey players for H20 sport supremacy. The swim team isn't going to win that battle! Hockey is a major college sport in Michigan. I wonder if those guys ever train outdoors? There is an outdoor 50 meter pool in Ann Arbor (Fuller Pool), but I'd be surprised if these guys swim there. Maybe Skip Thompson would know. I'd go nuts never getting to swim outside during the summer.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Muppet — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:22:45 GMT

$80k? They were paying former UMD coach Jim Wenhold that 5 years ago before he won ACCs and "retired." I'm sure Bowman's UM $80k went a bit further there than it does around here, but that sure seems low. As for folks following him, I wouldn't be surprised if Phelps did. Without each other, neither is a household name in swimming. I think it would be shocking to find many others following. Murray Stevens built Meadowbrook with his bare hands, and while it has churned out (and is in the process of manufacturing more) elite talent in the last 10 years, the place could use a makeover. Baltimore doesn't really have all that much else to offer, either. Those UM kids have been slaving away indoors 9 months of the year, battling the hockey players for H20 sport supremacy. I don't see them coming here when they can go outdoors to Florida, Texas, Arizona or California... AND not always be #2 and swim in the shadow of the world's #1 swimmer.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:11:24 GMT

Based on the interview, my summary is that Bowman has transcended the limits of NCAA swimming (i.e. 4-year SCY careers while attending an NCAA member school). While money is involved, I don't see that as much of an issue. NBAC allows him and his swimmers to achieve success on the international stage without these limits. He is thinking outside the box the rest of the USA is stuck in. On a semi-related note, I notice that Phelps has ZERO SCM world records. He surely is capable of breaking a number of them. I'd like to see him compete at SCM worlds, rested.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

aquaFeisty — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:30:08 GMT

Bowman identified Phelps as a major talent very young. Perhaps he would prefer the ability to identify and build talents starting younger... something that WOULD be allowed at a USS program like NBAC. While swimmers often stick around after graduating and continue to train with their college team, it is rare that the college coach would work with them before college years (actually aren't there rules against this?) As for Phelps and SCM records, I don't know how fast he would be in SCM. He has admitted many times that his turns suck (suck being a totally relative term... I would be content to have turns like his) and when he does swim an scy race, he is not as fast as his converted LCM times. I would be shocked if Phelps does not return to Baltimore. That's his hometown and any interview I've ever heard him give refers to him and Bowman being a team. It will be interesting to see who else follows Bowman to Baltimore.

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

smontanaro — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:45:33 GMT

I wonder if those guys ever train outdoors? I highly doubt it. Northwestern's men's and women's teams go someplace warm for a couple weeks during the Christmas holiday break. They never swim outdoors at home as far as I know. NU doesn't have an outdoor pool. They'd only be swimming long course (I've never heard of them swimming in Lake Michigan!) when it was warm enough to be outside. The only nearby 50m pool is at Wilmette's Centennial Park. They certainly don't swim there during early morning hours. Evanston Masters swims then. Given that their climates are similar, I seriously doubt Michigan's team has much opportunity to swim outside either. Skip

RE: Bowman leaving Michigan!

Former Member — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:33:07 GMT

Maybe he wants to be closer to "Ace of Cakes".