USOC tries to cap swimming deals

Unlike Breastroke, Butterfly does not a have stroke cycle requirement, so there is no restriction on the number of pulls to the number kicks. A swimmer can do nothing but kick ... and still be legal. As long as they surface by 15m, of course. Funny true story: it was my son's very first race in his first ever summer league swim meet; he was 7 at the time. It was 25 freestyle. Just before he swam, he coach tells him "just kick hard and you'll be fast!" So he dives in, surfaces...and proceeds to kick (only) the entire race. No one could say he didn't listen to his coach. My wife and I were in tears, we were laughing so hard.

As I recall the US Women's Soccer team threatened a boycott (at the urging of Billie Jean King who said it was the ONLY leverage they had) of the Atlanta Games in a dispute over potential bonus money to be paid for a medal vs, what the Men's team was to receive. Like I said....there is still some sort of denial about swimming being a professional sport vs. the good old days of amateur competitors. Until the elite athletes like Phelps organize (something Brunelli has been trying to do the last year) and make some sort of stand nothing will change.

The only people who care about swimming ....... are swimmers. Now, this is the one thing you have said in probably 6-9 months that is both accurate and that I agree with. When your entire non-work life revolves around swimming, you forget just how little non swimmers care or even know a single shred about the sport. Changing the subject totally, I have a DQ question. I'm a judge for our summer league. My goal is to never DQ a kid, especially not a summer league only swimmer. Anyway, we have one pretty fast year rounder (young) who does about six legal butterfly kicks to a single butterfly pull. She wins most of the time and it raises eyebrows because it is so darn weird looking but no one can decide if it is illegal. Anyone have an opinion?

Changing the subject totally, I have a DQ question. I'm a judge for our summer league. My goal is to never DQ a kid, especially not a summer league only swimmer. Anyway, we have one pretty fast year rounder (young) who does about six legal butterfly kicks to a single butterfly pull. She wins most of the time and it raises eyebrows because it is so darn weird looking but no one can decide if it is illegal. Anyone have an opinion? I don't have an opinion but I do have the rule. 101.3 - Butterfly .3 Kick — All up and down movements of the legs and feet must be simultaneous. The position of the legs or the feet need not be on the same level, but they shall not alternate in relation to each other. A scissors or breaststroke kicking movement is not permitted. Unlike Breastroke, Butterfly does not a have stroke cycle requirement, so there is no restriction on the number of pulls to the number kicks. A swimmer can do nothing but kick or nothing but pull and still be legal. Paul

I'm all for pro swimmers signing lucrative deals with swimsuit manufacturers, doing commercial spots, appearances, whatever, but I really don't like the idea of them appearing as human billboards at meets. But I do think this works both ways. If FINA says swimmers can't wear advertisements, they also should not require their own advertisements be worn by the swimmers (e.g., Yakult at World Champs).

That's just what I need, thanks Hulk!

Hoffman, I can assure you that Gary Hall and others on deck that have been robbed of this opportunity have a slightly different opinion than you. If USOC wants to stick their own sponsors logos on the heads of US swimmers as they have done in the past, then compensate them directly, not with the filtered down "funny" money that Geek has described. Again, if the swimmers don't like it enough, they can boycott. If they don't boycott or get a lawyer then they will have to take the decisions that are handed down to them by USOC whether they like it or not. It will be interesting to see if Phelps speaks his mind on this or his manager. John Smith I'm sure you're correct re: Gary Hall. But he's still swimming. He's still grumpy and colorful. Just because he doesn't like it - doesn't mean rules should be changed. As for funny money....I don't have any idea how much money is in the USOC for swimming. How much does Speedo, Visa, etc. give? How much does the USOC need to do its job? Do you propose doing a peanut butter spread and give every Trials athlete $100 because they made the trials? Or $1000 if they make the team in addition to travel expenses and all the other stuff?

I'm sure you're correct re: Gary Hall. But he's still swimming. He's still grumpy and colorful. Just because he doesn't like it - doesn't mean rules should be changed. As for funny money....I don't have any idea how much money is in the USOC for swimming. How much does Speedo, Visa, etc. give? How much does the USOC need to do its job? Do you propose doing a peanut butter spread and give every Trials athlete $100 because they made the trials? Or $1000 if they make the team in addition to travel expenses and all the other stuff? How much money is in the USOC for swimming: Swimming and Gymnastics are the MARQUEE sports for week one of the Olympics. NBC paid $1.2B for broadcast rights. If swimming accounts for 5-10% of the deal then swimming accounts for $60,000,000-$120,000,000 of the broadcast deal. I think there are 1,000 swimmers going to trials, so that is between $60,000 and $120,000 per swimmer.

Geek, If you think just having a "manager" connotes success that's funny. Phelps is the highest paid swimmer of all time and his millions are still a rounding error compared to his elite peers in other sports. Secondly, most elite finalists and top 20 world ranked participants struggle with their finances in order to keep participating year after year. Swimming lags other pro sports by miles and miles. Secondly,the goal is to have EVERY elite swimmer placing in the top 8 nationally making cash similar or hopefully one day more than what Phelps is making today. USOC squashing lucrative deals for the athletes (whatever level they are) is pathetic and uproductive to the athletes. The athletes have to take a stand on this and leverage the USOC and/or US Swimming eventually. Nothing positive will come in their direction until they act together on this issue. Beyond this..... the real issue is that Americans in general are not interested in watching a swim meet vs. a Big 3 event. Until that day comes, swimming will continue to struggle with athlete cash opportunities. The only people who care about swimming ....... are swimmers. John Smith

How much money is in the USOC for swimming: Swimming and Gymnastics are the MARQUEE sports for week one of the Olympics. NBC paid $1.2B for broadcast rights. If swimming accounts for 5-10% of the deal then swimming accounts for $60,000,000-$120,000,000 of the broadcast deal. I think there are 1,000 swimmers going to trials, so that is between $60,000 and $120,000 per swimmer. NBC paid WHO? Not the US Olympic Committee. They paid China and/or the IOC. How much of that money is actually fixed costs? I'm not convinced on a worldwide basis that swimming draws as many TV viewers as gymnastics.