In 2004 there was another controversy - the men's 4x100 free. Crocker swam leadoff and swam poorly. He had a fever for several days. He deserved to be on the relay based on time but Eddie misjudged Crocker's ability at the time.
That relay was more second-guessing than controversy. As you said, Crocker deserved to be on the relay due to his second place finish at Trials. It was sort of a judgement call for Reese whether to keep Ian on the relay even though he wasn't feeling great.
Picking who swims relays can't be an easy decision for the coaches. There's always going to be someone who felt like they got snubbed. The coaches really need to put blinders on and go with the four people they feel will be the fastest.
The men's 800 free relay is going to be really really fast. They are going to go below 7:00 in 5 weeks!
I am glad that Lochte went ahead and gave the coaches the proof that they need to put him on the relay in Beijing. Clearly he deserves a spot on the relay. He probably would have been on the relay anyhow, but now we won't have a repeat of the minor Phelps/Hall controversy from Athens.
The 100 back will be great. My bet is the first titan will go down and Piersol doesn't make the team in this event.
I don't why people keep doubting Peirsol. I'd bet good money he'll have his hand on the wall first. He's been around a long time and knows what he has to do. I think it'll be Peirsol, Bal, Lochte ... we'll see. But Peirsol hits the wall first.
Frank - I thought the controversy in 2004 with the women's 800 involved Rachael Komisarsz? Natalie Coughlin's book describes the controversy but does not name the swimmer who didn't get to swim finals. The book describes a very vocal negative reaction to the coaches decision.
In 2004 there was another controversy - the men's 4x100 free. Crocker swam leadoff and swam poorly. He had a fever for several days. He deserved to be on the relay based on time but Eddie misjudged Crocker's ability at the time. The relay finished 3rd, unable to recover from the poor 1st leg. Crocker recovered to swim superbly on the medley relay after Phelps stepped aside.
You are correct with both storys and the one I was refering to was another one in 2000 that was reported on also. The 1996 instance with John Piersma and the 2004 instance with Lindsay Benko was given to prove that even if you win the individual event at Olympic Trials or take second, you are not guaranteed a slot on either the prelims or the finals relays. The 800 Free Relay is a little different than the others because both the Men's and Women's 200 Free individual event is swam with finals before the heats of that relay have swam.
The 400 Medley Relay heats are swam before the final of the Men's 100 Fly and that is why Michael Phelps swam the prelims of that relay because at the 2004 Olympic Trials he was the second place finisher and thus was selected to swim the morning heats of the 100 Fly. Because he won the individual event over the first place finisher at Olympic Trials (Ian Crocker) he earned the right to swim in the final along with the prelim. This meant that Ian Crocker would not be awarded a medal (gold) in that relay. If he would have swam prelims he would have but no one knew who would win that event until the event was over and that was after the 400 Medley Relay heats. This year there could be the same problem for the coaches to figure.
This is also the same problem with the 400 Free Relay in that the final is a day before the 100 Free heats for Men and two days before for Women and you are not sure how your top 2 qualifers are going to do. So that relay is usually swam with the 3rd thru 6 place qualifers and they take the top two fastest times from those qualifers. Of course Michael Phelps negated this in 2004 because he posted a :49.05 in winning 2004 spring Nationals and that was a time the coaches wanted the swimmers to beat with Relay take offs factored in for the decision. With the splits it was determined that Neil Walker along with Michael would be joining the top 2 qualifers from the Olympic Trials.
That sound fair to all of the coaching staff and there was not a controversey until the relay swam and the 2 qualifers the next day failed to make the semi finals for the first time in USA Olympic history. That added fuel to the fire about the non qualifing Phelps, sick Crocker, and a healthy Hall.
I predict Peirsol will win in a new world record time. I don't think Bal will be as fast as last night and will end up third or fourth.
But really it's anyone's guess. Those top four are all very close and I don't really think anyone was holding back yesterday.
good strategy
he needs to rest up for the 100 bk
to improve his chances of making top 2 and making the medley relay
it'll be a dog fight all the way
larsen jensen's lucky day
8 JENSEN Larsen TROJCA 1 SEP 1985 1:47.08
Frank - I thought the controversy in 2004 with the women's 800 involved Rachael Komisarsz? Natalie Coughlin's book describes the controversy but does not name the swimmer who didn't get to swim finals. The book describes a very vocal negative reaction to the coaches decision.
In 2004 there was another controversy - the men's 4x100 free. Crocker swam leadoff and swam poorly. He had a fever for several days. He deserved to be on the relay based on time but Eddie misjudged Crocker's ability at the time. The relay finished 3rd, unable to recover from the poor 1st leg. Crocker recovered to swim superbly on the medley relay after Phelps stepped aside.
I predict Peirsol will win in a new world record time. I don't think Bal will be as fast as last night and will end up third or fourth.
But really it's anyone's guess. Those top four are all very close and I don't really think anyone was holding back yesterday.
I have total and utter faith that Peirsol was indeed holding back a bit in semis. Look at how Worlds have played out previously. He frequently qualifies to semis and isn't the top seed in finals then works it in finals to win.
The top guys know how to do this - they can cruise prelims and semis then pour it on for finals.
Horns are not swimming that well. I think he gets in still though. He owns the event and I don't think he is giving it up. Lochte and Grevers odd men out Bal is in. That was my prediction a week ago and I am sticking to it.
Seriously? They aren't swimming well? What trials are you watching? Hansen didn't have a great finals swim but I think his prelim and semi swims were great ... there are two in the finals of the 200 free ... what more do you want?
I don't why people keep doubting Peirsol. I'd bet good money he'll have his hand on the wall first. He's been around a long time and knows what he has to do. I think it'll be Peirsol, Bal, Lochte ... we'll see. But Peirsol hits the wall first.
Heather, you beat me to it! Bal, it seems, has something to prove, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him swim fast again tonight. He doesn't want to be odd man out again. AP is a champion and knows how to get the job done. I really wish everyone would stop dumping on him.
AP is a champion and knows how to get the job done. I really wish everyone would stop dumping on him.
Did he also know how to get the job done when Lochte got the 200 back WR? ;)
Seriously, I think Peirsol is a serious contender and probably favored to win this 100 back showdown, but nobody is infallible.
