When Katie Hoff made the Olympics in 2004, she was young, inexperienced, and got overwhelmed. Since then she's dominated swimming in America, done well globally, and in 2008 she has been overwhelmed - again. To me, she just looks the part of the nervous girl, constantly re-adjusting her goggles and plastering them to her face before races, taking deep breaths, etc. You don't see this out of Coughlin, Phelps, Piersol, and the list goes on and on. How is she going to perform at the highest level if she's a nervous wreck before races?
She was the prohibitive favorite in the IM's, and one of few favorites in the 2, 4, and 8 Freestyles. She got 4th, 3rd, 4th, 2nd, and an FTQ, respectively. We should all be so fortunate to be that good, but from a US Swimming standpoint, I think this has to go down as a disappointing performace. The only thing saving her (media-wise) is Phelps. Otherwise she'd have been the spotlight athlete. She was even mentioned as having a chance for 5 golds. She's failed to meet expectations. And it's a common occurrence in US women's swimming since the '88 games. Jenny Thompson comes to mind.
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Geek - whatever, man. She hasn't met people's expectations. And wookie, she missed her 800m FR time by 8 seconds. The other country's swimmers have shown up and dropped their times. So being at or around her best times isn't getting it done.
"Choke" might have been a bit strong. How's "disappointment" then, for the PC weenies.
Hey Rain, clear the water out of your eyes. I said, "outside of her 800 free" she has had a good meet.
Whose expectations should she be trying to meet? Hers or yours? Yea, other swimmers have dropped time but it's not like hoff has rolled over to them.
I repeat this one....She cannot control what others do in their races. She has swam the best races her body has been able too. Just because she isn't winning, doesn't mean she is choking/disappointment/failing/etc. Yea, she may not be getting the results that the press has expected of her but if she is ok with the results, thats all that matters.
And it spelled with 2 "ee" wookiEE
Geek - whatever, man. She hasn't met people's expectations. And wookie, she missed her 800m FR time by 8 seconds. The other country's swimmers have shown up and dropped their times. So being at or around her best times isn't getting it done.
"Choke" might have been a bit strong. How's "disappointment" then, for the PC weenies.
Hey Rain, clear the water out of your eyes. I said, "outside of her 800 free" she has had a good meet.
Whose expectations should she be trying to meet? Hers or yours? Yea, other swimmers have dropped time but it's not like hoff has rolled over to them.
I repeat this one....She cannot control what others do in their races. She has swam the best races her body has been able too. Just because she isn't winning, doesn't mean she is choking/disappointment/failing/etc. Yea, she may not be getting the results that the press has expected of her but if she is ok with the results, thats all that matters.
And it spelled with 2 "ee" wookiEE
