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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Sorry, but I just don't see how these games are disappointing. She did swim a lifetime best in the 200 free. Helped lower the AR in the 800 free relay. Won the bronze in the 400 IM.
This is the part that I hate about media. They make it out to be a failure for her, because she didn't win. I think she did very well. She improved a lot in her experience from four years ago.
Not winning golds doesn't make her olympics a disappointment.
Yeah really John. If people truly think that's (performance) dissapointing then I think they have arrogance to spare.
You turn up and swim, the best swimmer ON THAT DAY wins. Sometimes it is your swimmer sometimes it's not. That's whay they hold the races--or should we just hand the 8 to Phelps and tell him we'll see him in London?
Get off her back.
Sorry, but I just don't see how these games are disappointing. She did swim a lifetime best in the 200 free. Helped lower the AR in the 800 free relay. Won the bronze in the 400 IM.
This is the part that I hate about media. They make it out to be a failure for her, because she didn't win. I think she did very well. She improved a lot in her experience from four years ago.
Not winning golds doesn't make her olympics a disappointment.
Yeah really John. If people truly think that's (performance) dissapointing then I think they have arrogance to spare.
You turn up and swim, the best swimmer ON THAT DAY wins. Sometimes it is your swimmer sometimes it's not. That's whay they hold the races--or should we just hand the 8 to Phelps and tell him we'll see him in London?
Get off her back.
