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.
Katie will take away another disappointing games, .
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.
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.
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.
Right on Stud!
Choke? Outside ofthe 800 free, she has swam best times or right on her best times. She can't control how fast the other girls are swimming and they are swimming outstanding.
Why do people think that it is a choke when someone is actually swimming ok but not winning?? I don't get that one. Yea, she is probably disappointed but her swims have been ok...not like she hasn't medaled or finaled in most of her events.
I really don't like threads that are worded this way. Other than the French I specifically avoid criticizing any swimmers in the Olympics. I think you should beat it with this line of thought.
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.
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
Good for you, putting her down. Does it make you feel better about yourself? I'm not down on any of the swimmers, no matter the results.
Except the frenchies relay right? lol
On possibility affecting expectations may have been that much of the rest of the world was coming in with pre-suit times while the big name Americans had been using them for a while.
Since Rice had set WRs in both IMs and still held the 200IM WR I don't see how you could call Hoff the "prohibitive favorite", maybe that's the kind of thinking that leads to disappointment?
Her 800 was disappointing, but look at her program 200 FR, 400 FR, 800 Fr, 200 IM, 400 IM, 800 FR Relay are you kidding me? I know she did it at trials, but the Olympics is a whole other story. My guess is that she will come back in 2012 with a less aggressive program and do great.
Her only mistake swimming wise was her touch in the 400M Free. Had she finished correctly, she would be a gold medalist and this discussion wouldn't even be happening.
The women from the rest of the world are swimming so much faster and she now knows she has a lot of work to do to catch up. The US women's team all has a lot of work to do, but I think we will be singing a different tune, because the age factor is definitely in our corner. Heck Dara will only be 45 then. :D
