The Big Shoulders swim, held in Chicago Sept 6th. Offered the new look in USMS sanctioned swims, political partianship. For a link to the discussion go here http:/.../showthread.php This is the same organization that is running next years Nationals. USMS, you need to address this.
Former Member
I paid my money and swam. I really enjoyed the swim. I didn't like the political statement made by the shirt. If that makes me a whiner, so be it - I've been called worse.
Wow, no seriously...Wow. I had no idea that this shirt would create such a stir. Being the creator and designer of the Obama Swim t-shirt I can only say that there are a lot of people getting quite heated about something so trivial.
I am a creative director in a large agency in Los Angeles and have been designing the Big Shoulders shirts for over 10 years. Each year we try to come up with something unique, fun and different. I have been a swimmer for 40 of my 45 years and can think of nothing else that brings so much to the body and spirit. I LIVE it and LOVE it. While brainstorming for this years shirt - I spotted a poster created by a popular local street artist Shepard Fariey. http://obeygiant.com/
Shepard has made a career of taking that which is familiar and giving it a clever twist. He got his start from creating an iconic image that was a parody of the "Big Brother is Watching" poster mentioned in a book by George Orwell's "1984".
This was in no way an endorsement or a clever way to push Barack Obama but, rather push the idea taking taking the HOPE from the ubiquitous Obama poster and place the word SWIM. The fact that he is a Chicago icon made it even better. Seriously - If everyone jumped into the pool and did some laps I think the world would be a better place.
Everyday, I am challenged to create something new and engaging. The graphic is nothing more than an Andy Warhol soup can or Bicycle Wheel by Duchamp. Hell, if the poster had McCain or Mickey Mouse I would have used them. The big idea is to inject a bit of levity and thought to promote a great thing - SWIMMING!!!! Yeah Swimming - yahooo!!! (splash!)
So, if you were offended and feel that this is a sneaky trick, sorry. And if you hate the shirt - great! Sell it on Ebay or line your birdcage with it. I don't care. Just get out there and get some laps in and have some fun!
I am already working on next years shirt which will feature a unicorn with cap and swim goggles leaping over a rainbow and splashing his little hooves in gumdrops all set against Chicago's majestic skyline at sunset. Yikes! I only hope that I don't hear from PETA...
nuff said. Peace.
Curious about whether or not Obama's campaign needs to disclose the value of the t-shirts and medals as campaign materials as in-kind donations. Maybe the campaign financing police ought to take a look at this one. Also curious: who made the donation of the "charicature?" Was it the DNC? Was it Obama's camapign? There are more troubling issues with all of this than what meets the eye. What about 501(c)(3) status for Chicago Masters? Have they violated IRS regs? As for ILMSA, the Obama campaign materials were just as much of a surprise to ILMSA and USMS as it was to the participants who were not the organizer's insiders. Chicago Masters needs to cough up cash equal to the value fo the dhirts and the medals and return that to the participants who request a refund. As an ILMSA person I extend my apology to all who have been offended by Chicago Master's lapse of judgment. Wake up Chicago Masters there is more to the world than Cook County and its myopic diability.
Not the point....like someone else said earlier....I would not want my entry fee to pay for a political endorsement unless the swim was a fundraiser.
Oh good grief, find another tree to bark up, it's a swim meet tshirt. Just go swim and stop the geo political whine session.
Could any one come up with a better picture?
Gull was contacted too late for a glamour shot. Being the swim diva that he is, he demanded a stylist for the shoot and the budget couldn't afford him. So, they went with Obama instead.
Add me to this list of people turned off by this stunt. My shirt went directly into the trash. It was not an appropriate design and the organizers should have rejected it knowing it would get the reaction it has.
I'm also a little upset about having to present my USMS card on the day of the race. I didn't bring mine and had to pay $20 for a one day registration. I was told that I received an email about this. Well I get 50-100 emails daily and I don't open all of them. I registered with a valid USMS number (and it even appears next to my finish time on the results). They had a list of Illinois USMS swimmers so that they could be verified on the spot. I'm not from Illinois, so I was forced to pay the $20. Would it have been that difficult for an event of this size to have the organizers cross-check your USMS number when you register or to have a computer set up the morning of the race to verify registration?
I enjoyed the race this year, but will consider other races next year.
Got some more scripture to quote on a swimming web site?
Boo hoo, I got a tshirt that looked like Obama at an OW event, sniff sniff. Shut up and swim!!
You do pretty good at that whining stuff sound like you have had a lot of experience.
Nice come back....."Shut up and swim!!" Sound like a little 4 year old!!! You ever going to grow up and argue like a real man....other than calling people names and telling them to "Shut up"?
Whether you all think so or not that was a blatant edorsement of Mr. Obama complete with his very own personalized and stylized Presidential Emblem.
And it should not have been allowed.
