Ande's Blog is the longest running and arguably the most popular thread on the forum and should be returned to the General Swimming-Related Discussions. It is more than just a blog in that it has been highly interactive, generating a lot of discussion and addressing a wide range of swimming-related topics.
I voted no because I think everybody should be treated equally. Having said that, this forum is not so active that allowing people to post their "blogs" as message threads knocked other more "relevant" threads off the first page. Sometimes when I come here, the only new/active threads were those blogs. Just because the software has the capability, I don't think that should mean we have to use it. For more active boards, I can see insisting on it but not for this one.
Again, I don't think Ande should be treated any differently from anybody else so unless this restriction is lifted for everyone, I don't think it should be lifted for anyone.
I have never used Ande's Blog because I come here for workouts, and slogging through all of the posts and details is tedious for ME. I use the Workouts section more than anything and would love to see Ande's workouts separated in that area, and the conversation aspect saved for the General Swimming-Related Discussions.
I know many of you have been here for years and enjoy the discussion in Ande's threads, but for ME, it would be easier to have it separated and NOT in blog form.
Must be an individual thing. I never read the workout sections, except for the "Fun & Fast" thread. Which, btw, appears to contain a lot of advice and encouragement and reader back and forth much like Ande's former blog.
In general, if I am looking for workout ideas, I'll consult the blog of someone whose training is relevant to mine. I also like following how people are doing in their training and/or meets. Guess I'm a swim geek.
I would vote for retitling the thread to "Ande's Workouts" (or maybe "Big, and Fast!" LOL, or "Performance Swimming," or some such) and moving entire thing to Workouts forum. It's substantially more than what normally appears as a blog.
A blog titled as such and left on Swimming-Related forum would forever more bring questions and complaints ("His blog is there; why can't mine be?").
If a goal of moving blogs off the main page and to their own corner is to limit third-party responses, it probably should be all or none. That said, there are probably ways of keeping Ande's thread more forward.
I'm actually more concerned about our Canadian friends who have contributed so much. If non-USMS, will they still enjoy full participation?
VB
What about changing the name of the thread to Ande's workouts and posting under the workout thread? (Ande suggested this). Just don't want to see a good resource closed down. I know it will still be available but it just doesn't seem as effective if it is no longer interactive.
When the feature first opened I would have voted to bring it back and get rid of the blog feature all together. But, now having given it a little time to get use to it...I don't think that is at all necessary. I like coming here and seeing the other topics and not seeing 4 different blogs in the general discussion sections.
I view the blogs as often as I did when they were right here, even now that they are off in their own separate place and its nice to see them all together so I can quickly scroll through my favorites.
I don't think any one blog should specifically be brought back because that is not really fair to everyone else...and it really isn't necessary. The blog feature just takes getting use to...as does change.
I generally try to catch up on the forums during lunch and unfortunately Blogspot is a provider that is blocked by my employer. Ditto the Youtube videos so I have to remember to go back an check the threads with video in the evening.
