What does it mean when we look at the performance of the US men's swimming team at Beijing without Phelps....... i.e. without the man carrying the team? Is he merely the "Vince Young" of a slightly above average football Team?
We essentially lose the 400 free relay, 100 fly (Ian moves form 4th to 3rd), 200 IM and 400 IM (Lochted moves to silver), 200 free and 200 fly. That's makes 6 less golds and one extra bronze.
The US would effectively only win 2 individual events...... the 200 and 100 back.
Is Phelps a true representation of the state of US men's swimming or and exception?
www.nbcolympics.com/.../index.html
PT??
Physical therapy. Many of the girl swimmers I know seem to have a lot of trouble with their shoulders, knees and ankles. In teen girls, often muscle growth outstrips tendon growth, causing constant tendon pain.
I dunno, Paul. I can think of a pretty cool 400 M Free relay and 100 Fly finishes recently.
Too bad those kinda things happen in the public eye only one or twice every 4 years or so.
Mark
But sadly it lacks any "coolness" (except in Mark Gill's case), is really pretty boring and takes an incredilbe amount of work...
OK - I thought that might be what you meant - but I don't know of many teen girls currently in PT. None of my 14 yr. old daughter's (not a swimmer, but a diver and former gymnast) circle of friends/athletes is in PT.
I know of one girl, a track and soccer athlete, who has been injured many times and has been in PT off and on for a long time.
I wonder if it a combination of opportunity to learn to swim and outside demands that might be keeping the numbers down.
We used to require Boy Scouts to earn the Swimming and Lifesaving merit badges if they wanted to earn their Eagle, now both are options that could be replaced with hiking or cycling for swimming, and emergency preparedness for lifesaving. A scout never has to get into a pool or a lake at all.
We used to have high school swimmers that did not train for AAU teams and were able to develop into fairly competitive swimmers. Now I don't think it is possible to start swimming in High School and be competitive.
The Houston Burb that I live in has neighborhood pools that have local summer league teams and there is one USA team. None of the High Schools have pools and they all share a District Natatorium that is also used by a local junior college.
And now we have year round baseball, year round basketball, and year round soccer to compete with. Come High school and we have the Great Satan - Band with competing AM and PM practices, mandatory Saturday practices, marching and contest seasons. It gets phys ed credit plus grades and fourth years get honors credit, rather than just credit.
Lots of options, fewer opportunities. Just my thoughts.
I may have to reluctantly agree with Smith that swimming is in bad shape if we are competing for the dorks in marching band to fill out our swim rosters.
I may have to reluctantly agree with Smith that swimming is in bad shape if we are competing for the dorks in marching band to fill out our swim rosters.
Careful now!!!
My wife, kids and I are (were) marching band dorks who swim. And the kids have done well in both. I agree that there are conflicts with practice times and competition schedules, but we just deal with it.
There is really no way to explain away being in the marching band. It stands by itself as a verdict of nerd-dom. I suspect Fort might say res ipsa loquitur.
There is really no way to explain away being in the marching band. It stands by itself as a verdict of nerd-dom.
You seem to have come to peace with it. I'll do you one better: I was on the Math Team in high school. We had competitions and everything.
(Wow, that was therapeutic.)
