As an "outsider" to the world of "hardcore" swimming ...
Former Member
I swim a lot and really enjoy it. It's something I've done all of my life, growing up in Southern California, and it's my main form of exercise. I'm good at it, but I do it primarily for health and enjoyment.
I've noticed from lurking around this board for several years that there seems to be a very self-congratulatory, cliquish tone to many threads and posts. It seems like it's often a small group of people who post relentlessly, as if they are engaged in some sort of private conversation where they're trying to outdo each other.
Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. Maybe that's part and parcel of the world of "hardcore" competitive swimmers. Or maybe it's because there wouldn't be anything else to talk about, unless there weren't a constant focus on who's the "best" at this or that.
A race is something that happens once in a while, whereas a lifetime of swimming lasts, well, a lifetime. Yes, it's great to break a certain time in a certain race, but it's also great to have the self-discpline to keep at a daily swimming program and work on improving one's technique and endurance. Both are valid, and, to my mind, neither is more worthy of praise than the other.
Jim Thornton, if I recall correctly, noted a while ago that there were a lot of people lurking around the board and not really participating. If that is the case, I would propose that may be due to the general off-putting tone of things on here. (I won't give examples at this point, although I could.)
Shhhhh, don't mention HIS name or HE might came back.
He's too busy reading google scholar. In his absence, I've been rather deprived of creating straw men.
And setting them on fire :afraid:
But he allegedly has me on "ignore," so he doesn't know I'm deprived.
Although I have to say, Quicksilver's comment on that thread toward the end was truly inspired. (CF: "Do you have anything to contribute? QS: "Posh Spice has fake boobs.") I was ROFL at that.
Do any of you who have responded to my original inquiry feel any sense of obligation to the organization at large, and do you think the content you add here furthers the purposes of USMS?
Absolutely! I am not going to name them but several folks here came for advice and now compete, and yuck like the best of the cliquees.
The way I understand the goal, USMS just wants people to swim for life...fitness, competing or whatever you find in between. Don't have to go to nats. Want to go for fun and come last in your age group for a 50...you can do it. The door is open. So I think USMS want all of us. Yucksters, fitness swimmers and turnips.
Your perception of exclusion seems to be that you're not welcome, but that's probably because you're not a nice person and shunning happens a lot to you...oh well, you reap what you sow.
If you have an opinion that differs from many, yeah you'll get some loud responses but unless you get nasty they'll be cordial.
So why are you here?
Workout advice? forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php
Open Water? forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php
Got a vison for where USMS should go ?forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php
(this has YOU stamped all over it!)
Are, Need or want to become a Coach? forums.usms.org/forumdisplay.php
OK so please, find the cliquish yucksters in those sections and report back.
I'll ask again though, so please, tell us, why are you here, and do you think Soccer is a big sport in the USA?
As was said earlier,this forum is the way "we' make it.One can post about anything (SR or NSR) and everyone will respond as they do.People are rarely outrightly rude.You should have seen how it was in 2002,nasty at times.
Allen,
This very thread shows just how wrong you are about being rude. Some of the posters have been blatant and unapologetic with their rudeness.
Challenging a new member of the DF to post something meaningful hardly creates a welcoming atmosphere.
Mocking his observations or questions with snide remarks and insinuations is not really what the reasonable person would perceive as friendly.
Referring to someone who is lurking as something less than equal is far less than fair.
Gee folks, how about a little introspection? Does anyone read their posts before they punch the send button? It is hard to believe the acid that is posted sometimes.
The DF is not a place for alienating behavior, but the perpetrators do not believe that is the result of their actions. I am a lightning rod for some posters' wrath and they see my posts a a wet blanket, or worse, a parent's admonition. I am frankly shocked that I didn't get the "Holier than thou" handle hung on me long ago. Or maybe I did.
These forums are intended to help educate those looking for swimming knowledge by putting new members with questions together with a large pool (pun not intended, but accepted) of coaches and swimmers who want to share their experience for the good of the sport. It's that simple. Can't we all just get along?
I'll ask again though, so please, tell us, why are you here, and do you think Soccer is a big sport in the USA?
Is that your USA or my USA?
His USA.
...THE YUCKSTER CLIQUE HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING INSIDE JOKE ALERT...THIS IS NOT A DRILL...
...AN EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE INSIDE JOKE CAN BE GARNERED BY DIGESTING THE FOLLOWING NSR THREAD...
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
...THIS CONCLUDES THE YUCKSTER CLIQUE INSIDE JOKE ALERT...
Is this really the face USMS wants to project to the public, and, more alarmingly, its own members? Do any of you who have responded to my original inquiry feel any sense of obligation to the organization at large, and do you think the content you add here furthers the purposes of USMS?
I am the perfect face of USMS. Not only am I quite the physical specimen, I try to encourage people who don't work out to work out, people who work out to give swimming a try, people who swim to give master's a try, people who swim master's with me to swim meets with me and teach others about the competitive side of the sport.
sftom, you would hate me. I would, through evil peer pressure, try to persuade you to try something outside your comfort zone.
Hey sftom, try posting some good questions to the forum, or some good answers to some of the question already posted. Become the insider you so despise. (peer pressure)
I think we should actually be grateful to sftom as if it wasn't for him that marvellous thread would be collecting dust instead of appeaing here at the end of the year just in time for the Academy voting on the Threadies.
I definitely think "Euro 2008" has award potential at the threadies for the multi-start cast (a bit like one of those 70's diaster moves with Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters and George Kennedy playing a profusely sweating character).
:cake:
