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.)
By now it's possible to map the progress of this thread: provocative introductory statement & question; pushback with mocking jollity; provocative restatement drawing on mockery as evidence; accelerating meta-mockery culminating in a cloud of haze(ing).
Perhaps this thread has run its course.
As brilliant as Mr. Red60's analysis of this thread has been to date, I think he is missing the big picture. The 150+ posts so far, rather than together representing a fine narrative arc whose time has come and passed, in reality reflect merely the Preamble to the Prelude to the Introduction.
We are not even close to the first chapter, which students of history will perceive at a glance begins to sketch out the nature of the conflict between Authoritarian Killjoys and Beatific Bon Vivants. This is followed by the 100 Years War, the recruiting of Frost Giants, Ragnarok, descent into Anti-Matter where the Bon Vivants become Authoritarian and the Killjoys Beatific, pressing the envelope of the Mythical First Cause, etc.
This thread will end only when human history itself ends.
Our adversaries may be hard to take, but they are worthy!
I like cars, technology, Texas A&M, and swimming.
Nothing is as brutal as a Texas A&M football message board right now - since they are terrible.
And cars message boards can be ridiculous - especially when the under 25 nitrous oxide crowd writes with an apparent 8th grade writing level - and show how small their world is.
So this thread has been interesting to follow.
On one hand I think the original poster is whining a bit. Because there are many threads on this board where a non-hardcore swimmer gets lots of support. High school swimmers come here looking for advice. As a parent of high school age kids I find that remarkable.
There IS a good sized group of regulars here - and some seem to revel in their status here. That's OK too most of the time.
So all things considered this board has room for everyone - including sftom. Dolphin 2 keeps coming back and I don't know why.
I do think this board needs to break up "General" a bit more. Maybe a "General Masters swimming" and a "General non-Masters swimming" for starters so the NCAA discussions (for example) can move to another section.
The board could also loosen up the moderation a bit so the Off Topic section would get more life. It might be fun to hear Elise' view of California Prop 8 for example.
'Drinks, for all my friends' (stolen from Mickey Rourke in 'Barfly')
love the quote (but i think it should include: Eddie,)
love the movie
love the screenwriter btw... great documentary 'bout him www.imdb.com/.../
the jury is still out on mickey (i haven't seen the wrestler yet)
