As a swimmer from a backwater LMSC that virtually never has enough people at USMS meets to field even the slowest of relay teams, I would like to see team orphans like myself be allowed to aggregate with others of my ilk to form a rag-tag band of misfit style "Pick Up" relay teams at masters meets.
I personally believe this would foster camaraderie and new friendships as people like me, who practice in Amish mudholes, would be able to swim on a relay team with, say, Cayjuns from Baton Rouge, who swim in oil-slickened bayous littered with oxygen-starved crawdads.
I would furthermore and personally like such relays to "count" for Top 10 consideration, provided they were made up exclusively of unattached swimmers--or people who are the sole representatives of their "teams"--i.e., bona fide hardship cases, like me, who truly have no other options for swimming relays at most meets.
What say ye? Please take my simple poll; USMS bigwigs, please take note of my simple poll, especially if it comes back (as I hope) with a resounding and enthusiastic endorsement of the hopes and aspirations of mud-and-oil-coated misfits throughout the nation!
Former Member
That's a great argument, but it is also a two-edged sword. Since it is only masters, why do you care if other teams/relays want to break records?
I was simply repeating what I was told on the other thread. Which I find a bit ironic.
Jim- perhaps the underwhelming response to this poll is due to the unfortunate juxtaposition of 'pick up' and 'Jim Thornton' at the start of the thread...
Peter, I am beginning to think you may be a half empty glass kind of a fellow.
Nothing wrong with that!
Personally, no matter how much water happens to be in a glass, I always suspect it is a mirage and that there is, in fact, zero real water there.
That said, I must take issue with your characterization of my latest wildly popular poll.
It has been less than three full years since I posted this early yesterday (or the day before), and already 68 people have voted, the vast majority of whom second my cry for freedom!
I dare say if I had not carefully juxtaposed the phrase "pick up" with my by now legendarily attractive Woodstock avatar, the very jaundiced glimpse of which is rumored to trigger muscular twitchings in the dystaff Kegel regions, well, if I had not done this, I doubt even four people would have voted.
I say four, because I only have three identities, plus my twin brother, with which to give my vlog 5 stars on a regular basis. Fortunately, I have not had to recruit all these alter egos to vote (in my favor, I must again add) on this wildly, wildly, to the point of lunatic popularity, popular poll.
This glass, sir, is brimming over with mirage water! Of that you can rest assured all your laughing way to the bank!
Jim- perhaps the underwhelming response to this poll is due to the unfortunate juxtaposition of 'pick up' and 'Jim Thornton' at the start of the thread...
Swim for Nitro, Jim. Free team shirt, and I'll throw in a Starbuck's gift card. ... you're singing my tune, though I think Jim might need something stronger ...
Ah, Jim my fine fellow, I do believe that you would make a fine spokesperson for British Petroleum; in fact, I'll wager that you could come up with some pretty kinky containment devices (that would be at least as possible as what's been tried to this point) that would provide superior TV pictures for CNN to play endlessly while interviewing anyone who has ever been to the beach before.
I am not sure where exactly Nanaimo is in the Province of British Columbia, but I have no doubts whatsoever it the home of perspicacious Canadian geniuses. Actually, Amanda--Chicken of the Sea--is an armchair inventor whose credits include the famous backstroke snorkel. I do think she might be able to solve this premature spillage problem.
I must say, I never have been able to fix this in my own life.
Arguably, the intent of that rule has been circumvented with the formation of regional teams, not to mention the practice of recruiting swimmers from across the country for purposes of breaking records.
I would say this is what the NCAA does in some fashion. Plus they even recruit internationally to help break relay records. Just think if a state school was only permitted to recruit swimmers from within its state to be eligible to swim on that team.
For those who want to disallow swimmers from registering across the country with a different club: how would you enforce it other than requiring a mailing address within the LMSC? Nowadays somebody could put down a bogus mailing address and never even get the hardcopy of their USMS card in the mail - they could simply download the PDF of their card and enter meets with their USMS number. Are you going to require a copy of their 1040 tax return to show proof of residence when they register? My point is the idea might have merit but if you can't implement it, you can't make the change. Sort of like allowing tech suits but not having any suit manufacturers to make the product (purely hypothetical analogy). :bolt:
Ah, Jim my fine fellow, I do believe that you would make a fine spokesperson for British Petroleum; in fact, I'll wager that you could come up with some pretty kinky containment devices (that would be at least as possible as what's been tried to this point) that would provide superior TV pictures for CNN to play endlessly while interviewing anyone who has ever been to the beach before.
102.9.1 Relay teams shall not compete unattached. In all cases, relay teams must be composed of USMS members of the same club, which is a member of USMS.
I have been told that the reason for the above rule is because it is a FINA rule. I have not confirmed this. I believe their rules are online at www.fina.org.
I have been told that the reason for the above rule is because it is a FINA rule. I have not confirmed this. I believe their rules are online at www.fina.org.
Arguably, the intent of that rule has been circumvented with the formation of regional teams, not to mention the practice of recruiting swimmers from across the country for purposes of breaking records.
Anyway, I didn't think FINA had jurisdiction over scy competition.
I would say this is what the NCAA does in some fashion. Plus they even recruit internationally to help break relay records. Just think if a state school was only permitted to recruit swimmers from within its state to be eligible to swim on that team.
Yes, but this is only Masters, or so I've been told.
