Comments for The Swimmers Circle

Comment on Rice to Undergo Shoulder Surgery Today by Rice Loses Jaguar Sponsorship for Using Homophobic Slur, Reminds Us of Increased Exposure of Swimming | The Swimmers Circle

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:07:10 +0000

[...] Rice, who won 3 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, is currently recovering from shoulder surgery that she underwent last week. [...]

Comment on USA Swimming Announces Time Cuts for 2012 Olympic Trials by CoachErik

CoachErik — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:14:45 +0000

Not surprised with the changes in the men’s 100 FR/BK/Fly/200IM, I would think, also has to do with the increasing use of dolphin kick in long course swimming since we saw it at 2008 in Beijing be the difference between winning races to destroying the field by MP. Kind of made the importance painfully obvious to the rest of US Swimming.

Comment on Legends of the Pool: Johnny Weissmuller by Which Was the Greatest US Men’s Olympic Team Ever? | The Swimmers Circle

Which Was the Greatest US Men’s Olympic Team Ever? | The Swimmers Circle — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:23:22 +0000

[...] group deserves serious consideration. Mark Spitz almost made swimming mainstream for the first time since Johnny Weissmuller played Tarzan, and was the first swimming superstar in the era of wide-spread television in America. In 1960, the [...]

Comment on Libby Trickett (Lenton) Returns from Retirement, Aims for 2012 by FINA Doping Rules Might Delay Trickett’s Return Until After World Championships | The Swimmers Circle

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:30:33 +0000

[...] Trickett’s announcement yesterday that she would be returning from a brief, 7 month retirement, was a huge lift for the Australian swimming community that was very [...]

Comment on Two National Records Broken at California Southern Section Meet by 2010-2011 College Preview: No. 11 Texas Women Look To Rebound from Disappointing NCAA Championship Meet | The Swimmers Circle

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:21:44 +0000

[...] this year, when she threw down a blazing 52.89 at the Texas State Championship meet. (Of course, Cindy Tran came in a few months later and made Moldenhauer look like a summer-leaguer in comparison, but I digress). That time is already fast enough to score points at NCAA’s, even if she [...]

Comment on Lochte vs Clary vs Phelps: Who Wins the 400 IM in 2012 by David Rieder

David Rieder — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:37:54 +0000

I think Clary will have his strategy, speed, and endurance all in line by then. He had a rough NCAA season and switched training sites mid-season, etc. I think with two good years at FAST, he will be more than ready to take on Lochte by 2012. Despite his rough winter, he came back and went 4:09 twice at Pan Pacs, just two seconds off his time from last year. And he realistically expects to be 4:05-4:06 by next year.

Now I’ll contradict myself and say how Phelps (we’ll see) and Lochte will be so ready for this race in 2012. It will be fast and tight. Just because I say that, it will probably be a blow-out for someone but not very fast. No one’s got a clue! Someone else will probably end up winning (which, at this point, I cannot imagine… those three are way out there).

Comment on Lochte vs Clary vs Phelps: Who Wins the 400 IM in 2012 by Braden Keith

Braden Keith — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:54:40 +0000

Good grab with it being the first event of the meet, David. That will certainly change the outlook on it. I think if that would make him the FIRST (rather than the first in a decade) to do it, that might be a huge motivation. As it is, I think he’s already deadset on not wanting to swim it, and I’m not sure anyone’s going to change his mind.

Here’s my ending: Clary fades slightly on the last 50, after taking the front half out so hard, and touches in a 4:06.13. Phelps decides he’s not going to finish the race, and hopes out before completing the last turn. And Lochte turns on the burners and scorches to the finish going a new textile WR of 4:05.15, the second fastest performance in history.

Comment on Trickett Considering Return Under New Coach by Libby Trickett (Lenton) Returns from Retirement, Aims for 2012 | The Swimmers Circle

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:18:58 +0000

[...] is a move that Trickett has been considering since Swimming Australia announced that Leigh Nugent had been promoted to coach Australia’s Senio….In the end, Trickett took a path that many world-class swimmers have opted for. Her “break” [...]

Comment on Stopkotte Reaches Settlement With USA-Swimming by Swimming World: Stopkotte’s Comments Contradict Indiana Swimming Statement | The Swimmers Circle

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:27:38 +0000

[...] World Magazine has received a text copy of the speech that embattled coach Ken Stopkotte gave to his team upon his resignation from the F.A.S.T. swim [...]

Comment on New Poll: How Heinous is Falsifying Swimmers’ Times? by Braden Keith

Braden Keith — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:02:40 +0000

Whelp, I guess it depends on a few things, including whether the meet allows yards times for entry, converted times, etc. My personal preference would be to enter him as the converted time.

I think in the situation you presented, if you get caught having done it once, a slap on the wrist and a DQ is probably in order, as long as you don’t fight the decision. Second time, probably mandatory attendance at a workshop. Third time I would start getting into fines and suspensions from meets, perhaps not allowing you to be on deck for a few months, and require the club or parent sign off on all entry times.

I would imagine keeping you off-deck and having the club be on the hook for your actions would probably put an end to it right there, because after that, you’d probably be canned. But in a meet with no entry times and where it’s just to get a better seed, while it’s not right, I don’t think it’s on the level of a “scandal” or a membership suspension like Stopkotte received.