Blogfight Armaggedon: Tony Austin (and Sarah Gjerstad) vs John Leonard

Tony Austin never shies away from a fight. So when John Leonard went on the offensive after Tony referenced a blog post that questioned ASCA's legitimacy, Tony dug in. Since then Tony has received a series of what he deems "threatening" e-mails from Leonard, the lot of which he promises to post today at 12 pm ET on his blog. This should be good.

Here it is! Our first ad!

Sorry for the low quality.  Enjoy!  I think we captured our user experience perfectly.  Please spread it around, and embed it everywhere to get us some more likes.  Yeah, baby.

Late Night Snack: Our First Commercial to Air Soon!

This is a sneak peek at the first commercial for The Swim Brief to air on Universal Sports.  Of course, it is still in production and our logo and text hasn't been added yet, but I am sure you can see how what we have filmed so far captures what all of our readers feel when they log in to our site.  Thank you to all of our sponsors for helping us to be able to afford some real daytime TV talent. 

What Does Jim Tressel Have To Do With Swimming?

Jim Tressel resigned from his position of Head Coach, Ohio State Football this morning. You might wonder what the hell this has to do with swimming. Sit tight while I explain.

This Week In: The Swim Brief

 

"I love a good pair of briefs"

 

On "This Week in the Swim Brief" we offer you a rewind of the best our blog had to offer in the past week. It's a chance to catch up if you've been away or are just joining us. It's also a chance for us to to look back and take another look at what we wrote and whether its still relevant. Enjoy:

Tony Austin Battles with John Leonard Over ASCA's Legitimacy

A few days ago, we linked to a blog post from Tony Austin's SCAQ blog. In it Tony referenced another blog that had been investigating ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) as a result of a proposed San Antonio aquatics complex that would use local tax revenue. The accusation in the blog was startling- that ASCA was not in fact incorporated in the United States.

Since then, things have gotten considerably more heated.

Nick Folker, The Swimming Strength Coach

This is part 3 in a continuing series of reports from the CSCAA conference May 19-21 in San Diego, California. For part 1 "Salo Taught me a Butt Dive", click here. For Part 2 Frank Busch: "If You Have a Problem, Call me", click here.

Nearly every coach in the room was insanely jealous. In front of us stood Nick Folker: cool, confident and speaking with an awesome South African accent. If you thought he looked more like an elite sprint freestyler than a strength coach, it's because he does. Folker had us at "hello", and for several reasons.

Nighttime Snack: Which High Schooler Has the Best Shot At London?

Our friends over at The Swimmer's Circle have the answers. They conducted a poll to see which High School Male people thought had the best shot at making the team. It's funny to think that this is now a question, since in the not too distant past high school males regularly made the team. In fact, Peirsol and Phelps both qualified as high schoolers in 2000 and it's hard to think of that happening now a decade later. Almost makes you wonder if Phelps and Peirsol were the last of their kind. Oh, do you want to know who won the poll? Only they can tell you that:

Conversations You Have With Yourself During Every 200 Butterfly

25 Yards: This isn't so bad. Long and smooth. Relaxed. I've trained for this.

50 Yards: Am I going out too fast? Or am I just awesome? Banking on "awesome."

Nighttime Snack: NAG Record Holder To Marry Kardashian.

 I know, it's shocking and trouble. Our swimming minds can only conjure the angelic face Kris Humphries as a 100 IM superstar. Now, he's all growed up as a NBA ball player. With this announcement it apprears he his on a collision course for "tallest Kardashian husband" with current title holder Lamar Odom. NBA.com lists Odom as 6'10. Humphries clocks in at 6'9. But we've never seen them back to back. Getting on with it, Kris Humphries proposed to Kim Kardashian. You which one right? Not the one who is way taller than the other two or the one who married Lamar. He proposed to the sex tape one. Ah, true love is so hard to find. (Link after the jump)

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/b244054_kim_kardashian_kris_humphries_its_going.html

Gutter Talk: The Big 10 "Living Expenses"; Proposal

The Big 10 Conference has proposed a plan to pay scholarship athletes an additional $2000 to $5000 for "living expenses," which has the support of NCAA leadership and is estimated to cost at least $300,000 a year for each school to cover football and basketball alone.

What do you think?

Chinese Swimmers are Dirty Cheaters and I Know it

Every so often the guys at the Swim Brief need a break. In order to fill the gaps, they call in guest bloggers. To read the blog by Phelps Phan Ritchie MP Cummins, go here. This week's guest blogger hails from London, England. He is a renowned swimming journalist for the Daily Mirror. Please welcome Tom Duke. Ed note: The Swim Brief Authors are not responsible for any of this content.

You know, when I wake up in the morning and look at the world rankings, it boils my blood. The answer should be obvious to anyone that has a sliver of a brain: THE CHINESE.

The Big Bad Swim Movie

Sigh, its been a long day. Remember yesterday when Brendan Hansen came back and that was cool too talk about? Well, here's something to put you to sleep: The Trailer from the horrible swimming movie "The Big Bad Swim Movie":

Frank Busch: "If You Have a Problem, Call me"

This is part 2 in a continuing series of reports from the CSCAA conference May 19-21 in San Diego, California. For part 1, click here.

Frank Busch comforts a college swim coach at the CSCAA Convention

"719..." I furiously pulled out my cell phone. Frank Busch was giving me his cell phone number and giving me free license to call it. But the leader of "America's Swim Team" wasn't just talking to me, he was talking to over 200 college coaches who had gathered to see him speak. It was a bold way to start a speech, but Busch was trying to make a bold point: things would be different in Colorado Springs.

National Record in 100 Fly- Video

Check out this video of Jasmine Tosky setting the National High School record in the 100 fly:

Hansen's Back!

Today, "American's Swim Team" breaths a sigh of relief. Brendan Hansen has come back to save our men's breaststroke. Hansen announced this weekend that he is coming back to swimming. Since his retirement following the 2008 Olympics, USA's men have floundered a bit internationally, with Mark Gangloff (8th) and Eric Shanteau (8th) finishing the year as the highest ranked men's breaststrokers. Both are the lowest rankings in any events except the 400 free.

Salo Taught Me a Butt Dive

 Yep that's Dave, The other guy? Some backstroker

This is part 1 of a series of posts about the CSCAA Conference in San Diego California from May 19-21st.

David Salo is widely respected as one the greatest coaching minds in swimming. As someone that coaches breaststroke myself, I eagerly anticipated getting up at 7 this morning to watch him lead some swimmers through different drills and technique work that he does. There is no way I could have expected that mid way through the presentation he would have swimmers diving butt first into the water. And you know what? It was awesome.

Lewis and Clark's Michael Miller

Collegeswimming.com recently posted an article about an amazing coach that I did not know was even still at it.  When I was an age grouper, Mike Miller was the head coach for the Glacier Swim Club in Juneau, Alaska, which is about a nine hour ferry ride north of my home town of Petersburg.  Please read the heartfelt nod for him as an honorable mention for Assistant Coach of the Year by his head coach and one of his swimmers from Lewis and Clark at the college swimming site if you haven't already.

Gutter Talk: NCAA Potential Relay Rule Changes

The NCAA is considering several rule changes for swimming, including inviting 16 relays to the D1 championship, allowing aggregate relay entries, tying relay entries to times rather than names, and eliminating last chance meets; all of which might severely lessen the number of individual qualifiers.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

“We really need to move to a system that makes more sense.  I think it’s time we get the BCS involved.”  Chuck W.- Sports Management Consultant

Mike Gustafson's Charlotte GP Write Up

Yes, occasionally swim briefers write for other websites.  If you're like me, you like to start your day with a heaping bowl of Gustafson. Head on over to USA Swimming to check out what Mike had to say about the Charlotte GP.

Todd Schmitz: Breaking Through

Todd Schmitz is an anomaly. In 2011, his kind of achievement is even more rare than it has been. While it was treated as a minor news story by some, Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce's decision to go train with the Colorado Stars represents something quite remarkable. Todd Schmitz has arrived. He no longer just happens to have a young olympic hopeful on his team- his team is now a place to go for established international swimmers. The fact that he's been in coaching for not even a decade makes it seem easy. It most certainly isn't.

Swim Photo Caption Contest: A Brief and a Warm-Up Jacket

This dude deserves some of your witty love right here.

When we found this picture for yesterday's Guest Blogger, Ritchie MP Cummins, it was just too good to be true.  So, we decided that he has to be our Photo Caption Contest pic of the week.  Now is your chance to take a crack at it.  This week we are holding back our comments to give you a chance to throw something clever up first.

Of course, Ritchie had a pretty good one on his post yesterday: 

"That's me taking a break between rounds of Push the Limit on my XBOX 360."

 

Congrats to our past winners Erik Wiken and Rokur. Leave us a caption and get some props on our facebook page and twitter feed. 

Guest Blogger: Phelps Phan, Ritchie MP Cummins

"That's me taking a break between rounds of Push the Limit on my XBOX 360."

I have to admit, I had never watched a swim meet before until I saw the 2008 Olympics where Michael Phelps had his magical moment of winning eight gold medals. Since then, I have wanted to be just like Mike. I know that I won’t ever date like, supermodels or anything, but I can still be Phelpsian and live my life to the fullest every day just like my hero, Michael Phelps.

Jessica Hardy Came Home

Two nights of observations from the Charlotte Ultraswim Grand Prix:

Swim-Off Hype: Foreshadowing The Future?

So a lot of the buzz on-deck here at Charlotte has been centered around the swim-off between Jones and Schneider. We won't get into the details. You know what happened. You know the stakes. You know the dilly, yo.

Fact is, that swim-off generated more excitement than I've seen in a long time. Of course, there was a World Championship roster on the line. Which is a big deal. However, a lot of the excitement centered just on the fact on the hype of it.

Jones Wins! (And Other Thoughts on Charlotte Ultraswim)

Sometimes, swimming seems extremely predictable. Michael Phelps always wins, Aaron Peirsol always wins, Team USA always the 4x100 Free Relay. Then Phelps all of a sudden isn't even the best swimmer on his own national team. Peirsol loses to multiple countrymen. Team Australia pulls the big upset and all of a sudden Michael Klim is playing an air guitar. The exciting moments are when something completely goes against that conventional wisdom, and its happened in spades this past year of swimming.

Gutter Talk: Jones vs. Schneider Swim-Off

CULLEN JONES RECENTLY DEFEATED SWIMMAC TEAMMATE JOSH SCHNEIDER IN A HEAD TO HEAD SWIM-OFF FOR THE FINAL SPOT ON THE US WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"I heard there was a lot of trash talking in practice.  It almost makes me feel like swimming is a legitimate sport."  Kobe B- Sports Fan.

Hite Hired to Lead Wisconsin Program to Termination

 The Screaming Viking!-- May 10, 2011

MADISON, Wisconsin.   University of Wisconsin  Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez announced Monday that Whitney L. Hite will be the coach to lead Badgers Swimming into it’s final years.

Hite joins the Badgers after spending the last two seasons as an Assistant Coach under Arizona’s Frank Busch.  Before that he was in Seattle where he served as the University of Washington men's and women's head coach from 2006-09 and the team was cut at the peak of their success. During that time, Hite led the Husky women to a best-ever 12th place finish in 2008, and their men cracked into the top 16, which was their highest finish since the Earl Ellis era of the 1970‘s.  

Greatest Swim Offs That Never Happened

In light of today's gargantuan swim-off between Cullen Jones and Josh Schneider at the Charlotte Grand Prix, today we'll be looking at epic swim-offs than never happened. There are no rules. (It's like asking who's hotter: Meg Ryan, or Jack Nicholson c.1974?) And if you complain about the logistics of this exercise by pointing out "swim times are swim times, idiot" then you're the same person who ruins Time Travel movies by pointing out plot holes and space time continuum flaws.

Gutter Talk: Phelps' Oxygen Tent

SWIMNEWS REPORTED RECENTLY THAT MICHAEL PHELPS HAS BEEN SLEEPING IN AN OXYGEN TENT TO AID HIS RECOVERY BETWEEN TRAINING SESSIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"For some reason, the scene where Cheech and Chong were driving their car really slow and got pulled over comes to mind."  Ian C.- Retiree

Kingmakers: How Reality Shows Can Help You Get a Job

May marks many things. For instance, it was 91 degrees in Atlanta yesterday, marking the first day of the year I will wish I was still living in Massachusetts. More importantly, May means that coaches are changing seats. Some call it the "Coaching Carousel" but I think a better analog is the plethora of "American Idol" inspired reality shows currently populating television.

Swim Photo Caption Contest: El Camino

If you can't give us a caption about these idiots, you just ain't a swimmer.

Gus:   

Harry:  "I gotta stop to go to the bathroom."  

Lloyd:  "Just go man."  (smiles)  "That's really warm."

Chris:  

"South Carolina long course state meet to be held in temporary pool."

Viking!:  

"The Ryan Lochte Signature Swim Spa is marketed more toward the Florida white trash crowd."

How To Win An Olympic Gold Medal In 9 Easy Steps!

1. Learn to swim.

2. Genetically engineer your elbow and knee joints to bend backwards. Preferably at a younger age, take a sledgehammer, and every day or two, just lightly tap on each joint until they are tender. Once nice and malleable, bend each joint just past the point of pain, but not so you break anything. This is excellent for most strokes, but especially backstroke.

Living the Dream: The Swimming Trucker

If they make a movie about the swimming trucker, I think it should be called "Sit, Shift, Stare, Swim."  I dare you to say that five times fast.

On a rough Saturday morning in college I was watching cartoons through the painful eyes of a splitting headache when my roommate Clint walked in and asked “did you know you guys kept me up until past three o’clock last night?”

“Keep it down, dude.  Shhh…  You’re killing me.”  I replied.  “Rough night.  And no, I don’t remember keeping you up.”

“You and Todd were plotting out your plans to drop out and become truckers.  It really seems like you’ve put a lot of thought into it.  You were going on and on about how awesome your new Smokey and the Bandit lifestyle is gonna be.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.  Shut up.”

Cool Water: Yale's Kiphuth Pool

Welcome to a randomly appearing feature here on the Swim Brief. In Cool Water we'll take you to different pools around the world and tell you why they're cool. Want your pool featured on the Swim Brief? E-mail swimbrief_at_gmail.com.

Gutter Talk: The Ed Moses/ Ryan Lochte Documentary

ED MOSES RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT A DOCUMENTARY IS BEING PRODUCED THAT FOLLOWS THE TRAINING OF HE AND RYAN LOCHTE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"Oh God, I hope there is a slow motion running scene."  David H.- Head Lifeguard

Motivational Playlist: "Inspiration Au Gratin"

The Star Child should get at least a little credit for coaching me all the way through age group, high school and college.

Gus reminded us the other day that music can be a major motivator in the life of a swimmer.  I mean, heck, now we have multiple companies selling water-proof mp3 players just so that we can swim our laps without missing a beat.  When I make a motivational play list I typically focus on THE METAL, so Motorhead, Tomahawk, Dio, etc come up pretty often, but once in a while my ipod’s mental problems can stretch all the way to things like the Thompson Twins and Anne Murray.  (Please don't tell anyone who went to Petersburg Middle School from 1986-88.  I have a rep to protect.)

Why am I telling you all this?  Because I want to share a guilty pleasure with you.  There is a little understood sub-genre of metal that I want to help you appreciate when you make your next motivational play list for swim practice.

Swim Photo Caption Contest: Inflatable Doll

This guy just stole your girlfriend.  Now is your chance to get back at him with a smart-ass caption.

Chris:  "Aaron Peirsol enjoying food, retirement."

Gus:  "Speedo unveils new full-body swimsuit tailored for the lonely Masters swimmer."

Viking!:  "Well, actually... she saved my life on a spring break swim and love just blossomed from there."

Can you top that?  Give it a shot below.

Jessica Hardy and the Complicated World of Supplements

I know that there are mixed opinions out there on Jessica Hardy.  Her doping case has been a roller coaster ride from the beginning.  Some feel that her penalty reduction and now her recent reinstatement of eligibility to swim at the 2012 US Trials and Olympic Games is a slap in the face not only to Tara Kirk who arguably should have filled Hardy’s spot on the ‘08 team, but also to others who were not able to escape their fate after testing positive for a banned substance.  I personally believe that her positive test was due to a tainted supplement as she claimed but I understand if you don't buy it.  USA Swimming warns us that if we take a supplement we assume the risk.  I just feel it is never that simple and that each case needs to be looked at carefully.  There are a lot of people out there who are taking supplements with the assumption that they are safe.  Jessica Hardy had a guarantee from Advocare, but learned later that a guarantee doesn't matter much.

In a single ASCA newsletter I can see all in one glance an article about a doping suspension, a warning about sport energy drinks, and an advertisement for a sports drink that is endorsed by several of the greatest swimmers in US history.  The supplement that Jessica claims was tainted was endorsed by several swimmers, including Larsen Jensen.  Mixed messages anyone?  

Garrett McCaffrey, American Badass and Other Stories from Master's Nationals

Most of the attention at this past weekend's Masters Nationals duly focused on the usual stories. Retirees that can embarrass college swimmers, a former Olympian making a comeback- these things are all par for the course by now at the most athletically diverse swim meet in the country. Lost amid everything was the dramatic comeback by Garrett McCaffrey, who now holds the title of "Fastest in the Swimming Media"