The following blog is not, in fact, written by Chris DeSantis, as blogger may indicate. We are still working on getting Lisa Stephens up with access to the blog. Please excuse our technical difficulties.
So Huey, Duey and Louie and asked me to blog with them and I've agreed. Since accepting I was hoping for (at the bare minimum) a large Edibles basket delivered to my door or tickets to the 400IM final in London but since I don't think that will be happening, I assure you, I'm just happy to have a forum for swim fans to have a voice here on Swim Brief.
So who am I? I'm not a swimmer. I never was a swimmer. At my age I certainly will never be a swimmer. I am a fan and a swim mom. My professional swim experience is limited to teaching 3-4 year olds "Water is Fun!" at Camp JCC in Wisconsin in the mid 80's. (If you were one of my students please get in touch with me here. I'd love to know if you now swim at the elite level thanks to my tutelage.) But I love swimming. Swimming is my sport. So my blogs will be from a fan's perspective. There are many others (including the 3 Ding Dongs that write for this blog) who do a fantastic job at hard-hitting analysis so I'm going to keep letting them do that. This will be something different.
Full disclosure: I was nervous to enter their contest and I'm not one to get scared off very easily. I had 3 babies in 3 minutes (yes, triplets)- so I have plenty of balls- but the world of swimming isn't that big and, let's face it, it can be a little insular. Most people who write about swimming have swum competitively at some point and are usually still involved in the sport as a coach or commentator. Honestly, it's intimidating because you, the fan, don't want to be seen as some kind of shmuck. Well, guess what. I'm here to tell you you're not. You're smart. If you weren't you wouldn't follow a sport that requires you to understand decimals (Phelps beats Cavic in .01 seconds) and you have to have a basic understanding of geometry: arms need to be in a horizontal plane. In other sports you just have to add. One team scores 3 and the other team scores 4. The team with 4 wins. ( I'm being overly-simplistic here but you get my point.) Lactic acid? Maybe you don't know what it is and why it's important but you know what....you give a poo enough to find out. Does that make you not legit? No, just the opposite. It means you care. It means you're a good FAN. Not everyone can be Chris DeSantis and know everything about everything. Some of us just have to try harder.
So let's make it rain, party people. I still plan on making good my promise/threat to write a 10,000 word blog entry titled, "Ryan Lochte's Speedo Colors" that the guys WILL publish along with the 765 pictures I attach. I've already had a request to do a blog on our fabulous Team USA women who are bad-ass -to-the-max that I can't wait to write. Thanks to everyone who read my contest entry and commented, 'liked' and racked up views. If you have any ideas you want me to write about let me know: swimbrief_at_gmail.com or @fortomorrow10 on twitter. Please 'like' us, follow us, tell fellow swim fans!!! We've got some things in the works for you guys; some contests and fun stuff. I think I've convinced Gustafson to do a kissing booth at Trials with proceeds going to Make a Splash and the Swim Brief bar bill. Will keep you posted.
This resonates. I remember feeling so foolish after asking my coworker (the competitive swimmer) why there was a 50m long course event and a 1650m short course event. He very gently explained the difference between long course and short course pools, but I still felt like, "D'oh, why didn't I know that?" If you haven't grown up with swimming, sometimes things just aren't intuitive... Doesn't mean they aren't worth learning. I just wrote an email to my kids' swim team parents teaching the new families how to write their kids' events on their arms at meets. So easy and yet, first time you're faced with it, a mess. I'm grateful for the people who have taught me (and kindly, not mocking me for not springing forth into the world fully informed or *gasp* daring to ask), and try to do the same as gently as possible when I can.
ReplyDelete(*sigh* And it's too early in the morning... Yes, I know it's 1650 yards, not meters. C'mon, coffee. Off to haul the kids to swim practice.)
ReplyDelete"arms need to be in a horizontal plane"... Lisa I spit out my coffee remembering that very comment from someone at Nats last year. I am so excited to see more and I just sent this to Billi who is very happy that you are going to dedicate some time to the Women's team. hahaha
ReplyDeleteI have to say I have spent alot of time on the internet over the pas 11 years learning the terms of the sport. It helps to have a best friend who swam in college to explain "taper", and "Set times". She got a kick out of it
I'm sure to swimmers it's shocking. Generally adults are not asking, "what's a touchdown? or how many strikes for an out?" Again, this is one of the reasons (I'm biased, I know) that swim fans are so great because they do the research, they ask the questions, they take the time and energy to learn and it is a very technical sport. So to those of you who have taken the time and energy to explain negative splits we appreciate you and we raise a collective Trenta iced mocha (that we shlepped into the meet since we got our asses up at the crack of dawn for premlims) in your honor. Thanks for helping promote your sport.
ReplyDeleteI also think it can be really tough to come from the outside and swim fans don't make it easy. Witness how borderline hostile hardcore swim fans get about Rowdy Gaines announcing. He's talking about really basic stuff because the majority of people watching are either tuning into their first swim meet or watching their first one in four years. We as swim fans HAVE to keep welcoming new fans into the fold.
ReplyDeleteI think at big swim meets, like Nationals, an MC should be in the stands explaining the races, backgrounds on the athletes, and what the people in the stands are seeing. There is so much down time between events anyway. It would be so beneficial for first-time swim fans to learn a bit about the sport, and individual competitors. When you go to any TV show taping -- whether it be Jay Leno, or a sitcom -- they always have an MC in the crowd, working the crowd, explaining little information about what you're seeing take place on-set between takes. It helps immeasurably for people to understand what they are seeing, and makes them enjoy the process more. Swimming, for first time swim fans, almost seems like an inside-joke that you can never learn unless you've done it before. I understand the concept of "racing" is very simple, but the entire process of a swim meet can be confusing for many.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, Anon. We're going to have a huge opportunity once again next year with the Olympics to welcome in a whole new influx of fans. We have to remember what it was like for us when we came out of the proverbial swim-closet and make extra sure to meet them at the gate with flowers. Unfortunately, there will always be some "hardcore" people who are threatened and the best we can do is offer low-cost-sliding-scale therapy because that's not about swimming that's about something else.
ReplyDeleteI know some good people who would make great MC's. *cough*
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't know if you "know people" Gus, but no more cheerleaders. I'm still dying from embarrassment.
Cheerleaders = my best idea ever.
ReplyDeleteKidding. But I do think a "warm-up guy" with a band in-between events would greatly enhance people's experience. There is just so much time between events = an awesome opportunity to teach people about our sport, how meets work, about the athletes in the upcoming event, and some fun stuff. This is how sitcoms keep people laughing throughout the 3-hour tapings. This is how big meets should go.
My buddy Garrett McCaffrey is going to be offering his services as a meet announcer in the coming weeks I think. He does an awesome job at servicing both casual and hardcore fans when he calls a meet.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are doing this Lisa!
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest thing I and other non-swimmers do not understand is "in season" swims and taper. Every time there is a GP meet people freak out when Phelps & Lochte don't win every race. I know there are people who are convinced, scooter accident notwithstanding, that Ryan Lochte is going to fail spectacularly at Worlds because had a couple of 8th place finishes at the Santa Clara GP. It's all so confusing.
Thank you, Anon! My check to you is in the mail.....
ReplyDeleteActual conversation I had with my daughter in Indy as Lochte is barely able to lift himself out of the pool after the 200 Back---
My kid: "He looks so tired? What's wrong?"
Me: "He's training really hard, honey. It's in season. He's not an in season swimmer because he trains so hard. He's tired."
My kid: "Isn't he supposed to train before so he's ready when the season comes?"
Me: "Go with Daddy to get some popcorn at the snack stand, honey. Mommy's busy."
Gus, great idea!
ReplyDeleteYup. Robin and I have been there. With kids, too. Too much down time. and not enough fun and info. It needs to be elevated from having the crowd bark like dogs for thrown tee shirts, too. So far that seems to be the extent of "fan involvement".......that and tapping your toes to the occasional blasting Nicki Minaj song.
ReplyDeleteI think people need to remember the groin and knee injury Lochte had (cough cough) before Nats last year. Everyone was saying the same thing, will he fail; how will his groin hold up in the IM's.. whats going to happen.. Then the 200IM and he turned and blew past MFP in the breaststroke and we all went CRAZYY! I think we just have to sit at the edge of our seat and wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes people forget that everyone has their own opinion; that everyone has a favorite swimmer and they need to show some amount of respect to the athletes and other fans. Just because you may think Phelps/Lochte/or Shanteau is god.. others may not agree with you.. You will always have the phelps vs lochte conversations and arguements.. some people just shouldn’t take it too far.. I love to get into those conversations with my friends but I try and be repectful (except when Ryan wins…haha) when on blogs or forums
I think sometimes new fans jump in with out thinking and then you get the backlash
We've seen first hand how (except for the very rare exception) the athletes themselves treat each other with respect. When Phelps-Lochte Fans get too crazy I always find it ironic because these 2 guys like each other and definitely respect each other so we-as fans-should follow their lead. It's hard when someone gets on a blog and makes threats to other fans. Like you said, everyone has the right to their own opinion and this is all in good fun.
ReplyDeletePHELPS IS LIKE 1 BILLION TIMES BETTER THAN LOCHTE! LOCHTE SUCKS HE ONLY WINS BECAUSE HE CHEATS ITS NOT FAIR HE'S ON DRUGS
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the generalized and veiled threats and you've pretty much got it.
ReplyDeleteQuestion for Lisa:
ReplyDeleteWhat's with all the nice things about Chris?
Whoa. Wait. Hold up. I said something nice about Chris? I'm panicking. I have to edit my stuff more closely. Thanks for the heads up, Coach.
ReplyDeleteI find it as a personal achievement whenever I get anyone (see: my girlfriends... my guy friends are just jealous and don't want any part of it lol) interested in swimming who isn't still recovering from the 1500m they did 20 years ago in high school. It's even more of a double bonus when they ask me technical questions on top of their "aesthetic" questions (i.e. "HOW DO THEY FIT INTO SPEEDOS THAT SMALL? NOT THAT I MIND, BUT I DON'T GET IT). I'm not going to lie, some parts can be a little tedious to watch (120 heats of prelims of the 100m Free), but the mechanics involved are fascinating. I haven't been a "swimmer" for the latter part of 20 years. Don't be fooled, I still can do a mean backflip in the ocean. But, nevertheless, I still love it. This blog is shaping up to be every reason why I do, and love talking about it even more. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry......it's all Google's fault.
ReplyDeleteWhat I was saying was it is a huge accomplishment to "convert" a non-believer to a believer. Yes, the Speedos help but it usually takes more than that.....certainly for long -term sustainability.
Happy you like the blog! We have fun doing it but the best part of writing is when people read it and enjoy it.
You do flip turns in the ocean? Mad props, sista.