Quote of the Day

Bacchus hath drowned more men than Neptune.

Thomas Fuller

Quote of the Day

I believe there are more instances of the

abridgement of the freedom of the people

by gradual and silent encroachments of those in

power than by violent and sudden usurpations.

James Madison

Quote of the Day

Our universities are so determined to impose

tolerance that they'll expel you for saying

what you think and never notice the irony.

John Perry Barlow

Quote of the Day

When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

Henry J. Kaiser

Quote of the Day

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Quote of the Day

Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated.
You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps.



David Lloyd George

Quote of the Day

There are no victories at bargain prices.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Quote of the Day

The meek shall inherit the Earth,

but not its mineral rights.

J. Paul Getty

Quote of the Day

Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important

to remember that apparently, by elimination,

dishonesty is the second-best policy.

George Carlin

Quote of the Day

When I read about the evils of drinking,

I gave up reading.

Henny Youngman

Quote of the Day

I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis

and I don't deserve that either.

Jack Benny

For Grandma and Grandpa

Leon:

Bobby:

Quote of the Day

Make the best use of what is in your power,

and take the rest as it happens.

Epictetus

Quote of the Day

Nothing is more powerful than

an idea whose time has come.

Victor Hugo

Quote of the Day

I always turn to the sports pages first, which

record people's accomplishments. The front

page has nothing but man's failures.

Earl Warren

Quote of the Day

He was so learned that he could name a

horse in nine languages; so ignorant

that he bought a cow to ride on.

Benjamin Franklin

Quote of the Day

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

Aldous Huxley

Quote of the Day

Sometimes the road less traveled

is less traveled for a reason.

Jerry Seinfeld

Quote of the Day

It takes your enemy and your friend, working

together, to hurt you: the one to slander you,

and the other to bring the news to you.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain)

Bonus Demotivator

Haven't come up with any Bonus Demotivators lately. Thanks, Ana!

Quote of the Day

I don't need bodyguards.

Jimmy Hoffa

Censorship or Editing?

Those of you who read the comments on my site already know that I rarely take one down.

If a comment slams me personally, I often hit back with a comment of my own. We both get our ideas out there and it's over, right?

On those occasions when I do remove one, I like to think of it as editing.

If a comment appears an extra time or two, I'll get rid of the extras and leave the original.

If someone is using my site to slam someone unfairly, I'll sometimes blow the whistle, call a penalty, and delete that comment. That doesn't happen very often, does it? I usually say "play on" and forget all about it.

If (when?) the lawyers come after me, I may have a change of heart.

Now for the censorship portion of our program:

A comment on Timed Finals from Thorjohnny accused them of taking something from Swimming World.

Rather than respond, Timed Finals simply deleted the comment. They've done this before.

I think Scott Goldblatt's site needs to a) begin crediting other sites, and b) stop censoring comments that call them on it.

On blogcatalog, they describe their site as follows:

We are a swimming news and content portal founded by Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Goldblatt. Timed Finals is written by dedicated writers who hold an infinite passion for the sport of swimming. We are focused on building an interactive swimming community through the use of social media; first and foremost by providing extraordinary subject matter related to all aspects of the sport while allowing readers to freely interact with the content by providing their own thoughts, experiences and reactions.

HAHAHAHAHA!!

...while allowing readers to freely interact...

Quote of the Day

Nothing is a waste of time if

you use the experience wisely.

Rodin

Quite the Quandary!

I first read that Katie Hoff had taken down a couple more American Records on Timed Finals. A comment at the end of the piece, though, made me realize that the same info might have already been posted on Swimming World.

Who do I credit if I decide to post something? The site that first posted it? Or the site that (allegedly) poached it?

Wow! This is giving me a headache. On second thought, maybe it's the cheap wine that's responsible for that.

Here's the Swimming World post:

Katie Hoff Destroys Another Pair of American Records -- December 8, 2007

BALTIMORE, Maryland, December 8. AFTER setting a pair of American records last night at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club Christmas Invitational, Katie Hoff was at it again on Saturday night.

Last night, Hoff set national records in the 1000 free (9:10.77) and 200 IM (1:53.77). The 1000 free also included an incredible last 500 free time of 4:33.75.

Without having to worry about that annoying first 500 yards, Hoff dropped an awesome time of 4:30.47 to crush Kate Ziegler's American record time of 4:33.35 set in 2006.

Meanwhile, Hoff also blasted the longest-standing short course yard record from the books with an astounding time of 4:00.66 in the 400 IM according to sources at the meet. She demolished Summer Sanders' American record time of 4:02.28 set in 1992.

More information will be available as soon as official results are posted.

Here's the Timed Finals post:

December 8, 2007

Hoff Annilihates 500 Free; 400 IM American Records

Posted by Gus

Katie Hoff destroyed two more American Records tonight, this time in the 500 free & 400 IM. In the 500 free, Hoff swam lights-out: 4:30.47! She crushed Kate Ziegler’s previous AR time (4:33.35) by three seconds. Meanwhile, in the 400 IM, Hoff shattered the existing AR by almost two seconds, swimming a blistering 4:00.66! She broke Summer Sanders’ 15 year-old record (4:02.28) set in 1992.

Hoff looked like she had a shot to break the 4:30 barrier after last night’s incredible 9:10 1000 freestyle (she brought it home in 4:33). Either way, Katie Hoff is having a brilliant weekend: four swims, four American records, all in two nights.

Full results posted as they come in.

Comments:

“Hoff Annilihates 500 Free; 400 IM American Records” currently has 2 Responses

Comment by Thorjohnny

Posted on December 8th, 2007 at 21:35

Nice to see you read swiminfo.

Comment by Rusty

Posted on December 8th, 2007 at 21:59

Annilihates? Surely you mean Annihilates (Destroys).

Just two more questions in the Winner's Circle...

...and you'll win $10,000:

Here are your splits.

Your pull-outs looked better.

We're going to split our free relays.

Did you get in a good warm-down?

Things a swim coach would say!

Ding!

Was that a good time for you?

The relay order will be...alphabetical.

Don't forget to get your time.

What do you want on your Whataburger?

Things a sponsor would say!

Ding! Ding!! Ding!!!

Quote of the Day

Some people talk in their sleep.

Lecturers talk while other people sleep.

Albert Camus

Y'all Think I'm Kiddin'?

Here are some posts from a (mostly football) thread on The Old Coach about dealing with parents.

Some sound too nutty to be true, but since I once had a freshman's mom tell me her daughter should get a letter jacket in the middle of the season, I guess anything's possible.

We had a young lady a few years back that was selected MVP in girls basketball. Another mother from our school wanted our supt. to call the other supts and get it changed because she felt like her daughter should be MVP and she was crying that the race card led the other coaches to vote for the white girl.

Had a momma come to me after a game and wanted to know why the JV picture was not in the game program. Instead the person who takes care of all that stuff had put the freshmen picture insted of the JV. I lost it.

Had one upset that I was not promoting his kid enough to draw any intrest from any D-1 schools. Kid was a Freshman.

Had parent go to the sup and board members to complain about:

1. Their child was not selected to the all-state team.
2. My father passed away, the first game back after his funeral was with a distict rival. Players from opposing team gave me flowers. On the bus after the game, I put them in the trash. A player told a parent so the parent goes to the s.b.
3. School board member upset that I did not stay around all summer coaching the kids!

Had a parent complain that the freshmen were not in the varsity football picture. There were some sophmores in the pic (because they were on varsity). Anyway, because of a pansy admin. we had to take the varsity picture with the freshman, JV, and Varsity all together. All to make her son feel special.

Had a freshman B team parent complain about the size of the font on the B team roster. The A team had a bigger font. She also complained that the cheerleaders didn't go to B team games but they did go to the A team games. She finished up by complaining about playing time by saying "I know my son is crappy, but so is everyone else on that team so they should all play the same amount." She did not put her cigarette down at any point to make these complaints.

Had a parent complain during a 8th grade football game about how much time his kid was getting to play.Well, this what I wanted to say. If your kid would stay out of trouble in the school building he might get to play a little. Heck, the kid missed a football game because he had to serve in the After school program from 3:30 to 5:45. Idiots, plan and simple.

Had a parent call me to complain about why his Sr. daughter did not start in a State Semi-Final game in front of a Soph. His daughter had not started all year and quite honestly did not want to play anyway. He (the parent) was on the school board and wanted me to fire the head coach after the State Championship (we lost by 2).

Had a mexican dad with watery eyes....been drinking a little,,,come in upset his son wasn't playing on the A team anymore. We decided he needed to be dropped down to the B as a punishment and it would sort of embarass the kid. It worked, but dad wasnt happy with it and said we were picking on his kid. Turns out we let the kid go before the end of the season for some other things. Dad is really pissed now and says hes going to the school board cause we are just picking on his kid and his kid is a model child. Well, about a week ago kid is taken out in handcuffs because apparently hes been heading up some gang and picking on kids. Guess we were wrong for cutting him. Probably our fault he headed up a gang. At least thats what his dad thinks Im sure. So naive.

Had parent come up to the DC after a playoff game, while everyone was still on the field. He got in the DC's face and was ranting about how it was his fault that they lost the game. The guy was so drunk he didn't even know that they had WON the game.

Had a mama come to the school and ask:
"Why you be flunking Corey?"
I told her that he was not doing his work and he had been sleeping in class.
To that she replied:
"Uh huh. and he say that you been waking him up too. He be tired!"

Also had a parent complain once that we were picking on their kid because we kept waking him up in class. They said that we couldn't make him do anything he didn't want to and that we had better lay off him before we made him mad and something bad happened.

Had a parent schedule a conference because the sidelines did not hit a knee when a player was injured. He told me it was a UIL and NCAA rule...15 yard penalty.

I was once accused by a hispanic parent of being prejudiced because I benched her son. It was lost on her that I replaced her son with another hispanic player.

Had one complain that we were playing her sone TOO MUCH. HE was a stud RB/ DB.. he was getting too tired.

We had a kid hurt his shoulder in the second to last game of the year. The player couldn't practice all week because of the shoulder. He was a senior, so we let him suit up for the last game (senior night). After the game he and a parent (not even his own) were causing a big scene and saying how we were idiots,and the coaches didn't like him and that's why he didn't play the last game. They were screaming about getting screwed and ruining his senior year. They told the supt. that I didn't like him and that's why he never carried the ball. (He was second in carries the last two seasons).

Had a parent complain the other day because I woke her son up when the tardy bell rang. I was subbing for a class, they were watching a movie, and he slept throughout most of it. She said I embarrassed him.

Parent came to my house complaining about son not playing. Standing in my yard cussing and yelling telling me I don't like hispanics, I'm racist against hispanics and what do I have against hispanics. My wife hears all this and walks out and says to me....honey, the tamales are ready...you want some. (my wife is hispanic) The look on his face was priceless!

A parent comes up to one of our coaches after a basketball game that we lost. The parent asks if he knows anything about coaching basketball. The coach responds... No, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Now that was funny!!!!

Quote of the Day

Magnificent promises are always to be suspected.

Theodore Parker

Quote of the Day

Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.

Kurt Vonnegut

Quote of the Day

This is the bitterest pain among men,

to have much knowledge but no power.

Herodotus

Quote of the Day

If I knew I was going to live this long,

I'd have taken better care of myself.

Mickey Mantle

Mr. Mopar Muscle

The '73 Duster's almost ready...

Quote of the Day

What, Me Worry?

Alfred E. Neuman

Quote of the Day

It is no good to try to stop knowledge from going

forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge.

Enrico Fermi

Quote of the Day

There's a difference between a

philosophy and a bumper sticker.

Charles M. Schulz

Quote of the Day

Time, the devourer of all things.

Ovid

Quote of the Day

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the

harder I work the more I have of it.

Thomas Jefferson

Quote of the Day

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.

My strength lies solely in my tenacity.

Louis Pasteur

How Do They Do It?

How do the folks on the U.I.L. Legislative Council keep from laughing at some of the presentations?

Here are a few proposals that were denied/rejected/tabled:

No coach can coach his son on a varsity team.

Is it okay for a mom to coach her daughter?

Coaches not be allowed to run alongside their athletes during cross country meets.

I guess that means swimming in open lanes during races would be out for swim coaches, too.

Allow players to take a drink during a thirty-second time out in basketball.

Does that mean they can’t now? That's pretty idiotic!

Acrylic or artificial nails shall not be allowed in girls basketball.

Next, they'll want to limit hair weaves!

Regulate the length of basketball pants.

I hope we're not going back to short shorts!

Create a rule to dictate hair length.

Do they mean shorter for guys, longer for girls, or both?

Allow fifth year seniors to play football.

Let's lower the bar to reward failure!

Freshmen and sophomores should not be allowed to play on a varsity team until he or she reaches their junior year.

That would have meant last year's guys' team of ten would have been trimmed to a much more manageable four, while the gals' squad of eight would have been a team of two. At least there wouldn't be any relay controversies.

All youth participating in athletics be given equal playing time in all sports.

I couldn't agree more. It's just not fair that an eight-minute 500 freestyler has all the fun while a twenty-one second 50 freestyler barely gets any "playing" time!

I'll bet you hoped I'd include something funny about U.I.L. sponsoring water polo, didn't you?

Sorry, but I'm not going there...

Quote of the Day

I don't make jokes. I just watch the

government and report the facts.

Will Rogers

Quote of the Day

I owe my success to having listened respectfully
to the very best advice, and then going away
and doing the exact opposite.

G. K. Chesterton

Quote of the Day

Never interrupt your enemy

when he is making a mistake.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Advice

This list appears in the most recent edition of Texas Coach magazine. It's from former Corpus Christi ISD athletic director Richard Avila. It's aimed at first-time football coaches, but most items could apply to any new coach.

Advice for a First-Time Head Coach

1. Thank those who helped you get where you are today...parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, etc. Thank the Board, administration, principal, A.D., upon being awarded the position.
2. Be loyal to your district, board, superintendent, principal, school, coaches, athletes, etc.
3. Be careful what you say to the media, be short and to the point - be positive always.
4. Evaluate existing staff, allow them a chance to prove themselves. If they fit, keep them; if not, help them get another position.
5. Pick or hire two top assistants. If defensive-minded, get a strong offensive-minded coach and vice versa.
6. Share and write down your philosophy/goals with your staff and your team.
7. Loyalty is your number one priority when surrounding yourself with good assistants at all levels.
8. Support all sports by your presence and your actions: salary, budget, travel, equipment, assistants, etc.
9. Treat all coaches like you would have wanted to be treated when you were coming up the ranks.
10. Never run up the score on anyone and don't let other sports in your school do it either.
11. Never ask coaches to work on Sundays unless you have to, but don't ask them to miss church.
12. Never neglect your spouse and family - find time for them always.
13. Study the rules, know them inside out. If you break a rule, turn yourself in...tell the truth. Admit it...learn from it...Take your lumps...Don't do it again!
14. If an assistant breaks a rule, turn them in and administer a reprimand with approval of principal.
15. Re-visit Code of Conduct by committee: male & female coaches, student-athlete, assistant principal and you.
16. Make all meetings. Be professionally dressed, be on time, better yet - be early.
17. Always have a shirt and tie handy when asked to go "downtown".
18. Work with local officials' associations. Be courteous, respectful, accept their rulings, etc.
19. Keep in mind always that you are a role model. You never know who is watching.
20. Document...document...document

Quote of the Day

You can only be young once, but

you can always be immature.

Dave Barry

Quote of the Day

Good habits are as easy to form as bad ones.

Tim McCarver

Quote of the Day

Preach not to others what they should eat,
but eat as becomes you, and be silent.

Epictetus

Quote of the Day

The problem with people who have no vices is

that generally you can be pretty sure they're

going to have some pretty annoying virtues.

Elizabeth Taylor

Quote of the Day

You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do.

Henry Ford

Quote of the Day

It is dangerous to be right

when the government is wrong.

Voltaire