Monday, March 31, 2014

Men's NCAA Wrap-Up


Runner-up team:


 Their support team:

(via Granger Talley Twitter)

 An outstanding Day 3 put Cal on top in the team race.

The top ten teams:

California (468.5)
Texas (417.5)
Florida (387)
Michigan (310)
Georgia (259)
Auburn (230)
Arizona (198.5)
Southern California (182)
Stanford (155)
Indiana (141)

Texas A&M finished 44th, ending their 18-year streak of top-25 finishes.  Senior Frank Simon was 14th in the 400 i.m. (3:45.13 in prelims) for A&M.  Aggie recap article is here.

Special thanks to PH for fixing us up with
tickets to the sold-out Day 3 finals!

Complete Results

Diver of the Meet Michael Hixon:




Diving Coach of the Meet Matt Scoggin:


Eddie's post-meet interview:


Class all the way.  Made sure to mention suspended coach Jack Bauerle's Georgia squad.  Too bad Jack wasn't able to enjoy his women's team win last week and Chase's 400 i.m. American Record this week.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution posted an article on the suspension here.
 
In any case, the controversy has raised tensions between some UGA faculty and the athletic association’s compliance office and academic-support team.

Dick Hudson, a professor in Georgia’s college of agriculture and environmental sciences and a close friend of Bauerle’s, wrote McGarity in January. In an email dated Jan. 14, he accused the athletic department’s compliance office of being overzealous and threatened to take his complaints to the University Council “if this is not settled responsibly.” It is indicated in the letter that Hudson is not directly involved in the “academic matter” in question.

“Your compliance people are creating a bad name for your administration,” Hudson wrote, “and I am hearing from faculty across campus about this. Last summer, as you’ll recall, the integrity of one of my classes was questioned, something that upset our faculty over here. And no explanation was sent to me from those who were involved. I understand your need to be compliant with NCAA rules, regulations and policies, but those who work in this area seem to be trying to make a name for themselves, and doing so at the expense of a great coach and person.”

Quote of the Day


This republic was not established by cowards;
and cowards will not preserve it.

(via Coutant)

Elmer Holmes Davis

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Want the good news, the bad news, or...


...the "not sure where this is headed" news first?

(via The Collegian)

Good News:

Fresno State is looking into restoring their dumped wrestling program.  Read more here.

Wrestling was dropped at Fresno State in 2006 -- a move that blindsided fans but was explained at the time as a way to keep costs in check and get the university in line with Title IX requirements. Fresno State added women's equestrian, soccer and golf, and also cut men's water polo and soccer.

The possibility that wrestling might be reinstated has perked up the ears of Fresno fans. Dennis DeLiddo, who ran Fresno State's wrestling program from 1981 to his retirement in 2005, was happy to hear the review process is moving forward.

"I've spoken to Dr. Castro and got nothing but positive vibes," he said. "I think we're in good hands with him."



Bad News:

Seems private funds used to improve a high school baseball field were wasted in Plymouth, Michigan.

Since parents didn't kick in more dough to spruce up the girls' softball field, the brainiacs in the Department of Justice are making the high school take down a baseball scoreboard and some seating.  Read more (and watch news report) here.

Gilbert and other parents installed and paid for the new seats themselves. They were put in years ago. The parents also bought a new scoreboard. But now, the bleachers and scoring equipment will be put in storage until the district can afford to make similar improvements to the girls’ field.

Gilbert disagreed with DOJ’s determination.

“I don’t think parents sitting has anything to do with on-field competition,” he said. “I can’t believe we are tearing something down as opposed to building something.”


Not Sure Where This Is Headed News:

Students at Kansas recently voted to eliminate a fee the school collected to fund travel for women's athletics.

The school listened to the students, considered their stance, then went ahead and did whatever they danged well pleased.  Once again, kids have gotten a lesson on adults, power, and politics.  Read more here.

The KU student senate previously voted to cut the fee altogether, but chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, who had the power to veto the senate vote, issued an alternate plan on Thursday.

In a letter to the KU student body president and vice president, Gray-Little said she would lower the Women’s and Non-revenue sports fee from $25 to $7 per semester, while increasing a Student Recreation and Fitness Center fee by $12.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2014/03/27/3371770/ku-to-lower-student-fee-for-athletics.html#storylink=cpy

How has the KU athletic department managed to stay in the black in recent years?  By digging deeper into all available pockets, of course!

A practice that began as a small $1.50 fee to help KU comply with Title IX regulations was now funneling more than a million dollars from the KU student body to athletics — some of which was used to pay bonds on the recreation center. According to documents filed to the NCAA, KU athletics had $93 million in revenues in 2013.

Another article on money issues at Kansas is here.  Pretty interesting stuff.

As one might expect, firing coaches can be an expensive decision in the short-run. The payments to Gill and his staff came on the heels of multimillion-dollar settlements with former football coach Mark Mangino and athletic director Lew Perkins in the previous two years.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/28/4923010/ku-reports-record-93-million-in.html#storylink=cpy

Translation:  "We won't fund our men's swimming program, but we can scrape together a few million in hush money."

In total, Kaufman says, KU has spent close to $150 million in improvements for facilities over the last 10 to 15 years, while accruing just $49 million in debt. And officials believe the department is in good financial shape moving forward.

“To put it in context, over the last 11 or 12 years, we’ve been able to improve our athletic facilities, student-support facilities and our office facilities to the tune of $150 to 160 million dollars,” Kaufman said.

“We only have debt of $49 million, so the other two-thirds we’ve been able to fund through operations or fundraising or other revenue sources.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/03/28/4923010/ku-reports-record-93-million-in.html#storylink=cpy

Y'all spotted that silver lining, right?  That "we're less'n fitty mill in da hole" one...

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2014/03/27/3371770/ku-to-lower-student-fee-for-athletics.html#storylink=cpy

Day 2 Interviews & Results



Texas had hoped to put a little more distance between themselves and the next two schools (on the left and right coasts).  They'll take a six-point lead into the final day of the men's D-I championship.

The Longhorns will need some big move-ups and huge diving points today to stay in the hunt.  Day 3 is projected to be a big one for both Florida and Cal.

Here are the top ten teams after Day 2:

Texas 318.5
California 312.5
Florida 279
Michigan 225
Georgia 200
Southern California 140
Arizona 135.5
Auburn 121
Stanford 117
Florida State 96

Complete Day 2 Results

Eddie Reese on Day 2:


IM/Breast specialist Will Licon on his breakout 400 IM:


Springboard star Michael Hixon on taking 3m title:


Read what Swimming World's Jeff Commings has to say about crowd support for the meet here.

Those who make millions and sit in expensive offices on college campuses might be the ones who hold the cards in determining the fate of college swimming, but if they were to see how fervent swimming fans are (Nathan Adrian wore a bear suit tonight in support of his alma mater) they would never consider dropping this sport.

Where else can you find fans scribbling scores on scrap paper to find out where their team stands? That rarely happens at USA Swimming nationals, and team scores are not kept at the Olympics. High school teams care about this, but that's about it.


College swimming shows no sign of giving up. Yes, Vlad Morozov turned pro one year early. Michael Phelps never swam in a college race. And 14-year-old Michael Andrew passed up any chance to swim in college by going pro But we all know that Missy Franklin didn't want to pass up this opportunity. Natalie Coughlin swam for Cal all four years. Ryan Lochte didn't give up his eligibility, either. There's something unique about the college swimming experience, and the ringing in my ears from the roof-raising cheers reminds me of that.

Quote of the Day


Just think!  If we survive them,
these will be the good old days!

(via Bill Downs:  The Life of a War Correspondent)

William Randall "Bill" Downs, Jr.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Day 2 Finals Video


Men's D-I NCAA's being covered tonight on ESPN3

...never...to my recollection...


Y'all haven't heard the last...


...on relay take-off platform controversies.


The UIL had to deal with this messy issue a couple of years ago.  No video review meant kids learned a tough lesson about adults, power, and politics.

The NCAA uses video review, but that still has many wondering how so many relays at the men's meet are being DQ'ed.  Read more here.

Touch Pads
The timing and touch pad systems suffer from material and system "fatigue." Independent testing would show that, and that there are pressure differences in the touch pads themselves. That means touching in the center of a touch pad might yield a different time than touching on the side of the same touch pad. Then, there are also differences between the touch pads from the same company. AND, there are differences between the touch pads- from different companies.

Do you understand things now? Fun huh?

Relay Exchange Technology?
The technology behind these systems varies from company to company, from system to system. Have they ever been measured? "No." Have they ever been independently tested and calibrated? "No."


p.s.  Relay exchange pictured above (lane 6) was ruled a false start...

2014-15 Swimming/Diving Alignment


 
 
Check out 10-6A.  Might take All-America cut to get out to region in some events...

Day 1 Interviews & Results



1m champ Hixon:


Hixon, Scoggin, & Bowersox:


Eddie's take:


 Day 1 Results

Real time results haven't been all that reliable.  That link's here.


Quote of the Day


What the world really needs is
more love and less paper work.

(via BET)

Pearl Mae Bailey

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Help us, Spock!


(via STAR TREK)

Yesterday's news that a federal labor official has labeled college foosball players "employees" could become a pretty danged big deal.  Read more here.

While the ruling by Peter Sung Ohr, the Chicago regional director of the NLRB, does not apply to public universities and may ultimately require a Supreme Court decision for resolution, it was nonetheless historic. It officially rejected what many considered the laughable contention that football stars on full scholarship at a big university are just like other students, or as Northwestern argued, the equivalent of graduate teaching assistants who, like football players, get financial aid.

If this becomes the law of the land, Title IX quota backers are in for some serious trouble.

(via wikia)

Foller the logic, guys and gals:

If Bobby Boucher and his "co-workers" are no longer just student/ath-u-leets, they don't count in the Title IX proportionality numbers, right?

Guess that means all those men's programs (swimming, wrestling, gymnastics, etc.) that've been dumped over the years will be coming back, right?

Wrong!

It means that all those women's programs that were added to balance numbers with the 100+ grid guys might now be kicked to the same curb as UCLA men's swimming...

Men's D-I Coverage


(via Missouri State Bears)


Visit the UT site for coverage of the men's D-I NCAA's here.

Real time results here.

Swimming World landing page for the meet is here.

Quote of the Day

It is the duty of the human understanding to
understand that there are things which it
cannot understand, and what those things are.

(via Quotery)

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Quote of the Day


If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.

(via The Guardian)

Herbert George "H.G." Wells

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

I had a feeling...


...something like this would happen:

Recappin' & Previewin'


A D-I women's meet recap was on yesterday's MSS:


Interviews

Results

Top Ten Teams

Georgia (528)
Stanford (402.5)
California (386)
Texas A&M (336)
Southern California (252)
Florida (239)
Tennessee (223)
Arizona (156)
Texas (144)
Minnesota (136.5)

Southern Methodist was 20th with 39 points.

Title IX NoteEvery top-twenty school at the women's NCAA D-I meet has a men's team.  Women-only programs at Miami and UCLA tied for 21st.  Another example of Title IX's quota system hurting both men and women!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

In D-III:

Results (M&W)

Top Five Teams (W)

Emory (595.5)
Kenyon (456.5)
Johns Hopkins (387)
Denison (374.5)
Williams (272)

Trinity was 24th with 27 points.

Top Five Teams (M)

Kenyon (480)
Denison (472)
Emory (246.5)
Johns Hopkins (245)
MIT (236)

Trinity was 21st with 42 points.  Sprinter Stephen Culberson took the 100 free (:44.18) for the Tigers.


Very pleased that one of my club kids, Kari Wilkins (El Campo HS/First Colony Swim Team) has committed to Trinity.  She took home the first swimming medal in Ricebird history last month with a third place finish in the 4A 100 breast.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

At NCSA Junior Nationals:

Race & Interview Video

Results

Top Five Teams (Combined)

Nation's Capital (2,722)
Dynamo (1,358.5)
Nova of Virginia (838)
SwimAtlanta (648)
Academy Bullets (485)

Top Texas team was The Woodlands (22nd place, 126 points).

Top individual was FCST's Simone Manuel.  She won the 50, 100, & 200 freestyles.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eddie & Co. preview the men's D-I meet, due to kick off later this week:



They'll have the biggest - and toughest to make - squad at the meet, maxing out with sixteen (16) swimmers and four (4) divers.

Read about TCU's first-time qualifier Cooper Robinson here.

All-session tickets are sold out.  Not sure if you'll be able to get in on a per-session basis.


What about Big Weight Bob?  His 1:35.48 (dropped 4+ seconds in during his time at UT) wasn't quite enough to get him into the big show, but he plans to:


Quote of the Day


Plagiarists, at least, have the
merit of preservation.

(via fine art america)

Isaac D'Israeli

Monday, March 24, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
No winter lasts forever;
no spring skips its turn.
 
 
Hal Borland

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Dawn Takes Swim-Off


Dawn had a great turn and never looked back:


Quote of the Day


Whoever will be free must make himself free.
Freedom is no fairy gift to fall into a man's lap.

(via Wikiquote)

Johann Kaspar Schmidt, a.k.a. Max Stirner

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Quote of the Day


The best preparation for tomorrow
is to do today's work superbly well.

(via National Library of Medicine)

Sir William Osler

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Quote of the Day


Poor and free rather than rich and enslaved.
Of course, men want to be both rich and
free, and this is what leads them at
times to be poor and enslaved.

(via A Piece of Monologue)

Albert Camus

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Quote of the Day


The people of these United States are the rightful
masters of both Congresses and courts, not to
overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow
the men who pervert the Constitution.

 
Abraham Lincoln

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
One of the greatest delusions in the world
is the hope that the evils in this world
are to be cured by legislation.
 
 
Thomas Brackett Reed

Monday, March 17, 2014

Quote of the Day


Misers aren't fun to live with, but
they make wonderful ancestors.

(via Los Angeles Times)

David Norris Brenner

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
Faith consists in believing when it is
beyond the power of reason to believe.
 
 
François-Marie Arouet, a.k.a. Voltaire

Friday, March 14, 2014

Quote of the Day


You can see the future best
through peripheral vision.

(via The Tech)

Nicholas P. Negroponte

Thursday, March 13, 2014

...in Title IX news...


Eastern Wyoming College will dump men's golf.  Read more here.

Dr. Rex Cogdill reported - near the end of the meeting - that the Golf Program will be discontinued after the 2014-2015 academic year.  Board member John Patrick questioned the decision and it was pointed out that it was budgetary and had only been a men's team.  Title IX requirements from the Federal Government could force the creation of a women's team if the program were to continue.

The University of Kansas student senate voted overwhelmingly (55-3) to stop using student fees to fund travel for "women's and non-revenue sports".  Students kick in over a million bucks annually so the university can comply with Title IX.  Read more here.

The school uses the money to pay for travel for women’s and other sports that don’t make money… which, at KU, is everything except men’s basketball.

Representatives from the athletics department says the money is crucial to make sure the school is following federal title ix [sic] regulations, but some student leaders say they shouldn’t have to foot the bill so the university can obey the law.



Quote of the Day


It takes courage to grow up and
become who you really are.

(via QuikLit)

Edward Eslin "E.E." Cummings

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Quote of the Day


I am not my self, I am the
result of all my ancestors.

(via New World Encyclopedia)

Santiago Martínez Delgado

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Denison U Title IX Complaint



Looks like the quota crowd is at it again, fans.  Seems D-III swimming powerhouse Denison University is under fire for failing to limit male participation in collegiate athletics.

Yeah, you read that right.  The Title IX Quota Crowd doesn't think there should be more men participating in athletics than women.  Got that?  In other words, if there are fewer women interested in college sports, we need to bring the men down to those numbers.

Read more here.

If opportunities were the same for men and women, 90 more women would have played sports in 2013 at Denison, 94 more women in 2012 and 84 in 2011, the complaint states.

Two points:

First,  the writers that "teamed" up on this article (Advocate staff report?  Nobody put their name on it?) went for the standard "opportunities" b.s.

Folks, the opportunities are there.  DU offers twelve (12) sports for women.  The term should have been "participants"...

Second, if this is being done to pressure the university to add more women's sports, we know how that'll turn out, don't we?

If the quota crowd pushes hard enough, could we eventually see a press release from the AD that they're dropping a few men's sports (watch out cross country, track, tennis, and soccer) because of financial issues* and to make their remaining sports more competitive?

Let's hope not!



DU is a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, one of the top D-III conferences around.  NCAC members offer more opportunities for women than most any conference in the country!  Read more here.

A member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III, the NCAC features championship competition in 23 sports — 11 for men and 12 for women. The 12 women’s sports are among the most offered by any Division III conference, and the equality in number and emphasis between men’s and women’s athletics is just one of the elements that sets the North Coast apart.

Don't Give In, Denison!!!


*Don't worry about foosball, Big Red fans.  Since that's a "revenue" sport, it's safe.

Y'all remember the definition of a revenue sport, right?  Those are the college sports that - almost everywhere - bring in some money but spend a whole lot more...

Quote of the Day


No man is powerful as long as power is his need.

(via Our Stressful Lives)

Guy Finley

Monday, March 10, 2014

TAGS Open Water Event Cancelled


TSA officials gave it a valiant try, but yesterday's TAGS open water 5k event had to be scrubbed due to a chainsaw malfunction.

(via LiveScience)

The Woodlands Swim Team took home the 2014 SC TAGS team title.

Top ten teams:

The Woodlands (2226)
Nitro (1753.5)
Cy-Fair (1427)
Alamo Area (1368)
Lakeside (1237.5)
Dallas Mustangs (1089)
Nadadores (828.5)
Dads Club (672)
Aggie (635)
Blue Tide (550)

Results are here.

Quote of the Day


It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive.

 
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen

Friday, March 07, 2014

Quote of the Day


The tyrant dies and his rule is over;
the martyr dies and his rule begins.

(via flickr)

Søren Aabye Kierkegaard

Thursday, March 06, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
Why does the eye see a thing more
clearly in dreams than with the
imagination being awake?
 
(via Ascension Earth)
 
Leonardo da Vinci

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
Don't cry because it's over,
smile  because it happened.
 
 
Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Quote of the Day


Winter changes into stone the water
of heaven and the heart of man.

 
Victor-Marie Hugo

Sunday, March 02, 2014

Catch-Up Time


Been in Austin at the Big XII meet.  Bobby was on a very fast "B" team that probably could have won the meet on their own.  Each night, the B-teamers were putting up some very fast swims in the consolation heats.

The seniors:



Bobby had a nice drop in the 500 (4:21.58) and scratched finals in that.  On Friday, he had another nice drop, going 1:35.48 in the 200.  His 100 Saturday (:44.31) was just a little off his best.

Lily Moldenhauer set a couple of meet records (100 fly & 100 back).  Don't get me started on how in the world she wasn't voted swimmer of the meet on the women's side...

2014 Big XII event and time trial results are here.

Quite a few "B" cuts were made at time trials today.  It was last-chance day for the ladies.  View here.

Check out The Jack Benny Program from about fitty years ago.  The Peter, Paul, & Mary show:



Meanwhile...the swimming world continued to turn.

Rice ran swam away with the C-USA women's title.  Results here.

A&M Sectionals should be wrapping up about now, but I can't find a link to results.  Will add that when it's available.

Prepping for TAGS?  Check out a few newsletters the folks in San Antonio have put out for y'all:

#1

#2

#3

Host providing timers?  Free parking?  Free admission?  Sounds great!  Plan to wear something warm for prelims, though.  Forecast shows morning prelim temps in the 40's and low 50's each day.

Looking for work?

Georgetown Pool Manager

Garland Gators Swim Coach

Independence HS

Dallas Jesuit Prep (contact A.P. Robert F. Donahue)

Southbriar Barracuda Swim Team (Contact Liz Goodman/Lauren Krocak)

Hurricane Swim Team (Contact Marty Deleon at 512-415-9610)

Quote of the Day

 
The world is changing.  I feel it in the water,
I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air.
 
(via Wikiquote)
 
John Ronald Reuel "J.R.R." Tolkien

Saturday, March 01, 2014

Quote of the Day

 
Nothing is of greater importance than
the right early instruction of youth.
 
(via NNDB)
 
Peter Stuyvesant