Sunday, March 25, 2018

Dis-n-Dat


That new flu going around?  Trust me, you don't want it!  I think the term is "debilitating"...

Next up?  Rotator cuff surgery for yours truly.  Been bad - and getting worse - for a long time.  Finally going under the knife scope.

Exciting NCAA men's D-I meet - records galore - came down to last night.  Texas divers really helped out as the Horns took their fourth straight title.  Results here

Texas - 449
California - 437.5
Indiana - 422
NC State - 385
Florida - 347
USC - 253
Stanford - 205


Mary Treder Lang, CPA, is running for Secretary of State in Michigan.  Why in the world should anyone in Texas care?  Hear me out.  Granted, Michigan is just one of those "other" forty-nine (49) annoying hangers-on - I'll give ya that.

Still, if we're interested in saving our sport at the Division I level, a Yankee-fied state like Michigan actually matters.

Mary happens to be a partner in crime with James "Benedict Arnold" Webb.  That's right, she's a member of the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents - the same dipsticks who think dumping one of their university's most successful athletic programs is a great idear.

Mary claims "I am a certified CPA and as a fiscal conservative - I know how to do more with less."

This "fiscal conservative" is fine with tens of millions of dollars in red ink for the EMU foosball program, but can't see fit to keep a men's swim program that's pretty much self-funded.

As Anonymous said:  Button there was nothing more they could take away from us. We already paid for all of our own apparel, fundraised for our training trip and paid for our flights, paid by the hour for parking outside of the pool, and some even used their own suits at conference. We practically sustained ourselves.

Mary's just another gutless politician who won't admit the real reason for under-funding - and then dumping - men's swimming.  We know it's not a money issue.  We know it's a Title IX problem.  We know they need to hit their quota.  Just say it, Ms. Lang!  It would be refreshing to hear a politician tell the truth, for a change...

Jill, Bobby, Pat, & Matt

Next month, Jill Sterkel will be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.  Read more here

“I was surprised when I found out,” Sterkel said. “I know there aren’t that many women in the Hall of Fame. But I was most excited about the fact that I was considered a Texan.”

We're Jill fans here at the Button house.  She helped make sure we could get Clare her "T" ring for running track and cross country back in the Jack Daniels era.

This from Shannon Clark:

Assistant Coach / Camp Counselor Opportunities
 
The Aggie Swim Camp at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas has opportunities available for two or more weeks May 27-June 20 for coaches from college, high school and club teams who are excited about the opportunity to learn and work with younger kids and an excellent staff.  The Camp is a very successful operation with over 600 campers over four multiple-day sessions.  In addition to assisting with camp as an assistant coach and camp counselor, you will also have the opportunity to spend time with successful collegiate coaches Jay Holmes, Steve Bultman, Tanica Jamison and Jason Calanog .  Free meals and housing are included, as well as a stipend each week based on experience.  Applicants must be 19 years or older, have attended at least one year of college and have experience as a competitive swimmer and/or coach.  Current First Aid, CPR, and/or Lifeguard/Safety Training for Swim Coaches are helpful.  All staff must be willing to work a minimum of two weeks in an alcohol/drug free environment.  With our emphasis on stroke, start, and turn technique, this camp can make a great coaching clinic for any coach.  To apply for this great learning opportunity, please send your resume and a list of three or more references to Shannon Clark, Camp Director, at aggieswimcamp@gmail.com .
 
Session 1 - May 27 – June 1  (Full week, Sunday through Friday)
Session 2 - June 3 – 8  (Full week, Sunday through Friday)
Session 3 - June 10 – 15  (Full week, Sunday through Friday)
Session 4 - June 17 – 20  (Half technique week, Sunday through Wednesday)

Check out USA Swimming's Flex membership program here

Lackland Air Force Base (San Antonio) needs a swim coach.  Contact Jeb Halfacre

The Southwest Family YMCA (Austin) needs an aquatics program director

Temple HS needs a head coach.  Contact Scott Stewart at 254-215-7093

Liberty HS (Frisco ISD) needs a head coach.  Contact Ui Womble at 469-633-5891

Also in Frisco, Memorial HS needs a head coach.  Contact Derick Roberson

Cy-Fair ISD needs an assistant coaches at Cy-Fair HS (Contact Jeffrey Burnthorn) and Bridgeland HS (contact Bob Perkins)

Cedar Park HS needs a head coach.  Contact Kimberly Davies





Quote of the Day


It ain't gun control we need;  it's sin control.

via Facebook

Silas Merritt "Uncle Si" Robertson

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Records on Day 1


Real time results of men's NCAA D-I meet are here


Several records broken in Event #1, 800 free relay:

NCAA/Pool/US Open 800 FR - North Carolina State - 6:05.31

American 800 FR - Texas - 6:07.59

NCAA/American/US Open/Pool 200 freestyleBlake Pieroni (Indiana) - 1:29.63


EMU Men's Swimming Got Webbed


The Eastern Michigan University men's swimming program is being dropped.

Complicit in the crime is none other than EMU Board of Regents chair & turncoat James "Benedict Arnold" Webb.

Believe it or not, the guy is a former swimming Eagle!

Read the press release here

Hope you muted your b.s. detector, since the piece contains the usual manure:

The move affects 58 male student- athletes and 25 female student-athletes, and once realized an expense reduction of approximately $2.4 million.

Translation - We can avoid the Women's Sports Foundation shakedown if we jettison thirty-four (34) male swimmers.  Why bother finding ways to increase our undergrad male student population?


Also, so it doesn't look like a Title IX cave-in, we're going to sacrifice a few women softball & tennis players.

Let's not forget to fudge some numbers to make it look like we'll save millions.

Actually, we'll just funnel that money elsewhere...as you'll see in the next paragraph...

...and is part of our ongoing effort to realign resources to ensure that we continue to invest in high-demand high-quality academic programs and world-class facilities."

Notes- After they've kicked out the men, the women's swimming and diving program will continue training/competing in the same facility.  Guess the added lane space counts as turning their cement pond into a world-class facility...

Unfortunately, the women's program will almost certainly suffer in the coming years.  The trend toward mediocrity when men's programs are dumped means it's highly unlikely the ladies will improve on this year's 32nd place finish at the NCAA D-I meet.

Finally, in case you still have doubts about the relationship between men's sports cuts and Title IX quotas, I'll leave y'all with this:

The last time EMU changed its sports offerings was in 2000, when both men's tennis and men's soccer were discontinued and women's rowing was added.

Quote of the Day


The art of leadership is saying no,
not yes.  It is very easy to say yes.

via The Monthly

Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Misc.


Highest place in 2018 women's NCAA D-I meet for schools w/o a men's team?

That would be the University of Nevada at 24th place.

Their diver - Sharae Zheng - was 2nd in 3m and 3rd in 1m.

via US Senate

Nancy & Billie Jean:  Can you please tell me how dropping men's swimming has helped women?

via The Boston Herald

Andrew McCabe, an experienced G-Man, claims to have been misunderstood due to the chaos that surrounded him.  If the man couldn't manage to think straight "amidst the chaos," maybe it's best he's no longer Deputy Director of the FBI...

I'll be having rotator cuff surgery later this month.  Recovery/rehab is said to be long & miserable...

Women's NCAA D-I results are hereA&M was 3rd & Texas finished 6th.  Y'all probably heard about the Aggies putting four up in the 200 breast.  Awesome!

Northwood Club (Dallas) needs a summer team coach

Thousand Oaks YMCA (San Antonio) needs an aquatics director

Santa Rita Ranch needs a pool manager

The City of Tyler needs a pool manager

The YMCA of Abilene needs a swim coach




Quote of the Day


...I answered questions truthfully and as accurately as
I could amidst the chaos that surrounded me.  And
when I thought my answers were misunderstood,
I contacted investigators to correct them.

via Vox

Andrew George McCabe

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Quote of the Day


People ask for criticism, but they only want praise.

via The Jade Sphynx

William Somerset Maugham

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Quote of the Day


It is not clear that intelligence has
any long-term survival value.

via Christian Connection

Stephen William Hawking

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

NISCA Members


Y'all should have gotten an email concerning rule changes.  Pete Hugo would like you to complete a survey on proposed NFHS rules changes.

Can't believe nobody has proposed changing wording for fly/breast turns/finishes from "two hands" to "two or more hands" or "at least two hands"...

On a more serious note, can you diving coaches explain why we now call them "voluntary" dives instead of "required" dives?  Aren't they still required?  What was the rationale for the change?  I know it's been a while since the change, but it still bugs me!

Quote of the Day


All things come down to your personal relationships.

via Vanity Fair

Rex Wayne Tillerson

Quote of the Day


This time, like all times, is a very good
one, if we but know what to do with it.

via Humanities

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Quote of the Day


There are sadistic scientists who hurry to hunt
down errors instead of establishing the truth.


Maria Salomea Skłodowska "Marie" Curie

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Quote of the Day


Take a music bath once or twice a week for a
few seasons, and you will find that it is to the
soul what the water bath is to the body.

via World War I and America

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Wednesday, March 07, 2018

This-n-That


Surely y'all remember this "smash" hit:



Read Mark Jedow's NISCA Zone 6 Newsletter here

Clear Springs HS needs an assistant coach.  Contact Debbie Fuchs at 281-294-2845


NISCA National Clinic is Sunday, March 18 in Minneapolis.  Flyer is here

Mays Family YMCA needs an aquatics director

The City of New Braunfels needs an aquatic specialist

Veterans Memorial HS (San Antonio) needs a head coach.  Contact Richard Mendoza at 210-619-0220

Cross Timbers YMCA needs an aquatics coordinator

Space City Aquatic Team (SCAT) needs a head age group coach.  Contact Philipp Davydotchkin

West of the Brazos Swim Team needs a summer team coach

Thousand Oaks YMCA needs an assistant coach

Bent Tree Country Club needs an aquatics director (and an arborist)





Quote of the Day


Little by little, one travels far.

via DW

John Ronald Reuel "J.R.R." Tolkien

Monday, March 05, 2018

Quote of the Day


I found longer races boring.
I found the mile just perfect.

via itv

Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister

Thursday, March 01, 2018

Quote of the Day


The greatest lesson in life is to know
that even fools are right sometimes.

via Inc

Winston Churchill