After hearing some disturbing rumours, we decided to sit down today with one of the top B-list athlete/writers in our sport for five questions.  What’s it like to live in the grey area between athlete and athletic supporter and how does he sleep at night having done it?  All the answers to everything you did and didn’t want to know about David are […]

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I have now had the pleasure of knowing Kirsty Coventry for over a year. Sharing the same pool (we don’t train together, I couldn’t handle it) I witnessed first hand the hard work and dedication that went into her setting the world record at the Missouri Grand Prix two weeks ago and I can […]

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Coaches, please tell your kids stories about Erik Vendt.  In a country criticized for its obesity and lethargy around the world, Erik Vendt stands as a beacon of light to what this nation was founded upon: sheer grit and refusal to accept defeat.  Of course for you to see that beacon he would have to stand on […]

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Bright, Cheerful, Happy, Chipper Edition.  Why not follow up the previous downer of a Top 5 with a countdown that’s completely over the top (no, not Sly Stallone style) in the other direction?  I’ve been accused of trying to use this forum as a launching ground for a Hallmark Movie of the Week campaign before, but luckily I […]

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Some things in this sport, and in life, we often take for granted.  For some reason this week left me pondering those words and I wanted to take time to highlight five stories that made me realize the truth of the previous statement.

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I guess roman numerals only work with the words “Super Bowl” in front of them, sorry for the confusion.  Speaking of Super Bowl, as a Patriots fan I’m still recovering, but as a mediocre writer looking for things to do I feel inspired.  I love underdogs (except for the Giants) and immediately found myself thinking of […]

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I really like Gary Hall Jr.  Outside of exchanging a few emails we don’t really know each other but-more than anything-I appreciate (as a swimmer and a fan) a true personality in our sport.  Hall’s willingness to take a stand-understandably-gets him in trouble from time to time.  But, at least Gary’s statements offer up entertainment, something […]

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The topic has come up a few times, but not nearly as often as it should. How good are the world’s swimmers right now? To the general populace and to the passive swim fan they might as well be nonexistent: they know Michael Phelps and they know that no one is beating him […]

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My apologies to the swimmer who does in fact wear a full body racing suit in practice and is reading this column (perhaps still in the suit?), despite what you may have thought I mean you no harm.  Especially now.  That is because my simple black and white, Belle is good/The Beast is bad image of the […]

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This countdown is so near and dear to my heart that I’m having trouble sharing it with all of you. In fact, I’ve spent so much time thinking about it that it will take all my energy not to turn off the comments function on this: if someone points out that this list is incomplete […]

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Should old acquaintance be forgot…nope, still don’t know the lyrics. I’ll call it the curse of never being able to have a true New Year’s experience from swimming. Sure I’ve taken a lot from the sport, but one real New Year’s not tainted by the knowledge of what awaited me at the pool […]

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The Holiday Season is the one time where all swimmers unite: the lazy college athlete, the eager to impress high schooler and the fountain of wisdom masters swimmer. Forced into one pool by circumstances outside of their control (or in the case of the masters swimmer, by a late night that forced the collegian into […]

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I like checking results.  It became an obsession in college and shows no signs of stopping.  I like making arbitrary (some have argued) lists of things too, so I have to admit that this week’s countdown came pretty naturally.  The question is: what (in your opinion) did I miss?  Check out the 5 swims that […]

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16.  That’s the number of seconds by which Katie Hoff broke the American Records in the 400IM, 200IM, 500 free and 1650 free over the weekend.  Oh, and in case you’re already starting to forget about the women who owned the 500 and 1000 records before the weekend, Kate Ziegler, don’t forget that she broke […]

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There was a lot of stupendous swimming over the weekend and, if you’re like me, it was often tough to keep track of it all.  Sure we all saw the highlights: Lochte and Coughlin setting the pool on fire in Atlanta for one, Peirsol, Schoeman and the boys doing it in Texas.  But there were […]

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