This cheesy water park is now located inside the Beijing Aquatics center or "Water Cube"

SCAQ tried to organize a trip and swim meet at the water cube but was denied since nobody was allowed to swim it. (And China will be the new number one this century?)

Manta ray sneaks up on a videographer, steals his rig, and flees the scene with a graceful back flip!

The best part is he swims around with filming his getaway and then when he is done drops it off right under the boat. There was no malice in the theft since the ray never tried to use his tail to whack the diver.

Retractable fins- perhaps a great lifeguard aid?

From at YankoDesign.com Here are some notes from the designer:

• Carbon fiber blades provide increased propulsion over current rubber fins.
• Elastomer blade covers direct water over the blades ensuring maximum control in the water.
• The retraction system is unique offering the lifeguard improved flexibility, control and speed throughout the rescue process.The two products can be separated, ensuring maximum comfort when a rescue is not in progress.
• 10% glass filled Nylon 66 body moldings provide the required flexibility and spring when running but stiffness when swimming.
• The fin module heel clip system is quickly adjustable for different sizes from 5-13 (UK) and holds the shoe securely in place.
• The fin module is easy to disassemble for cleaning and maintenance.
• Design development and testing alongside the Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) and Loughborough Lifesaving Club.

Designer: Edward Shelton

[Link]

The slowest US Masters swimmer can probably swim farther, faster and better than 85% of society if not the world!

I suspect lane-one swimmers in any given Masters swimming workout can out swim 85% of the population. With that said, don't ever think that you suck or you can't compete. You are in the upper 15% with or without fins and paddles. Here is my reference that I based that claim upon:

From the USA Swimming website:

"... As Memorial Day Weekend approaches marking the traditional opening of the summer pool season across the country, a recent study commissioned by USA Swimming and conducted by the University of Memphis exposes some alarming statistics for many of our nation’s children. The Constraints Impacting Minority Swimming Participation, Phase II study found that nearly 70% of African American children and 58% of Hispanic children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40% of Caucasians, putting them at risk for drowning. According to the study, parental fear is a major contributor to a child’s swimming ability.

[Link]

I am in an odd mood, I have not been blogging much due to some situational depression issues in my personal life and my upsets with swimming governing bodies on both the local and international level.

Leaving my personal life out of it, subjects of upset include: USA Swimming sex scandals, cronyism, the eradication of tech-suits which is killing the suit companies, no money for athletes, inflated salaries for swim monopoly execs, politics within all the swim acronymed monopolies, and ultimately the "feudal" or "Machiavellian" values that is holding our sport back.

So, there has to be a pony in there somewhere, hence I figured I would define that overused adjective known as the word: "great," and pat everybody on the back that can do a sport that 85% of the population can barely do if at all.

This is my standard of greatness defined:

Can Swim at the beginning level: The beginner swimmer can swim 25 feet, stop, return to starting position. That is defined as a beginning swimmer in the Boy Scouts Manual: [Link]

Knows how to swim: If you fall off a boat or go to the beach you can swim unassisted for 75 yards. That is the test you have to do if you want to graduate at Cornell University. If you can't swim, you can't graduate. [Link]

A competent swimmer: Can do all of the above four or five times with some rest.

An good swimmer: Can swim a 1,000 yards in a pool and in an open water setting without stopping.

An excellent swimmer: Knows all four strokes, can enjoy a swim workout almost every day. Probably competes but does not have to compete to be an excellent swimmer.

An outstanding swimmer: College team or university swimmer. Places above the 51-percentile in their age-group. If they don't compete, they are swimming in the fastest lanes.

A [elite] great swimmer: Top 10-percentile of those they swim with or against. This includes Masters, NCAA, age-group swimming etc. etc.

An [great] elite Swimmer: NCAA champion, or the moral equivalent. Great is an overused adjective but if you made it to an NCAA final or qualified for an A-0r-B final at Nationals. You are now officially a great swimmer. You have won many races to get there. This applies to Masters as well who medaled on the world stage.

A sublime swimmer: You have made an Olympic team or a FINA world championship team or have set an international record.

An Olympic or FINA World Championship medalist: You could not be any better. You are the best in the solar system.

These are my definitions which I made up on the fly. Personally, I fall in the outstanding category as do most Masters swimmers. I probably won't get any better than that but it is so fun trying.

Athletes to USA Swimming and the USOC: Please, sir, can I have some more?

1000-years ago the western world had only three employment options: Peasant, religious, or royalty. Some 300-years later technology, but mostly the bubonic plague, changed all that. That is when the peasant class said to the royal class, "I am not going to plow your fields today because tomorrow I may be dead." Hence, the royal class was forced to pay the peasants to do the work that they needed completed so as to support the society around them and avoid anarchy and starvation. Capitalism and the Renaissance followed thereafter.

USA Swimming is a government certified monopoly and all the athletes within their umbrella are their "peasant class." What gives the governing body so much power is not their government sanction to be a monopoly but rather the exploitation of how much these athletes love their country and want to swim.

Garrett McCaffrey wrote a disturbing article for Swimming World in regards to the economic disparity between governing body officials and the athletes that bring in their salaries.

From Swimming World:

One year ago, the Pro Swimming Task Force was formed. Its main objective: financial support for the professional swimmer through the Athlete Partnership Plan. Had it passed, the original plan would have increased the annual $21,000 stipend and extended the reach of financial support from 42 members to 55 members of the national team. All athletes who placed in the top six in any Olympic event at U.S. National Team Trials, who also are top 16 in the world, would have made $50,000 this year from USA Swimming and the United States Olympic Committee. The proposal would have accomplished the goal of financial support for professional swimmers, but yesterday it fizzled out at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention.


[...] "What went wrong with the Athlete Partnership Plan?"

In the end it appears that the deal breaker came down to name and image rights. The athletes' agents argued that the athletes already do enough for the governing bodies with their name and image rights, and the 2008 profits for USA Swimming and the USOC would back the agents' argument. [..]

[Link]

My Take: USA Swimming, CEO Chuck Wielgus makes close to $700,000 a year. Coach Mark Schubert makes $250,000 or more. God knows what USOC, IOC and FINA execs make?

Mathematically it has come to a point where swimmers should forget going pro and accept a scholarship instead. They should forget swimming all year long as well and devote those six, long, hours, each day during the summer and the off season enhancing themselves, their families, their churches and communities. I think by doing so would not only reap lifelong economic and social benefits but swimming would remain a positive, life long, recreation rather than another burnout story as illustrated by Ian Thorpe, Alexander Popov, and our own, Michael Phelps.

Take a swimmer like, Dagny Knutson, who has effectively lost the potentiality of a $200,000 scholarship simply for the potentiality of a gold medal and supreme aquatic glory for our country? Is it an exaggeration to say that a gold medal won't mean a thing to the average American some 6-minutes after her event?

All the swimmers wanted; just 55-0f-them in total, was a middle class income. They won't get it but the suits in the NGBs will get that and more.

The video above is a scene from the movie, Oliver Twist, with Oliver asking for more "swill" for both himself and the other kids in an industrial age orphanage. they got none!

Glenn Mills makes smart phones even smarter: Updates Go Swim iPhone app and submits the GoSwim app to the Android marketplace! - Get his app NOW!

Glenn Mills' presentation of the finest swimmers displaying the more refined technique of our day is unmatched. Now available on both the iPhone, iPod Touch and the new Android smart phone. The first screen-shots above are of the iPhone/ iPod Touch interface, the fourth one is the Android.

From Goswim:

We've spent some time restructuring our app with swimmers and coaches in mind, and we'll be continuing to put new materials within the app. The big news of this latest update (which isn't really an update in the sense that you have to go to the iTunes store and redownload... it'll just happen), is that we've added categories.

Categories, as simple as it sounds, will make it so much easier for you to get to videos, pictures, and news stories much quicker. For swimmers this means a couple quick clicks and you'll be watching a video on the freestyle catch, or an image of Brendan Hansen's head position as he starts his pull. It's all in there already, we've just make it much easier for you to get to.

In addition, the news section is also revamped. With quick access to your favorite swimming news sites like Swimming World, Swimnetwork, and USA Swimming, as well as our favorite swimming blogs, and of course, quick access to ongoing discussions here on goswim.tv, as well as all our regular posts.

We've also submitted this same app to the Android marketplace and will hopefully be hearing good news in the next few days.

What do you have to do to get this update? If it doesn't show up automatically, make sure the app is shut down (if you're running software that allows for multitasking), then restart your device. The next time you start up the app, the new features should show up.

For a direct link to the iTunes app store for details:

[Link]

For Android Store info:

[Link]

Mike Saltzstein: Anonymously accused of being a paid consultant for the law firm that is suing 'USA Swimming' - Saltzstein vigorously denies it!

Former USA Swimming Vice President, Mike Saltzstein, gave an interview to a reporter of a multinational newspaper based in here in the US. The newspaper is a "household name" and after interviewing him, the reporter came back for a follow up interview stating that they had in their possession a letter being circulated within the USA Swimming ranks stating that Mike Saltzstein was being paid as a consultant by the law firm Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P., the law firm who is representing, Jane Doe, a minor and a child abuse victim in the San Jose Aquatics/USA Swimming lawsuit.

Said letter may contain the name of a USA Swimming executive who obviously is either completely misinformed or has timed such an allegation just before the USA Swimming convention in Dallas, Texas, where Mike Saltzstein may run for a USA Swimming office. If I get the letter and can confirm it's authenticity, I will publish it.

Statement from Mike Saltzstein:

I have volunteered more than 30 years within this sport, and always want it to improve. Many people have come forward to provide information on the abuse issue and done "what is right". Sport teaches us to learn from our mistakes, and grow from them.

As I have done for those 30 years, when asked a question, I respond - a standard of which I made Swimming aware, in writing, immediately after the 20/20 initial story. Mr Allard's team had no contact with me until after the "White Paper" was written, same with my original OpEd.

When an athlete asks, I listen and do my level best to help them to succeed.

When Swimming took actions against me that violated federal law and acted arbitrary and capriciously, the Arbitration Case against Swimming was filed with the USOC. Attorney's did represent me. You will recall I won the case before the AAA, and the arbitrator found against Swimming and in my favor. Ed Williams, counsel in New York, and a member of Mr Allard's team was lead counsel. I am personally paying those bills from personal funds.

I fully expect to be called as a fact witness for both the plaintiff and defense cases. And if Swimming asked, I would certainly take their calls, and answer what I can - still absent any financial compensation.

Mike Saltzstein has been slandered before. Only recently has he fought back; even ESPN even covered the event:

From ESPN:

A former USA Swimming vice president who complained about the organization's handling of sexual abuse cases is back on the list of potential judges at major international events after winning his arbitration case.

[Link]

Here is the Arbitrator's decision in the case noting the capricious nature of Mike Saltstein arbitrarily being removed from the deck of an international event after a baseless acusation.

ARBITRATOR DECISION:

1. The Parties submitted post-hearing closing briefs on July 17 and post-hearing reply briefs on July 20, 2010.

2. The Arbitrator closed the hearing on July 21, 2010.

3. The Parties agreed that the Arbitrator could announce his decision by July 22, 2010, and thereafter issue a reasoned award.

4. On July 21, 2010, the Arbitrator announced his decision that:

a. The Arbitrator has concluded that the Respondent’s decision—to nominate Mr.Broyles as a FINA Referee rather than re-nominate the Claimant—was arbitrary, capricious, and in violation of the Claimant’s legally protected opportunity to participate as an international referee under the Sports Act, which affords him due process rights in being fairly considered as a nominee for FINA List 16.

b. The Arbitrator therefore orders the Respondent to immediately replace Mr. Broyles with the Claimant as a Referee nominee for FINA List 16 and so inform FINA immediately.

July 21, 2010

/s/

James R. Holbrook

Critics of USA Swimming should stop being punished for constructive criticisms. They should not be slandered nor lied about. Perhaps it is time for more arbitration hearings and that such unjust vilification and/or slander be heard in court?

Massive numbers of sharks engage in a feeding frenzy - Great Whites involved too!

How about that great white that swims towards shore, kicks up a bunch of sand as a "smoke scree" and then storms the school of fish? What an awesome display of intelligence from a creature that is supposedly a "reactive" animal.

When I see films of animals solving unique problems like this "on the fly" so to speak, or more accurately, "in the swim," it makes me believe that every living thing has some degree of self awareness.

Stephanie Rice Apology and press conference!

I believe her but I am both astonished and flabberghasted that someone that articulate and who had the ability to pen such a well thought out and heartfelt apology was both stupid enough and unmeasured enough to say something that socially bankrupt on Twitter.

She must have gotten drunk during the game and found a keyboard.

I believe her. Now it is time for her to make amends.

Also, to my critics who feel I am covering an "off the radar story", MSNBC, Associated Press and USA Today are covering this story as well

Stephanie Rice offers a tearful apology!

Greg Proops -US comedian, a regular on the TV show, Whose Line is it Anyway?, once said: "I'm always looking for that place ... , that place where we all get along, and I never find it. I went to Australia..., I thought Australia was going to be a groovy, surfnoid, G'day mate, no worries [place], and it's like Arkansas with a beach. It's a whole country with a "No fat chicks" sticker on it!"

To say that Stephanie Rice totally reinforced that stereotype is not hyperbole.

Having said that, I actually believe her apology and I am sure the people at Jaguar Australia do too but they won't be giving her that Jaguar XF back. She probably won't be picking up any new contracts until she proves otherwise for in the end don't you think that apologies are simply just starting points for the atonement process and the atonement process requires Action?

So, as they say in America, the second mouse gets the cheese, and I hope this will inspire other swimmers to carefully measure their words when they get near a keyboard because if you are under 30-years-old, your fingers are "loaded."

Here is a link to the usual, perfunctory, apology she gave when a celebrity screws up: [Link]

Australian Swimmer, Stephane Rice, tells her Twiiter fans that the South African rugby team should: “Suck on that f*ggots”

I so missed this story; thank you, Kate, for putting it on my radar - Let's see if Swimming World or Swim News pick it up:

Some days ago I was slamming Michael Phelps for making excuses after each mediocre swim, (some of these swims he even won too), stating that he had a PR issue and he better wise-up. Well, there is a new PR crisis in town and this one boggles the mind as to how this individual can be so completely incapable of understanding the consequences of a making simple, hateful, slur on her Twitter account.

Stephanie Rice, Beijing gold medalist in the 200 meter IM, 400 meter IM, and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay, just took the subject of PR issues well beyond "nightmarish" proportions and well into sports-agent hell; that special place where "all hope abandoned ye who seeks a sponsorship here."

Here is the context of what she said:

Australian competitive swimmer Stephanie Rice has been dumped as the face of luxury car brand Jaguar after she called the South African rugby team “f*ggots” on her Twitter account, Australia’s Herald Sun reports.

I am not going to go off and write 500 words why that was so incredibly stupid and unforgivable because Australian actor and former rugby payer, Ian Roberts, explains it far quicker and smoothly articulates just how radioactive she now is:

Ian Roberts, who is a former rugby player who is gay, told the Herald Sun: “She is an idiot and anyone who continues to endorse her as an athlete is an idiot as well. … And I say that with a very sad tone in my voice. What a fool. And if her sponsors don’t do something about it, they’re fools as well.”

As soon as she figured out there was an outcry about her Twitter message, Rice quickly deleted the tweet and issued a statement of regret: “I did not mean to cause offense and I apologize. I have deleted it from the site.”

[Link]

That apology is so weak, that she might of well have said "she didn't know her mouth was loaded."

One gay teammate rose to her defense stating that, Stephanie Rice, is not homophobic and that he supports her. Well, maybe Stephanie Rice is not homophobic but her words definitely are.

I have to agree with Ian Roberts; it is tough being gay in Australia as Australia's The Age reported:

THE appetite for ''outing'' gay AFL players is putting lives of young Australians wrestling with their sexuality at risk, says an expert in the field who has advised the AFL Players' Association on the topic. [...]

[Link]

'USA Today' : On-the-rise Ryan Lochte could soon glide past Michael Phelps

USA Today on how motivated Lochte is:

"I'm definitely eating healthier," he says, noting that he has more pasta, fruit, vegetables and lean meats.

"After eating a good meal, I'm just happy. It relates to my swimming. I'm having more than just a couple good practices in a row. I'm having a week where practices are unbelievable, and I think it's due to my diet."

It all could lead to an unbelievable story line in London, with Lochte overshadowing Phelps, who won a record eight golds in Beijing.

"I'm going to race as many events as I physically, possibly can," Lochte says of the 2012 Games. "Nine would be really nice. We'll see."

Whatever he is eating, or however he is dieting, I would buy that cookbook... Did you hear that Octagon? Make an "informercial" please.

On what Michael Phelps had to say on the 400 IM:

But encouraged by his mother, his coach and by the current times in the event (Lochte's winning time in the 400 IM in nationals was more than six seconds off Phelps' world record), Phelps is keeping an open mind about whether to swim it at the 2012 Olympics in London.

"I don't think I'm in the best shape I could be to swim that race how I want to," he says of his prospects for Thursday, "but I think it's a good opportunity to see if that could be an event that could still be in the program for the next two years."

[Link]

Lochte and Phelps - one is talking the potential of going for 9-freaking-medals and the other is not really prognosticating or playing his cards close to his chest.

Craig Lord essentially states that Eddie Reese is calling for a "FINA mutiny"

Craig Lord of Swim News, a site I have promised to never link to, has produced a piece with such hot rhetoric and with such serious implications that it cannot be ignored. In it, Lord, states that he has seen a mysterious paper that ASCA has forwarded to him with Eddie Reese essentially calling for a de facto mutiny and to completely disenfranchise swimming from FINA thereby creating a new international governing body for swimming:

Holding my nose while I quote Craig Lord and link to his site:

"The End of FINA" will raise alarm bells not only among those running world swimming but in IOC circles too at a time when rumours abound that leading figures in the international federation are pressing for a return of the bodysuit, albeit in textile.

In a document seen by SwimNews, Eddie Reese, one of the world's leading coaches responds to Leonard's paper as follows: "It is time to openly start another organization ... the best swimming nations have a "universal games" at the same time as the Olympics. The athletes would be very important in this situation (as they always are)."

[Link]

A mutiny, or the start of a new International governing body, would not please the International Olympic Committee, The United States Olympic Committee, USA Swimming nor the US Senate.

FINA was once confronted with a rogue governing body from Brazil and they dealt with them swiftly and with lots of prejudice and threats. If you swam at a non-FINA event, you were banned from FINA events forever. PERIOD! That was their "nuclear option" and it was "Game-on; finger on the button; Hallelujah, the missiles are flying, baby! "

The potential of watering down our Olympic presence and/or medal potential at an Olympic games while two governing bodies summarily conduct a silly "street fight" over textile tech-suits and voting power is way beyond the IOC to comprehend or even tolerate. They don't care about the morals or the ethics of swimsuits, they want a successful Olympics with no outside competition to dilute their billion-dollar party.

Note, that this alleged mutiny is coming out of the United States. Also note that the IOC happens to be in a very public spat at the present time with the the USOC. In fact the IOC even had the "cojones" to embarrass the President of the United States over the Chicago 2016 Games. Subsequently, I don't think the IOC will roll over or tolerate this mutiny and the USOC will get an ear full and told to get their ducks in a row or everybody loses.

John Leonard, of ASCA, is leading this charge and his particular peeve is that FINA wants to fore go their "democracy" as he calls it and run their organization like a "monarchy," or more accurately, like the NCAA. (Read, NCAA, as a synonym to "monarchy"). FINA has decided that they are tired of the USA & Australia dictating how the sport should be conducted and they don't like the voters telling them what they don't want to do.

My take, I want the sport to grow and I feel technology and profit driven industries support swimming and will take this sport to amazing heights. It will benefit athletes with higher salaries and it will benefit my bias for tech suits.

Some professional swimmers are now swimming for suit companies for less than $15,000 a year. A swimmer could make more working at Starbucks or a tech support call center, instead they chose swimming and it is my opinion they should have more opportunities or at least make half as much as Eddie Reese or Mark Schubert.

PR Crisis: Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman exchange expletives - Reputations and careers at stake!

There is no doubt that Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer ever. That is talent is so rich and runs so deep that he has demonstrated all throughout 2010 that he can show up to a meet barely prepared and still win the majority of races he competes.

It will probably take a generation of swimmers; (30-years or so), before we see a swimmer that can match his accomplishments and this declaration may be an understatement.

For over a year now Michael Phelps has acknowledged that he has been poorly prepared when showing up to "off-meets." These are not my words, but the words of both Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman.

Here is a brief chronicle of the past 8-months:

It was a state championship in a short course yard pool for age-groupers; the Maryland State Swim Championships at the U.S. Naval Academy. Michael Phelps was graciously attending to both inspire the kids and to get some benchmarks to measure his conditioning. One of those benchmarks was the 400 IM.

From Associated Press:

"I'm not happy, not at all," said Phelps, [...] He last swam competitively seven weeks ago.

"I wasn't as focused as I should have been. I let things control me that I should have been able to control. This is my job, my profession. I should handle things differently..."

[...]

"I can say today, at this moment, after this event, 3:39 is nowhere close to what I can or should do." [The state record was 3:35.98.]

Later in the meet he went on to break his own short course record in the 200-free.

In middle March, Phelps, swam at the The UltraSwim meet in Charlotte. He won the 200m IM, the 100m-butterfly, and the 200m-free. He scratched in the 50m-free after placing ninth in the prelims and placed second to Nicholas Thoman in the 100m-back.

His response to his performance as printed at the Telegraph in the UK:

"... "This weekend gives me motivation, more than anything. The weekend was not great, not terrible.

"I can't really be disappointed. There's some conditioning I need to fix, but hopefully by the end of the year I'll be where I want to be."..."

In May at the Open EDF, more mixed results:

His time in the 200-meter medley was a 1 minute, 58.95 seconds on Sunday, but he struggled throughout his freestyle races telling AP that he has to train harder, he needs to train harder.

“I’m not worried,” Phelps said. “Am I upset? Yes. Very. When I’m upset, I think it’s the best time for me to try and use that as a motivation.”

“Hopefully, it’s a wake up call. If it’s not, then I have to change a lot,” he said. “I blame myself. You’ve got to be responsible for your own action.”

According to, Bob Bowman, Phelps still continued to loaf and failed to show up for workouts. Bowman and Phelps even traded expletives regarding his workout attendance. When asked by ESPN what has been going on with his "day job", it was suggested that the Open EDF, the 2010 USA Swimming Nationals, and the Pan-Pacific Championships were summarily events held during an off year. He credited his lack of workout participation for giving him time to relax, to take up golf, and discover or define who he is as an adult.

Consequently, the Bowman/Phelps drama is seemingly like the separation one observes between a "father and his son" once the kid reaches adulthood. However, their relationship, as noted by ESPN, is a business relationship rather than a father/son relationship.

Form ESPN:

"I used every trick I had," Bowman said. "At first, I tried to be really patient, which is not a strong suit. I acted like it didn't bother me even though it killed me. Then I said, 'Screw that,' and got all over him and he missed like two straight weeks."

[...]

Bowman said he confronted Phelps about his commitment a few times, describing their conversations like this: "He wouldn't show up and I'd say, 'Where the f--- are you?' And he'd be equally urbane and intellectual, and then would miss two more weeks."

Michael Phelps is not just a professional swimmer, he is even more than a business, he is a resource that generates millions-of-dollars for the likes of Speedo, USA Swimming, his charities, his agents, his lawyers, and the TV networks that cover him.

Even now Speedo is embracing Ryan Lochte more than they are Michael Phelps because Ryan Lochte cares about his brand, his workout schedule and performances. Consequently, he blatantly executes well. Phelps on the other hand berates his very own work ethic which in effect diminishes the ability of those that either lost to him or defeated him.

Example: If Michael Phelps suddenly gave an impromptu press conference at some swim meet stating emphatically with lots of emotion that Ryan Lochte will never beat him in the 400 IM. That he will never allow anyone to beat him in any event he swam, economic engines at NBC Sports would be planning to have a television crew at any meet he swam and the sports pages all across the country would AP alert set up cover his races.

Even USA Swimming would be throwing more swim meets and licensing the television rights so as to use the profits to both grow the sport and their personal pocketbooks. Offers for both athletes to come and swim here or there would come early and often but Phelps is not saying those sort of things.

Instead, his excuses are about how unprepared he is or; if you read between the lines, how he would really rather be doing something else.

Finally, since Michael Phelps is a brand, his brand is changing from the greatest swimmer of all time to a swimmer who can't wait till retirement. That to me is a PR crisis and his sponsors can't be happy.

Amanda Beard Signs on to Endorse Aqua Sphere as the Premium Brand for Swimming!

That strikingly gorgeous photo of Amanda Beard above was photographed by Mark Savage of Corbis Images fame.

Amanda Beard, in a economically depressed swim market, had no problems getting signed and she chose Aqua Sphere.

Amanda is one of the few swimmers to transcend swimming and receive celebrity status outside of the sport and it is not an exaggeration to say that only four swimmers this decade have been able to do that: Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres, and finally, Amanda Beard:

Here is the Aqua Sphere press release:

VISTA, CA - Aug. 2, 2010: Amanda Beard, the four-time Olympic swimmer and new mom, is finding comfort in the pool with Aqua Sphere. As the new face of the company that's recognized for its high-quality swim products that are as comfortable as they are innovative, Beard's endorsement comes from a lifetime of experience in the water as well as a new lifestyle that places comfort above competition. "We're obviously extremely excited to have Amanda with us," says Oliver Laguette, Director of Marketing for Aqua Sphere. "Here's someone who's spent over half her life training in the pool. If anyone knows what feeling comfortable in the water is - it's her."

Beard first gained fame as a 14-year-old phenom when she won silver in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, and gold in the medley relay at the 1996 Olympic Games. She went on to win seven Olympic medals, eight U.S. Swimming titles, a World Championships title and a World Record in her signature event, the 200-meter breaststroke.

Today, the 28-year-old swimmer and new mother, who is currently training for the 2012 Olympic games in, works out four to five hours a day - but her priorities have shifted slightly from swimming to her 10-month-old son, Blaise Ray Brown.

"My lifestyle has changed over the last year. Comfort has become a luxury," says Beard, whose time is split between swimming laps and changing diapers, "so I'll take it wherever I can find it, and Aqua Sphere's products are absolutely the most comfortable gear I've ever used."

About Aqua Sphere: Aqua Sphere is the worldwide brand of choice for swimming gear, based on the highest industry standards of design and innovation. Launched in the mid-90's as a division of diving industry leader Aqua Lung, Aqua Sphere is committed to supplying eye protection for dedicated or casual swimmers, enabling them to feel safe, comfortable and at home in the water. The company's numerous innovations include the Seal, the first swim mask featuring 180-degree vision and the first panoramic goggle. Aqua Sphere, which partnered with Ironman in 2008 to create a new line of unparalleled triathlon wetsuits, has long been known throughout triathlon circles for their line of popular swimming masks, goggles, and aquatic fitness gear. For more information, log on to: [Link]

Note, that she is now training 5-hours-a-day.

Pan Pacs: 400-Meter Free - Drama, Suspense and no Excuses from a gracious Kate Ziegler!

Pan Pacific Championships provided mixed results for Katie Hoff. After making the US World Championship team in the 200-free relay at US Nationals, she failed to final in the 400-free at the Pan Pacific Championships.

Hoff had swam a 4:05.50 at Nationals but her time of 4:08.93 at Pan Pacs was too anemic to make it into the finals. Her only hope to make it on the 2011 FINA World Championship US team was for Chloe Sutton or Kate Ziegler to fail to best the time she set at US Nationals.

A strong Chloe Sutton won the final and Kate Ziegler just missed Katie Hoff's time by 200ths of a second.

Though a stinging loss for Ziegler, Kate provided no excuses for the loss. She congratulated Hoff in the press and reveled in her glory at winning the 800-meter-free. A brief "post mortem" of the race to the Washington Post reporter included Ziegler mentioning that swimming with a faster field in the finals would have inspired her to swim even faster which is an obvious direct compliment to Hoff. She mentioned that this strategy of waiting fora faster field to inspire her was going to change.

Hoff mention some anxiety symptoms to the Washington Post while waiting to see if her US Swimming Nationals time would hold up and these symptoms included shaking and feelings of anxiety. Once learning she made the cut to the World Championships all symptoms subsided.

There is a saying in Hollywood that you are only as good as your last movie. Could Kate Ziegler actually be the faster swimmer of the two and a better swimmer to have on the team at FINA World Championships? My personal bias thinks so after seeing how well Kate Ziegler swam at Pan Pacs.

Memo to "Superman" - Lochte wears shoes made of "Kryptonite!"

I don't know anything about the Ryan Lochte shoe line from Speedo but I bet the cost to import, process, and manufacture these "Kryptonite" puppies much have taken a lot of time and cost a fortune to build; two factors Speedo had both of.

The "Magnificiant Seven" cheer on Samantha Vanden Berge at "US Nationals"

UCLA's Samantha Vanden Berge "beasting" the 800-free while her teammate and friends from UCLA cheer her on to victory in the 800-free prelim at 2010 US Nationals.

Michael Phelps 'Washington Post' profile piece is a PR crisis!

"... Bowman said he wonders whether he shouldn't have just told Phelps to take an entire year off after winning eight gold medals in the 2008 Summer Games. Phelps has shown up for about 40 percent of the year's work ..."

[Link]

Michael Phelps has only been attending practices on a regular basis since May. When he doesn't show up he wouldn't call or text and his coach Bob Bowman would move on to the swimmers who did show up. After missing practice for a week, Bowman wondered if he was okay?

For the past two years, Michael Phelps, has "phoned in" the majority of his swims often showing up to the meets unshaven and prefacing each misstep or mediocre time with an excuse. These excuses are not only unprofessional but they are subsequently degrading the swimmers that have actually put in the hours to beat him and they are embarrassing the sponsors that have invested in him.

His workout ethic once had no equal but now it is both lazy and asymmetrical.

When I read between the lines of each excuse he has proffered over the last two years, I read these words between the lines: I HATE MY F**KING JOB!

Michael, either be a "super hero" or get a new job.

The photo above is brought to by Corbis Images and is copyrighted. I can't share this photo - you will have to license it.

USA Swimming is doing a masterful job at 2010 Nationals!

The event is going so smoothly and so professionally I am told that it indeed surpasses such Hollywood Events as the American Film Market, The Cannes Film Festival, or even the Academy Awards. Event planners take notice on how to get it right.

Mark Savage is down in US Swimming Nationals doing photography for both Corbis and the my various web projects and even though he is loudly connected to this blog and the soon to be released, SwimWall.com, USA Swimming officials are treating him with sublime respect litterally making sure he is well fed and watered up despite my criticisms of the organization.

Mark tells me the atmosphere down there is electric. Obviously the best swim talent in the United States has gathered and 99.9% of the athletes are displaying no egos whatsoever; (the .01% person knows who they are), Aaron Piersol recognized Mark and said hello; (Mark did a photo shoot with him in 2000). Ryan Lochte was gracious and let Mark snap a head shot and Lochte was surprised that he even asked for permission. (Mark says he looks ripped and displayed massive torque during the 400 IM.)

With all these good vibes and great swims, Mark has decided to include doing USA Swimming Meets to his Corbis portfolio along with his movie star work.

I suggested to Mark that he offers his services to regular losers like me to come and out and shoot us. He said he would love to. He said grab a pool, a starting block and he would photograph swimmers for a nominal fee.