Kelly Currin's official statement after the sentencing of child molester Coach Rick Curl

Kelly Currin was serially molested when she was 13-years-old by Coach Rick Curl. For a background on the events that led up to his sentencing, see this link: [Link]

As you read this, memorize the names of those who did nothing to save her or report this abuse to the police, USA Swimming, or the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA)

Here you have a victim that was left to languish while sycophants (and I am calling out USA Swimming Vice President... David Berkoff as one of them) allowed Kelly Currin to suffer in both silence and consequence. Of course David Berkoff ended up climbing the ladder into a sweet spot as a USA Swimming vice president chair but even after all the facts mentioned below were shoved down his throat he has never apologized or tied to make it right for Kelly Currin. In fact none of them have and below is a shopping list of names.

This is the statement of what happens to a child molestation victim. Pretend that this is somebody you know or you are related to when you read this. A son, daughter, friend.

May 23, 2013 Statement by Kelley Davies Currin:

The sexual molestation committed by Rick Curl and subsequent payoff to silence me has been called the worst kept secret in the swim world. Yet today it is appalling that a number of people in positions of authority had the opportunity to take action against Rick Curl and each one of them failed miserably. Now that justice has been levied against Rick Curl, it is time to hold accountable USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus and Vice President David Berkoff, as well as former USA Swimming National Team Director and Hall of Fame coach Mark Schubert, for their actions in helping create a culture that protects predator coaches and vilifies young victims who have the courage to come forward.

Wielgus, Berkoff, and Coach Schubert all had knowledge of Rick Curl’s sexual abuse of me and selfishly decided to look the other way. While I was battling demons from the childhood molestation, Wielgus, Berkoff, and Coach Schubert contributed to the glorification of Rick Curl by allowing him to coach at one of the most prestigious swim centers in the country for almost two decades, supporting his induction into the swimming Hall of Fame, and providing him with center stage status at the 2012 Olympic Trials.

Leaders are put in positions of authority to make difficult and tough decisions, especially when it comes to protecting children. Wielgus, Berkoff, and Coach Schubert flunked the leadership test. On behalf of countless other swimmers with similar stories, I am calling for Wielgus and Berkoff to immediately resign from USA Swimming and allow real leaders with the commitment to protect molestation victims to take over.

Further, Schubert and others should be immediately be banned by USA Swimming for refusing to protect not only me as a young swimmer but others who may have subsequently victimized by Rick Curl.

Thinking back over the last 30 years I am gravely disappointed that numerous people in a position of power had a chance to do the “right thing” by speaking out against Rick Curl and taking steps to ensure that minors were protected from him. One person after another was presented with an opportunity to think beyond their own interests and do what is best for children. Each of these persons demonstrated that they were mere weaklings who selfishly chose to remain silent and do nothing. Who knows how many children have been affected due to these feeble decisions?

Let me start with the University of Maryland Athletic Director who was in office at the time that Mr. Curl’s sexual abuse of me came to light. My parents went to him first as Mr. Curl was the head coach at the University in 1987. While thankful that he terminated Rick Curl from his position, this Athletic Director conducted no further action which would serve to protect minors.

Mitch Ivey, who is a former United States Olympic coach and a suspected pedophile himself, is one of the first coaches I told about my sex abuse at the August 1987 Pan Pac Championships. I got no reaction from him. He did not say a word. He took no action. After arriving at the University of Texas, I told the story of my abuse to a room full of people at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes gathering in Austin, Texas in 1987. UT head men's swim coach Eddie Reese was present. I sat down with Mr. Reese afterwards and provided him with more details as to what happened to me. He took no action. I also told UT head women’s coach Richard Quick about my abuse in 1987, who just said, "I'm sorry" and, at least to my knowledge, took no action. Coach Quick knew what I was going through in my freshman year. Even though I finished second in the NCAA 200 Butterfly, Coach Quick decided that I should go to the hospital for my eating disorder only if I did not make the Olympic team. Since I finished sixth at the Olympic Trials in 1988, I was admitted to the hospital from mid-August until mid-October of that same year. It was no secret why I was hospitalized. Jill Sterkel, then the UT assistant women’s swim coach, came to the hospital to visit as did Randa Ryan, the then on-deck assistant women’s swim coach and now the University of Texas Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director.

Coach Quick left the University of Texas for Stanford in 1988 and was replaced by legendary swim coach Mark Schubert, who was the USA Swimming National Team Head Coach from 2009 through 2010. Schubert knew when he arrived at UT in 1989 what Rick Curl did to me. I told him. To Coach Schubert, however, I was just another swimmer. When he learned that I was abused and was suffering both mentally and physically, Coach Schubert’s reaction was to remove me from all UT swimming programs. I was deemed a distraction and therefore expendable. Coach Schubert tossed me aside like a piece of trash. Coach Schubert otherwise took no action at that time as he was obviously more concerned about himself rather than the athletes he was trusted to safeguard by their parents. I continued to try to swim for two more years but lacked the support that I needed and was left with no choice but to leave the sport before the 1992 Olympic Trials.

Perhaps the most glaring example of ineptitude is the story of former Olympic gold medalist and current Vice President David Berkoff. Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Mr. Berkoff was part of a group of swimmers which was discussing “over a handful of beers” that Rick Curl was “banging” me and that Mitch Ivey was sleeping with one of his swimmers (see attached email). Mr. Berkoff claimed that he formed a subcommittee when he became part of the USA Swimming Board of Directors in the early 1990’s in order to address pervasive sex abuse within USA Swimming and that the idea was “shot down” by John Leonard, the then and current Executive Director of the American Swim Coaches Association (“ASCA”).

When it came time to testify under penalty of perjury in a deposition in January of 2012, however, Mr. Berkoff significantly “backed off” from that comment and generally did not remember anything about this process. “Just an idea that was kicked around without anything formalized” is essentially how Mr. Berkoff described it in deposition. USA Swimming otherwise has no documents as to this alleged “subcommittee”. Mr. Berkoff has otherwise, to my knowledge, done nothing about Rick Curl for literally decades. Mr. Berkoff again joined the Board as Vice President in 2010. Once again, he had the power

and opportunity to do something about this pedophile coach. From 2007 until Rick Curl was arrested in 2012, however, Mr. Berkoff once again proved that he could not care less about me or the fact that Rick Curl presented a risk to minor swimmers. Mr. Berkoff did not once reach out to me to express sympathy or offer his assistance in any way. Like all of the others, he “buried his head in the sand” and looked out only for his own best interests. Mr. Berkoff is a disgrace in my eyes.

Whether or not you believe Mr. Berkoff, I am sure that John Leonard knew about what Rick Curl did to me way back then. According to Mr. Berkoff, everyone knew. And yet, under Mr. Leonard’s leadership, ASCA named Rick Curl as Coach of the Year in 1994. Curl was effectively rewarded for the insidious way that that he treated me when I was just a child.

Knowledge of Rick Curl went straight to the top of USA Swimming. After over two decades of remaining silent, Mark Schubert testified that he told current Executive Director Chuck Wielgus on at least three occasions starting in 2007 about Rick Curl and Ms. Currin. Mr. Wielgus himself testified that 2010 that he had recently been made aware of a “settlement” between Curl and one of his swimmers, presumably me. Once again, nothing was done as Mr. Wielgus took no action. In the spring of 2011, I came forward and, with the assistance of an attorney, presented a claim against Rick Curl with USA Swimming. We provided USA Swimming with a copy of the settlement agreement signed by Curl which constituted an admission of his guilt. Still nothing was done. In July of 2012, Curl was sitting prominently and generally treated as royalty during the United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. Incensed, I hired attorney Robert Allard to present another claim in July of 2012. Only after that time, when Mr. Allard basically held a gun to its head, did USA Swimming take any action. By then, it was far too late.

In sum, I have no confidence whatsoever that USA Swimming will protect swimmers from sex abuse. Its leaders have been given ample opportunity to prove to the country that they are able to put the interests of swimmers ahead of their own. They have failed and have failed in the worst of ways. They have shown their true colors. It is time for a change. It is time to hold those who knew and did nothing accountable. And that time is now. If USA Swimming continues to demonstrate that it cannot regulate itself, then I urge Congressional intervention. USA Swimming is a creation of Congress and therefore Congress needs to intervene and address this crisis. Enough is enough. I am living proof that we have a deep rooted problem in the amateur sport of swimming that requires drastic and immediate action.

Thank you for your time.

Kelley Currin

[Blogger Note:  Here is an update I received in February 2014 from an anonymous reader. It's shrill and loud and defends Rick Curl and insults Kelly Currin. I am taking it out of the comments section so as to illustrate and keep permanent what the some of the values towards sexual abuse in our sport was like "back in the day" as compared to today. The answer not much has changed:


"... I was there with you in the pool training by your side. You looked awful and then we found out about your anorexia and we heard later about your parents finding your diary and you not wanting to press charges but your parents did. You KNOW he is not a abuser of children. You willingly got into a relationship with him and had sex with him at 16 as you said before. Isn't that the legal age. You were only 20 years apart. You could have married him. If you were so in love as you acted then you should have gone to him. Instead your mad now how many years later when you know the incident if it really happened was isolated. You destroy him life how many years later because you had to shut up because you agreed to it. You are a wreck. I hope Rick is even more successful now. He is a great coach, a great human being and if he really did those things with you it was isolated and your acting like he is an abuser like Sandusky or whatever his name is. PLEASE. You are being a drama queen. You had fun at the time. You were paid off, you now are so angry you want to destroy lives after he has done so much for so many. I sure if what really happened happened then he was careful to never to anything again because you know what, it would have happened again yet no one has come out to say so. I think you wrote your little diary and made this shit up. Your parents found your fantasies and you didn't want it to come out cuz you knew it wasn't true...and so you shut up and let your family get paid. what are you low on cash again. wtF KELLY! I saw you about the time of these allegations on the poolside, glass your bout with anorexia is over but man you have a serious lying problem or if by chance it happened you like destroying peoples lives when you already got your fucking settlement. You were an adult when you had sex and you were adult when you singed those papers. I wish I had been there in court and known about this so I could have gotten up there and said there is no way this could be true. I was with you a lot a lot a lot. No one was alone with RICK. So you got some rides to practice with him and OMG you were in love with him, we knew that but I never thought you do this too him just because he turned on you when you fucking lied to your family. reason why they didn't do anything in Texas, no one believes you. NO ONE IN YOUR TRAINGING GROUP saw a thing. NO one on trips was ever called alone to Ric. He was on deck those long meets all day long. He didn't have time for this bs. I think your lying. And these people saying how brave you are. BRAVE IS A PERFECT WORD FOR SOMEONE TO COME OUT AND SAY SOMETHING THAT IS A LIE! GET A LIFE!  ..."

Guess who's back in the swimsuit again - Mr. Michael Phleps!

I bet Under Armour is partially responsible for this change of mind - just a guess.

 From Swimming World:

"...Baltimore Bullet has grown bored with the lack of structure of his current lifestyle and will shortly be back in the saddle in Colorado Springs with mentor Bob Bowman. ..." 

[Link]

Open water starts causing heart attacks with those athletes with preconditions?

This clip was from a Jerry Lewis movie called Cinderfella; herein he runs up 72-steps in less than 8-seconds and suffers a mild heart attack when he steps off camera.

My mother worked on this movie behind the camera and told me all when I was child. (We still have the thank-you letter that Jerry Lewis wrote to her as well), Perhaps going from a resting state to an all out sprint could be the cause of heart attacks with those with a predisposition in place.

Note how the Escape from Alcatraz 2013 race start was conducted as an example in the second video. No acclimatization to the water, just jump sprint and go so as to get out of the way or as a reaction to the shock.

USA Today: Triathlon deaths infographic - Swimming leads in fatalities.

UPDATE: Disturbing quote from Rob Urbach, CEO of USA Triathlon:. " ...said the number of deaths simply reflects the sport's rapid growth. Between 2003 and 2011, annual participants in U.S. triathlons grew from 193,000 to almost a half-million..."

With that in mind, when you compare that there was a single triathlon swim death in 2003 versus 9-fatalities in 2011, why is it that when the sport grew 259% in those years the fatalities grew a disproportionate 900%?

From 2003 to 2012 Nearly 4xs the amount of athletes died during the swim than they did on the bike. When compared to running more than 15xs more swimmers died than runners.

Possible causes: Wetsuit fit, swim conditions, frantic race starts, heart defects, stress. However, one doctor who is a triathlete has his own theory which has been discussed here on the blog in the comments section:

Dr. Rudy Dressendorfer, a longtime triathlete, disagrees. He thinks the problems arise when athletes do not warm up before starting the swim. Going from a resting stage to a sprint can put pressure on the heart, and a violent escalation of blood flow can shatter capillaries in the lungs, causing pulmonary edema.

[Link]

I completely agree.

Ironman tri governing body making changes to the swim portion or their races!

The changes are very good; FINA should take note. Almost all of the suggestions (notably the pre-race swim warm-up) that I and others made on this blog including some innovative ideas such as numbered buoys for easy mapping during the event of a rescue are excellant. Apparently somebody cares within a governing body that involves swimming.

 I applaude the World Triathlon Corp:

From Bloomberg:

"... All North American Ironman events will also include a pre-race, in-water warm-up when possible. In addition, if the water temperature is below 52 Fahrenheit (11 Celsius) or above 88 on race day, the swim portion will be canceled or shortened, World Triathlon said in a statement. ..."

[Link]

Take advice from this cow, summer is coming so wear sunscreen!

This poor cow; I think it is a cow? Do cows have horns? Well, she only put the sunscreen on her face and look what happened to her. - Wear sunscreen!

The photo is entitled: "Cowliday", uploaded by belgianchocolate to their Flickr account

This is a re-post from 2007. Here is fresh information circa 2013 on how to correctly read sunscreen labels and protect yourself in the best way possible: [Link]

Montage of Sun Yang's Technique from different angles

He seems to slap the water or his hand enters a little late compared with his right hand entry. Nonetheless, Sun Yang will most lately be considered the best distance swimmer ever come 2016.

A "Google-Glass type" of swim goggle that reports pacing, heart beat and distance right on the lens of the goggle!

You can also export the data to your computer. From Med Gadget: [Link]

8-miles away from land with daunting swells a brother & sister take 7-to-12-hours to swim to shore after their fishing boat sinks.

A brother and sister are on a fishing trip in Puerto Rico and in the middle of their struggle to reel in a marlin their chartered boat begins to take on water. It's pretty bad and it's near sundown, the best the captain can do is radio in their GPS coordinates but within 5-minutes of the distress call the boat is gone.

The captain advises that they all remain in a group as they float helplessly at sea and within an hour of the distress call a rescue helicopter flies overhead but the misses locating the crew and passengers due to the waning light. Consequently the helicopter is forced to head back to shore.

It's dark and now everybody is officially stranded 8-miles out like the 2003 film, Open Water. If you saw the movie which was loosely based on actual events then you know that it does not end well.

The captain continues to argue that the group should stay together, a logical argument, but who wants to spend 12-hours in darkness when land is in sight. Hence, Dan Suski and sister Kate Suski decide to swim in.

AP reports that the swells were twice as tall as they were but I find that unlikely since 10-foot seas or so would be be a serious small craft advisory and vessels such as theirs would have never left shore.  Nonetheless, I suspect the swells sure looked that way when they were swimming for their lives.

Somewhere between 7-to-12-hours later the couple makes it to shore but the swim in isn't easy. Their initial contact with land had them swimming towards steep cliffs and they were forced to swim some more till they found a small, rugged, beach safe enough to swim in. Once safely secured in a hospital they were tended too and releases. Later they found out that the captain and the crew were rescued some 23-hours after the sinking.

Was Dan Suski and sister Kate Suski wise to make a go of it? The result says yes. However, if any of us were faced with the same circumstance, should we take that same opportunity and our swim skill sets and do likewise? I would have for when faced with floating in an ocean for 12-hours plus when I could swim in to shore in well under 5-hours depending on conditions, I too would opt in for the swim.  

Here is a link to the AP article chronicling the events written above: [Link]

Beyoncé in H&M Summer Swimsuit Collection 2013

She is a swimmer you know and I have never seen a swimmer swim an easy-50 as relaxed as Beyonce. See this post for details: [Link]

Russian Swimmer Arkady Vyatchanin to switch nationalities!

Arkady Vyatchanin is a Russian backstroker  currently involved in a spat with with Russian Swimming. Their disagreements have gotten so bad that Vyatchanin had this to say: "I believe that I can offer nothing else to Russian swimming,” [...] “I will continue my swimming performances but not as a Russian athlete any more. I will decide which country's team to join in the near future."

I don't expect Vyatchanin to swim for the US despite that he trains here in Florida. I suspect he will offer himself up like a "free agent" and swim for a country that offers the most opportunities. The United Arab Emirates, perhaps?

I commend him for his decision - I would have no problem with American athletes doing likewise if it meant that they could finally take care of their families and/or support themselves.

From the Daily Times:

MOSCOW: Two-time Olympic medal winner Arkady Vyatchanin has decided to quit swimming for Russia and represent another country, the Allsport news agency reported Monday.

[Link]

I am on Twitter now but I am not really talking about swimming very much!

I am primarily linking to and posting some artwork, design links, talking about finely crafted watches, internet politics and business.

Join me for a 140-character conversation: [Link]

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) secretly bought Nazi filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl's, "Olympia"

Above is an excerpt of the film with athletes swimming the 200-breast. Note the technique differentiations but more importantly why was it okay for the IOC to buy, distribute and profit form a  Nazi propaganda film?

It's creator, Leni Riefenstahl was a brilliant filmmaker born in Berlin, Germany in 1902 and died in Germany in 2003 at 101-years-old - Riefenstahl contributions to cinematic arts have been emulated and celebrated by film historians, film critics, the Associated Press, The BBC. and even Jodi Foster who had hoped to star as Riefenstahl in a biopic. I am glad it was never made.

Now, moving on to Riefenstahl's dark side: after reading Adolphe Hitler's manifesto or Mein Kampf she had this to say:

"I had an almost apocalyptic vision that I was never able to forget. It seemed as if the Earth's surface were spreading out in front of me, like a hemisphere that suddenly splits apart in the middle, spewing out an enormous jet of water, so powerful that it touched the sky and shook the earth". 

According to the Daily Express of 24 April 1934, "The book made a tremendous impression on me. I became a confirmed National Socialist [NAZI] after reading the first page. I felt a man who could write such a book would undoubtedly lead Germany. I felt very happy that such a man had come..." [Link]

As a self confessed Nazi she goes on to make two of the greatest totalitarian propaganda films ever made, Olympia and Triumph of the Will. The most terrible thing about these films is that she made Nazis, along with the help of noted clothing designer, Hugo Boss, look really awesome. Yes Hugo Boss circa 1932 was a nazi: [Link]

Moving forward to present time, Germany sold their portion of the rights to Riefenstahl's Olympia to the IOC in the hope that the IOC would allow Leipzig to win the bid for the Olympic Games in 2012. (London got them obviously) Riefenstahl, still alive in 2002 sold her 70% ownership for whatever reason but the fact remains the IOC bought the rights to a film sponsored by a Nazi regime and one time card carrying Nazi.

Read more on the sale at the Local.de

In 1964, West Germany drew up a contract with Riefenstahl, which agreed that while both parties claimed exclusive ownership of the films, the director was to hold the usage rights and claim 70 percent of the royalties from them. Riefenstahl was also allowed to choose where and when her films were screened - a potentially politically-explosive responsibility the West German state decided it could do without. In 1979 she refused an application by the Free Democrats (FDP) to screen "Triumph" at an anti-Nazi rally. 

[Link]

What a gal but the bigger question is, was it really that important for the IOC to disseminate such a product like that for a profit? You know their biggest purchasers will be white supremacist groups

KATINKA HOSSZU Swimmer of the year for 2013?

Katinka Hosszu is a 23-year Hungarian swimmer who has competed is three Olympic games: Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012. From London till now she has accomplished the following: Dominated the FINA Short Course World Championships in Istanbul earning five total medals for her native Hungary, NCAA Champion in the 200 Fly, first in the 400 IM at Arena Grand Prix in Mesa, and it is only May.

Nicole Gross a victim at ground zero of the Boston Marathon swan for UT - She needs help and donations for surgeries! Please Help NOW!

Nicole Gross a victim at ground zero of the Boston Marathon swan for UT. On the cover of the Daily News she was featured surrounded by blood in an obvious state of shock and a severely traumatized ankle that will require surgeries; plural!

Her sister Erika Brannok lost a leg and we must take care of our own be they swimmers or Americans. We MUST step up and help. I donated $100, donate what you can.

The family has set up a website for donations so that Nicole and her friend can get the repair they need. I strongly urge you to donate.

From the Be Strong Stay Strong website:

"... The mission of Be Strong Stay Strong is to provide financial assistance for any and all current and future needs to the Gross family, including Erika Brannok, as a result of physical and mental injuries incurred at the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013..." 

[Link]

From Swimming World:

Gross sustained a fractured leg and ankle, while her sister Erika Brannock had to undergo a partial amputation of one of her legs according to the Charlotte Observer. The two had been at the finish line in anticipation of welcoming their mother, Carol Downing, once she finished the race. 

A fundraising site has been created to help counter the costs of the medical bills currently being accumulated to help Gross and Brannock. The site, named "Be Strong Stay Strong" is public, but will not be fully functional to process funds until Friday. To help Gross and Brannock financially, please visit www.bestrongstaystrong.net. 

[Link]

The IOC in it's 100+ years of existence has never had a female leader

The International Olympic Committee has never had a female "boss" if you will. Saw this article at Quartz that mentions other notable organizations that have never had a female leader.

[Link]

For a list of the leaders who have run the IOC, check their webpage with accompanying biographies here:

[Link]

At the right of this post is Pierre de Coubertin, President of the IOC from 1896 to 1925. He is fondly remembered for being a snappy dresser and sporting a wonderful walrus mustache.

18-year-old Kosuke Hagino takes five titles at Japanese Nationals! - Does the US have some work to do?

Kosuke Hagino is quite a talent. One notable bullet point on Kosuke Hagino resumé is that he beat Michael Phelps in an Olympic Games.

At Japanese Nationals this weekend he swam more than a second faster than he did at the Olympics; (the same race he beat Phelps in), and he is still growing as a swimmer.

1. 400-meter freestyle: 3:45.42
2. 400-meter individual medley: 4:07.61
3. 200-meter individual medley: 1:55.74
4. 200-meter freestyle: 1:46.28
5. 100-meter back: 53.10

In the near future if not all ready it looks as if the United States mens team will no longer be the most dominant nation in swimming.  However, I do suspect our women may carry that torch instead. USA Swimming numbers skew greatly towards girl participation and greedy colleges are embracing female swimmers so as allow for greater economic expansion in mens football and basketball. In the wake of that greed comes fewer mens swimming programs.

Do we have to wait for a debacle like the Australians suffered in the 2012 games to start making the necessary changes for male participation in this sport?

And since I am ranting...

Men are not only in trouble just in the pool but on the economic playing field as well. The industrial age is over and if you are not telling a computer or a software program what to do then a computer or a software program is telling you what to do and for 39% of americans that order goes something like this "We no longer need your services at this time." [YES 39% real unemployment - Read 'percent distribution' table: Link ]

Male statistics suck right now and in so many ways men need help. Improving male participation is swimming is just one simple area of importance. Male swimmers who get into college generally do quite well. I would hate to see that "avenue" turned into a "one-way street" for "women only."

Coachella Music Festival has a swimming pool but it is just a ‘mirage’

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival arrives every springtime in southern California and music critics could argue it has been our "Woodstock West" for the past 15-years.

Some of the art is really fun; like this mirage-like swimming pool.

From the Press International:

"... More from a news release: “To bring this immersive 3D projection to life, Pearl Media Productions will use a total of 21 26K HD Barco projectors, eight media servers and utilize a total of 12 zones of HD projection. The result is a breathtaking, full 360-degree ever-changing immersive experience. Pearl Media Productions not only designed the video system, but created more than 330 separate HD files for this installation. They will use 18 gigs of custom created content and more than 70 facets of individual video over the course of the six-day festival.” ..." 

 [Link]

What a huge disappointment: U.S. Secret Service now investigating former Fishers swim coach Ken Stopkotte

Ken Stopkotte has failed to appear at two court dates so he is essentially missing and has a warrant out for

his arrest.

This arrest will probably get him banned for life.

From RTV6 ABC NEWS: 

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. - A Tennessee judge has issued an arrest warrant for former Fishers swim coach Ken Stopkotte after he failed to appear for two court appearances there this week, a deputy district attorney and court clerk said.

"We don't know where he is," Deputy District Attorney Jessica Borne told Call 6 Investigator Kara Kenney. "We can’t move forward with the case until he is picked up."

[Link]

Paul Biedermann of Germany to skip swimming FINA World Championships.

The Boston Herald reports that a two month bout with the flu put Biedermann too far behind to be able to swim at his optimal form. Very disappointing news: [Link]

A 'Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) will require USA Swimming's captive insurance company to share info with the IRS

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which comes into force this year will require foreign banks; such as the one USA Swimming uses in Barbados, to share account information with the Internal Revenue Service.

Under this new law I wonder if USA Swimming's interest in this captive corporation will become more transparent.

From QZ.com: 

“When someone opens a Swiss bank account, they don’t open it in their own name, they open it with a Panama corporation, Delaware, Cayman Islands,” Rebecca Wilkins, a senior counsel at the non-profit Center for Tax Justice, says. “Under the UBS scandals, of the individual prosecutions, every single one so far has involved a shell company.”

Many of these fronts have recently been revealed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which obtained records from companies that help customers set up offshore companies disguising their ownership. While legal, this can be exploited by crony capitalists, con men, and tax evaders, leaving government officials in the dark as to who ultimately benefits from a company’s assets.

[Link]

The article further details what FACTA does and how Europe is embracing it to prevent money laundering and to shore up the financial institutions there.

USA Swimming "foe" Robert Allard is representing the family of a girl who committed suicide after being gang-raped!

For a recap, Robert Allard is also representing Dia Rianda in her wrongful termination against the Golden West Swim Club. He has represented several victims even one who suffered at the hands Rick Curl. He has been instrumental in getting severely immoral and sexually abusive coaches on the banned list at USA Swimming too.

I read this in the L.A. Times today:

"... The lawyer for the girl’s family, Robert Allard, said students shared photos of the attack on cellphones. The girl posted on Facebook that her life was ruined and that she was going through her “worst day ever” shortly before she committed suicide, he said. ..."

[Link]

Anybody who says Robert Allard defends sexual abuse victims just for the money is WRONG!

"Hallway swimming" in school - flip turns and all

Oh the exuberance of youth... and look, it has become a trend.

New drama in the Dia Rianda lawsuit against the Golden West Swim Club (GWSC), Mark Schubert and Bill Jewell

For an overview of Dia Rianda's lawsuit, here are several posts on the subject: [Link]

I am providing a link below for download, a government claim filed last Friday by Dia's representation; (read that as a precursor to a lawsuit), is seeking damages against Golden West College and its President Wes Bryan for defamation.

When the lawsuit broke, Wes Bryan decided to do an immediate investigation into Dia's claim and ultimately exonerated Schubert and Jewell completely. Ironically, or more likely intentionally, when Bryan conducted this investigation, he forgot to or never intended to interview Dia Rianda.

Imagine the police investigating a crime but refusing to interview the victim? There is a police term for that, it is called, "The fix is in."

If you recall, late last year the LA Times and Swimming World reported that Schubert and Jewell had been exonerated as mentioned above. Well apparently the purpose of this investigation by Golden West College and its President Wes Bryan was to help Schubert and Jewell call into doubt Dia Rianda's credibility.

So, since the the fix looks like it is apparently in, guess who gets invited to a deposition by Dia's lawyers? "Alex, I will take Wes Bryan for $500."

More information was gleaned from Bryan's deposition late last month. He was actually given an opportunity to issue a public apology to Dia Rianda but his attorneys; (plural), said they could not meet the Friday deadline. Hence, this government claim was filed to protect Rianda's right to sue a government agency for defamation.

I am making this government claim available for download here: [Link]

Coach Trent McNicol is an innocent man! - Trent McNicol will not be prosecuted for sex abuse!

Coach, Trent McNicol will not be prosecuted for sex abuse. The Oshawa, Crown prosecutor has dropped all charges against him.

As a result of the charges which remained in limbo for about a year, Mr. McNicol has had a very tough go.

From the Star.com:

"...Last April when Durham police called him to their Oshawa station and charged him with sexual assault and sexual exploitation. The complainant was a girl who alleged the offences occurred when she was between 10 and 12, starting in 2005.

On Friday, Crown prosecutor Lori Anne Turner dropped the charges against the 43-year-old married father of two young women in the Oshawa courthouse, saying there was no reasonable prospect of conviction. ..."

[Link]

I will go through this blog and any and all references to charges will be updated.

BBC 2008 footage: Rare penguin species can fly

What is it about penguins that pull at the heart strings? It's hard not to keep a dry eye on this one.

Michael Phelps is coming out with a new cologne for Christmas: Swim Sweat!

The tag line is "Smell like Mike." My source, Mark Savage did the photo shoot and he sent me this preliminary magazine ad.

I must say that if I were that sort of person who wore cologne and it was called "Pool Sweat", I would not want it to look like a vile of Michael Phelps' urine. Would you?

eBay just took it down! - Ryan Lochte was going to sell his virginity on eBay.

The auction ended or was removed on Sunday morning. (Perhaps because the highest bids were from men?)

From News One: 

The auction which ended on [Sunday] morning had 15 bids. Men of wealth such as Jack Miller, Jack Right, a man from India, Rudra Chatterjee, are among those who vied for the [Olympian's], err…unspoiled wares. 

[Link]

Not enough female billionaires I guess.

Photo: Missy Franklin accepts a college job offer with the Denver Nuggets! - She looks good as a blonde!

"I am really excited that the Nuggets franchise offered me this golden opportunity to represent my very own Denver team."

My source asked if her age was going to be an issue and she told my source, Mark Savage, that she was suppose to be at least 18-years-of-age; (which she isn't), or 17-years-of-age with a parent or guardian present to sign a waiver on her behalf and only if she had a high school diploma or GED.

"It was between my favorite basketball team and Victoria Secret; so I chose my favorite team because they are so awesome and inspirational whereas Bar Rafaeli is a... never mind, let's not go there..."

What was she going to to say?  Go There, go there, Missy.

Remarkable Footage of Open Water Swimmers Going Off Course!

What Adam has proven is that by swimming in a straight line in an open water swim, which is not easy to do, you can eliminate 100s-of-meters worth of useless meandering off your swim. Adam young illustrates this using a motion tracking option in Adobe Premiere CS 6 to follow the path a few selected swimmers take to reach the shore. It would not be hyperbole to suggest that these swimmers swam nearly double or more the distance to finish their race.

What I am taking away from this video is a decision to calculate how I often I need to spot to swim in a straight line. I usually go 15-30-strokes before spotting. That may be too many.

A watch with a "pace clock" interface - Quite cute and would remind of the pace clocks at the pool.

Introducing the Void V03.

It was designed by David Ericsson, a Hong Kong designer, and it most likely has a quartz movement. The specifications don't say which is really lame and quite insulting in my opinion.

A quartz movement is basically a electronic movement powered by a battery that measures time via a vibrating quartz crystal. I have a penchant for automatics; (An automatic watch will self wind via the motion of your body), but I do appreciate quartz driven watches when exact timing or math functions are needed. As for this watch, I just adore the interface.

For what this watch is, it is rather expensive. Very expensive for a quartz watch which is priced near $300 USA or £185 in British currency. (Thank you USA Government for adopting a weak dollar policy. Let's hope the treasury realizes that no great nation devalued it's currency as a way of becoming a prosperous world power.)

The Void V03 has a 2-year warranty but it would cost so little to replace a quartz movement that sending it back to Great Britain to get fixed might not even be worth it.  Quartz movements are extraordinarily cheap to produce usually assembled by robots in China. A quality Swiss quartz movement can sell for as low as $9.00 so if your movement goes bad it won't cost much to replace.

Description:

This version of the VOID V03 timepiece by Hong Kong designer David Ericsson comes with a leather strap plus an alarm and date function. Ericsson focussed the design of the watch on the details of the face, which has five functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date and alarm. There are four hands. The two grey ones with luminescent strips are used as traditional hour and minute hands. A long red ticker counts the seconds and the final short red arrow hand indicates where the alarm is set. The alarm is adjusted by a button at the two o’clock position on the outer watch case. 

On the face itself there are two sets of numbers: one that counts the hours and one that counts the minutes. VOID V03 alarm comes in two colourways: black and white. 

[Link]

I may purchase this watch and put it in my rotation. The dial and the second hand remind me so much about the pool that I may succumb to it's high price and cheap movement. One could put a two toned NATO strap on it to make it look it fresh; (a Watch Snob tip), but I probably won't.

I like watches; I like them a lot and it is my opinion that yesterday's technology is today's art. Thus, the "industrial age" components contained within a vintage watch that can keep near perfect time in a digital age is beautiful distraction when I look down to see how long a meeting is running.

But what about the watch below the the photo of Void V03 above?

I was please to find out this weekend that the Watch Snob; (an anonymous writer of wealth and taste who the timepiece industry both fears and respects), along with the character known as "Don Draper" of TV drama Mad Men wear the same watch that I do. (A vintage Omega Seamaster De Ville Automatic.)

Omega is a brand that swimmers should appreciate. They have been there for us in the pool and at every Olympic games that I can remember. They offer one of the best swim results pages on the web and they maintain it pro bono.  Omega sponsors swimmers such as Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe and Natalie Coughlin and if you can win multiple gold medals in the Olympics they would probably sponsor you too.

I plan to put another Omega in my rotation and it will be another vintage piece: the Omega Speedmaster Professional Automatic from 1969 or the same watch that Buzz Aldrin wore on the "freaking" moon, a timepiece that still bugs Rolex to this day for they wanted to be the original "moon watch" but Omega scored higher in the qualifications tests .

World Anti-Doping Agency issues rare health warning!

" The World Anti Doping Agency has issued a rare warning to all athletes not to use the substance GW501516, which it states is being sold on the black market and used by some athletes."

I check the status of this product at the GlaxoSmithKline website; (the inventors of the drug), and Glaxo indeed terminated this drug during its phase-one clinical trial in 2009. Turns out it is toxic to your muscles, pokes holes in them, and causes tumors especially in female rats:

[Link] - See number Summation numbers 895, 896, 1609

To get a drug approved by the FDA it has to undergo a series of clinical trials; (five total.) The purpose of theses trials is to ensure a product is safe enough to be administered to the public. This drug showed no promise whatsoever yet when you go to Wikipedia not one mention was made that this drug is dangerous till today.

BTW, this S*** is for sale on eBay too. What a world we live in!

From VeloNation: 

The World Anti Doping Agency has issued a rare warning to all athletes not to use the substance GW501516, which it states is being sold on the black market and used by some athletes. The agency has expressed strong words of caution about the substance, which was added to the banned list three years ago.

“The side effect of this chemical compound is so serious that WADA is taking the rare step of warning “cheats” to ensure that there is complete awareness of the possible health risks to athletes who succumb to the temptation of using GW501516 for performance enhancement,” it stated in a communication.

“GW501516 was a developmental drug that was withdrawn from research by the pharmaceutical company and terminated when serious toxicities were discovered in pre-clinical studies. Clinical approval has not, and will not be given for this substance.”

Read more: [Link]

My hope is that other bloggers more qualified than myself step up and outline how poisonous the S*** is.

Swimming, Sailing, Surfing: No better coaches or aquatics related athletes than the Australians!

Was looking at the stats of the last four Olympic games. Though Australia is undergoing a process of self-flagellation over their "poor" showing and the 2012 London Games, still the Australian still won more gold medals by population percentages than the United States, China or Russia.

Australia is a continent with a population of only 22-million people whereas the USA has a population of 300-million. (California's population is nearly double that of Australia.) We have an athlete base that is almost 14-times larger yet Australia beats us proportionally when compared to population numbers.. In other words for every potential gold medalist Australia has in any sport, the United States has 24-candidates yet Australia is producing a significant amount of winners for the little population that do have.

When it comes to sailing, surfing, or swimming Australia has produced the best. In fact modern surfboards today use technology from Australia.

At the London Games in 2012 Australia "bombed" but if the United "Bombed" we would have had scored over 100-gold medals versus our 46-gold. If Australia would have had an average Olympic gold medal count they would have scored about 20-gold medals versus their 7.

The Australians' blame it on their current cultural issues and looking back at the evidence I reluctantly have to agree. Australian swimmers were hazing hazing each other, acting act like college students rather than diplomats or athlete representation, and one sprinter was even parading around with too much bravado before the games opened stating how he could not wait to race Michael Phelps.

Now, they did do worse than they ever have in an Olympic games, BUT, per the amount of population they had to work with they placed 18th in gold medals per million population whereas the United States placed 28th out of 54.

From Simon.Forsyth.net: 

This page lists Olympic medal results standardised by population. The thinking is that the bigger your population is, the better chance that your country might actually have a genetically predisposed person that can win a medal. Reasonably simple to do and although this statistic is by no means a perfectly accurate reflection of a country's relative Olympic performance, medals/population is, in my opinion, a better indicator of success than simple sum-medals, and is easy for the lay person to comprehend. 

[Link]

The Chinese recognized this and they are choosing Australian coaches because they are the best.

USA Swimming should do the numbers and maybe they might realize that their coaching arm,(ASCA), may be grossly behind in producing great coaches whereas China is searching the best  down under in Australia.

Russian swimmer Ksenia Moskvina has been suspended for six years for a second doping violation.

The Russian anti-doping agency caught her. Russia has come a long way in catching drug cheats don't you think?

From ESPN:

Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA says the European short-course champion and record-holder in the 100-meter backstroke tested positive for a banned stimulant at the Russian nationals in November. She had previously been suspended for 12 months for failing to provide her whereabouts to drug-testers.

[Link]

Orange County Register: Daniel Ad'm Dusenbury was banned for life

I would like to hear a victim statement... She originally denied this happen. I originally wrote about  this nonsense a year ago: [Link] & [Link]

From Scott Reid at the Orange County Register:

"... Former Mission Viejo Nadadores coach Daniel Ad'm Dusenbury was banned for life on Thursday by the sport's national governing body after he acknowledged having an inappropriate relationship with a female teenage Nadadores swimmer, the Orange County Register has learned. Another prominent Orange County swim coach, Bill Jewell, has resigned his coaching position at Golden West Swim Club following allegations of his inappropriate conduct toward female teenage swimmers, the Register also has learned. ..." 

[Link]

Catholic church settles US lawsuits, selects new Pope, church reboots! - Take note USA Swimming.

The Catholic church reboots, puts USA molestation scandals behind it, installs a new executive director; (AKA Pope), moves forward anew.

It took a lot courage for Pope Benedict XVI to step down and he did so for the parishioners and the church itself. When the new Pope enters "office" I predict a slew of middle managers; (Bishops and Cardinals), will suddenly retire and you just may see a more compelling and transparent church as a result.

USA Swimming should take note and follow Benedict's XVI lead. I think it's time that Chuck Wielgus politely step down to settle his health matters and USA Swimming should appoint a new executive director to redesign the organization and bring it into the 21st century. The USA Swimming membership is predominately female, subsequently it's time for USA Swimming to appoint, for the first time in their history, a female Executive Director.

 I got into a "flame war" over at Swimming World with David Berkoff. In my humble opinion he should be one of the first "Bishops" to step down for when he heard rumors; which he believed to be true, that a swimmer named Lisa Dorman and Kelly Davies were being molested, he failed to report these crimes to the police or otherwise. See this post for details: [Link]

I am told by a representative of the Kelly Davies that Berkoff never apologized for failing to report what he had heard and believed. With this in mind, how can you take David Berkoff, a USA Swimming board of director, seriously when he tells the "flock" to report, report, report, when he failed to report two crimes he had knowledge of?

USA Swimming has an opportunity to reboot and once again be trusted.

Hula-hoop Cam At Venice Beach - GoPro meets the Hula-Hoop

At the 2-minute mark, or what DJs call the "drop," it becomes amazing - Summer is coming!  I am Tony Austin and I endorse Hula Fantasica's Message.

Swim culture needs a reboot! - Tortured swimmers at the University of Utah failed to report abuse incidents to the police.

[Edited to fix typos and to mention USA Swimming Board of Director David Berkoff who failed to report abuse incidents he had knowledge about.]

Swimmers, if a coach breaks the law by physically assaulting you in any way sexual or otherwise, gather a witness if you can and call the police. Don't go to school officials asking for help for they care more about lawsuits than your personal welfare. Don't ask a teammate for advice either for they may have "drank" the "snitches get stitches Kool-Aid" and subsequently advise against reporting. (I hold up Penn State and the University of Utah as examples.)

This article from USA Today is quite uncomfortable to read. This was culturally tolerated within the University of Utah and it has to stop. If the allegations as reported by USA Today below are true then who swam under this coach have to ask themselves what was the end result of their silence?

Look at it this way, if the police would have been called the first time an abuse incident occurred just imagined what could have been prevented?

From USA Today:

"... Winslow commonly came to practice drunk; had outbursts of anger, including once punching an assistant coach; used racial slurs; and once forced a team member to swim underwater with his hands tied to a PVC pipe that was strapped to his back until he blacked out, parent Matt Fiascone said. Fiascone's son, Austin, swam on the University of Utah team for three seasons while Winslow was coach.

"He's a monster," Matt Fiascone said of Winslow.

Winslow did not answer phone calls for comment from told the Associated Press, and his voicemail box was full. He has denied the Arizona allegations.

Utah athletics director Chris Hill said he's not aware of the any of the allegations at Utah being of a sexual nature.

Matt Fiascone said he called to tell Hill about Winslow's behavior in March 2012. He said he now knows other parents lodged complaints as far back as 2008. He criticizes Hill for not properly investigating. ..."

[Link]

...USA Today mentioned that racial slurs as well were stated as well!

Mocha Dick by Tristan Lowe - Artists created 52-foot-long albino whale.

From GBlog:

Sure, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is a famous tale, but have you heard of Mocha Dick? The male sperm whale that swam in the waters of Mocha, an island near southern Chile, was the real-life inspiration for the 1851 literary work. Described as being “white as wool,” the whale comes back his full glory in a sculptural piece crafted by Tristin Lowe. ..."

[Link]

GBlog mentions that the whale has a skin of wool-felt and vinyl coated fabric. Towards the mouth of the creature the attention Lowe pays to barnacle detail and placement is amazing.

Originally found at NotCot.org

Swimming Anime: 30-second preview gets remixed over and over on 'YouTube'

I have seen twelve of these each with a different song and they are mostly posted by teenage girls. The "meme" is trending.Publish Post

Yahoo Sports: "Students, parents claim University of Utah ignored coach's abusive behavior"

A good friend Todd sent this to us:  Greg Winslow is accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl but new details of athlete abuse have now surfaced at YahooSports:

From YahooSports:

In one incident, Karson Applin, an African-American, jokingly asked out of practice because it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. According to Applin and other witnesses, Winslow responded by taping a long piece of PVC pipe along the length of Applin's back, then bound the pipe to his outstretched arms and ordered him back into the pool for a series of "underwaters" – sprints below the water line.

[Link]

As a result Karson Applin passed out underwater and had to be rescued by teammates.

Swimming World is under a 'Denial of Service' by a hacker or hackers!

A Denial of Service(DoS) attack. A DoS attack is an attempt to make a website or network unavailable to its intended users.

A DoS attack consists of a person or persons creating an automated program that saturates the target website or web host with tens-of-thousands of requests, so much so, that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic. Other DoS attacks include using infected computers to do the dirty work.

This has been going on for some hours so the person or persons have either a bunch of money or a bunch of time. The attacker or attackers could be a competitor or an angry user who was targeted in an article. The FBI is looking into it.

This is a sleazy effort to take Swimming World offline.

Here is a statement:  "Swimming World's website SwimmingWorld.com has been under an extremely heavy denial of service attack since last evening. On top of working with our server host to get the problem solved, we are in contact with the FBI and are working on filing a complaint regarding this attack on our company, and on the swimming community at large. SwimmingWorld.TV has not been attacked, and all the videos that you love to watch are still available. Head over to SwimmingWorld.TV for all of this great content, including the Morning Swim Show."

Toddler rescues himself from drowning - a trained self rescue

Not much to say. This kid can barely walk yet has the composure after obviously being thrown into the water head first with his jammies on to right himself like a turtle and float like a lilly pad.

Awesome little dude! But I don't like how he was used as a prop and left in the water for over 5-minutes till he was pissed off to no end.

Olympian Missy Franklin Auctions off Private Swim Lesson for Charity

Just got this email from our friend, Henry:

Hi Tony –

Hope all is well! Reaching out because we think the SCAQ Blog's readers will be very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin. The swim lesson supports a great charity in the process, and if it's a fit we'd love your help getting the word out. ... 

Missy and Olympic Coach Todd Schmitz are giving one lucky swimmer the chance to learn from legends by auctioning off a private lesson in Las Vegas on March 23.

Bidding is open now through March 15 at online charity auction site; [Link]

The online auction is in partnership with One Night for ONE DROP, a first-of-its-kind event happening on World Water Day on March 22nd. For one incredible evening, international leaders, neighbors, philanthropists, and global citizens will come together to make a dream a reality – a world where every human being has access to water and can live in dignity and health. Proceeds benefit ONE DROP USA, an organization that strives to provide universal access to clean water.

Charitybuzz raises funds for nonprofits around the globe through incredible online auctions, giving bidders exclusive opportunities to live their dreams and make a difference. Since launching, Charitybuzz has raised more than $75 million for charity.

Henry

Triathlete who died in the "Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon" died within the first minute!

For an athlete to die during minute-one of a triathlon almost seems incomprehensible unless the athlete somehow fell into unconsciousness from a blow or what is known as "cold shock response." (An autopsy is being preformed.) I linked to an article about this yesterday and I see that Wikipedia has an article on the subject as well. You can read it here: [Link]

From SF Gate:

"...Ross Ehlinger, 46, an attorney from Austin, died just one minute after jumping into the 51-degree water of San Francisco Bay at the start of the race. Race officials say he suffered a heart attack, but the medical examiner's office has not issued a finding on Ehlinger's cause of death. ..." 

There is a gallery of the race there as well.

[Link]

I am doing the same crossing in May but I suspect the water will be a degree-or-two warmer. Hence my strategy is to swim "doubles" or swim twice each day at Aquatic Park, three-days-in-a-row so as to acclimatize myself to San Francisco bay water. Screw tapering.

Escape from Alcatraz 2013 Swim Start with rescue boats converging on Swimmer!

I found a video clip that was put up yesterday of a rescue attempt at what I believe is the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. It may have even been the attempted rescue of the triathlete who died. I am trying to get confirmation from the the poster at YouTube. If this is indeed the fatality then the shock of the cold water may have been responsible. Apparently the water was 50-degrees and this death could have been a result of what is know as Cold Shock Response.

I think FINA and all the national governing bodies should look at this. I think race directors too. From UoP News UK:

"... Scientists are warning that entering cold water suddenly, without taking time to acclimatise, may cause abnormal heart rhythms that can be fatal. In the study, published in the Journal of Physiology, they explain how rapid submersion in cold water, combined with holding ones breath, automatically activates two powerful responses in the body which may interact and cause conflict at the level of the heart. 

The scientists, from the University of Portsmouth and Kings College London, explain how the body’s Cold Shock Response, which speeds up the heart rate and causes hyperventilation, may conflict with the Diving Response, which does the opposite and which acts to conserve oxygen. 

Normally these responses are not activated at the same time, but sudden immersion into cold water can activate both, and cause what they term ‘Autonomic Conflict’; resulting in the heart going into abnormal rhythms and, on occasions, causing sudden death. ..."

 [Link]

For web developers that swim and read this blog: virtual lane graphics for swimming with css3

CSS is an acronym for Cascading Style Sheets which are nothing more than a text document or two created by web developers to explicitly detail how a users web browser should present the content. HTML is about structure, CSS is about presentation. That is the easiest way I can explain it; hope I did not lose you.

Here is a tutorial on how to do this effect for you own local meet using CSS3.

From XYK: 

Pretty cool stuff. These 'virtual graphics' for sports always intrigue me because there is practically zero time to edit it into the shot. Everything has to be done in real-time. Graphics like this also appear in many other high-profile sporting events like the Super Bowl and the World Series, where the ball is tracked three-dimensionally live.

Now, my school just happened to be hosting a swimming meet between several other schools. We were going to broadcast and record it anyway, so I thought I might as well try to recreate the graphics. In the end, what I came up with was pretty much visually the same as the one you see in the Olympics.

[Link]

A 45-year-old triathlete died Sunday morning during the swimming portion of the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon!

The man died right during the early part of the swim. Very sad, The family must be completely distraught and it is terrible to think that he died doing something that was suppose to be fun. Details here: [Link]

Alcatraz is not an easy race; I almost almost died during my first race there and that near death experience inspired  me join a Masters club called SCAQ so I could learn how to swim like a pro.

See details of that near fateful drowning here: [Link]

Every time I do a crossing I feel high anxiety - it is not an easy race. I have cataloged several open water race deaths that have occurred during Alcatraz crossings and so far nothing has been figured out to prevent them. Open water races in New York start in a few months and I will probably be reporting on at least 2-or-3 fatalities before Fall since New York swims seem to have the most open water fatalities.

Swimming is an extreme sport, more so than skateboarding or "bicycle flipping." Swimming is more dangerous than UFC/MMA fighting and it's more dangerous than NFL football. Open water swimming has to be taken very seriously and it hasn't been.  Triathletes really need to consider Masters swimming if they want to ensure a safe result. You can be a mediocre rider or runner but in one of the most dangerous environments on earth, you really need to master swimming.

I recommend that anyone doing this race or an Alcatraz Sharfest race for the first time or the 10th, spend some time at Aquatic Park in San Francisco acclimatizing.

When I do these races my strategy is to either swim in the morning before the race or arrive a couple of days earlier and do at least two, 1,000-meter, swims so that on race day I can predict how long it will take for my face and hands to stop hurting and what the stress will feel like on my body.

Next, when you jump off the boat the blast of cold makes your heart race. It makes you breath faster or hyperventilate and you feel immediate pain. Stay calm and know that your heartbeat and breathing will slow down, and the pain will leave once you are use to the water temp.

When I jump off the boat I swim VERY slowly to the starting line so as to not make my heart-rate elevate further. (read that sentence twice and memorize it if you are "noob.") Once the shock has past and the race starts, only swim fast if you are warmed up, your pulse feels okay, and you face and hands don't hurt that much.

So what makes me so qualified? Nothing really but I have doneseven Alcatraz crossings and in 2012 I beat almost 81% of all the competitors - I beat Almost 77% of the male racers in the wetsuit division; (I wear a wetsuit), and I beat 84% of those in my age group. Click the below screenshot from EnviroSports to enlarge.

Swimming World: KAITLYN JONES DOWNS MISSY FRANKLIN NATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL MARK - But then....

Missy Franklin has some competition in a short course yard pool. Better work on those turns, Missy. You still have not caught Dagny's record yet either.

From Swimming World: 

"... Jones, a Virginia signee, raced to a winning time of 1:56.31, clipping the 1:56.85 set by Franklin in Colorado. Franklin's time, in turn, downed fellow Olympian Kathleen Hersey's mark of 1:57.41 from 2008. Dagny Knutson's overall and public school record of ... [Click the link below for Dagny's time is completely astonishing] ... from 2009 still stands, clocked while representing Minot High in North Dakota. ..."

[Link]

Gwen Stefani harassed by a paparazzi at the "Target" by my house.

[UPDATE: these shots ended up in the Daily mail a British Tabloid. Look at the expression on her face. Complete shock. Yea, and she is even prettier. I thought she was 25.]

I see this fat ass "photographer," AKA paparazzi, at the Target by my house. He is dressed in black along with a matching black baseball cap hiding behind a stand of young girls two piece bathing suits. Just picture this jerk as an unshaven, obese ninja, with no honor code making a living as a professional stalker.

He has drawn attention to himself because he is knocking swim suits and hangers onto the floor and he does not pick them up. I am thinking he is some creepy nut and suddenly he leaps out nearly bumps me. He does not turn and apologize or say excuse me, he just starts clicking his camera like it is a "machine gun." I look up to see what he is shooting and there is Gwen Stefani. Next, her child gets startled and drops his toy. I yell at the guy and say, "I can't believe this." He turns and starts walking out real quick. The security guard there can't do anything about it because she is worried more about Gwen Stefani.

Gwen Stefani was a swimmer in high school, I have no idea how she could ever pass that sport onto her kids or any other activity for that matter without the fear of a stalker such as what I witnessed today doing something that potentially harms them.

Here is my suggestion to  Target or any other private business: If one of these paparazzi jerks publishes a photo within Target or any other branded or private business, said store should bill each publication that runs these photos $100,000 for trademark violations and/or by profiting with no permission do so on their private property.

Did I pull out my camera, no!  I pretended that she was just some mom with here kid buying the latest toy. These paparazzi jerks are stalkers. They make a living invading people's personal spaces, bumping people out of the way to so, cutting people off on freeways; (Jason Bieber incident three miles from my house), and no photographer should have a right to profit from a photo taken in a obtained that way.

(BTW, it is true what they say about swimmers: we do age so much better than anybody athelte.)

The Atlantic: ...Leave Lance Armstrong Alone!

Both the press and the government selectively create heroes and soon thereafter crucifies them. It's a narrative that has played out since 44 BC when Caesar crossed the Rubicon but met with a violent assassination at the hands of the Roman Senate.  From "hero to zero" to speak.

Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan are present time examples.

Perhaps philosopher Betrand Russell is right: "...Uncertainty, in the presence of vivid hopes and fears, is painful, but must be endured if we wish to live without the support of comforting fairy tales." Lance Armstrong was that comforting fairy tale. A fairy tale which said a cancer survivor can rise up, dust themselves off, and win the Tour de France. Gosh, what were we thinking? 

From The Atlantic:

".... This entire sordid saga is complicated on every level, and pretending it's simple serves no purpose. We made a young Texan into an impossible hero because we love heroes and he seemed just perfect. All too perfect, of course.

So now we need a villain, and a not-so-young Texan seems just perfect. Again, all too perfect.

Which brings us back to the Department of Justice suing Armstrong. When Chicago's children are slaughtering one another in gang-driven violence, and a licensed compounding pharmacy is turning out a contaminated vaccine that kills instead of cures, is this really the best use of our precious government resources? I'd rather the DOJ be focused on busting gangs and the FDA to do a better job on protecting the public than trying to clean up a tainted European sport or help Floyd Landis settle an old score.

So yes, Lance Armstrong lied, cheated, and doped. But like the old saying goes, do we really have to make a federal case out of it?  ..." 

[Link]

Was James Pantera bullied by Mike Saltzstein? NO! Mike Saltzstein was asked to check into James Pantera's past and the results were disturbing.

Here is an email from a colleague of Mike Saltzstein who requested that Mike check into James Pantera's past.  (Names have been redacted in the email above but the names will remain intact when shown to USA Swimming .) Mike was sent links by this colleague after they had found questionable items in James Pantera's past after doing a cursory Google search on James Pantera. Subsequently these links provided distressing information and Mike was told to research it and research it he did.

As a result a myriad of lies were soon found out which has demonstrably proven that James Pantera should have never been a sanctioned USA Swimming coach since he had a felony record and an arrest on weapons charges.

What I am trying to say here is that when it comes stating the truth that a rule or rules have been broken that is not bullying in any way shape or form. It's informing the public.

Hre is a quote from Mike Saltzstein: "...[This email] should shut down any retaliation claims as my rationale for the Pantera mess. Similarly it should close off any debate of his bullying claim, this was almost a month before he claims to have filed some complaint for which I was retaliating. Fact two, I have not ever even seen this supposed complaint. ..."

I believe I found the USA Swimming "loophole" that James Pantera slipped through!

I promised I would do a criminal background check on James Pantera and I have contacted the FBI to run it through them. It will cost me $18 and they provided a link: FBI Background check site: [Link]

In the meantime, I was sent a background check by a reader who conducted the check without a Social Security Number and he had no problem finding out that this guy is "radioactive." Scroll down to see  the result...

As I was going through the process to file with the FBI,  I was contacted by a SCAQ Blog reader who explained in pretty clear terms how our "ghost" otherwise known as James David Land AKA James Pantera AKA James Sabre Pantera AKA Robert Michael Binkin and others..., fell through the cracks.

Simple answer "USA Swimming changed horses in the middle of a stream." They changed agencies at the behest of an "expert" and this new agency failed badly. The SCAQ reader that contacted me even suggested that this "expert" has an interest in the new company they were told USA Swimming to bring in. That is a serious ethical breech or at best a conflict of interest that has harmed the sport.

Before the new agency was brought in by the "expert" they had an extremely competent company titled TC logiQ  doing all the background checks for them and this company was very thorough. Most online agencies use a "Boolean search term" rather than using what is know as "fuzzy logic." For instance if you did background check on this blogger as "Tony Austin", numerous people would show up. However by using variations of my name would render more results.

Now, with our "Ghost," James Pantera, using an "alphabet soup strategy," or multiple identities it looks  like he was able to game the sorely anemic search terms of the "expert's" agency.

So who "dropped the ball" in this mess? The person who was told to change horses in the middle of a stream" and hire a new agency.

Here is a quote for you:

"...Based on the parameters with which we run searches, we would have caught this person. Additionally our disclosure box would have immediately disqualified his membership for falsifying the application by not disclosing his prior arrest..." 

-- Thomas (TC) Danzenger - CEO  TC logiQ

Someone at USA Swimming please suspend this person or ban this person immediately... Even the USA Swimming rule book says he should never been allowed to be a member:

304.3.6 Conviction of, imposition of a deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty or no contest at any time, past or present, or the existence of any pending charges, for (i) any felony, (ii) any offense involving use, possession, distribution or intent to distribute illegal drugs or substances, (iii) any crime involving sexual misconduct, or (iv) any criminal offense against a minor.

Background check:

Case Summary

2:98-cr-00220-LA All Defendants USA v. Pantera, et al
Date filed: 11/17/1998
Date terminated: 06/11/1999
Date of last filing: 05/22/2006


James S Pantera
Milwaukee
Terminated: 06/11/1999  

Count: 1
Citation: 18:1542.F

Offense Level: 4
18:1542 and 2 - FALSE STATEMENT IN APPLICATION/USE OF PASSPORT

Count: 1s
Citation: 18:922G.F

Offense Level: 4
18:922(g)(2) and 924(a)(2) - UNLAWFUL TRANSPORT OF FIREARMS, ETC.
Count: 2s

Citation: 18:1542.F  
Offense Level: 4

18:1542 and 2 - FALSE STATEMENT IN APPLICATION OF PASSPORT

Count: 3s
Citation: 20:1097A.F
Offense Level: 4
20:1097(a) and 18:2 - EMBEZZLEMENT, STEALING, FRAUD, FALSE STATEMENTS, FORGERY

Defendant Custody Status:

AP weighs in on coach Mike Saltzstein and James Pantera's "street fight."

Coach James Pantera is a complex man: He has nearly a dozen identities, three birth dates, a felony conviction for fraud, his resume has questionable items therein and now he is accusing Mike Saltzstein of being a bully by going to Associated Press and telling them all of the above.

Associated Press has a cursory overview of this silly allegation leveled at Mike Saltzstein by James Pantera:

A San Diego swim coach alleged to have multiple identities and a felony conviction fired back Tuesday, calling his accuser a "bully" with a checkered past.

"... James Pantera issued a statement one day after a complaint was filed with USA Swimming by Mike Saltzstein, a former vice president with the governing body.

The statement said Saltzstein is "attempting to smear the name of a well respected and liked swim coach and official" who has passed numerous background checks*. It also points to Saltzstein's legal issues, saying he was involved in an insider trading case more than a decade ago. ..." 

"... The statement also referred to a 1999 case that Saltzstein settled by paying about $6,000 to the Securities and Exchange Commission, without conceding any wrongdoing. 

[Link]

*I am going to put that to a test tomorrow. I will pay for a background check and post all the results.  If he has a felony record then one has to ask why is allowed to coach? Why, at the very least has he not been suspended pending a USA Swimming investigation?

If he was never certified a level 5 ASCA coach then would this act of lying preclude him from being a part of ASCA or is ASCA okay with that?