This pictures has nothing to do with the post. I just think it’s funny to see Jillian laughing as I tell her to hurry up and win us some beer money.
Last night I raced in the University of Washington All-Comers Swim Meet. It was awesome. I did the fly leg of the 200 medley relay, the 100 individual medley, and the 50 fly. My times were not what I remember from college, but the important thing is that I kicked some butt! A bunch of Seattle area swimmers joined up and made a team called the “devastation Station”. The team was winning, and it was fun to see a bunch of people that I swam with in High School. I wasn’t actually on their team. I was swimming for the Husky Triathlon Team, which was lagging by one point going into the 50 breast. That’s when I left, and I’m not sure what the final results were (I know, poor sportsmanship, but it was late, and I need sleep). I went a 25.00 in the 50 fly, a 57.2 in the 100IM and I’m not sure about the relay split. I really hope we pulled through in the second half for the win because they were giving out t-shirts that say “Intramural Champions”. I would wear that the way Superman wears his “S”: Everywhere. Seriously, if we won, you can expect to see the shirt next time you see me.
More bad news in the swimming community. After Rutgers cut their swimming and diving program this year, Syracuse decided to follow suit. They said the decision was made in order to provide funding for women’s ice hockey, which could be more competitive nationally. Hang on, there are only 30 Ice Hockey teams in the NCAA, of course it’s going to be easier to compete nationally. If sport was about finding an easy win then there would be thousands of Olympic sports with only three people in each. Click on the Syracuse logo above, sign the petition, and let the Orange Athletic Administration know how important it is that we keep the “core” sports (e.g. swimming, track & field, rowing, table tennis…J).
Screw the “core sports” argument.
How is cutting a program in any way in keeping with the NCAA’s “core” values? And how does ruining the careers of 20-40 guys help women succeed in sports? When suffragettes stirred for the vote, did we take men’s votes away to appease them? When women wanted equality in sports, I’m pretty sure they didn’t want us all to be equally without opportunities.
Title IX will be considered a technical “success” if the only sports left are football, basketball, and 10 token women sports (you know, so the numbers are equal).
And that’s just pathetic.
From what I understand, that’s not the only thing you were saying as Jillian was running ahead of you.
As for syracuse, perhaps the real reason they are cutting swiming and diiving is because when the pool freezes over during their frigid winters, it’s alot cheaper to zamboni the ice than melt it for the swimming. thus Hockey is the only option. LAME
I think Ben was really just helping Aaron understand that he was being ‘chicked’ but a really really really cute one. He was doing his job as a guide – way beyond his call of duty. Nice job Ben. Soon she’ll say ‘Matt Borchat, Chotrab or whatever his name was….’
Even though I do go to an all-woman’s college I can understand the frustration here, and I agree with Brian that I would not want my sport to be put over cutting a guys team, that is just not right.
I don’t know about Syracuse’s pool being frozen over but I always wonder what the heating bill must cost for a pool house, they are quit large and ridiculously hot (that is unless you are a diver and then they are not EVER warm enough when you are standing freezing to death on deck during practice).