Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Conference Meet - Part II - The Races

The Davidson Wildcats swam in 179 competives races over the weekend.

I am now going to write about all of them...

Just not on this spot.

One of the best parts about my job is getting to write the alumni newsletter, complete with statistics, points of view, photos, the whole nine yards. I'm pretty sure the ratio of positive feedback to constructive criticism is about 3:2 (I'll take it.) If you need a recap of the entire meet, be sure to let me know and I'll forward you a copy of the newsletter. I hope to be finished by Tuesday (if the photographer ever hands over the photos.)

For now, here are my Top Fifteen Races from the CCSA Championships:

#15 - Miller's 100 Fly in Prelims - Miller had gone through quite a bit of off-season shoulder reconstruction and was the best butterflier on the team prior to his injury. He wanted to make a statement that his shoulder had fully recovered and BAM! - 49.47 - the fastest split in Davidson history.

#14 - Madeline's, Bertram's, and Totten's gutsy Bread 'n' Butter events - These were memorable not just for the perseverance they each demonstrated repairing their respective shoulder ailments, but how well they did in their best events. Madeline went a career best time in the 200 fly in scoring tenth place, Bertram did the same in the 200 back (best, 10th) and Totten the same in the 100 fly (best, 13th.)

#13 - Colin's 1650 - I am encouraging every swimmer I know to swim the mile at some point in their career. It's the greatest. Colin won his heat with a consistency and fortitude that we had never seen before. The result - a 43 second drop. We were going crazy...and Colin responded and then some.

#12 - Kerman's 400 IM - Kerman had sparingly trained for this event during the season. When John suggested swimming the 400 IM as a benefit to the team's point standing, Kerman could not have been more willing. His exuberance got the best of him the morning swim, but at night, Kerm was in control - firing a mind-boggling 4:03.43 in capturing the silver medal.

#11 - Hailey's 200 Breaststroke - On paper, there's nothing too flashy about finishing 11th in an event that you occasionally enjoy. But if you factor that Hailey was seeded 24th, dropped over nine seconds, just swam the mile on the same day, and hunted down three girls on the final 50, you might actually have this race higher on your list.

#10 - Lindsey's 100 Free - Sidelined for three weeks in January with Mono, Lindsey's talent shined in the 100 free. Davidson's star sprinter just jolts off the blocks, took that initial lead, and toasted any oncomers in route to a gold medal and NCAA B cut (49.67 - sick.)

#9 - Anna's 400 IM - The sophomore's journey towards setting the college record did not come cheap. Anna took advantage of her strengths (fly and back) and dazzled in freestyle when her team needed her most with an impressive 1:00.7 split coming home. Final time - 4:25.88.

#8 - Sheetz' 500 Free - Being nervous is fine. Being nervous is an indication of concern. Being nervous keeps your focus. And when you transform these nerves into a tenacity that even you didn't know you had, the results can be epic. This was Sheetz' 500. A fourth place finish and college record later (4:57.85,) we had our first showstopper of the meet for the Lady Cats.

#7 - Peitz' 200 Fly - Our freshman rock sacrificed his best event (200 back) to get more points for the team. He bettered his already impressive college record in the 200 fly on the final day of competition. He might have looked like he was fading in the final 50, but Peitz found another gear in the last 25 yards to earn himself a gold medal in a record time of 1:51.84.

#6 - Merritt's 1650 - I'll never forget the conversation Merritt and I had Saturday afternoon before the mile. I felt like Tom in Seabiscuit talking to Red or George about how to ride their horse to victory. You put in so much preparation and planning and to watch him not only execute, but to pull away at the end was something very special to me as coach. Merritt's 1000 time going out (9:32.47) and final time (15:47.93) are Davidson and CCSA records that he can add to his goal medal swim.

#5 - Reamer's 1650 - The surgeries, the rehab, the pain, the commitment, the swim of her life. This race may have only taken 16:56.74 to complete, but it took 12 months to carve. Reamer was the lone Lady Cat in the finals of the mile and she looked magnificent representing the College. She stayed on pace throughout through every 50 and got stronger as the race unfolded.

#4 - Curtis' 500 free - If there every was a blind-side blitz in swimming, this was it. Curtis swam his 500 as smoothly as you would tie your shoes. HE DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HE WAS TRYING! His massive frame coupled with his efficient underwater kicks made for a jaw-dropping 4:26.89. And, I promise you, he could have hopped back in the water five minutes later and done it again - no doubt.

#3 - Castle's 100 fly - I want Emily Castle on my team for everything. I don't care if it's swimming, gymnastics, team in training, Yahtzee, pie-eating, you name it. If Joe Montana's cool and clutch combined with Larry Bird's swagger and came back as a woman, that's Castle. She doesn't talk to big game, but she executes with surgeon-like precision. While her time was absolutely amazing (54.62,) you wouldn't know by her demeanor. Clutch when it counts, Castle's 100 was unforgettable.

#2 - Men's 200, 400, and 800 Free Relays - It's hard to pick between the three. Droll split 19 in his 50, Merritt got the college record in the 100 (45.35) and the 800 free relay looked so good, the second place Charleston relay was behind them by about 7 seconds. Just a silly display of speed, power, and cohesiveness as the boys took three gold medals, three conference records, three college records, and didn't really leave a hint of doubt who has the best freestylers in the conference.

#1 - Women's 400 Free Relay - The final race of the conference championship was the most thrilling ride the natatorium showcased. Lindsey led off with a 49.91 and gave way to Tastic, who closes as well as any sprinter on the team. The rookie flew to the tune of 52.02 - and now we have a dead heat with Florida Gulf Coast as Montana-Bird woman dives in. As if this were her first race of the weekend, Castle fired a 50.44, but still FGCU was neck-and-neck with the Lady Cats. And then senior Courtney Sanders, in the last race of the season and of her brilliant career, looked one of FGCU finest sprinters dead in the eye and beat her with a sparkling four laps that brought the house down. Final gold medal winning time - 3:23.09 - better by .45 seconds - the gals first winning relay and a new CCSA and Davidson school record. It could not have been a better ending to the entire week of 179 phenomenal swims.

Part III - Reflection

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Conference Meet - Part I - View from the Deck

I can vividly remember watching William and Mary for the first time from the stands. Below, on deck were my former teammates and friends, swimming their hearts out against some very formidable competition. Graduation took me away from the ring-side view and I was left to feel the unparalleled intensity and fight in each of the competitors as a member of the raucous crowd. From high in the bleachers, I remember thinking to myself, "wouldn't it be great to have the opportunity to be on deck with a college team?"

And five years from that notion, I stood on deck for three memorable days in February at the University of Georgia's beautiful facility to marvel at a team that I could claim I was a part of. This past weekend was THAT image I had in my head when I decided to pursue collegiate swim coaching.

For the guys' team, the goal was to finish in the top eight to make in the championship heat at night and, depending on who the girl was, the goal was the same or to swim well enough to make the top 16. On deck, way heart was flying with every race. The most difficult part for me was the start; "please just make it to the water," I would think. Once the racing began, you live and die with every stroke, every turn, every finish. The kids are basically on their own, but if there's even the smallest bit of difference that you can make by whistling or being visible, with
arms flailing and fists pumping, you would do it. Anyone would.

As intense as the morning sessions were, the night was twice as enchanting. Could the kids swim faster than in the morning? Can we move up in place? Is there anything left in the tank? How will this affect tomorrow's swim? There is something supremely different about swimming for points and for your team. It no longer becomes about returning for that second swim or achieving that best time. It's now about beating the guys and gals next to you. You've all made it - now who's better. With some of the longer distance, there may be some strategy involved, but it's minuscule compared to the physical and mental fortitude showcased.

On deck, we keep our poise until the rubber meets the road. I would gyrate and whistle and signal at what I thought were the most opportune moments. It's a guarantee that not everyone saw or heard me, but you would have
reacted similarly if you had a front row seat as well. Points would be earned, medals would be won, records would fall, and champions were carved.

Two races in particular brought the most out of me: the 400 IM and the mile. The 400 IM was on the second day of competition and we had a tremendous wealth of talent firing on all cylinders in the morning and evening. On deck, we would implore the Wildcats to kick harder, reach longer, turn quicker over 16 grueling laps. To see how well Kerman, Seo, Ben, and Colin did for the guys and Anna, Lauren, Alanna, and Casey did for the girls was really enjoyable for me. As long as the race is compared most of the others, it can seem like a sprint when the kids maneuver as quickly as they do.

However, for me, none of these races compare like the mile. For the distance swimmers (whom you see at the top of this site) this is the race you train for. It's Saturday, the final day, and you're beat-up for the distances you've already tolled on your body from the first two days. But there they were, grinding out every yard with great intensity, pain, and purpose to achieve that place and split there were destined to attain.

This is as close to "play-calling" as you're going to get during a swim meet and I absolutely loved it. The race may take over 15 minutes, but you felt that every second mattered. We're jumping signaling the swimmers to stay long of the walls, signaling to the counters to move the placement of the lap counter, signaling who to chase, signaling to kick and on and on and on. All of our milers swam best season times. Colin brought the house down with his 40-second drop. Merritt and Alanna set new school records with Merritt taking the title. Caitlin shaved 20 seconds, Meagan and Seo battled to season bests, Porter and Hailey willingly swam the event for the good of the team and looked magnificent in doing so.

When it was over, just like the other races, the hugs were aplenty with the occasional tears getting the best of the kids. They had come to grips with how much it hurt and how they fought through that hurt. The mile exemplified what it meant to be on deck during a conference championship. You live and die with every stroke, every turn, every finish. You would give anything in the world to see your team swim their best when the spotlight was the brightest. It was a treat for me to say they did just that.

Part II - The races

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Welcome to Athens

This morning the Davidson Swimming and Diving squads hopped on a bus and rode 4 hours to Athens, Georgia. The conference championship has arrived and is the zenith to our season; everything the Wildcats have worked for is on display at the University of Georgia for three exciting days of competition.

The journey to Athens started much sooner than the 9AM departure. Every NCAA student-athlete has a level of commitment and sacrifice that the sport and college ask for. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the final steps in this 2008-2009 journey. It, indeed, is a marathon, but when you see that finish line, that's when you want to be your best.

There is a terrific article that I've read on CNN that summarizes what it's like to be a swimmer on this
Wildcat team. The parallels to the team and the athletes described by Bob Greene may not immediately smack you in the face. Yet, I can't help but sift through the words of the author, and not only reflect on Davidson, our season, and what I've been able to carve as a coaching craftsman.

There are numerous choices that each of us make in the course of a season. The risk is great. The reward can be greater. That reward can be a choice that was previously made to do something well or ill.

I am extremely proud of these Cats. There will be time (beginning next week) to further expand on this pride. For now, we'll strap-in, witness their glancing eyes focus on the task at hand, and catch that moment when they are their finest. It should be a great three days...

Friday, February 13, 2009

Pittsburgh Sports Report - February 13th

I have to start this posting with a great column written by Bill Simmons of ESPN. He is one of my favorite writers for a number of reasons - one of which is his unique ability to encapsulate things that I've uniquely pondered in my sports universe since I was four. Bill begins his latest article with a You Tube clip; it's to the right. If you are a sports fan, you too will listen to it 23 times in 48 hours. The article is great too, (hilarious section on Luol Deng) but if you're not a sports fan, you'll appreciate the first three paragraphs and then move on with your life.

Second, the last time I wrote a PSR, an anonymous "fan" said that I wrote "french benefits" instead of fringe benefits. Yes, I did. And this was on purpose, mostly to pay tribute to one of the
greatest commercials of the early 21st century. My buddies Crispino and Watts love this commercial, too, and I think I've mimicked it enough that it's used in their daily conversation - not as much as I use it, though.

Now to business...It's a great time to be from Pittsburgh. The PSR feels the sun shining on us and for good reason:

The Steelers Super Bowl victory, as documented in a previous entry, is more than meaningful. There is a large difference in this bunch versus the team that beat Seattle three years earlier. This time, our head coach understands the franchise is measured in Super Bowl trophies and I truly feel they will be ready for the draft, mini-camp, training camp, and the 2009 schedule. We are also in serious discussions with James Harrison - understanding his true value as a player and leader.

Beating San Jose on Wednesday was huge for the Penguins. The night before, the Sharks put a thumping on Boston - the best team in the Eastern Conference, and defeating a team of their caliber goes a long way, even if they are not in the same conference. Since the last PSR, the Penguins have gone 7-5-1. It's good enough to give me hope they'll turn it on, but bad enough to expect them to fall short of the postseason. They just need to remember how to score again.

Pitchers and catchers report today for the Pirates and position players will report the beginning of next week. I'm excited about the hometown nine, excited about the coaching, excited at the development, and excited that we've draped ourselves in
new uniforms. Pirate fans count to date: at least 602 - we passionate baseball lovers enjoy the sound of the ball hitting the catcher's mitt; a sign of hope eternal (and by eternal, I mean through May 10th.)

There has been a lot of buzz on ESPN about Pitt facing UConn this Monday. I will be recording the contest (due to coaching obligations) and relying on my loyalty to the program to get them through the first half. However, the Panthers face Cincinnati tomorrow and the Bearcats are no slouch. They've won three in a row and are determined to get a quality win for the tournament committee to notice.

And how about Duquesne basketball! I don't remember the last time the Dukes were at the top half of the Atlantic 10 standings. The victory over Xavier was great, but beating a better Temple team at home would go a long way towards conference legitimacy

Family Notes:

In Pitt's recent defeat of West Virginia, Christa was working the media table and located behind Coach Bob Huggins. We get a good shot of my sister with about 12 minutes to go in the game. ESPN zooms in on Huggy Bear who is visibly angered by his team's lack of defense, and in the background is Christa, smiling and giving commentary to her two worker friends. So proud one of us made ESPN.

Mom and Dad share this spot because they are currently in Florida on vacation in Orlando attending a wedding. Christa is there as well (I guess she's on vacation time) and they are enjoying the sunshine and paradise that comes with Florida. They never tell me this stuff (or at least that I can remember.) This is the fourth time in 3 years they've gone on vacation, called me while they were there to inform me, and me being in the dark. But I'm glad they're living the good life.

Mammaw's been my valentine forever. I miss her a ton and hope she's doing well.

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Black, Red, and White All Over

On Saturday night, I had the privilege of attending the Davidson vs. College of Charleston basketball tilt. The outcome was not very good for the home team as the Wildcats not only lost on national television, but had their Southern Conference winning streak of 43 snapped, as well as their 27-game home winning streak.

The buzz around the campus was palpable throughout the week. After all, Davidson would be welcoming Dick Vitale to this tiny college and there was no reason to believe the team would stumble, even to a formidable conference foe. Throughout February or so, Davidson was promoting a "Black-Out Belk" event - people could purchase a "Black-Out Belk" t-shirt for the game, creating a unified and fairly intimidating scene for the visiting Cougars (it should be noted that the proceeds for purchasing the t-shirts went to charity.)

After the defeat I went home and, like most rip-roaring Saturday nights, looked for the best basketball game on TV around 10PM. What do you know - New Mexico State at Nevada. And hey, looky there - everyone in Nevada's arena is wearing white in hopes of creating a White-Out. I would say that 75% of the lower bowl was wearing white with less that half of the home faithful wearing their white garb - it didn't look that impressive.

Same night - Duquesne upsets Xavier and the home crowd is wearing RED t-shirts for a Red OUT!!!

Same night - Gonzaga distribute free navy t-shirts to everyone in the crowd for their contest against Memphis. THEY WEREN'T EVEN PLAYING IN THEIR HOME ARENA; they played at the downtown site to hold more paying customers. I would say a hair more than half of these folks proudly displayed their ZAGS shirt for the big NAVY OUT.

In this small sample of color overload, the home team won once and lost three. This really bothered me when I woke up the next morning. How could a fan be given one option of shirt to wear to a game? It looked more like a marketing ploy to get the attention of a cable audience. Charleston, New Mexico State and Memphis didn't care much about how many of the same t-shirt their hosts wear wearing; they took it to their hosts and probably used it more as fuel to their fire than as an extinguisher.

I can remember the first OUT I saw as a youth. Back in high school, I was a pretty large sports nerd (shock) and would watch late-night, west coast playoff hockey. While at a friend's house for a raucous Friday night high school party - that included pizza and Super Nintendo - we watched the Phoenix Coyotes have their entire crowd dressed in white. That was the coolest thing I had seen at a sporting event - it literally looked like a white shield along the glass. I'm 99% sure the Coyote fans did not receive a free t-shirt for attending the game; it was just a tradition the local paper started that worked really well.

And since copying is the best form of flattery, I remember during my senior year of high school, putting signs all along the halls of Fox Chapel, requesting for my friends and acquaintances to wear white for Senior Night of the basketball season. I know it wasn't like having 18,000 hockey fans, but it was to show a sign of unity and I know that Joe and Andy and Tsai would think it was super cool. Well, I think 40-45 kids read the memo and instead of looking like a mob squad, it looked like we called each other the night before to pick matching outfits.

The day after the Davidson game, I watched Illinois destroy the visiting Purdue Boilermakers and the whole crowd was wearing orange. That was loyalty at its finest. Fans need to want to wear their team's colors and logo, not be told it would be the cool thing to do or catch the eyes of people watching television. When you go to a Nebraska Cornhusker football game, try getting through the gates wearing anything except red. Do you think anyone in Green Bay has a Packer jersey? What about at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park - do you think those fans organize a NAVY OUT so their team knows they support them?

Having an OUT is as much of a representation of loyalty as vegetarian wearing a fur coat. Let's do what we can to keep OUTS out of our sports culture. And if you are going to stamp a requirement on the color you are going to wear to a contest, here are three rules that must be applied:

Rule #1 - If you don't wear the color that you are asked to drape yourself in, you are ejected from the game. You either are not a fan or you're too shallow.

Rule #2 - The home team is allowed one OUT per season. Failure to create a complete OUT results in a three-year probation from "forced attire regulations."

Rule #3 - No distribution of shirts for free as a gimmick. You must all wear the same color of cloak that you own or a t-shirt whose purchases all go to charity. Note: if you are not going to wear the shirt after the specified OUT, you will be asked to return the item to the distributor once the game is over and be banned from admittance for the remainder of the season.

Colors, mascots, and logos are what fans live for in what they choose to wear. Here's to fan loyalty and never once feeling like you were left OUT.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Could Never Imagine...

First I would like to apologize for not submitting an entry in over two weeks. Part of it was due to a lack of free time, but it was mostly because the consummate presence circulating through my head for the past 15 days revolved around the Steelers.

The Steelers did not need me to write how I thought the outcome would unfold or break down what I will do leading to the Super Bowl. I tried to maintain my regular lifestyle, prepare like I always prepare for life’s challenges, and treat the next game like the previous one. And since this was stated by our head coach, Mike Tomlin, and since I feel a sacred kinship with him – having both survived William and Mary and long to be great coaches – I felt compelled to obey.

Every passing day between the Ravens game and the Cardinals game, it sunk in more and more that we were in the Super Bowl, culminating with this past Sunday. And yes, I was nervous and hopeful, but at the same time, I had a confidence that everything was going to be OK. Since defeating the Seahawks three Super Bowls ago, I really never imagined us returning to the big game until ten years or so down the line – not for any good reason – I just thought the NFL’s parity would give way to the Chargers or Jaguars, or Jets making it there. Coupled with the difficult schedule, I was hoping, like every season, to make the playoffs and take the postseason tournament one game at a time. This was all a bonus.

Super Bowl Sunday was terrific on a number of fronts, some deeper than others. I just had an enormous amount of pride for my family and the city and culture that I was shaped by through the Steelers (how’s that for deep.) The day went by slowly for me. I finally made it to the national anthem and, after its conclusion, I assumed my usual position on the floor, hoodie on, no food, no folks around to comment, no yelling, just me and my television for the next 3.5 hours.
There really isn’t a facet to the game that I’ve uncovered that has not been detected over the last three days. I recorded it so I can find nuances that I might not have spotted the first time. Of the many sports theories I have, a strong one is - being up 13 points is a 95% guarantee that you will lose the lead.

What do you know?

The Cardinals go-ahead touchdown was probably the best thing that could have happened to us. Instead of pretending to protect a lead in the biggest game of the season, we attempted to snatch the victory. Truthfully, I was hoping for overtime; I yearned for Ben not to throw over the middle too much and hoped he used good judgment throwing the ball away if he were in trouble. When Santonio got us to the 5 with his catch and run – I still never imagined we would punch it in. With Warner turning the ball over in this same spot in the first half, I thought we would be super-conservative.

And after Santonio made the catch and the referee signaled ‘touchdown,’ I pointed at the clock on the television at how much time was left. There was no time to celebrate. (That’s not entirely true; I was politely asking Skippy to make the extra point, while noting the 35 seconds left in the game for Warner to break our hearts.)

BAM - Warner to Fitzgerald to the Arizona 43 and Warner to Arrington across midfield in a blink of an eye. So now I was thinking he’d go for an outside pass for another 20 yards before setting up a heave to Fitzgerald. I was stunned to see Warner dance in the pocket, buying time in hopes of a deep bomb in the end zone – that didn’t make any sense to me. When he was sacked, and Keisel recovered the fumble – I really didn’t think they were going to count the play. That’s not what the Cardinals drew-up, was it? The confirmation of a fumble and a recovery by us happened so quickly that once Ben took a knee and the game was over, I had this quizzical look on my face; “did we just win the Super Bowl?”

Since that fumble, it has sunk in more and more. I’ve been on the phone a bit with family and friends and It’s an unbelievable feeling of pride and accomplishment when you care about something so much. I have a “Complain-free” theory that I use when my teams win a championship. I am not allowed to moan about my team for five years post-title and an additional 4-year extension for every title during those five years (as well as no complaining about ANYTHING until the next championship contest for that sport.)

I’m good until 2015.

Hope you enjoyed it.