By the time I get to the end of an issue of ESPN Magazine, I’m not really paying attention. I almost had to do a double take to catch this hilarious photoshop job from the July 28, 2008 issue (Ryan Sheckler on the cover)!

You didn’t? Well, shame on all of you!

Tara’s episode of TLC’s “What Not To Wear” premiered tonight and she was so cute. Love that smile of hers!

Anyway, I capped it, so I will be the wonderful savior that I usually am and post it in a day or so. Depends on my workload this weekend. I’m swamped yo!

I posted this on MGoSwim last night. Sports Illustrated’s Olympic Preview issue is out on newsstands as of yesterday. Mine came in the mail today. A subscription to SI is a must during the summer of an Olympic year!

If you don’t subscribe, I highly recommend you pick up this issue. It’s chuck full of Team USA goodness, including a bunch of great shots, articles, and Q&A’s. If you’re an Olympics Whore, like the Swim Aids, you will love it!

And be sure to check out their medal predictions section, towards the end of the issue. I disagreed with many of their picks, but it was still a nice read. And no, I will not be putting my predictions out there. I’m far too lazy for all that.

The Got Milk? ad on Pg. 30 & 31 was nice! Loved seeing the Lochtenator and Maritza in there reppin’ for swimming. I think I might have a new desktop!

Also, if you’re looking for a Swim Aid response re: Jessica Hardy, you aren’t going to get one. I consider Jess a friend and I work with her agents almost daily. In short, we have nothing to say.

Usually, in the fall of an Olympic year, things slow to a stand still. A lot of swimmers take breaks and try to capitalize on the all-to-small window of opportunity that Olympic athletes score following their return from competition. And while we look forward to that, we know we’re going to miss swimming.

We had an exceptionally long drought in the aftermath of last summer’s nationals. That wasn’t the plan, but that’s how things panned out.

So where are we going to get our fix? Your guess is as good as mine!

I’ll probably go spend some quality time with the Ohio State pool that I love so much. Michigan is coming to me this season for a 2-day tri-meet with Penn St. I’m definitely hitting that up. As for more National meets, I’ve been eyeballing the Minnesota Grand Prix and Short Course Nationals. If I can get up to Minny, I can reunite with Carrie and go to the Mall of America. Win-win, right?

But with trips like that, I’ll need to budget like a mad woman, as I have already penciled in that trip to Rome for Worlds. If I have to give up a few domestic meets in order to make it to Rome, then so be it. After all, it’s ROME!! Holla atcha girl!

If I stick around Ohio this fall, then I will absolutely make the trip to Long Beach for the grand prix in January. Kiwi will have relocated to SoCal, not to mention I have family out that way. I’ve been wanting to get to that meet for a couple of years now, so I think it’s about time.

According to the Quad Plan, Austin (TX) is getting a grand prix in March, pre-NCAAs. If all else fails, you may see a group at that meet because 6th St. is beckoning all of us.

Now, if for some reason, we figure out that Rome is an impossibility, we will definitely attend the CP Summer Nationals. IUPUI is hosting in Indy again, and we already have a hotel room. (If you’re thinking about going, we suggest you book yours now, too. You can always cancel later!) We wanted to stay at University Place last year, but couldn’t get a room and the people doing reservations were incompetent. So we ended up staying at the Omni and driving to and from sessions. We’ll be hoofin’ it that 1 block distance this time around.

So, Indy is our backup plan. I’m pretty sure that if we go to Rome, we won’t be able to swing Indy just weeks before that trip. This is the time when I miss Spring Nationals. Having selection meets just a couple of weeks before a major international competition makes it virtually impossible for us to attend both. Were Spring Champs still around, we could go to both. *shakes fist*

So that’s where we’re at with our trip planning. Nothing I’ve mentioned is set in stone, so don’t be surprised if you see a Swim Aid at a meet near you!

Right before finals started on July 4, the crowd was instructed to get loud and that they did! Free shirts were given out so that the colors of our flag were on full display around the Qwest Center. It was awesome! There was also the nightly edition of “the wave”, but we didn’t catch that on video. Kiwi took a video to try and capture some of that excitement. Watch it below:

And the random “woooo” action you hear in background of the video was not us. It was our fave coach, Paul Yetter, who was sitting with us during that session. Yea, I just called him out. So what?!

Even though we didn’t post about it, the Swim Aids for beyond ecstatic when our friend, Max Jaben, qualified for the Israeli Olympic team.

The Swim Aid love for Maxie goes back a couple of years when we met — and later rescued — him at a University of Florida post-party following the end of the 2006 Nationals in Irvine. That was a crazy party until “the man” shut it down.

So following the news that Max tested positive, twice, for a banned substance, we don’t know what to say. In an interview with the Kansas City Star, Max says he doesn’t even know what boldenone is. He gives the following statement, which tugs at our heart strings:

“I felt like a plane crashed. I went from being on top of the world. As of right now, it’s all gone. It’s a horrible feeling, something that I’ve never imagined feeling. … As a sportsman, this is the lowest low that you can go.”

The Kansas City Star piece, referenced above, was dated July 17, and stated that that Max’s future with the Israeli team was uncertain. This was also mentioned in an AP story. However, in a newer story by Ha’aretz, it is being reported that he is officially off the team.

It’s tough when newsworthy topics involve people you are friendly with. Max is one of the nicest and sweetest swim boys we’ve come across in our years in the sport. He gives great hugs and also amuses us by looking like he’s smiling when he takes a breath in between strokes.

We hope that whatever the outcome, that he surrounds himself with positive and caring people to help him through this time. We know the Olympics were a major goal for him.

And if you knew me personally, you’d understand how huge that statement is!

Our dear Ryk, whom the Swim Aids refer to as “The Hotness”, has an autobiography coming out this fall and some snippets are starting to leak.

In the book, titled Chasing the Dream, we will get some insight into his longterm relationship with Miss Amanda Beard a few years back. (Hottest. Swim. Couple. Ever.) We also learn more about how he got into the sport, which was that he almost drowned as a 5 year old. How PVK-esque!

Other topics include the reasoning behind turning down Qatar’s offer to race for them, as well as why he still calls South Africa home.

In other words, I am intrigued. I want to read this book. And I don’t read books. Such power Ryk holds. This has the potential to be simply dangerous!

Also, Ryk recently turned down an offer to be the next “Bachelor” for ABC. He only wants to concentrate of preparing for Beijing, like a good little Olympic athlete. That’s unfortunate, though. And by unfortunate, I mean for us Swim Aids. Because if there’s one thing American TV needs, it’s a healthy dose of “The Hotness”. Maybe Dancing With The Stars will come calling too? I don’t care what show it is. My ass is going to watch. Just keepin’ it real!