Our favorite swimmer/coach tandem is no more. I don’t know what we’re going to do with ourselves. No seriously. As Swim Aids, our world is now officially crumbling.

Yes, I know this post is overly dramatic, but we need a little somepin’ somepin’ around here, wouldn’t y’all agree? None of us are really on suicide watch or anything. We’re just bummed.

Don’t get us wrong. We love us some Bob-Bow too, but he’s no Paul. Bob has never made any of us a mixed CD. He also doesn’t run over people in order to sit with us at meets. Maybe if he started doing those things, like Paul does, he’d be top dog in our eyes. But as it stands now, there just isn’t any other coach even remotely as cool and Paul Yetter. Just keepin’ it real, yo.

I didn’t know where to put this, but I just knew I had to post it somewhere! It’s just too good to pass up.

Below is a video of Katie showin’ off a couple of the dance moves she’s learned in her hip hop classes. She’s promised me that we’re going to go out and tear it up, after the Olympics, so it was nice for me be able to get a preview of what I can expect. For the rest of you, enjoy the LOLZ!

Please note the look on her face when asked to share some dance moves. That’s pretty much the same face I got when I asked her to put on my ‘Black Girl” t-shirt. And just like then, she caved to the request.

We love that girl!

I swear. We need to make it our mission to get The Hoff to a dance club. I know we’ve been joking about it for a while, but it needs to become one of our priorities; right up there with going drinking with Mama VDK.

Katie’s still taking hip-hop dance classes and has been known to be apprehensive on the dance floor. I guarantee that one night with us and she will never again hesitate to hit the floor. As a result of our tutelage, she may even become a club rat.

So maybe us taking her out may not be in the best interest of her swimming career.

The Ohio State Grand Prix would be the most convenient opportunity to take Miss Hoff out. It’s my hood and my brother works as a bouncer at a few downtown clubs. Perfect, no?

Paul, we will discuss this at length in a couple of weeks, ok? And if we can’t take Katie out, we’re taking you!

The Associated Press, of all mainstream media outlets, should know it’s Hoff, not Joff. Now they, too, fail at life.

No one messes with ‘The Hoff‘ and gets away with it!

If this is what we are to look forward to, from the press, leading up to Trials, then I suggest we all prepare ourselves for maximum eye rollage.

I know that I totally aged myself with the post title, yet most of you probably won’t make the connection. And that will age me even more…

In any case, we here at the Swim Aids are very big on the Swim Chicks and they were in full effect over the weekend breaking records and posting best times.

Last week, our fave coach tipped me to some fast swimming in Maryland. He also rubbed salt in the wound since I wasn’t covering the meet in person. Paul, I’m going to need you to cover my airfare and offer me your couch if you want me to cover NBAC meet in person. Just sayin’

So, this post is dedicated to Katie Hoff, Felicia Lee, and Kate Ziegler. We are very impressed, but not surprised. You girls rock!

The Hoff broke 4 American Records and 1 individual NAG record, in addition to swimming on a NAG-breaking relay too. Flee put up 6 (yes, 6!!) best times throughout the meet, plus the same relay as the Hoff that broke a 15-18 NAG record. Kate Z. was swimming at the Tom Dolan Invite and battling The Hoff in many of the same events. In fact, we’ve heard that prior to Katie’s 500y Free American Record at the NBAC meet, Kate had broken it just a short while before; in the same night! Now that’s some fast swimming goin’ on! Earlier in the weekend, Kate had already broken the 1650y Free American Record.

O/T: For those of you who didn’t pick up on my opening thought, this might help. Now how many of you knew that was what I was referring to? Yea, that’s what I thought! I miss the 80s.

I’m sure many of you have been wondering why the Hoffster has a “free pass” here on Swim Aids. It’s really because she is head and shoulders above all the swimmers that we are friendly with. She goes above and beyond the call of duty, and let me share with you the latest reason why.

If you know who I am and have seen me around at random meets over the past 2 years, then you have probably seen my infamous ‘Black Girl’ t-shirt. If you haven’t, then you are blind because I am pretty much the token darkie at the meets I go to.

Back in ‘05, when Katie and I first started to get acquainted, I told her about that shirt. She’s been obsessed with it ever since! I even wore it on the final day of CP Summer Nationals last year in Irvine, at her request. As she walked out with the other 100 Free finalists, it caught her eye and laughs were shared all around.

So, when I met up with Katie at the recent Eric Namesnik Memorial Grand Prix, I had a different idea in mind. Instead of me wearing the shirt, SHE was going to! She’s still not sure how I talked her into it. My powers of persuasion should never be underestimated. So, not only did she put the shirt on, she let us take a picture of it. If you are my “friend” on facebook, then you’ve already seen it. If you’re not part of the cool crowd on facebook who gets to call me a “friend” — what’s wrong with you?! — now’s your chance!

And this, Swim Aid followers, is why Katie Hoff is awesomer than you.

I am well aware that awesomer is not a word, but damnit, it fits!

P.S. It should also be noted that “The Hoff” is not the only one to wear a shirt at my request. I have a picture of PVK in a “classic” shirt I had made for him last fall. Taking a picture of himself in it and then sending it to me earned him a ton of keepin’ it real points! It’s kind of an inside joke and he’d likely kill me if I posted it on the internet. No, seriously. He could crush me with little effort and I’m much too young to die!