Extra, Extra! Read all about it! Everything you need to know about next year’s Olympic Trials can be found in the following press release. So read up, take notes, and share with your friends!

Officials of the Omaha Sports Commission, USA Swimming, City of Omaha and Qwest Center Omaha announced today that approximately 9,000 all-session tickets to the 2008 Olympic Team Trials for Swimming, set for June 29 to July 6, will go on sale Thursday, May 24, at 10 a.m.

Tickets will be available at Qwest Center Omaha and the Center’s ticket outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 402-422-1212 in Omaha and 402-475-1212 in Lincoln.

Only all-session tickets will be available for purchase. Three price levels have been established — $475, $375 and $275. An all-session ticket will include seven daytime preliminary sessions and eight evening finals sessions. Officials are working with Visa, a long standing sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team, and said that tickets for the Olympic Team Trials for Swimming must be purchased using cash or a Visa card. No other credit cards will be accepted for the Trials.
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Okay, first he’s called “crack” and then they mess up his training city?  What the hell is wrong with Spanish journalists? 

Baltimore’s “crack” will travel to Europe at the beginning of July to take part in the first of the three competitions of Mare Nostrum: Canet Roussillon (June 9-10).Then, Michael Phelps will travel to Barcelona to take part in the Spanish competition.

Before returning to Atlanta, where he currently practices under orders of coach Bob Bowman, the American swimmer will finish the Mare Nostrum Tour participating in the International Swimming Meeting (June 16-17), in Monaco.

There is not — I repeat NOT — going to be a tailgate this year at the Eric Namesnik Grand Prix. I know you’re all sad. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. Allow me to explain.

#1. I still haven’t figured out why it is always cold in Ann Arbor. I live less than 3 hours from A2 and it’s always at least 10 degrees colder there! And people wonder why we call it the Arctic Tundra? Anyway, we froze our asses off at last year’s tailgate. Not looking to repeat that frigid experience.

#2. Morning Finals. The point of doing a tailgate is to get pumped up for the major action, right? With finals in the morning, my ass is not waking up for kegs n’ eggs in anticipation of finals. And tailgating for prelims seems kind of lame, doesn’t it?

#3. It’d be hard to top last year’s entertaining events! Does it get better than Mr. Phelps almost backing over our grill and later thinking he got a parking ticket when it was just a note from us telling him to wash his cars? Then blaming their dirty appearance on his sister’s “off-roading”. Then there was Kaitlin dragging T-Dub!! to the tailgate so we could meet him, thus requiring me to stop telling her “Davis hates me” all the time. Or what about Miss Hoff (who we will never hate on here) stopping by and being forced to field questions about her “hot coach”? Matt Patton being scared to death that anyone even knew who he was enough to say “hi” was pretty classic as well. What about the small pow-wow of Michigan swimmers that gathered behind my car when we were loading up the beer? That was especially funny! If they wanted some, all they had to do was ask. Sharing is caring

#4. Smaller posse than last year. We’ve downsized and shaved off lots of deadweight in the past 6 months. We’ll tailgate at a meet where most of the Swim Aids are present. That’s looking to be Nationals, because we are going to be rollin’ deep with 10+ people. But don’t quote me on a tailgate just yet!

Speedo just sent this over. I think it’s a neat sponsorship opportunity for Gary. His contract is unique in that it recognizes his impact beyond the pool and focuses heavily on his many charitable efforts.

SPEEDO®, the top-selling swimwear brand in the world, today announced the signing of 32-year-old swim star and Olympic veteran Gary Hall, Jr. to a multi-year contract through 2010. A ten-time Olympic medalist, Hall represented the U.S. in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games and is projected to be a serious medal contender at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in his specialty, the 50m freestyle. If he wins gold in Beijing, Hall would become the first-ever Olympian to do so in the same event three times.

Now an “elder statesman” on the U.S. team, Hall was voted by his peers as Team Captain at the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships last August. He will compete for the U.S. in the 50 free and the 4×100 free relay at the 2007 Pan American Games, July 13-29, in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Hall is represented by David Arluck, President and CEO of Arluck Promotions LLC.

The agreement with Speedo recognizes Hall’s impact beyond this season as a U.S. National Team member and his expected Olympic return in Beijing. Prior to Beijing, Gary will work with Speedo Aqualab to lend his input to the research and development process of upcoming projects. Following the 2008 Games, Speedo will involve Hall in the brand’s mission to promote Masters Swimming. The brand will also partner with Hall on his many philanthropic efforts.
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Yup, we figured it out days ago. So we were first to post about this! I wonder if we can keep this string going…

COLLEGIATE STAR AND TOP U.S. SPRINTER KARA LYNN JOYCE SIGNS WITH SPEEDO

21-year-old Joyce and SPEEDO® Ink Six-Year Contract

SPEEDO®, the top-selling swimwear brand in the world, today announced a six-year contract with 21-year-old collegiate swim star Kara Lynn Joyce. One of the top female sprinters in the world, Joyce represented the United States at the 12th FINA World Championships, March 25 – April 1, 2007. The agreement with Speedo, which runs through 2012, is designed to support Joyce’s career goals both in and out of the pool.

The University of Georgia senior is coming off a history-making performance at the 2007 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships earlier this month where she won both the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events for the fourth straight year and was named the outstanding swimmer of the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year. With 18 national titles, Joyce finished her collegiate career as the second-most decorated swimmer in NCAA history and only the second swimmer to win four consecutive titles in two events. Her 50 yard free American Record set at the 2006 Women’s NCAA Championships still stands.
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Yes, Rowdy Gaines. People can say what they want, but he is a great commentator. And by watching this WCSN coverage, that is becoming more and more apparently to me.

I understand that beggars can’t be choosy (I’m glad we even get coverage), but this country holds freedom of speech in high regard, so I’m going to take advantage.

We need someone like Rowdy commentating. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I don’t particularly enjoy the bias against Team USA that I’ve been picking up thus far. “The Americans say they have the fastest team ever but…” or “I would have thought they’d go faster…” gets really old after the first few times. Not only that, but if you’re trying to expand swimming’s audience, it’d be nice to have commentators who know more than just the mini-bios of the Team USA athletes, wouldn’t it? (e.g. Brendan Hansen trains in Austin, TX, but he is not from there.)

It would be nice to know when someone swims a personal best time. Maybe those viewers without a wealth of knowledge on Team USA would like to hear a little of the athletes’ backstories. It would also be nice to see some post-race interviews with American swimmers. But more importantly, please tell us when a US Swimmer breaks an American record!

After Natalie Coughlin’s 100 Fly final, all they could focus on was that she didn’t win and how she should have. How negative! Because they aren’t Americans themselves, they were completely oblivious to the fact that Natalie had just broken a longstanding American Record! All they wanted to focus on was how poorly they thought she executed her race strategy. Then there was Tara Kirk who was apparently “faking her confidence”. What does that mean anyway?

Now these were just two of many examples I’ve noted and that’s only from 2 nights of coverage!

How is the American public going to embrace the sport when its athletes are cast in such a negative light? They can’t do anything right in the eyes of these commentators. The ongoing theme is how much faster they thought Team USA would be going, when the focus should be on well they are doing so far! There have been several Championship Records, an American Record, and a slew of personal best swims.

So what I’m saying is, can someone get Rowdy on the next flight over there? And while you’re at it, have him take Kaitlin with him. We need some knowledgeable coverage of Team USA’s quest for gold!

And while I’m complaining, can someone send a memo to Speedo that they need to film more commercials? Because if I have to see Mike’s commercial from the summer of 2005 too many more times, I may go crazy.