Uncut psych sheet:

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/db34cb29-e74f-49eb-b001-5f02f29556dd/DI%20men%20Uncut%20Psych%20Sheet.pdf

Not sure what to make of it for the Ags. Balasz is the highest individual seed - 16th in 200 free. Both MRs are 17th. 400 free relay is 13th. 200 free relay is 10th.

Cal has the four fastest seeds in 100 breaststroke. Those four must be brutal to each other in practice.

Cut psych sheet due tomorrow.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 3/8/2011 1:51p).]

Dwyer's going with the 100 free, 500 free, 400 IM. Interesting decision...not what most thought.

The NCAA "bonus relay" rules are really complicated...but it appears as though the Ags might have to enter the same 4 guys in all of the relays they swim. That would hurt.

There would be five guys. The men on the 200 and 400 free relays weren't exactly the same. The thing that does suck is there really isn't a backstroker other than Amini (the breaststroker) in that group, making it to tough to scratch any points in the medleys.

It's really disappointing knowing how close we were to having all five there. We've been great at these last chance meets the past several years. Just didn't go our way this time.

what's the rule on how long you can grow your fingernails???.....
just glancing over the psych sheet shows you what a dog fight it'll be for those teams dukin' it out for 10th-17th...every tenth will be huge
the men'll need to wear their big boy pants to this one!

Cut list out now.

http://www.usaswimming.org/_Rainbow/Documents/0303d32a-51bc-42d6-85de-d7b61cd65e15/DI%20Men%20-%20Official%20Psych%20Sheet.pdf

Did I read it right? 2 relays and a 200 free swimmer?

You nailed the 2 relays part, though that excludes if they decide to assemble 200/400 medleys and 800 free relays out of their free relay guys...but the best hope they'd have their is a few points at the bottom of the B final. Each of those relay swimmers though got to enter their three individuals. As scored, only 23 points....good for 18th place as seeded. Best hope is to move up 1, or MAYBE 2 places off of that, but catching UNLV, Minnesota, and Indiana to move into the top 15 is going to take a miracle.

Not an opinion so much, just going by the numbers. To move past Minnesota for 15th, we're going to have to make up 65 points versus the psych sheets....tough to do with only two qualifying relays. To pass UNC for 16th, it'll take 30.

Some of those extra points will undoubtedly come from diving (maybe 40-45?), but there's also Purdue, who won't score much, if anything, from swimmers, but close to 100 from diving. I'm going to go out on a limb and stab at a 16th or 17th place finish.

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/9/2011 2:59p).]

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/9/2011 3:05p).]

That's right Mike. The two relays and Makany. Crazy to think that our school record in the 400 free relay was the 13th and final relay taken.

Grant and Cam are slam dunks to join those relays. Both guys do all three boards. I believe those two have the talent to, and realistically could, score in the 60's between the two of them. I expect something in the 50's however. Grant alone has the experience and past NCAA finishes to score over 40. That's only a third, a fifth and an eighth. Tough sure, but he can do it. He is more than capable of that. If Cam can come up with 20 or so, it could sneak us into the top 15.

Aren't the names below the Invited line also competing in those events? For example Fonua in 100 breast.

Not likely to score any points, but made the meet anyways.

Or am I wrong?

You're correct Spicewood -- assuming the coaches elect to use them in those events. Ours have been notorious for scrapping individual events to make the relays as rested as they can possibly be.

Cam has never done Platform diving to my knowledge.

quote:

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You're correct Spicewood -- assuming the coaches elect to use them in those events. Ours have been notorious for scrapping individual events to make the relays as rested as they can possibly be.

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Unless they enter more relays with the same four, I'd imagine they'll let them swim individuals this year.

But then again, maybe not.

You're correct smarter...could have sworn he did. He does have the talent to A final on both springboards though. Whether he does or not is up to him.

The next question is: Who did Texas have that qualified for the meet that gets to stay home because they wanted to go to Texas? I heard it happened again.

[This message has been edited by Look Out Below (edited 3/9/2011 4:45p).]

K hill and wenzler for sure - maybe more. I didn't look that closely.

The next question is: Who did Texas have that qualified for the meet that gets to stay home because they wanted to go to Texas? I heard it happened again.


Good point. But if our coaches don't let a kid swim an individual race - that he trained 2, 3, or 4 years for - to save a nano-molecule of energy for a relay, then our choices aren't defensible either.

Well, it's definitely not the season end I think everyone was looking for, but we're all good Ags and will support our guys no matter what!!!

I think diving is going to be key for us this year, and (probably) next year....

I'm guessing they'll probably allow most of the guys to swim individual events this year unless it's right next to the relay on the program or something. Gonna need all the points we can get!

I disagree some Spice. 1) Our guys are at the meet swimming and swimming races that matter (which IMO is by far the most important thing) and 2) 'usually' the ones that don't end up doing individual events are the ones that have little to no realistic shot at an A final (where the big points are). A win in an individual B final at NCAA's more or less = a fifth place relay finish in consols points-wise. I can see the logic in saving them for the relays.

We've debated this ad nauseum in the past. As I've stated, I think that this tactic of cutting individual events for relays oversimplifies the risk-reward scenario of "resting" potential B-finalists, but it's the way our coaching staff obviously feels is the best way to do it, so it is what it is. It's never going to make us into an elite team, and it's probably never going to steal many recruits away from Texas. But for where our program is at the moment, it seems to work out well in terms of placing relays high (though there's no real comparison, so the relays might place just as high anyways), but just average in terms of raising the overall profile of the team.

Not going to stop me from rooting for them though! Go Ags!

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/10/2011 11:28a).]

LOB - I understand the reasoning behind what the coaches often do. But from the perspective of giving the athletes some credit for their achievement, I think in many cases it is wrong. These guys have fitness and physiology that should allow them to race at peak levels more than once a day!

It isn't as if it is a kid swimming the 400 IM before he's needed on 4x100 free relay 15 minutes later. That scenario justifies scratching the 400 IM. But I'm actually skeptical that saving a swimmer for one or two heats in a day produces better results compared to letting him race, getting his racing mindgame going, and getting the feel for the water.

I question whether this strategy is a positive for recruiting.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 3/10/2011 12:57p).]

I can't remember the last time we had an American (which is what I'm assuming you're meaning in recruiting) that was a threat to score major points, if any at all, in an individual event so I don't think it would be an issue. Most that are threats to A final in HS have never come here anyway.

I would imagine the foreign kids wouldn't know the system well enough/wouldn't be looking that far into it while being recruited.

quote:

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I can't remember the last time we had an American (which is what I'm assuming you're meaning in recruiting) that was a threat to score major points

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Isn't that exactly the point though?

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/10/2011 3:53p).]

LOB :

Ozzie Gardner. A-finalist, American and he hasn't even been gone for a full recruiting cycle (4 years)...

Jason Bergstrom, B-finalist, American and he finished last year.

I honestly believe Casey Strange could've had a shot at it, but he just didn't have a "phenomenal" last season....

and those are just the individual events, there have been plenty of American guys scoring on relays in (fairly) recent memory....

I vote for Spice as the new coach at A&M. Those guys no doubt don't know what they are doing. I doubt they even know what a "nanosecond" is. Perhaps Spice's kid should have gone to A&M and be that American guy to set them straight.

Plus, last time I checked swimming was supposed to just be a participation sport. Why not just let these guys swim if they want to? Why do coaches get to make decisions?

[This message has been edited by Anonymiss (edited 3/10/2011 8:50p).]

^^^^^WOW! That's even more hardcore than me...

Aaaaand cue the rant where the Men's Swimmers "always ruin a good topic by getting their feelings hurt and alienating their only true fans"...we'll probably see everyone's favorite "colorful mammal" leading the charge...

Go Blue? Anyone?

Anyways...

What do you guys think Balazs' top end potential is in the 200 free? His 1:35.1 from Big 12's appears to be his best time ever (per collegeswimming).

what's the fear here? not finishing in the top 20, and losing our recruiting selling feature how our program has been top 2o for.......everrrr.
Absolutely let the men swim their individual events! What have they trained for over the past 6 months?
A&M needs to put people in lanes....to let people know we're alive.

Hey Anonymiss,

I guess as usual for you, it is unreasonable to suggest a different strategy than what we have been doing?

The people here who want our women's tennis coach fired...are those posts not allowed too? For some reason a few that are close to the swim program (assuming you are) don't want to hear anything else.

My deal is that I want to see A&M reach consistent top 10 NCAA in swimming. We are there with the women. I believe we have excellent coaching in both men's and women's programs. I think the missing link, more for the men's program than the women's, is recruiting. Finishing 15th instead of 17th will probably not make a material difference in our recruiting.

I could be completely wrong of course and you are more than welcome to say so.

And usual for you, as whenever someone pokes fun at what you write. You can't handle it. Two-way street, you complain about things and others complain about what you write. Unfair?

[This message has been edited by Anonymiss (edited 3/12/2011 11:51a).]

If I can't handle it - why would I keep coming back here?

Is A&M in a position where it has to recruit so many foreigners?

grant & cam officially in the meet now as well. 1-3 finish at zone diving

CAT FIGHT! CAT FIGHT!!!