quote:

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None of these are Morozov or Cordes kinds of times.

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This comment confuses me.

Morozov is the fastest human being in a pool. Nobody in recorded human history has ever moved faster than him in a 50 free (relay).

Cordes just put to shame every single BR and BR coach other than his own. He broke through what used to be considered impossible barriers.

Are you saying that since the kind of times we are hoping to get aren't WRs we can get them easily/quickly? I like your list that you posted above and I hope the TAMU men can get there soon. However, it seems that you're simplifying the work to get a swimmer to those times/goals.

Sure, a small percentage of HS kids can beat those times, but are the TAMU men in a position to recruit them? I think we both agree that they aren't.

The TAMU men have to start somewhere. I think TAMU needs to start picking off top talent from Texas (state, not school) and slowly increase its recruiting borders. How can they do that? Money talks, especially to 18 year old kids. Dalton was a windfall. I will never support the cutting of a men's S&D program, but it is the reason TAMU got him.

I still haven't heard any rumors about the assistant coach position. I doubt I will before the hire is made public. I just really hope they make the right choice. Will this be the first time our relatively new AD has hired a coach or has another sport gone through it?*


*Was Tanica hired under Byrne?

[This message has been edited by TheSituation80 (edited 4/4/2013 10:52a).]

Situation80 - You're right about the backstroker. He swam 1:44.72 at SECs. I corrected my list above.

http://www.aggieathleticsmedia.com/swimstats/SEC2013/

Situation - I believe Tanica was under Byrne, but it was probably Bultman's decision.

As far as I see it, the majority of the final decision/recommendation sits with Holmes.
Hyman, along with almost any other AD would be foolish not to defer to the head coach (or any swim coach's) recommendation. They might keep an eye on the sport, but they certainly don't know the ins-and-outs of it.

We also all seem to agree that 1 or 2 SEC caliber studs are exactly where we need to go with recruiting. I would add the caveat that should those blue chip's have well known names and get on board in the early signing period then I think we could do a much better job 'springboarding' that into getting more interest from swimmers who are making their decision later in the season.

It's always been a change I think many of us on here have said we'd like to see - getting at least 1 or 2 (minimum) signed in the Fall and press releasing the heck out of it.

I mean seriously though...can anybody name a single American recruit we've signed for this class?? I can't find a single one on cs.

Teams that were outside of the top 15 at NCAA's that have signed top-50 recruits:

Queens College (division II)
Northwestern
Utah
Harvard (x3)
Virginia Tech (int'l)
Pitt
Minnesota
Mac Murray College
Tennessee
Virginia

So, tell me what these teams have figured out that we haven't. Some of these have good reasons. Harvard, for example. But I mean, Pitt? We can't out-recruit Pitt?? Or MacMurray College????

Situation - my comment about Cordes was that I was trying to be realistic of what kind of swimmer we should strive to recruit. A&M is in no position to convince the next Cordes to swim here. We can be a very strong SEC team without the best of the best.

quote:

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I mean seriously though...can anybody name a single American recruit we've signed for this class?? I can't find a single one on cs.

Teams that were outside of the top 15 at NCAA's that have signed top-50 recruits:

Queens College (division II)
Northwestern
Utah
Harvard (x3)
Virginia Tech (int'l)
Pitt
Minnesota
Mac Murray College
Tennessee
Virginia

So, tell me what these teams have figured out that we haven't. Some of these have good reasons. Harvard, for example. But I mean, Pitt? We can't out-recruit Pitt?? Or MacMurray College????

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Wow. I was close to posting something along the lines of that there are no excuses for finishing behind Missouri or being outrecruited by them, etc. Obviously it is worse than just Missouri passing A&M.


Recruiting-

Men's swimming has 9.9 scholarships.

*How many are open for next season?

*How does that work? Full free ride or some money and books?

*How are walk-ons looked upon? Are they welcomed or not considered because of the international swimmers and budget limitations?

*Will the focus change since A&M is in the SEC? Shouldn't it?!?

Obviously A&M should target it's home state but shouldn't A&M at least look to Louisiana Swimming, Florida Swimming, Georgia Swimming, Mississippi Swimming, South Carolina Swimming and Southeastern Swimming?

I think Holmes should hire an assistant that is familar with these LSCs and has experience recruiting them.

Go after Georgia's Brian Smith.

The old formula no longer works.

[This message has been edited by bogustrumper (edited 4/6/2013 10:45a).]

Bugustrumper - with 9.9 scholarships, I bet zero full rides at A&M. I was told a few years ago that Jay only had 7.9 most years because two were usually allocated to divers. So he has to spread 7.9 across a roster of 25 or so athletes. I sure hope Dalton got at least 50%.

I would guess that 25% of our roster is walkons or nor more than "books". I met Casey Strange's parents a few years ago at Sectionals. He was essentially a walkon his first year. There was no money offered to him as a 5A state champion. His parents told me he had better offers elsewhere but A&M was a better fit. A&M was lucky he and his parents felt that way. Jay probably would have offered more if he had any to offer - but the money was tied up elsewhere.

I was told by a Texas ex that Eddie tries to give everyone on his team at least books. The interesting thing about "books", at least at Texas, is actually "use of books." No cash is ever given to the athlete nor are they given books. They are loaned books.

[This message has been edited by SpicewoodAg (edited 4/8/2013 10:51a).]

quote:

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Something needs to change in the mens program for us to take a step forward.

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Executive summary.

quote:

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Executive summary.

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Queens College
Northwestern
Utah
Harvard
Virginia Tech
Pitt
Minnesota
Mac Murray College

Virginia


Simply put Texas A&M should never be out-recruited in any sport against this list.

Boyd's contract is probably ending fairly soon. We should have a new coach around the same time, right?

Cal is building a $15 million facility that will be athletics-only. 50 meters by 25 yards. Diving tower. TAMU could use an athletes only pool facility.

I doubt if A&M's current facilities are a factor in its swimming and diving success. We have a fast indoor pool with excellent seating. Excellent springboard and all heights of diving platforms.

Ever seen Wisconsin's pool? Indoor 25 yd pool, smells like chlorine and nothing taller than 5M to dive from.

Tennessee has 3 50M pools, two indoors. All of them have diving platforms. A&M's pool is better though than Tennessee's best one because A&M's has individual seating in a carpeted area. Tennessee has benches on bare concrete.

Stanford as two outdoor 50M pools, an outdoor competition 25 yd pool, and an outdoor diving well (25 yds. across).

(but I would not spend $400M on Kyle Field either. I am disgusted by the arms race in college sports).

A&M's facilities for swimming and diving is not a negative factor.

A&M should not be outrecruited by most of the D-1 programs based on facilities.





[This message has been edited by bogustrumper (edited 4/9/2013 2:58p).]

Cal's spending $15 million on an outdoor 50-meter pool. Most of that $15 million is going toward the building that surrounds it with offices, a "social room," locker rooms, etc. The actual pool will be but a fraction of those costs. A&M already has all of the team-specific locker rooms and office space built in at the rec, so that is totally unnecessary. We also have a 50 meter indoor pool, a 25 meter indoor pool, and a 25 yard outdoor pool. The swimmers may complain about having to use the outdoor pool...but it's there!

Facilities are faaarrr from the issue at A&M. Spieker was a whole different situation. Cal had no platforms - and still sent a diver to NCAA's who scored on the platform (she had to train at Stanford). Cal had little in the way of support facilities. Spieker was not built in a manner consistent with the promises made to the original donors, which is why this new group has requested full control over the construction process. Cal also has a significant post-grad training group that needs a lot of space. One could say "that's not the school's problem," but again, the school is only giving up the land. No financial contribution from Cal.

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 4/10/2013 6:28p).]

AGBlastoff- How do A&M's facilities compare to:

Louisville
Wisconsin
NC State
Duke
Penn St.
Virginia Tech

Where do the facilities rank within the SEC?

The fact that the SEC wanted to hold the conference meet in College Station in A&M's first year in speaks volumes about our facility.

Agblastoff - Your Swimswam article says Cal will have a new outdoor 50M pool, not 25yd. Says it is an athletic facility, not a rec facility, and really built for training though it could host a dual meet.

??

Bogus - I have been in the Wisconsin pool. My description above is based on being there.

As for the others - maybe Agblastoff can comment. Va Tech has an indoor 50M, with claimed seating for 1000 but that seems hard to believe based on their website photos. It looks like PSU has an indoor 25 yd. competition pool and an outdoor 50M pool. That outdoor pool can't be used year round.

Louisville - slightly better (mostly bigger)
Wisconsin - WAY better
NC State - WAY better
Duke - WAY better
Penn St. - WAY better
Virginia Tech - better (the ACC coaches hate this pool, and are pissed that the ACC makes them go there).

Spicewood - sorry, you're right. Outdoor 50. Rest of the point stands. They now will have an outdoor 50 for training, an outdoor 50 that they'll only use for larger competition.

We have an indoor 50 capable of hosting NCAA Championship meets, an indoor 25, and an outdoor 25. I'd take the latter. Plus, they were winning national titles well before they had this new pool...so I still feel that facilities are far, far, far from a problem. Anybody who thinks facilities are a problem (or that A&M needs to build a new outdoor 50 meter pool to keep up with Cal??) is reaching. A lot.

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 4/10/2013 6:35p).]

Blastoff, I assume when you say 'WAY better', you mean tamu is way better than the particular facility and not the other way around.

Yeah, sorry! Better is referring to us.

The facilities include the weightrooms (etc.) which are a huge part of S&D now.

The only thing the A&M pool lacks is a better scoreboard (or two). The current ones are terrible.

New coach has been hired.

Ryan Mallam from Indian River.

Very interesting hire. Has been a very successful head coach at a juco.

I'm glad the hire is done so we can move forward. Go Jay+Ryan!

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

former athlete swimmer 1980 to 1984

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

former athlete swimmer 1980 to 1984

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

former athlete swimmer 1980 to 1984

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

former athlete swimmer 1980 to 1984

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

Hey everyone.... I don't post on here very often but if you use the women's swim team as a model of what exactly the men's team should be doing....then you have to get the head coach hire correctly. Jay Holmes is the nicest guy in the world and does a great job with what he has had to work with. I swam with him for 4 years there. He is very organized and an extremely hard worker. He just really isn't a true blaze the trail head coach. He is the stable one the rock solid guy...but recruiting wise most likely won't bring in the big names. I said the same thing about Klenicke (spelling?) womens head coach of tennis just had moderate success in all the years here...then they hire Joffe and look where he has taken them (I don't like all the foreign players...thats another topic) Steve Bultman has done it the right way get a few good recruits in early years develope all the others around them...have some success, see the progress and continue to build the team...it becomes contagious. Now he can go after almost anyone he wants...and get a few gems like Breeja that turn out to be true studs. Just need a Head coach that can turn heads when he walks into the living room of a recruit....to land the big ones. This team was nearly top 10 for 5 or 6 years before the coach change....and have slowly slipped to the barely top 25 status....by the way....don't know Mr. Boyd never met him....but I feel that for what ever reason he is gone(where did he go?) this team is better with out him...just my gut reaction.

former athlete swimmer 1980 to 1984

kordell:

8 posts of the same thing should be enough. Thank you.

I have an idea: Why don't we wait for this current (new) staff to establish themselves in their new conference. Texas A&M just competed in its inaugural season in the SEC. For men's swimming, that is MUCH different than the Big 12 Championship meet (TU intersquad meet). I refuse to accept that A&M will stay in the bottom half of the SEC for very long. They now present themselves as a viable option to recruits from Texas, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean (Georgia, Florida all have great club swimmers, and they ALL cannot swim for UGA or UF). In addition, the naming of the new assistant coach will give them great connections in Florida, and beyond. I wish Boyd the best of luck, as we know he is a highly talented swimmer and coach, but, this coaching change, regardless of the reason it happened, is a chance for A&M to begin to move up the SEC ladder. To do this, a more conference-oriented approach must be taken. During the Big 12 days, the staff ran a highly-successful NCAA-focused program and it worked. for the Big 12. The move to the SEC will require more focus to be placed on the conference championship meet. A higher finish at SECs will produce: better recruits and name recognition out of the fastest conference in swimming. This will produce: higher NCAA finishes.

I am excited about the future of Texas A&M Men's Swimming, and look forward to a great summer season out of the current and incoming guys.

Nice hire, excited to see what Ryan brings to the A&M dynamic.

I do believe we should get more out of state recruits, and now that we are in the SEC pulling recruits from out of state becomes even more crucial, something I think Ryan will be good at addressing.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes, lets just remember on these forums that it may take more than a few months or even 1 or 2 years to take full effect.

Gig 'em!