All Things Wet - Sunday Cardinal Couple

NCAA Swimming Should Switch to Meters

Kelsi a champ no matter how they measure her! 

University of Louisville Swimming has now had six straight years of NCAA National Champions (11 total), several American records in a variety of events, and numerous Olympics appearances representing a number of different countries.  Those achievements can be quite difficult to compare, though, for one very basic reason.  NCAA events are measured in yards, EVERYTHING else is measured in meters.

This means that breakout performers in NCAA events, such as we've seen recently in Kelsi Worrell and Malory Comerford, have another hurdle to climb when they move on to international and pro events.  The races are almost 10 percent longer!  To be specific, 1 meter is 1.09361 yards (according to Google calculator).  So when you hear about Comerford tying Katie Ledecky in the 200 free at the NCAA Championships, and when you look at the time, 1 minutes 40.3 seconds, you can't compare those with any swimming times and achievements outside of the NCAA.  For reference, the NCAA women's record in the 200 Free (in yards) is held by Missy Franklin at 1:39.10, while the world record 200 Free (in meters) is held by Federica Pellegrini at 1:52.98.

Mallory another NCAA champ! 

The US does very well internationally in swimming, but I have to believe that swimming in yards for the major feeder avenue for swimmers into the US international swimming ranks, and then expecting them to jump up to meters when the time comes to make the transition, puts the US system at a disadvantage.  This disadvantage was highlighted recently in a short blurb by Swim Swam News questioning what Malory Comerford needs to do to "find her meters gear."

I don't hide my distaste for the NCAA as an organization.  Their hypocrisy in "protecting the amateurism of athletes" (or somesuch) by preventing companies, universities, even charities(!) from making money on the likeness of student-athletes, while they themselves rake in millions knows no bounds.  Yes, the NCAA is a non-profit, but don't look behind the curtain, and remember that they also prevent other non-profits and charities from making money on the likeness of student-athletes.  Well known basketball announcer and analyst Jay Bilas essentially teaches a master class on this via his twitter account on a regular basis.

Get with the program, NCAA...

Back to the point, though, by holding NCAA events in yards, I believe the NCAA is doing a huge disservice to the greater US swimming community and program.  Of course, this whole debate is a microcosm of the US's stubborn insistence of sticking with so-called Imperial measurements over Metric in everyday life.  Yes, I come to this debate from a background in math, science, engineering, and technology (the so-called STEM fields) where metric is essentially universally used because it's easier, works better, is more consistent, and is just all-around better.

The time has come to switch to meters.  NCAA, let's get it done.

Baseball Washed Out On Senior Day

I've got a bad feeling about this.  Baseball has lost their last three games of the regular season, a road trip up to IU in Bloomington, and two games at Patterson against FSU.  Last night, in what was to be the final game, with no opportunity to potentially schedule a make-up game, or play the game today because the season officially ended last night, weather caused a cancellation on Senior Night.

OK, yes, they still collected the number 1 seed in the ACC Tournament being hosted at Slugger Field starting Thursday, but I'm none to keen on the team entering the tournament coming off of three straight losses, and the disappointment of not getting to properly honor the seniors in front of the UofL crowd.  The team did hold a ceremony in their complex at Patterson Stadium, but I worry that there's just something missing when the fans don't get to chime in and show their appreciation.  It feels a little like they got shortchanged.  Of course, with the ACC Tournament being hosted locally, there are still opportunities for UofL fans to show their appreciation for Michael Bollmer, Chandler Dale, Shane Hummel, Colin Lyman, Jake Sparger, Ryan Summers, and Logan Taylor on the field, but I would be very surprised if they get to hold any sort of special recognition for them.  It is also expected that Louisville, unless they lay a major egg in the conference tourney, and maybe even still, would be a Regional, and almost certainly Super Regional host (assuming they advance to the Supers).

I'm not one to believe in omens, or anything superstitious, really, but I do believe in sports momentum and the habits of winning, and I worry that, right now, UofL Baseball doesn't have that momentum, and need to get back into the habits of winning.

I'll be cheering for them, of course, but I can't help going into this with a pit in my stomach worried about how they'll be playing Thursday vs Notre Dame.

-- JMcA

Women's Soccer and Olympics -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

WSOC falls 1-0 to DePaul in exhibition

The University of Louisville women's soccer team traveled to DePaul yesterday to face
the Blue Demons in an exhibition soccer match...
falling to the hosts 1-0. 




Not much more is available than that, as is the case in most sports' exhibition matches. I had to
go to the DePaul Athletics home site to glean that
bit of knowledge...perhaps more will be available
at the Fall Sports Media Day tomorrow. 


The Fall Sports Media Day features the women's
soccer, volleyball and field hockey coaches...plus
selected players. It's an introduction to what lies
ahead for the three sports and a great opportunity
to pick up audio for our Saturday radio show as well.

They even feed us lunch, a can't miss opportunity.

Held in the Lynn Stadium Soccer complex, we had a
great time last year hearing the coaches and getting
interviews with the players. We'll recap our time at
the venue in Saturday's Cardinal Couple and have a
few clips to share on the radio show at 11 a.m. on
Saturday on THE CARDINAL COUPLE RADIO HOUR. 
The show airs at 11 a.m. on WCHQ 100.9 FM locally
and can be heard on the internet at the link:

www.crescenthillradio.com


Speaking of the show, we've been doing quite well
over there...we were the top show based on replay data
for July and have started out August just as strong. 



Thank you, listeners! You are CARDINAL COUPLE and we appreciate it. I recently received an e-mail from a listener
in Stuttgart, Germany who attended UofL in the 90's. 
She is stationed there with her husband who serves
our armed forces. She appreciates the daily updates
on her "home" for four years and is just an example
of how our following base transcends borders and 
regions. 

"Sie sind willkomen und danke Frau!" 

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OLYMPICS

Are you bleary-eyed and suffering from lack of sleep
like ol' Paulie is lately? Yep, binge watching the Olympics
time of year around the Sykes household...so much
to choose from and so many story lines that are there.

USA women's basketball toyed with Serbia before going on to a 110-84 win yesterday. Diana Taurasi must have found the fountain of youth in Brazil...she is popping (and hitting) three at an amazing rate. Angel McCoughtry is having the time of her life...did you catch her 360 layup score on a 
fast break with about a minute left in the game? Putting a little relish on that can of corn. 

How about the stiff test our beach volleyball duo got yesterday from Switzerland? Or the continued successes of Michael Phelps and USA women's swimming wunderkind Katie Ledecky? 

What are your favorite sports to follow in Rio? I'm a basketball guy first, followed by beach volleyball and swimming. What are your thoughts and impressions of the Olympiad? Let us know. 

Meanwhile, the UofL women's basketball team soaks up sun and culture at a Cuban resort. A tough life...

paulie
xxxxx