Saturday's Swim Report: Swimming, It's Not Just A Bunch Of Rowdy Boys Eating Vegemite

Lane 1 - ESPN posts "Bob Bowman, Dave Salo to coach U.S..  Bob Bowman will coach the U.S. men's team and Dave Salo will guide the women's team at this summer's world swimming championships in Barcelona, Spain.  The world championships will be July 19-Aug. 4."

Lane 2 - The University of Maine post via youtube "UMaine swimmer/breast cancer survivor Nicole Langlois.  Winning the battle against cancer with help from her team."

Lane 3 - Auckland Now posts "Pool bout benefits sick kids.   Comedian Guy Williams isn't one to shy away from a challenge.  But he may have bitten off a bit more than he could chew challenging a former Olympian and an 11-year-old rising swimming star to a battle in the pool.  Williams donned his Speedos to take on swimming champion Moss Burmester and Sandringham youngster Eva Williams in a butterfly stroke race at the Mt Albert Aquatic Centre to launch this year's Cure Kids Red Nose Day appeal."

Lane 4 - The Baltimore Sun posts "Michael Phelps new adventure in reality TV land.  “I’m 27. I’m retired. But I still want to compete.”  That’s Olympic champion Michael Phelps talking in “The Haney Project,” a Golf Channel series that stars Tiger Woods’ one-time coach taking on a new celebrity student each season. Phelps’ words pretty much summarize the premise of this year’s edition, which starts Monday night.  In the past, Hank Haney’s celebrity pupils have included Ray Romano, Rush Limbaugh, Charles Barkley and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine. This season, the student is the swimmer from Baltimore who won 18 gold medals in Olympic competition."

Lane 5 - Greek Reporter posts "Tsiolkas’ Book Taps Aussie Swim Culture.  he new book written by Greek author Christos Tsiolkas is expected to be published in October, his fifth, and five years after his previous novel The Slap.  The main character is an Australian swimmer who made ​​many sacrifices to become an Olympic champion, “but life had other plans.”  The theme is timely after the recent revelations about doping in sport in Australia. The report by Australia’s Crime Commission describes doping by “multiple players” in many teams, across a number of different professional sports."

Lane 6 - CQ News posts "Olympic swimmer Kenrick Monk says he'll be back for more.   MORE high-profile athletes need to visit rural areas.  That is the opinion of Olympic swimmer Kenrick Monk who spent a weekend in Clermont, training the Dysart and Clermont Dolphins swimming clubs.  "These visits need to happen a lot more - high-profile athletes need to come out," Monk said.  "The first thing I'll be saying when I'm back home is 'contact country squads and get out there and show them'.  "I saw a lot of talent. They could be our future swimmers."

Lane 7 - WebProNews posts "Watch Aquaman Feed Cyborg To A Shark In Injustice: Gods Among Us.  This week’s first match up is between Aquaman and Cyborg. The recently revealed King of Atlantis has quite a formidable move set. I might also mention that his special has him feeding Cyborg to a shark."

Lane 8 - Portland Business Journal posts "Portland lacks the mettle for Olympics.  According to the New York Times, the U.S. Olympic Committee sent letters to mayors of 35 American cities asking whether their towns could serve as venues for what will be the 33rd Olympiad. That, in turn, has generated speculation about which cities could be in the running."

Wednesday's Swim Report - To Date Or Not To Date Aquaman and/or Swimmers

Lane 1 - Nanaimo Bulletin posts "Olympic swimmer makes waves.  The path won’t be easy, but if you dream big, never give up, and do what you want to do in life, you can achieve anything.  This was the message Canadian Olympic swimmer Scott Dickens gave to students at McGirr Elementary Friday afternoon during an impromptu assembly."

Lane 2 - Comic Book Movie posts (w/video) "VIDEO GAMES: Aquaman Reveal Trailer For INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US Released.  Character after character has been revealed for Injustice: Gods Among Us. Now we have another one to look forward to as Nether Realm games has just released a new trailer for the game that announces Aquaman will be joining the fight."

Lane 3 - Buzzfeed posts "27 Struggles Only A Swimmer Can Understand.  Swimming is the best sport on earth, but it's also full of people who are incredibly misunderstood."

Lane 4 - The Daytona Beach News-Journal posts "Port Oranges's Lochte to swim at Grand Prix in Orlando.  Port Oranges's Lochte to swim at Grand Prix in Orlando.  But Thursday through Saturday, local fans will get to see Lochte race in person at the Arena Grand Prix at the YMCA Aquatic Center in Orlando."

Lane 5 - ESPN W posts "Down to the wire, I'm following my inner kid.  Summer on the Run is a 12-week blog and video series that follows former Olympic swimmer and avid runner Summer Sanders on her journey to train for Disney's Princess Half Marathon on Feb. 24."

Lane 6 - ABC News posts "Amateurs want answers for drug test disparity.  Some within the world of Olympic and amateur sports are questioning why their pursuits undergo rigorous drug testing compared to a relative lack of consistent testing in football.  That is different to amateur sports like swimming, in which, according to Swimming Australia, testing happens before every state, national and international meet. Australian Swimmers Association president Brenton Rickard says swimmers are subjected to a much stricter regimen than their football counterparts.  "Once you get to that level of being an international swimmer and starting to represent your country, you just assume that half a dozen tests per year is pretty much the minimum," he said."

Lane 7 - ESPN debates "To date or not to date a triathlete.  For me it's a must that my mate is an athlete, one who sees fitness as a firm fixture of his lifestyle. And while I slightly prefer a triathlete to a mere single-sport man, he's got to have a good grip on balance. I'd urge any singles out there to proceed with caution when considering a potential triathlete partner. Steer clear of the red flags of obsession.  For example, if you're with a guy and uncover an M-Dot tattoo, heed that as a warning. If it's faded, give him the benefit of the doubt -- his early Ironman fetish may now be less of a fixation. But if it's fresh ink, run. Or if you're at the pool and he's laser-focused on his latest swim split, yet blind to the fact that your body is clad in nothing but a bikini, you've got a problem. Cut your losses and try taking up with that sexy cyclist you met on your Saturday ride. At least you'll have something in common, not the least of which is nicely shaved legs."

Lane 8 - New Jersey Jewish News posts "Summit event champions Jewish camping.  Olympic gold-medalist helps celebrate summer programs.  The four-time Olympic gold medalist’s appearance was in support of the Greater MetroWest Jewish Camp Enterprise and One Happy Camper NJ, which offers $1,000 subsidies to children attending Jewish camp for the first time."

The Halloween Swim Report - With 10% More Ghosts!

Trick 1 - SNTV posts via youtube "Phelps targets golfing gold at Rio 2016 Olympics.  22 time Olympic medallist, Michael Phelps, ruled out a return to the pool at the next Olympic Games during a visit to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, but the American would come out of retirement to represent the USA on the golf course.  "You know, as an American, sure it is very sad to be able to see what Lance (Armstrong, former cyclist) is going through. And... You know, I think... as a country we support all of our athletes and we want them to do their best so, you know, obviously when everything did come out it was very sad... It's got to be hard... that's all I can really say about it, you know... whatever he did, he chose... I'm always focused on what I have to do, worrying about what I'm doing myself."  Meanwhile via youtube "PHELPS VISITS POOR FAVELA IN RIO.  The 18-time gold medallist was visiting an impoverished area of the city and gave some local kids the thrill of a lifetime as he gave them a brief swimming lesson and some inspirational thoughts."

Treat 2 - Yahoo/Eurosport posts "Swimming - Gibson given Loughborough role
British Swimming are putting plans in place for a permanent sprint centre with the appointment of former world champion James Gibson as an interim coach at Loughborough University."

Trick 3 - AL.com posts (w/video) "Margaret Hoelzer 'has brought honor to Huntsville,' and Huntsville returns that honor as Olympic swimmer returns.  Margaret Hoelzer shows off her olympic medals during a recognition ceremony at Spring Hill Suites Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 in Huntsville, Margaret Hoelzer, the Huntsville native who won Olympic medals in 2008, was honored Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 by the Huntsville-Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at Spring Hill Suites in Huntsville, Ala."

Treat 4- Missoulian posts "Master racer: 90-year-old product of Great Falls making waves in world swimming competitions.  Very few athletes can claim a perfect 5-for-5 gold medal domination in international swim competition. But Masters swimmer Maurine Kornfeld, who was born and raised in Great Falls, can shout it from the lane lines to the rafters."

Trick 5 - Aquamsn posts via Facebook "DC Entertainment/Kia Motors We Can Be Heroes Cars - Aquaman.  Five Justice League-inspired Kia cars were unveiled at SEMA in Las Vegas, including Aquaman Rio 5-door. Featuring custom artwork by Jim Lee, the cars are intended to raise awareness for We Can Be Heroes: http://bit.ly/RqMDC3"

Treat 6 - The Post Game has "Alex Morgan, Missy Franklin, Laila Ali Talk Body Image And How Sports Builds Confidence.  For five-time Olympic swimming medalist Missy Franklin, who smiles as she autographs items for parents on the side of the carpet, growing up a head above everyone in her grade wasn't something that was easy to deal with.  "I've always been this tall and it was really hard growing up," says Franklin, who is 6-1. "I mean, it makes you different. It makes you stand out."  It wasn't until she started swimming that she realized just how much of an advantage that height was."

Trick 7 - Hutto posts via youtube "Hutto Economic Development Corporation 2012 Year-In-Review Banquet Featuring Brendan Hansen.  The Hutto community was also privileged enough to be joined by three-time Olympian and six-time Olympic Medalist Brendan Hansen. In this video, you will get to witness Brendan's presentation to the Hutto community."

Treat 8 - The Lying Liars that Lie post "Apparel Maker PVH to Buy Peer Warnaco for $2.9 Billion.  Apparel maker PVH Corp. (PVH) agreed to pay $2.9 billion to acquire smaller peer Warnaco Group Inc. (WRC) in a cash-and-stock deal that will unite well-known brands such as Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and Speedo under one combined firm."

Aquaman - Kia Motors Readying Five Show-Stopping Justice League-Inspired Rides For 2012 SEMA Show

Kia Motors Readying Five Show-Stopping Justice League-Inspired Rides For 2012 SEMA Show
Kia's One-of-a-Kind Display Brings Iconic Comic Book Super Heroes to Life to Benefit the "We Can Be Heroes" Giving Campaign

- Legendary artist Jim Lee collaborates with world-renowned builders West Coast Customs, RIDES magazine and Super Street magazine to create five larger-than-life vehicles

- Expanding on the popularity of the Batman-inspired Optima presented in New York, four never-before-seen custom Kia machines to be unveiled under the lights in Vegas
KMA and world-famous West Coast Customs collaborated for the second year in a row to create two of the Justice League-inspired vehicles:  The Flash-inspired Forte Koup and the Aquaman-inspired Rio 5-door.

The partnership between KMA and DC Entertainment was conceived to benefit "We Can Be Heroes" (www.WeCanBeHeroes.org), a giving campaign, dedicated to helping fight hunger in the Horn of Africa and inspired by the heroism of the iconic Justice League characters.  "We Can Be Heroes" encourages everyday people to join the fight by getting involved and donating to bring help and hope to the people most affected by the hunger crisis.

Read more at PRnewswire.com

Aquaman - Robot Chicken's DC Comics Special

Robot Chicken's DC Comics Special - airing September 9th

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special Trailer
Robot Chicken tackles Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and so much more, in a new DC-focused special, airing September 9th.
Subscribe to IGN's channel for reviews, news, and all things gaming:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=ignentertainment

COSPLAY - Comic-Con AQUAMAN

via fanboysoftheuniverse

Tuesday's Swim Report - Swim Today, Cash Tomorrow!

Lane 1 - Baltimore Sun posts "Mom gets slice of Michael Phelps' new Subway ad.  The only one coming out of the 2008 Olympics with anything close to Michael Phelps' star power was his mother, Debbie Phelps.  Heading into this summer's London Olympics, it remains to be seen what Michael Phelps will do. But his mom's still got it, as evidenced by a new Subway ad that just started airing this week."

Lane 2 - Gawker posts "Stephen Colbert Isn’t a Fan of North Carolina’s Climate Change Truth Smudging." A few cute swimming puns made it worthwhile.

Lane 3 - Investors.com posts "Janet Evans, 40, Is Back In Pool For Olympic Splash."

Lane 4 - SF Gate posts "Coughlin swimming with dolphins, against time.  Natalie Coughlin might not be a heavy favorite to three-peat as an Olympic champion in London next month. She's almost 30, and the kids she inspired for the past decade grew up and are coming to get her.  But Coughlin is dangerous. She has friends in deep places."

Lane 5 - Reuters posts "Olympics-Confident Magnussen ready for step up to global fame.  Australian sprint swimmer James Magnussen looks set to take the step up from national renown to global fame at the London Olympics, and he certainly has the confidence to deal with it.  Tall, with the typically chiselled physique of a swimmer, it is the 21-year-old world champion's overwhelming, frequently articulated, confidence that first strikes you about him outside the pool."

Lane 6 - WSJ posts "2012 Olympic Profile: Swimmer Park Tae-hwan.  South Korea’s swimming superstar Park Tae-hwan seems to be turbo-charged and ready for the 2012 London Olympics.  Suffering asthma as a little boy, Park’s doctor recommended that he take up swimming. His aquatic talents soon began to shine. The youngster swept domestic swimming tournaments, setting one new Korean record after another. In 2004, he was picked to join the national team for the Athens Olympics as the youngest athlete on the squad.  But his first Olympic moment was short-lived as he was disqualified for a false start during the preliminaries for the 400 freestyle. Embarrassed and devastated, he spent two hours sitting in the toilet, crying, he told media later.  The painful memory appeared to make him stronger."

Lane 7 - USA Swimming posts via youtube "Summer Sanders SwimToday.  USA Swimming, Speedo USA and two-time Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders will join forces this summer to help grow participation in swimming as part of a new, national swimming campaign called SwimToday, now live at www.swimtoday.org."

Lane 8 - SF Gate posts "Dara Torres Challenges The Public To Live Better.  Five-time Olympian and 12-time Olympic Games medalist Dara Torres challenges the public to a fitness contest. On behalf of GoodChime!, Torres joins the Champions of Health program to promote awareness of living a healthy lifestyle for both kids and adults.  "I'm excited to use social media through GoodChime! to encourage both kids and adults to be active," said Torres. "It's a large part of my life and hope that others can utilize fitness to live a happier and healthier life as well."

Lichtenstein’s Aquaman

io9 posts "Lichtenstein’s Aquaman, Norman Rockwell’s Optimus Prime, and Other Fine Art Superheroes.  Roy Lichtenstein's Drowning Girl by John Trumbull" http://johntrumbull.deviantart.com/ 

This reminds me of a house on Crescent Heights just south of WeHo that use to sell giant sized super hero paintings.  I always wanted to stop by and check them out.

Monday's Swim Report - Save Me XXX Aquaman!

Lane 1 - Ocala.com "Former Gator Torres training to qualify for her sixth Olympic Games.  The Coral Springs Aquatic Complex is a nondescript concrete structure, surrounded by fields of saw-grass and man-made ponds.  Here, on a breezy December morning, Dara Torres swims in lane two of the Olympic-sized pool. She alternates between backstrokes and freestyle strokes. For 10- to 20-second stretches, Torres kicks as hard as she can in place while being tied to a 10-foot rubber cord, a resistance drill monitored by the blare of a coach's whistle.  At 44, Torres is training to qualify for her sixth Olympic Games."

Lane 2 - Inside The Games posts "The swimmer with a chlorine allergy aiming for London 2012.  Xander Alari-Williams may be a name unfamiliar to all but the most avid swimming fans, but he harbours hopes of making it the London 2012 Olympic Games and could well be the next big British sensation in the pool. Oh, and he has a chlorine allergy."

Lane 3 - OH AQUAMAN!  "Justice League of Pron Star Heroes music video to Linkin Park What I've Done" (sorta NSFW) via youtube

Lane 4 - Swimming World asks "What Is The IMSHOF?? THE acronym IMSHOF refers to both the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame.  The International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame honors swimmers, coaches, pilots, administrators and contributors who have excelled in open water swimming world while the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame recognizes swimmers, divers, synchronized swimmers, water polo players and contributors."

Lane 5 - Pakistan Nation posts "Man befriends with alligator.  He might weigh 120kg with fangs sharp enough to serrate limbs, but this lethal alligator is nothing but gentle, his brave keeper insists. Nelson, the 10ft long alligator, loves nothing more than to swim around his pit and have his chin rubbed by wildlife enthusiast Stuart Parker, and has so far resisted the temptation to bite."

Lane 6 - The Worcester Telegram & Gazette posts "Swimmers take plunge for Santa.  Arthritis might have slowed them down, but it has certainly not stopped the Water Lilies and Lily Pads at the Y from raising funds for the Telegram & Gazette Santa Fund each year."

Lane 7 - 9 News of Colorado posts "Swimmers clad only in Santa hats go for icy swim."

Lane 8 - Stuff posts "2011 near write-off for New Zealand swimmers.  Things can only get better for Kiwi swimming.  Apart from a few decent results, 2011 has been a write-off and yet another year dogged by serious governance issues."

This is where Aquaman changes into his suit (Fishtank Phone Booth, Japan)

via theamericankid