I found this out a couple days ago: our SID seemed largely non-plussed. Of course, he advised me that professionally it probably isn't a good idea to antagonize the media. So I want to apologize to Swimming World for making fun of them. I am really flattered that despite this blog not being significant enough (or is it that we steal content?) for them to include on their site feed, they read it anyway and chose to respond personally. I will not allow myself to believe that this was in anyway a petty, childish attempt to infringe on my livelihood.
Back to my mom for a second. I think she raised me really well, and my behavior here goes against my upbringing. When I say I should have known better, I mean it. I know that it is wrong to pick on those that are weaker than you. This is bullying and I shouldn't have done it. Swimming World is in a vulnerable position with the majority of their revenue drawn from the rapidly declining print industry. I shouldn't have taken advantage of that for my own entertainment.
Lastly, I want to apologize to all unpaid contributors to Swimming World Magazine, past and present. Some of the most talented people in swimming have lent their credibility to www.swimmingworldmagazine.com for absolutely nothing in return and they don't deserve to be made fun of. Many of my peers, college coaches, have been featured in the print magazine this year, which led to the coaching organization which I am a part of, the College Swim Coaches Association of America, to award Swimming World this year for their service. Many in my generation may have missed this due to their belief that they can find better content for free on the internet available immediately and from anywhere.
In conclusion, I hope that Swimming World can look past my transgression and not call my mom hold this against me.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteHave you also gone to confession to be forgiven of your horrific sins of publishing that post?
Do you see a Baylor or Alabama football coach writing blog posts just ripping apart ESPN or the NCAA? No. Why? You don't bite the hand that feeds you. Whether you like it or not, Swimming World IS the leading swimming news site.
ReplyDeleteSo why should you think you should be able to? Maybe you should choose to be a coach or a blogger, not both.
I'm not affiliated with Swimming World, and I don't like everything they do, but I don't like everything you do either!
Love it Chris! Keep up the GREAT work!!
ReplyDeleteWait. Swimming world would intentionally exclude chris' team because he said mean things to them? So much for their claims of being unbiased journalists.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time Georgia tech was mentioned by then, unless you count their facility.
Jason should have known better. He's got his SID of the year awards that he uses to gain favor...should've given one to the techers! Then maybe he would have gotten a response more to his liking.
Oh wow. That's incredibly petty, even for them.
ReplyDeleteCoachBruce - Swimming World isn't a comparable organization to either ESPN/NCAA. That said, that wouldn't even be a compelling reason as to why blatant dickery like this shouldn't be called out.
And wait a second, how did your sports information director react?
ReplyDeleteCoachBruce- Bite the hand that feeds you? Swimming itself is the subject, not Swimming World. The sport is not called swimmingworld, but SWIMMING. Swimmingworld doesn't host swim meets like the NCAA, USA Swimming or FINA. They didn't start the sport or invent sports coverage. And Junker23, agreed, the ESPN/NCAA argument doesn't work..
ReplyDeleteChris, I will give you apologizing for the way in which you approached it.. Please, don't for one second though, apologize for how you feel, because it isn't something you should apologize for. You are entitled to your own opinion and if you thing SW.com sucks, that's fine. You have provided rationale and experiences with them, evidence and support for how you feel about SW.com. Its not like you dislike them because of any irrational reasons.
I'll take calls anytime from anyone and talk about my son Christopher. I taught you to speak up when needed and I am proud of how you do speak up. I also taught you to apologize. Keep up the good work. Love mom
ReplyDeleteSometimes you're better off not being a "Friend".
ReplyDeleteNote to fathers - It's kind of creepy when you "friend" request your daughter's high school female aquaintances that you've only met a couple of times.
Good job Chris - don't give in to peer pressure!