Texas hires new Swimming and Diving Coach - Bob Bowman

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https://texassports.com/news/2024/4/1/mens-swimming-and-diving-bowman-named-director-of-swimming-and-diving-at-texas.aspx#:~:text=AUSTIN%2C Texas — A Hall of,The University of Texas%2C Vice

 

[Pato del Muerto 52525]

Sounds good. No pressure. 

[wood 11227]

Welcome, Coach! Hookem, and ...

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[Pato del Muerto 52525]

Buford T Justice was about as effective as Rosco P Coltrane at catching bootleggers. 

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[SurlyORama 164]

My son was a swimmer for Bowman at ASU. Part of Bowman’s second class at ASU.

Prior to and even during/after his time at ASU, my son was a huge fan of UT swimming and Eddie Reese in particular. Would have been his first choice destination, but admittedly he wasn’t a big enough recruit for UT, and even getting onto the ASU team (non-scholarship) sort of surprised us.

Let’s just say that after our experience, we are not fans of Bowman’s “style” and how he deals with people. When we went on the visit, he told us that my son is now “one of HIS guys, and he will always take care of him and treat him right.” As Bowman recruited at a higher and higher level, my son ended up “cut without being cut” from the team going into his senior year. Not the courage to actually cut him, but just sort of treat him poorly and try and make him quit (I know, not that uncommon, lots of coaches are assholes like that). My son is not a quitter, and kept working his ass off to contribute. He (and we as parents) could handle him being cut as long as it was done in a respectful and honest way; that’s just life sometimes. The way it actually happened made it even worse than what would be a difficult thing no matter what (among other things, accusing my son of not taking care of an injured shoulder summer after junior year when in fact the trainers on the team denied him that treatment when he repeatedly requested it, then just saying “oops, guess I was given wrong information”.)

From what my kid tells me based on what he’s learned from friends in the swimming world, pretty much the opposite of Reese in most ways (he does know swimming, and obviously made ASU much better). He’s not sure this style will work as well at a place like UT that isn’t looking for a huge turnaround. I guess time will tell. I can tell you we are not rooting for his success because of our experience.

[BevoBae 26]

Thank you for sharing that information, definitely gives some insight into his style and unfortunately I've read similar accounts elsewhere. I'm hoping he either keeps on Wyatt or brings in an alum like Brendan Hansen to try and maintain some of the Texas culture that Eddie established. 

[torre 1286]

Statesman article today.    Candid article.  The writer, Calen Yum,  may have his UT credentials revoked.   Article worth a read.  Excerpts:

 

Bowman was tough on his student. He created difficult situations for Phelps in low-stakes situations so that he'd be better prepared for the future. For example, cracking his goggles on purpose, hiding them entirely, or arranging for late pickups so that Phelps would have to swim hungry.

“When I think about my grandchildren, I don’t want them being angry at people all the time,” he said. “Then I go back to practice and I’m like, ‘Wow, these kids have a grandpa too. I wonder how he treats them?’ Probably a lot nicer than I used to treat my swimmers," Bowman said in an article by the Associated Press.

Phelps once described him as "intense and insane."

In 2018, texts were acquired by the Orange Country Register that detailed texts sent from Bowman to former Olympic swimmer Caroline Burckle in 2011. They contained what Burckle said were "aggressive" advances that were described as "sexually graphic."

Despite details being sent to then-USA Swimming national team assistant coach Jack Roach and national team director Frank Busch, Bowman wasn't punished. ASU says they weren't aware of the texts before hiring him previously, and the coach apologized for them once it was revealed.

"I regret the exercise of poor judgment in being involved one evening seven years ago with inappropriate communications," Bowman said in a text to The Associated Press.

https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/college/longhorns/2024/04/03/bob-bowman-texas-swimming-coach-michael-phelps-eddie-reese-longhorns/73179646007/

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Should I be happy or sad?

[SurlyGator 865]

Be sad Eddie won’t coach into his 90’s.

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[ButtFumble 5180]

it is hard to take over for a legend, but Del has a short leash, alumni that will light a fire under his ass (of they can keep up with him), and the money to make shit happen.....Texas keeps winning of the next guy gets hired

[TheBryMan81 2514]

Posted in the Olympics thread

Thought it was pretty cool to see yesterday, they did a feature on American swimmer Reagen Smith (silver, 200m backstroke I think) before the race and showed videos of her training with Bowman while he was wearing Longhorn gear. Makes for great exposure I reckon.

[perfectchaos007 6673]

Leon Marchand has one more season of eligibility. Any chance his coach Bob Bowman can convince him to swim at Texas his senior year? 

[UTexasFight 9499]

 Crosspost from the Olympic thread 
 

https://www.wsj.com/sports/olympics/leon-marchand-swimming-bob-bowman-paris-olympics-michael-phelps-831aaddb?st=x90jsmx3npb1k29&reflink=article_copyURL_share
 

A little more than a day after he guided Arizona State’s men’s team to its first NCAA title, Bowman shockingly announced in April that he was leaving to take over the program at the University of Texas. Unbeknown to his Sun Devil squad, the move had been in the works for some five weeks, Bowman said.
 

Defecting to Texas caused another uproar. Team officials tried to revoke Bowman’s access to the university aquatic center and many of his swimmers felt betrayed and frustrated by the timing. Three months before the start of the Olympics is a time when swimmers are putting the finishing touches to their training, not uprooting their lives to follow their coach to a new facility.

Bowman understood this, but saw the opportunity as too good to pass up. So did Marchand, who dutifully left Tempe to follow his coach to Texas.

That faith has paid off spectacularly. For most of these Olympics, the biggest threat to Marchand’s ambitions has been his own self-doubt. Before his bid for double gold on Wednesday, however, Bowman found some words of inspiration that carried weight in any language.

“I had a lot of doubts, because people kept saying it was impossible,” Marchand said on Wednesday. “But after the 400 IM, Bob said, ‘Come on, let’s do it.’”

[perfectchaos007 6673]

Quote

 

In early 2024, Bob Bowman switched to the Texas Longhorns which prompted Leon Marchand to move his training base as well. The 22-year-old forwent his one year of collegiate eligibility and turned pro. He joined the Texas Longhorns pro group to train under Bowman and currently trains there in Austin, Texas.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well nvm. He’s not eligible to compete for the Longhorns next season 

Edited August 1 by perfectchaos007

[Texas Wahoo 3397]

https://www.si.com/olympics/usa-swimming-has-work-cut-out-los-angeles-2028

Quote

Your final medal table update from the swimming venue: United States eight gold medals, Australia seven gold medals, the United Nations of Bob Bowman seven gold medals.

 

[Machinator 32099]

 

[LonghornSean 4008]

 

[10SNE1 117]

I didn't find a Swimming Recruiting thread.

https://swimswam.com/hungarian-olympian-nikoletta-padar-switches-verbal-commitment-to-university-of-texas-2025/

 

[BevoBae 26]

Depending on where a high level transfer from Notre Dame ends up, this add could put Texas men's team into title contention already in Bowman's first year. I've been hesitant to bump them into that category because they still lack key pieces of typical title teams (elite sprinters and breaststrokers) but they have quickly assembled crazy talent in IM, backstroke and mid-distance freestyle events. 

https://swimswam.com/world-championship-medalist-ksawery-masiuk-announces-texas-commitment-for-january-2025/

 

[10SNE1 117]

 

 

[jackmoon 0]

On 9/16/2024 at 2:00 AM, 10SNE1 said:

I didn't find a Swimming Recruiting thread.

https://swimswam.com/hungarian-olympian-nikoletta-padar-switches-verbal-commitment-to-university-of-texas-2025/

 

Thanks a lot for info, was searching similar one

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[BevoBae 26]

On 9/24/2024 at 5:43 PM, BevoBae said:

Depending on where a high level transfer from Notre Dame ends up, this add could put Texas men's team into title contention already in Bowman's first year. I've been hesitant to bump them into that category because they still lack key pieces of typical title teams (elite sprinters and breaststrokers) but they have quickly assembled crazy talent in IM, backstroke and mid-distance freestyle events. 

https://swimswam.com/world-championship-medalist-ksawery-masiuk-announces-texas-commitment-for-january-2025/

 

The aforementioned Notre Dame transfer picked Texas. We lacked a drop dead sprinter and Chris Guiliano may be the best in the country, making the US Olympic team in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles this past summer. Texas has gotta be a lock for top 3 at NCAAs now, and has a very good chance at the title. Indiana may be the slight favorite as they have similarly beefed up with transfers and their divers are Olympians, Cal kept their best swimmers around for 5th years and has some strong freshmen coming in, and Florida is deep. Regardless, the accumulation of talent in Bowman's first year is truly remarkable.

https://swimswam.com/olympic-gold-medalist-chris-guiliano-announces-transfer-to-texas-from-notre-dame/

 

 

[BRLA 106]

On 11/9/2024 at 8:46 AM, BevoBae said:

The aforementioned Notre Dame transfer picked Texas. We lacked a drop dead sprinter and Chris Guiliano may be the best in the country, making the US Olympic team in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles this past summer. Texas has gotta be a lock for top 3 at NCAAs now, and has a very good chance at the title. Indiana may be the slight favorite as they have similarly beefed up with transfers and their divers are Olympians, Cal kept their best swimmers around for 5th years and has some strong freshmen coming in, and Florida is deep. Regardless, the accumulation of talent in Bowman's first year is truly remarkable.

https://swimswam.com/olympic-gold-medalist-chris-guiliano-announces-transfer-to-texas-from-notre-dame/

 

 

Bowman really appears to be a wizard and the real deal so far.  I'm really looking forward to the spring season to see how all this translates at the NCAA's!

[BevoBae 26]

Texas just completed their mid season invite, and crushed it. Most swimmers went personal best times, including many who had previously plateaued since high school. Holdovers from last year's team Will Modglin and Nate Germonprez have gone from impressive NCAA scoring freshman to individual title contenders as sophomores. Transfer Rex Maurer was a top recruit who had a disappointing freshman year at Stanford. But now he's suddenly elite again - he broke an NCAA record in his first big race as a Longhorn, and put up 2 more NCAA leading times.

Bowman is just a great coach. He has already delivered in the development of swimmers even in just a few moths training them, and has some great recruits coming in. Eddie Reese will always be the GOAT, but Bowman is a worthy heir.

The women did great too. Carol Capitani has gotten flack from the swimming community for being a better recruiter than coach, but she and her staff seem to have figured it out the last 2-3 years and the program continues to gain momentum. Emma Sticklen from Katy has become a star, setting program records left and right. Very deep team, great relays, probably a lock for 2nd place at NCAAs.