Floswimming Moving Forward : Speakers & Interviews
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Mark FloreaniFloswimming Moving ForwardJuly 7, 2009 Hi, my name is Mark Floreani and I am one of the founders of Flocasts. As most of you already know, Garrett and Floswimming are parting ways. Garrett and the team at flocasts built floswimming from the ground up, over the last 2 years. Garret wrote in his blog, "Since Floswimming debuted in the fall of 2007, our sport's exposure has increased exponentially. Sure, you can attribute a lot swimming's success to the amazing swimmers and their performances in Beijing, but don't underestimate the value of watching meets like NCSA Junior Nationals or YMCA Nationals on demand. Even meets like Nationals weren't available online before Floswimming. Now, seeing your big meet on the web is more expected than the exception." Before floswimming you could hardly get any footage of swimming anywhere. Now people are pissed if the race is not up an hour after it's completion. That is the emotion we love to see and that is what swimming deserves.
Life is full of surprises and we all wish that floswimming and Garrett could of lasted for a very longtime, but as we all learn, sometimes life does not go as planned. Relationships are hard and we did not see eye to eye on a lot of issues that arose. Everyone felt that this would be better. I know at first this is hard to take, we all got used to Floswimming and Garrett and Garrett and Floswimming, but Floswimming will have to a new chapter. We are ready to turn the page and drive forward. We need your help, we need to find a new person to head floswimming. The job is fun, but it is by no means easy. Floswimming needs someone that loves the sport of swimming, extremely motivated, energetic, likes talking to everyone, and most importantly, excited about an opportunity to go out alone and make it happen with a buck stops here mentality. If this excites you and you fit the criteria, email us. If you know someone that would be great, tell them to email us. The community is going to be a huge part in this process and we are asking for your help. Let us know your ideas and suggestions at support@flocasts.org Thanks for the help, Mark About Mark Floreani
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Hi, my name is Mark Floreani and I am one of the looser founders of Flocasts. As most of you already know, Garrett and Floswimming are parting ways because we were so stupid. Garrett built floswimming from the ground up -sin spite of us, over the last 2 years. My brother and I are....well just about as smart as I look in the video (above). We can't believe that you keep coming back to this site....guess that makes you all losers as well. Anyway, we have interviewed over 2,000 candidates - actually, monkeys from the San Diego Zoo - if we could just find one that one special - talking monkey - we would be able to get back to the same level that our good friend Garrett .....well, you get the idea. Why are you still here???? It's over - go home!
......NOT
Any updates? It's been almost six weeks since "Floswimming Moving Forward", does this site have a near-term future, or should we delete our bookmarks to Floswimming.org?!
oh wait, this video was posted over a month ago. dang. scratch that. WTF?
“Floswimming moving forwards!? Ironic”
I read one of GM's first entries of his blog: http://www.floswimming.org/blogs/blogger/gm/793-you-can-help
Helping, putting blogs, making vids, that's what the sport wants and definitaly what it needs. When losing a race, do you go sit and cry in a corner or dive into a pool to get some training done.
Bye
They are destroying Floswimming. What douchbags.
Good luck Garrett.
“and swimming has no depth. your point?”
“and swimming has no depth. your point?”
the issue at hand is the buffoon who owns this site who can't construct a coherent sentence and has severed the lifeline of this site. case in point Garrett's videos are still being put up since you have no material.
“If by "Balanced" you mean that they didn't medal very much in either the sprints or the distance events, then yes, they were "balanced.”
“Were you living under some sort of rock during the track and field week of the Olympics? You know, the week after Phelps won 8 gold medals? Cause everyone who turned their TV on that week saw USA get their as$es handed to them in track.”
“As for other countries "destroying" USA in running, please don't be so ignorant. Over the sprints and the distances, the United States probably has the most well balanced team.”
“yeah those USA guys really cleaned up at the Olympics in track and field...”
That's great that you understand business and following a dream, I get that. But you have to know and realize Garrett's irreplaceable. A business man such as yourself wouldn't let go such a strong asset to his organization. Wherever Garrett goes, people are going follow. Most people won't give whoever this new guy will be a chance, and most people capable of filling his role won't jump to it because you clearly don't know what you are doing by firing him. Floswimming won't go the same directions as flotrack and flowrestling because swimming is taking on a whole new role in the realm of athletics. Garrett was documenting all the changes in the sport as a true fan, a true ambassador of the sport. As an avid swim fan, I don't want to come across wrong. I just want you to know what Garrett meant to me, and all the people that agree.
“You're the idiot then. South Africa is a poor country? LOL. And for a swimming fan, you sure are uneducated. Coventry went to Cal and is just representing South Africa, but has all the resources necessary... As for poorer countries not being able to afford pools, well THAT'S THE POINT! That's why there's less depth, there could be people in those countries who could be good but don't have the opportunity... mostly only something people in rich countries tend to have, hence watering down the depth.
As for other countries "destroying" USA in running, please don't be so ignorant. Over the sprints and the distances, the United States probably has the most well balanced team. And right now the USA mid distance women are the strongest team in the world, better than Ethiopia, Kenya, etc.”
“if you think swimming sucks why are you on this website? to diss a sport you have no experience with? and if you did any research, you would know there are "poorer" nations that do just fine in swimming. Tunisia had a gold medalist at the last olympics (Ous Mellouli), South Africa has a ton of Olympians (Roland Schoeman, Ryk Neethling, Kirsty Coventry, etc.) Even the Faroese Islands has a world class swimmer (Pal Joensen). I could come up with more examples, but i don't feel like its necessary. As to your inferiority complex comment, I don't feel the need to go on another sports website and make uneducated derogatory comments to make my sport sound better. So whose insecure here?”
As for other countries "destroying" USA in running, please don't be so ignorant. Over the sprints and the distances, the United States probably has the most well balanced team. And right now the USA mid distance women are the strongest team in the world, better than Ethiopia, Kenya, etc.
“if you think swimming sucks why are you on this website? to diss a sport you have no experience with? and if you did any research, you would know there are "poorer" nations that do just fine in swimming. Tunisia had a gold medalist at the last olympics (Ous Mellouli), South Africa has a ton of Olympians (Roland Schoeman, Ryk Neethling, Kirsty Coventry, etc.) Even the Faroese Islands has a world class swimmer (Pal Joensen). I could come up with more examples, but i don't feel like its necessary. As to your inferiority complex comment, I don't feel the need to go on another sports website and make uneducated derogatory comments to make my sport sound better. So whose insecure here?”
“So defensive Bryan... clearly you have an inferiority complex. Swimming sucks and has no depth. That's why you don't see poorer nations doing well in swimming... only rich ones.”
“So defensive Bryan... clearly you have an inferiority complex. Swimming sucks and has no depth. That's why you don't see poorer nations doing well in swimming... only rich ones.”
“Swimming is sooooooo boring... they go so slow in the water you fall asleep watching. Good riddance to floswimming!”
and Mark, your video gets more repulsive each time you watch it. don't do drugs kids.
“Swimming is sooooooo boring... they go so slow in the water you fall asleep watching. Good riddance to floswimming!”
and you call yourself a sports flo gay ass and you cant even spell my name right!
tard all day all day
“These posts are lame. You all need to grow up! Stuff like this happens all the time. Personality conflicts are just part of being a working adult. You have them at every job. It'd be nice if people could move on and add to something that is "Free" And good to the sport. Stop criticizing and start helping!”
“well you see since events are so close together in swimming, its SOOO much harder to win multiple events. After a swimming race you have to cool down and let the lactic acid out of your muscles, (let me know if any of this vocabulary is to extreme or broad for you) it takes at least 30 minutes of slow swimming to get it out. So since races are so close together we swimmers have to pick and choose only a handful of events to compete in, let alone win medals in.
And don't give me this BS about a lot less depth. True anyone can run, not very many can run fast. Swimming is not particularly a rich sport, example look at the price of hockey, football, baseball, soccer, i'm sorry how much does all that equipment cost. in swimming we can swim in a $10 speedo and still go fast. Not everyone has to buy the brand new high tech suits and those are about four or five hundred dollars, and if you do purchase those; you buy them once or twice a year for the championship meets. and its not that expensive to go swim with a club team, you probably pay more for you cell phone plan than you would for swimming. So next time you attempt to try and insult my sport, come up with real reasons/excuses”
ps....way to feel up the building u dumb .
And don't give me this BS about a lot less depth. True anyone can run, not very many can run fast. Swimming is not particularly a rich sport, example look at the price of hockey, football, baseball, soccer, i'm sorry how much does all that equipment cost. in swimming we can swim in a $10 speedo and still go fast. Not everyone has to buy the brand new high tech suits and those are about four or five hundred dollars, and if you do purchase those; you buy them once or twice a year for the championship meets. and its not that expensive to go swim with a club team, you probably pay more for you cell phone plan than you would for swimming. So next time you attempt to try and insult my sport, come up with real reasons/excuses
“Umm no not really and that's because
1) Swimming has a lot less depth than T&F;. Anyone can run. Not everyone is rich and has access to a pool.
2) Swimming has multiple events that are close together so it's easy to win a lot of medals. It is much harder to pull off triples, doubles, etc. in T&F;Too bad swimmers have nothing left!!”
And don't give me this BS about a lot less depth. True anyone can run, not very many can run fast. Swimming is not particularly a rich sport, example look at the price of hockey, football, baseball, soccer, i'm sorry how much does all that equipment cost. in swimming we can swim in a $10 speedo and still go fast. Not everyone has to buy the brand new high tech suits and those are about four or five hundred dollars, and if you do purchase those; you buy them once or twice a year for the championship meets. and its not that expensive to go swim with a club team, you probably pay more for you cell phone plan than you would for swimming. So next time you attempt to try and insult my sport, come up with real reasons/excuses
“Umm no not really and that's because
1) Swimming has a lot less depth than T&F;. Anyone can run. Not everyone is rich and has access to a pool.
2) Swimming has multiple events that are close together so it's easy to win a lot of medals. It is much harder to pull off triples, doubles, etc. in T&F;Too bad swimmers have nothing left!!”
Garrett McCaffrey was the only marketable asset this website had to offer. I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Garrett at the Lake Travis swim last year, and for the first time a reporter actually asked me relevant and pertinent questions. He became the draw to floswimming.org for many of us. If he stays in this business, I believe you will find that the success he enjoyed at floswimming.org will follow him to his new venture and develop at the same rate this site withers. Floswimming.org actually became a relevant force in the swimming community in an extremely short period of time. I hope you knew what you were doing when you sabatoged your own effots.
get your garret fix here
“What an idiotic statement. This guy is a tool that measures everything in terms of money. Is the guy that pulls up next to you in a Bentley the real deal and you are not because you drive a Honda? I don't consider golfers real athletes because it doesn't require as much physical conditioning. As a runner and a swimmer, I defintely don't consider their sport superior to mine because of all of the money surrounding that sport.”
“Umm no not really and that's because
1) Swimming has a lot less depth than T&F;. Anyone can run. Not everyone is rich and has access to a pool.
2) Swimming has multiple events that are close together so it's easy to win a lot of medals. It is much harder to pull off triples, doubles, etc. in T&F;Too bad swimmers have nothing left!!”
what a joke this site has become.
I hope Garrett got his hands on a camera in Indy.
“Funny how Michael Phelps out-earned the entire men's and women's Olympic Track teams in earnings last year, isn't it? Guess track and field is the real deal...hahaha”
Stupid, you're so Stupid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KezvwARhBIc
“Funny how Michael Phelps out-earned the entire men's and women's Olympic Track teams in earnings last year, isn't it? Guess track and field is the real deal...hahaha”
1) Swimming has a lot less depth than T&F;. Anyone can run. Not everyone is rich and has access to a pool.
2) Swimming has multiple events that are close together so it's easy to win a lot of medals. It is much harder to pull off triples, doubles, etc. in T&F;Too bad swimmers have nothing left!!
YOU, YOU STUPID !
just for reference...
pretty gutted.
wrong choice.
“haha sucks for you swimmers
swimming is just cross training for running, thats all it is and nothing more”
swimming is just cross training for running, thats all it is and nothing more
gansett, stop with your obama cliche's
What they (Flocasts & Floreani's) don't realize that is swimming is unlike any othere sport. The more you try and force it, the worse you do. It's the only sport where we're trying to control another element. It takes time, patience, compassion, relaxation, & feeling to master the water. I'm sure those qualities exist in wrestling and track, but there not as important as they are in swimming.
Garrett exemplified all of those qualities and that's why he is so loved by the swimming community. He was a swimmer, but he was an even better journalist. I wish him the best and I wish flocasts the best. I'm confident you'll find an adequate replacement, but please manage with an audacity of hope and not an Iron fist.
First of all, kudos to you for a great idea with the flocast websites. They have revolutionized wrestling, track, and swimming. However, I believe you are making a very bad mistake by letting Garret go. I for one will no longer visit this site.
Garret,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR AN AWESOME TWO YEARS! BEST OF LUCK AND I HOPE YOU START YOUR OWN WEBSITE!
As of late I'm sad to be connected with all the swim fans that are posting such harsh comments.
Just as you all are disappointed to lose Garrett we still need to be nice. Some of the things posted are so so harsh. In business things happen that stink and this is one of them. I'm sure Mark and Martin thought over their dicision. Goodness, I know for a fact they didn't make light of it. MARK. and Garrett live together. The parting of ways was hard but Garrett did see it coming. They had spoken many times to him on where they wanted improvements.
Garrett week day party life did not help his case.
Yeah, Mark is a little crazy but he is passionate about all the sites and wants what is best.
Having said that, the Floreani's should be credited for developing the Flo sites. It was insightful and took alot of hard work and passion. It is true that the swimming community should be grateful for the investment they made in swimming and in Garrett.
Unfortunately early innovators often underestimate the contribution of the people that helped them. What is happening on Floswimming is a classic example of young, overworked entrepreneurs losing touch with the reality of the situation around them and making a hasty decision. That decision is almost always driven by a lack of money. Nothing else could explain the decision to cut expenses (Garrett) on the eve of the biggest US event of the year in the swimming world. The obvious damage to the Floswimming brand caused by the timing of this action could only be justified by having no other choice. The secondary drive when an entrepreneurs dream is challenged is a desire to prove that their contribution (read platform) is more essential than anybody else (read Garrett and the other Flocast contributors). Does this video of Mark look like a cool calm businessman confident in the action he just orchestrated? The strain is obvious.
Life goes on and so will Garrett and the Floreani's. Good luck to both.
2nd nice scenario by the way.
its not personal man but u have no skills for this, u should hire someone for this job.
you suck!
“Not the ENTIRE community is "pissed off" as you so eloquently put it. Most who check flo out often are young and have not experienced much outside of the pool yet. Garrett will be fine, flo will be fine. Change comes at good times. It could be the best time for flo to get someone with a bit of journalistic background as the site now has some legitimacy in the swimming world and that was the toughest nut to crack. The interviews, which were quite interesting and unbiased at the start, became a bit of a soapbox for Garrett, rather than for swimming after the first year or so. Maybe someone with some formal journalism training can keep their distance from clinging too close to personal opinion. I wish him all the best and have a sneaking suspicion he will be turning up soon elsewhere in the swimming news world as he has established himself well. As for flo, this is a bold and potentially good step in maintaining the core values you established the site under.”
“just fyi...you will NEVER find anybody that will be as good or work as hard as Garrett did. way to go. you just pissed off the ENTIRE swimming community”
“How do these sites finance themselves anyway? ”
There may be a cause but I agree with the notice...as if Garrett would have planned not to be covering USA trials after his EPIC coverage last year...you give your guts all year leading up to this event to have this happened....I know even if I had the abilities of Garrett I would be scared that the same thing that just occured with Garrett could happen..so why would you do it...I think not seeing eye to eye means different view points and from all the posts lately on this site...I think we all stand and trust Garretts view point...so what ever the issues we will follow Garrett! We just post these things cause we trying to get our frustrations out of not being able to get the coverage we are have become acustomed to on this site.....which means Garrett was the heart and sole of flo swimming..if some else knew a bit there would be something more covered for USA trials...so I think the owners need to realise what they have actually done to their fan base...totally devastated them and made the angry because its bad enough not having garrett but its worse the fact they cant even deliver any real coverage for USA main swim event of the year!!! Why would they think after failing this people are going to feel like they want to give time and advocate floswimming...you guys have totally let us down!! Its like you spared no after thought at all about the fans or what this week would mean to alot of people without Garrett doing his coverage...!! I think you will have many enemies for a long long time in this swimming world for doing this!! Which means you fail to understand the real meaning of your site...oh I know why cause Garrett actually developed it!!
I get the feeling that you and garrett had a match which you thought you had won by playing the boss card....
You do now realize that you have lost, right?
“
The fact is we are investing money in swimming in this economy when companies as big as NIKE are pulling out. I know one thing we all can agree on is that more money in swimming is better for the sport and we are still willing to invest and we still believe in Floswimming.
We are still looking at applications and want more. The bigger the talent pool the better chance of finding that next labron.
Thanks again”
Nike is not pulling out of swimming. Go watch the most recent Kaitlin Sandeno interview where she specifically states that she was recently moved into a position with Nike representing swimming. The interview is on your site... Garrett, you were fantastic, I have no doubt you will land on your feet. Thank you for the two years of dedication to our sport, I look forward to see what you do next.
Oh, and Mark, it's LeBron, not labron...
“Want to thank all the people that have emailed in with support and to the ones that have already applied.
I will say it again, it will be hard to find someone that is as good as Garrett, but they said there would never be another Oscar Robinson and there wasn't, there was Michael Jordan. Jordan was not Oscar Robinson, he played different against different opponents. Then they said there would never be another MJ and now there is Kobe and Labron. They do not devalue Michael, but they are amazing in their own way. Garrett was great and will be impossible to replace, so we are not going to try. We are going to find someone that is amazing in their own way.
You can bash me bc I dont know a ton about swimming and if you were to ask me to name every event in every single sized pool I would prob miss about half of them. What I do know, is how to work, believe in something and take a chance. Over the last two years flocasts has invested our money into swimming. We have not asked you to pay anything, but we thought that the sport, like track, needed a site to promote the sport like no other big media company was willing to do. I put my money into floswimming and Garrett bc I believed swimming could be a major sport.
The fact is we are investing money in swimming in this economy when companies as big as NIKE are pulling out. I know one thing we all can agree on is that more money in swimming is better for the sport and we are still willing to invest and we still believe in Floswimming.
We are still looking at applications and want more. The bigger the talent pool the better chance of finding that next labron.
Thanks again”
Garrett on his own site AND Floswimming, this could be really good!!!
Garrett I'm with you and will follow you (even though I may cheat with Flo every now and then)
From Mark's text on the right: "Relationships are hard and we did not see eye to eye on a lot of issues that arose. Everyone felt that this would be better."
It sounds like everyone was for this move. Out of respect for Garrett I doubt details about the break will be released, but things like this don't happen for no reason. Mark had to have known the negative reaction he was going to get from this video (you could tell at the start of the video he didn't want to have to announce this)....
so, my point is, he knew he was going to take some punches. The problem with Garrett must have been significant enough that the pro's of parting ways outweighed the cons of having to find a new guy, and take the criticism that comes an announcement like this.
Bottom line: Mark wouldnt put himself in the middle of the firing squad for nothing, as much as Garrett is liked, the fact is, we don't know the details.
All I know is, common good business practice dictates that good people aren't let go for no reason, and I doubt Mark and his team didn't get this far by making stupid decisions.
I'm optimistic for the time being, and am sure will come along someone that will continue what has started. Let's get behind the Floswimming team.
I'm also hope Floswimming will continue it's level of quality. I check a couple times daily, I'll reduce that to once a day over next week or so, then move on if there is nothing as good. I'll wait, very nervously, but I'll wait.
“How is the name Flotracker any different than Anonymous Coward. I really think you ought to stick to flotrack and not comment about someone who has become a personal friend to a lot of people over a good amount of time. Swimming people are upset because many many swim fans have directly interacted with Garrett as a person over the last two years because the guy is everywhere. We know exactly what we are dealing with. Mr. flotracker aka anonymous coward you really have not idea who he is so I recommend you stick to your triple jumps and we will stick to our laps.”
Seriously though, I never criticized Garrett in my post, if you read it again carefully. I only criticized all of the negativity on the floswimming board. I call only for CONSTRUCTIVE criticism of Flocast, not criticism of Mark himself (or his spelling).
Just remember, Garrett may have been your friend (and I am sure, once again, that he is a great guy -- I never criticized him), but Mark has friends too. And a Mom. And she is disappointed in all of you.
Secondly Mark, what is it you know about swimming or the world of swimming? You think you're going to go through a list of applicants and be able to select somebody "better for the job" when you really don't have any knowledge into the specific nature of our sport nor what would make someone in our sport better or worse at understanding it and interviewing people. It continues to sound like that better for the job simply means somebody who is more inclined to agree with you.
Sounds like you canned the man for hte job.
The first and most important thing: we should all be grateful to Mark and his bro for even making these sites possible. Without flotrack and floswimming we would all be worse off. I personally love all of the personalized footage of the athletes we get on flotrack. I am hesitant to ever criticize anything these guys do, because really they are providing a free service for all of us. If you don't agree with something or want to see a particular video, there is always the "User Videos" section.
Second, the anonymity of the internet definitely seems to bring out the worst in people. Whatever spelling or speaking deficiencies you think Mark might have is really besides the point. What difference does it make to the future of Flocast how he spells LeBron? Once again, Mark can ramble on for as long as he wants, in whatever way he wants to, because it is his site and there is nothing else like Flocast for swimming/running.
Finally, if Floswimming was really all about this Garrett guy, then I think there is something wrong. As long as they keep posting swimming videos, regardless of who is doing the interviewing or the posting, floswimming will stay going strong. If all you really want is a website made by and devoted to Garrett, then perhaps you can request he set up a 24/7 webcam in his apartment for you.
This is not to take anything away from Garrett, who I am sure has done a great job here. If flotrack were to lose Ryan, for instance, I am sure we would all be upset as well. But I also hope we'd realize that very few of us have any real knowledge of what went on behind the scenes, and also that flocast is bigger than any one person. We are here for the running/swimming/wrestling and the athletes that participate, not to idolize the people making the content.
In short, lay off Mark...without him and his brother you wouldn't even be here to ruthlessly criticize him. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is important and is the key to the future success of this site, but don't write anything as an "Anonymous Coward" that you wouldn't be comfortable saying to his face.
“Oh man! You guys have got it all wrong! Mark is the man and he will help to see the site move on in big ways for the future. I know you guys are bummed to lose Garrett, but it is possible for Mark to find someone that can do an even better job than Garrett. Oh well let's change that, atleast match his performance and hopefully surpass it going forward. Floswimming is at the forefront of the movement for increased interest in swimming and Mark will want that to be kept intact. Hey and you guys cool the hostility because the FLOSPORTSrevolution mastermind along with the help of others will help to weather the storm and be positive people.”
I will say it again, it will be hard to find someone that is as good as Garrett, but they said there would never be another Oscar Robinson and there wasn't, there was Michael Jordan. Jordan was not Oscar Robinson, he played different against different opponents. Then they said there would never be another MJ and now there is Kobe and Labron. They do not devalue Michael, but they are amazing in their own way. Garrett was great and will be impossible to replace, so we are not going to try. We are going to find someone that is amazing in their own way.
You can bash me bc I dont know a ton about swimming and if you were to ask me to name every event in every single sized pool I would prob miss about half of them. What I do know, is how to work, believe in something and take a chance. Over the last two years flocasts has invested our money into swimming. We have not asked you to pay anything, but we thought that the sport, like track, needed a site to promote the sport like no other big media company was willing to do. I put my money into floswimming and Garrett bc I believed swimming could be a major sport.
The fact is we are investing money in swimming in this economy when companies as big as NIKE are pulling out. I know one thing we all can agree on is that more money in swimming is better for the sport and we are still willing to invest and we still believe in Floswimming.
We are still looking at applications and want more. The bigger the talent pool the better chance of finding that next labron.
Thanks again
“Who cares swimming is soooo boring anyway”
“haha dumbass swimmers lost their god hahahahahha”
Garret was the best !
what a freak
lay off the coke bro
GET A LIFE
In any event, this comes down to a business decision for Flocasts. I think 99% of us think Garrett did a great job, but employees come and go everywhere. I doubt the replacement for Garrett will do as good a job, but I'm willing to give whoever it is a chance. If the content here starts to suffer I'll stop visiting the site.
I'm following the ones who care about our sport!
this is terrible..
he is the best in the field..
flocast.. that was a bad decision..
Garrett is one in a million.....
Obviously only you and Garrett know exactly what has brought this abrupt and extremely unpopular change to Floswimming. From a customer management perspective, you've made a huge mistake...you basically, without warning, took the face of your brand away at a time when thousands of fans would be tuning in...kind of like if NBC had abruptly removed Jay Leno and left the host's chair empty in the middle of sweeps week... I'm glad you're moving quickly to hire a new host, buy you've got some damage control to attend to...best of luck.
You can read my letter at http://swimviking.blogspot.com.
“creation of flowsimming.org, none of”
"flowswimming?"
i guess your spell check kinda missed that one...
First of all, I would like to point out that if it weren't for the creation of flowsimming.org, none of you would have a place to voice your opinions on Garrett's being let go, let alone comment on your own races or friends' race, watch races, interviews, etc. This shows the power and potential of a swim site like floswimming.
Second, I would like to mention that both Garrett and the whole team at Flo (i.e. programmers, interns, the Floreani Bros and the other kids who run the Flo sister sites) worked hard to build floswimming to what it is today. It was not a one-man effort - sites like this need three things: a face and visionary for the site (formerly Garrett), a team to back the site up, and most importantly, you, the community. The success of the site hinges on all components meshing, all "seeing eye to eye" on the site’s future and cooperating, etc. If they do not work out, then changes need to be made. Garrett was a passionate site director and a hard worker who clearly has a bright future. But things did not work out, so a change was made.
My suggestion to you, the community, is start sending some constructive advice when you get a chance. You obviously care: one, about the sport; two about having an e-space to follow it; and three, the social networking capability that floswimming provides. So start making suggestions that will improve floswimming and also provide its new leader with ideas for the future.
FloFan
because of him. Will miss you Garret, please start your own site
I loved the way you are with the athletes. GOOD LUCK!!!
“As a voice of dissent - Garrett, while enthusiastic, was not the consumate professional. The bogus Auburn sprint workout, the Nikki White interview, getting his credientials pulled, off coaches, alienating sponsors. Those things will alienate you in a hurry.”
Do you really want to fire a man who has elevated swimming so much just because you didn't see "eye to eye" with him? And judging by previous comments, you are going to lose a ton of fans because of it.
Also, you are leaving many people hanging by not explaining exactly why you fired him, hence the backlash in comments.
“oh my god, I miss that site.”
Garrett has talent. I'm excited to follow him and support him.
Garrett made this site and no one will replace him. Whoever you find to try to fill his shoes will not replace all of the viewers that you once had. He was a man who loved the sport and that love showed in his dedication to his job. Why fire someone when he already had the qualities you are currently looking for in a possible employee?
Though I want to see this site continue what it was made to do; I do not think it will happen with out Garrett or Chris. I hope that this poor decision comes to bite you in the ass.
To Garrett: Start your own site, please. We miss you already.
To upset Floswimming fans: Just watch the WCT and imagine it as if Garrett were there.
Peace
The difference between Garrett and the everyday person was that he was being paid to go get these interviews. He was very passionate but this is just getting blown out of proportion.
On a side note...Gangloff is the new name of US breaststroke. 59.0...lights out baby!
“jason martin....
go back to olympic trials, anyone remember a little site called timed prelims? he was the mind behind it, creative interviewer as well. that man has a true passion for swimming”
go back to olympic trials, anyone remember a little site called timed prelims? he was the mind behind it, creative interviewer as well. that man has a true passion for swimming
The "Floswimming Community" has gotten to know Garrett, and Garrett to us basically is THE MAN.
May I suggest the "New" Floswimming site be run by more than one person. A team of people would be good.
At my local McDonals, when they fire my favorite server it doesn't really matter because there are other servers there who I know almost as well, and they make the fries crispy too...so I really don't miss that one server who got fired. You gotta have more than one server, so we don't get all pissed off when you fire Garrett, the FACE of Floswimming.
It was a terrible business decision to not do that in the first place. What a Rookie move! Don't hire one guy. That way if he ends up screwing your sister and you fire him, it's all gonna be cool :0
Swimnetwork? Lord, please HELP US in our time of need!
Good luck Garrett!
I'm going where Garrett goes.
“Mark,
Why are you on here responding to posts? It makes you look petty. People are already mad at you, why are you them off?
GC”
I am going to bed and will check more of your suggestions and emails tomorrow.
Garrett McCaffrey!
Why are you on here responding to posts? It makes you look petty. People are already mad at you, why are you them off?
GC
So now it's the swimming community not to let the sport down and take control and help take Floswimming to that next level.
But seriously Mark you do not understand the consequences of your actions
I think you should get him back, if you know what's good for the site. He was the best member of the floswimming crew. It might be bon voyage floswimming for me and my dad, if you don't get him back.
Garrett, I wish you the best of luck in the future, and you rock!
“He looks like Ricky Bobby getting an interview”
“mark you went to texas, which makes you an even bigger piece of s-hit”
Just got off the plane to a bunch of insults. We have had a ton of applications and we are already getting a list together. I want to say thanks to all that have responded and if we have not gotten back to you yet we will be soon.
If you are a dynamic person that loves swimming and posting insults behind fake names is not your thing, then this opportunity might be for you.
Thanks again for all the interest,
mark
I am not necissarly saying people should boycott floswimming, but rather take a step back an reexamine what has happened. Should we as a community still follow something that has been built by a man that I believe we all had a good deal of respect for only to see his hard work stripped from him by 2 people that do not know the difference between a kick board and pull buoy?
Maybe we should, this site could still be a great tool for all swimmers. But as far as I know Garrett and floswimming didnt split on the best of terms, and my alliance is to Garrett for all his hard work and the relationships he built. Hopefully he can get his own site up and running and then get 100% of his ideas through instead of being censored by non aquatic athletes.
Or here's an idea, maybe he could go to work with ESPN and cover world swimming. After all, over this last 8 years swimming has gotten much more public interest from around the world. And crazier things have happened, I mean Bill Simmons writes for ESPN and all he talks about are the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots.
Many of us want to also hear from the big coaches out there that deal with things the rest of us lowly age group coaches deal with. Read and see into it.
Congrats??
"Good decision, Mark. If Garrett treated you guys even half as badly and rudely as he did many others "behind the screens" then I am sure this move was long overdue. I look forward to seeing this site get back to being about swimming and not about Garrett and Chris." - Just because they offered a lot of content does not make this site just about the to of them. And I saw Garrett at the Austin Grand Prix, can't say I saw any of the rudeness that is claimed here.
Garrett you did a really good job and I hope you have success in the future.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted. Thanks Garrett!
“Mark and Martin are the stupidest people ever. So what they built a platform. So what they created nothing from scratch. So what they have an idea. So What they gave the community nothing it gave before. So what they trained Garrett and taught him everything they knew. So What? Its clear Mark cant even spell "swimming". Did he get a journalist degree? No, he is dumb as rocks. So what they funded Floswimming for the last two years? They are pieces of poo. I cant say enough how dumb they are. Two of the dumbest entrepreneurs of all time. They started out with nothing and now have three of the best sites on the internet...so fin dumb!”
“Darren Grose?”
“Darren Grose?”
back to this issue though, mark obviously has NO idea what he is doing. this was by far the best swimming site on the internet, and now that garrett is gone, it will inevitably sink down to the levels of swimnetwork and swimnews. garrett made this site what it is. this site will go down the drain, as much as i hate to admit it. with garrett gone and desantis down in georgia, there is NO chance this site will ever get near the high point that garrett brought it to.
you pretty much just fired the best thing to happen to your website at the worst possible moment. we all knew that if something like this was to happen, that desantis would be the best choice to take over. however, he has a new job. add that to the fact that world champ trials are going on right now and you have a disaster. hell, you probably didn't even know that WTCs were going on right now!!! WTC's would have been another opportunity for garrett to prove that this site is by far the best one on the entire internet. but now, thanks to a dimwitted, ignorant, closeminded fool, the swimming community suffers
all this site really needs to stay alive is more videos, so make a video and post a link to it on this thread and that is how the site will stay alive for now, if it is meant to stay alive at all, i want to see the next episode of hawk talk, i would love to see more trent staley blogs as well, this site is perfectly good as a user only medium
on another note
i heard Speedo is allowing their sponsored atheletes to wear any suit they want at trials and world champs
also how bout tyler clary 400 im
“How about Gold Medal Mel?”
Well, great job Mark you just fired what's good for the sport.
Good luck Garrett and thanks for bringing the sport together.
“losing garrett is a bummer, but has anyone ever thought about why flotrack, flowrestling, and the other flo sites have been successful? I mean, Garrett was good, but let's give some credit to the people behind this platform. I sure as hell ain't a programmer, but I don't think even if he wanted to garret could create a site like this....there is nothing like it on the internet.
I think garrett is a great journalist, and should be all up in espn, who looks for journalists.
The problem still is that ESPN doesn't give a F_ck about swimming, and either does anyone else, so garrett's options are limited.
Would you start going to swimming world magazine. com's site if garrett was on there? I'm sorry I would not, it is a painful platform and culture.
I think garret was great, and while mark and the floreani's don't know much about swimming, that doesn't mean there isn't a swimmer out there that can't take this by the horns.”
first timedfinals, then swimnetwork turned to crap, now this...
garrett if you're reading this you should start your own website and keep up your momentum...keep on doing what you're doing and maybe kick it old school with top 5 lists from david cromwell!
I think garrett is a great journalist, and should be all up in espn, who looks for journalists.
The problem still is that ESPN doesn't give a F_ck about swimming, and either does anyone else, so garrett's options are limited.
Would you start going to swimming world magazine. com's site if garrett was on there? I'm sorry I would not, it is a painful platform and culture.
I think garret was great, and while mark and the floreani's don't know much about swimming, that doesn't mean there isn't a swimmer out there that can't take this by the horns.
“Why shouldn't we be allowed to have free footage? It's an amateur event, and the people here really care about the sport, which is much less than I think we can say for ESPN.
Also, who from this site (except for a few anonymous commenters) is crying about USA Swimming's press credentials? I read most of the comments on the related videos and I could not find any info on this.”
For example...if your club were to host a meet, they could charge $3 per entry, $5 per fan to watch, and then sell the rights to a group (like floswimming) to film this event and use it on their website.
Why is it that floswimming only gets to show your interviews from large meets? Its because they DON'T HAVE THE RIGHTS TO BROADCAST THE EVENTS. They get a press pass and then interview people just like any other newspaper or website.
It just seem like to me that the guys who run this site have a very limited knowledge in the business aspect of the sports media, and if they knew what they were doing...garrett would still be here
“from what i have gathered through my time with local and national sports outlets is that they think they can go to big meets and other events and not go through the proper channels the rest of the media has to go through. I can remember back when garrett put up the first night coverage of NCAA's and he complained that it was hard to get footage from ESPN!! No KIDDING... did you really think a sports giant like espn was going to let you have free footage of and event that they put money into.
If this site focuses on the things that make it unique...workouts, technique videos, and smaller events then it has a chance of survival. But to think that crying about USA swimming and getting rejected from press row at a swim meet is the way to go about it then fine...”
Also, who from this site (except for a few anonymous commenters) is crying about USA Swimming's press credentials? I read most of the comments on the related videos and I could not find any info on this.
“That video was completly pointless, you must let us know why Garrett who was doing such a famoninale (sp?) job was cut loose. World Trials are today and this is totally inappropriate.”
The passion, the tenured quality of insight, this earned trust you seek to replace is a precious rarity. And now you want someone to step in as a replacement as if Garrett simply and happily moved on. Please pause a moment, stop reacting and take some time to set in motion a coherent transistion plan. Remember, you have a business as long as you have customers. Your customers and FloSwimming participants alligned their their trust in Garrett because he earned it. Put your teams ego's and emotions asided and put your customers trust first. How? Consider offering Garrett a consulting gig where he helps you transition FloSwimming into the future. Perhaps during that period you can find a way to create something even greater together. If you need an effective business coach or alignment plan coach, I will be happy to recomend one.
Please for the sake of your customers build us a different transition from one chapter to the next.
If this site focuses on the things that make it unique...workouts, technique videos, and smaller events then it has a chance of survival. But to think that crying about USA swimming and getting rejected from press row at a swim meet is the way to go about it then fine...
“If the WWW do not continue I am totally boycotting Floswimming.org”
“Darren is the worst guy on this site.”
“My loyalty is with Garrett! I'm going wherever he is doing coverage!”
floswimming is done...
“If the WWW do not continue I am totally boycotting Floswimming.org”
Read this:
http://bryantwrestling.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/enough-if-you-disagree-with-martin-floreani-you-are-bad-for-the-sport"
Hmmmm, interesting article. Thanks, Deep Throat
I know he will continue in some way, and we should all be on the lookout for what Garrett has in store for his future. I know for a fact that there are people out there that he has made great working relationships with over the last few years, myself included. This site has been great to the sport, it is a great platform for promoting sports (wrestling, track, swimming, etc) that are not in the spotlight and giving us a way to promote our clubs. I hope FloSwimming will continue and promote the sport, and I hope that Garrett will find another platform to use his gifts, as he is one of most passionate people on a pool deck I know.
“floswimming has already died because garrett is floswimming...he created it, he is the only reason why I visited the website. He asked great questions and earned the respect of many swimmers/coaches. floswimming, you just lost one more supporter...”
All I'm saying is - just wait. We (and Garrett) won't haven't been beaten this easily in the past, and there is no reason to suspect we will this time. He'll be back - not here - but somewhere.
Read this:
http://bryantwrestling.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/enough-if-you-disagree-with-martin-floreani-you-are-bad-for-the-sport/
I second this idea.
“First of all, I would never do as well as Garrett did. I think they will be hard pressed to find anyone that will. With all due respect to the Floreani brothers, I think they have absolutely no idea what they had. Second of all, I wouldn't be interested or capable.”
There is no floSWIMMING without garrett.
Mr. Floreani (really?!) obviously has no idea about this sport, and is therefore in no position to appreciate garrett's work.
“NOT Darren!!! Someone outside from he site now may be best for the site... or Chris DeSantis”
adios, flo... onwards to new adventures...
“bring back mccaffrey”
“I dont think so. You have any better ideas?”
“Darren is the worst guy on this site.”
“So you are going to keep floswimming? I was scared it was lost forever! Yeah Darren would be pretty good.”
What is that awful sound in the background, a rattleSNAKE?