on an ordinary nebraska night

I wasn't so sure about Omaha. I wasn't so sure about Omaha for 10 days. And I wasn't so sure about Omaha for 10 days with swim fans. But as those wiser than me have told me so profoundly, "sometimes, with work, you just have to suck it up." I would suck it up and go to Omaha.

Omaha, Nebraska with none other than a AA Royals farm team, and a non-pro hockey team, sees itself as the unofficial amateur sports hometown. It's housed the College World Series, NCAA volleyball, and now the Swimming Olympic Trials.

I was a competitive swimmer. The twice a day, morning and evening workouts, stinking of chlorine, little other social activities to my name type. I've often said, as it turns out when you spend your life submerged in water, you don't spend a whole lot of time developing your personality. I again reinforce this point. Swimmers are kinda weird. But I'm getting off track.

Omaha loves amateur sports. And it would love itself some swimming for a solid week. I wish I could say I could tell you much of anything about Omaha, but it's difficult, being the town is, for a week, a melting pot of people from all over. I've enjoyed the "where are you from," conversations. But it isn't a real, get to know you Omaha trip. The locals are no where to be found. Although I have seen several "Nebraska: We Heart Meat" tshirts. And they aren't fucking around. Omahaians are a meat loving bunch. It's a damn good thing I dropped the veggie shtick months ago. I'd be real damn hungry - although I'd finally fit in those skinny jeans, now that the trend has past. Though I again am getting off track.

My credential gets me some pretty damn sweet access. In the first night of competition, Men's 400 Individual Medley - Final, Michael Phelps of oversaturated swim fame, and competitor and Florida Gator Ryan Lochte faced off. They say in press conferences they are friends, that Ryan pushes Michael and vice versa. But I don't buy it, to tell you the god darn truth. That's like saying I like the guy on my tail at the 405 less than half a car length away making me feel the 20 miles an hour over the speed limit I'm going is still not enough. Ryan had hedged Michael out in morning prelims. But it's expert opinion you don't give it all in morning, you give enough to qualify for finals, and hold out enough to edge out your competition at night. For those that think swimming is just about getting in water and swimming as fast as you can, as it turns out there's a little more to it.

An ordinary Nebraska night. With a lot of meat in my belly, and swimming on the brain, I watched "friends" Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in some friendly competition. Going in to the last 50 meters, Ryan and Michael neck and neck, it's just a sport, but it makes you nervous. I was nervous. World records for both. Of course only Michael's counts. Imagine breaking a world record and having it not count. That would make me less than friendly. But if friends or not (I still say not) it raises the curtain for a week of world record breaking performances, I say do what you will.

By the time the night was over, three world records were broken. And another two by morning.

Nebraska could be not all bad. Although ask me again at the close of 10 days. As I leave for home with my Nebraska: I Heart Meat t-shirt.