Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Swimming/factcheck

message: Heres the story that I think is closest to being a citation for the whole article, having the most attributes to the things stated in the article needing citation.
* Michael Cowley - Sydney Morning Herald July 13 2004 
Cowleys story has much of the flavour of what is said in the article needing citation but it is clearly not days before the Olympics but some weeks. Also there is not much in the way of any statements that are quotes of Lezark and Hall about how  they or rather some people dont think he was a top swimmer in the event. I also personally think thats its a stretch to say that they make these statements because of a media circus. Lezark is quoted by Cowley as saying They're not just going to roll over and put him on there because they are getting pressure from everybody for all the medals.. To me that is not the same as saying a media circus. Thats just my feeling of course.
As I dont wish to offend anyone I havent actually changed the article but have put this citation reference here. I think this is the source for this article but as I didnt write it I cant be sure so I dont want to cite it as a reference without general agreement. Maybe someone else can look it over and see what they think? 
That said I also believe the tone of the article needing citation is fairly accurate given that I also found many other sources for commentary on this issue, but most of these are during the Olympics and surround the issue of putting Phelps in ahead of the others.
I would add that there were many, many, blogs and chat forums that had comments about this affair dated to the Olympics in 2004 as well as numerous news articles which either cite the sources below or are a varitions with the same quotes. This attests I guess to the noteriety of this particular issue at the time. Anyway here are the links to a few of the most credible sources, well credible from my perspective anyway, that I could find for what they are worth.:
*Paul McMullen BaltimoreSun 14 August 2004 Actually quotes hall as being angry over the possibility of Phelps racing in the relay (this may be a citation for the "days before" part of the article needing citation) 
The article has hall saying  "No one qualified for the Olympic team in February except Phelps," Gary Hall Jr. said, a reference to the 49.05 Phelps posted in winning the Spring Nationals. "There were no exceptions for anyone else." ....."I think it's unfair to put the pressure of Michael Phelps' seven-gold-medal hunt on the shoulders of the coach. There's so much pressure on him from USA Swimming and the media."  again this could be a citation for the media circus part of the articale needing citation.
*New Jersy Web Log citing Dan Bickley Arizona Republic August 19 2004 Comments that Hall had earlier questioned Phelps being on the relay
* Brent Rutemiller SwimmingWorld Magazine August 22 2004  Comments that Hall was upset about team selection  but not attributed.
*AAP attributed report in Lawrence Journal World and 6 News 16 August 2004 Has quotes from David Arluck, Gary Hall Jnr's Manager, Gary is one of the best Olympians of all time," Arluck said. "I can't believe they kept him off the relay for some 19-year-old guy who is going after something that he's not going to accomplish anyway."
* Davbid Gordon Newsweek Call the Lifeguard August 2004 In the fourth paragraph of this article is the following Actually, no, they didn't. A healthy Gary Hall Jr., who was bumped from the final line-up after posting only a decent split time in the preliminary round, was available to swim. But Hall had ripped Reese earlier in the week for putting Phelps on the relay team even though the young phenom didn't swim the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials, usually the qualifying barometer for the relay team. Was Reese retaliating by snubbing Hall and protecting his own college star? For weeks, the coach has been preaching that "fast is more important than fair." At the critical moment, though, it seemed that Reese had changed his mind.
All above sources where retrived from the web on January 12 2008.
Anyway I hope someone can have a look and see what they think as well   (Boroughswimmer (talk) 08:39, 12 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Phelps article

message: I have created a very quick page for Doug Russell. I was very surprised that nothing had been done on him given that at the time in the '68 olympics his battle with Mark Spitz for gold in the 100 butterfly was a big topic poolside. Spitz had beaten Russel something like 9 or ten times before in the event, in the year leading up to the olympics. At one stage they held the world record jointly for the distance prior to the olympics. I will try and track down some stats and references and work on this article over the coming weeks. Some of the footers need work and I will try and get to that as well. I have added a link to Doug Russell so people can find the swimmer douglas russell if they type that in. It may require some otherr type of search help that is a bit beyond my expertise 
{Boroughswimmer (talk) 11:29, 12 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Douglas Russell