Gary: Please join me in welcoming the only swimmer in the world cooler than swear words, Anthony Ervin! Anthony Ervin, ladies and gentlemen!
David: Thanks Gary, it’s good to be here.
Anthony: What’s he talking about?
Gary: Please don’t embarrass me in front of Anthony, David, I’m nervous enough as it is. Did I happen to mention that he’s cooler than rock n’ roll?
David: I said I was sorry.
Gary: No you did…ugh. Anyway, please join me in welcoming the only swimmer in the world cooler than swear words and rock n’ roll, TonyErvin! Tony Ervin, ladies and gentlemen!
Anthony: Hi Gary! **** you very much!
Gary: You play guitar really well and have played in a few bands. What are some of the names of those bands? Did you ever have a stage name?
Anthony: i wouldn’t say i play ‘well’, not so well as i can play in the pool.
Gary: Or with yourself. Is there a single person with tattoo sleeves that hasn’t played in a band? And on a more serious note, have you experienced any form of discrimination because of your tattoos?
Anthony: i couldn’t tell you, but i’d venture to guess there are as many lousy bands in the world as there are sleeved baristas and bartenders. On the serious note, YES i have: once on a bus an old chinese man said they looked terrible and that they were a bad idea. i responded with “xie xie”
Gary: That means “thank you”. Can you name the four cardinal vices and their representative member of Mötley Crüe?
Anthony: every member of motley crue is a saint – no vice to be found
Gary: Who is the lamest musician in the world today?
Anthony: ke$ha.. ***kn’ terrible. i worked a show of hers in SF. she was drawing [penises] on fans who wanted autographs
David: If I may; true or false, Gary loves every band “until they sell out”? Does it bother you that he’ll stop liking you once you’re popular?
Gary: He’s very popular. Among delinquents. I like Tony too! Anthony. Tony. Anthony. Wait, are you Tony or Anthony? Which one is your stage name?
Anthony: I’m not worried because I’ll never be the type of popular that can earn Gary’s scorn. my stage name? i take the 5th! but my bff’s have always called me Tony; but don’t tell me mom, she hates the nickname for some reason having to do with growing up in NYC where every Italian was named Tony.
David: Let’s talk about swimming. How far out of the swimming loop have you been? How has the sport changed since your retirement in 2003?
Anthony: i missed the tech-suit area. i love hearing stories about it, even though nearly everyone agrees that they are glad that its done with
Gary: How have you changed?
Anthony: for brevity sake, i turned 30
David: One swimming thing I’d love to know is how you’ve adapted from Mike Bottom’s style to Teri McKeever’s to Dave Durden’s? How are they similar/different?
Anthony: well, coaching me, for Mike and Teri, has been about coaching a personality. For Mike, it was the constant battle to motivate a swimmer who wanted to be somewhere else. For Teri, it was handling a fragile ego who wanted to love swimming but suffers from PTSD. That being said, working with Dave Durden in the water is everything I need now. I really enjoy the workouts, and there is a clear intention what and how he wants us to produce each day, as well as having an uncanny ability to maintain a strong team morale that we all tap into. With both Durden and Nick Folker (strength coach) I feel like smelted steel being made into a sword. a katana. the hammering is over, now they are putting the edge on.
Gary: Beautiful words. In hindsight, were you fully conscious or appreciative of the Olympic experience in 2000? And what does the Olympic movement mean to you today?
Anthony: in hindsight, nope. i was just a teenager who barely knew my ass from my own face. as cliche as it sounds (reads?) the olympic momvement is all about the journey, my own personal journey and redemption.
Gary: Who is the lamest swimwear manufacturer in the world today?
Anthony: the ones who don’t offer me any money to wear their suit once i make the Olympic team.
Gary: Antho… Tony, I speak for both Dan and myself when I say thank you for joining us today and for being a good sport. And for being part of our sport. We’re both cheering for you and can’t wait to see you tear up the pool like some kind of mosh pit in London. Rock on, my friend. London’s Calling.
Anthony: twas my ****in’ pleasure.
Dave, up your nose with a rubber hose.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqr24Mfbw2g
Gary, are you the only girl to have trained under Mike Bottom?
Cromwellionsis for the win.
Nice job, guys. I hope the USOC reads this, and blasts Ke$ha before the 50 free final.
Thanks, all. I had the privilege of training with Anthony for years, from after he graduated from high school to his retirement in 2003. He is such a phenomenal talent. And a really sharp guy. He is one of those swimmers with that rare ability to consistently get his hand on the wall sooner than the other guys. When I spoke to him last, he was working in extra pool time to work on his starts. I won’t bet against him.
To my knowledge, Anthony is the only male swimmer to have trained under Teri, but don’t know for certain.
Great stuff. He should get a sponsor to pay him to get their logo tattooed.
Also, is he the only male swimmer to have trained with McKeever?
Thanks, Gary. Enjoyed reading and wishing Tony the best of luck – would love to see him kick butt this summer.
he can do pretty well on 50 free . he still has that incredible speed . With a much better start training , he can go 19.90 or less . Let’s seeeeeee
In OK City in December he was 19.mid (can’t remember exactly). And he got creamed off the blocks
Saw him race the 50 and 100 free back in December in OK City. Was SO cool to watch. Looking forward to seeing what he can do at trials