Des Walsh, a blogging evangelist living in the Australia area, gave the Electronic Village a heads-up on a sports story that was making a splash Down Under while barely makin
g a ripple here in America. It turns out that that the fastest American in the pool is a man of African descent. Cullen Jones set the American record in the 50-yard freestyle last year ... only a tad off of the world record. He parlayed his speed in the pool into a seven-year endorsement deal with Nike worth potentially more than two million US dollars. That makes him the highest paid sprint freestyler in the world.Jones is a member of the world record-setting 400-meter freestyle relay team and a potential gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics next year.
I imagine that most Villagers have pride for what this brother has done. Speaking of pride, the timing is real good for the movie of the same name starring Terrance Howard and Bernie Mac. Movie about Black students going to state championship in swimming coming to a theatre near you. [Editor's Note: I'm waiting for the movie that brings us the first team of sistas that make it to the state championship ... Just the dawg in me!]
Back to the point ... it is a good thing that Cullen Jones has a chance to bring a positive spin on diversity for the sport of competitive swimming. Soon people will be calling him the Tiger Woods of his sport. Unfortunately, it is likely his impact will be as neglible for Nubians. Tiger has been on the scene for a decade. Anyone see any other brothers on the PGA Tour? A few more of us watch golf on television when Tiger is playing ... but, the reality is that there simply aren't many African Americans with the financial means to tap into inate golf talent that will allow them to become professionals in the sport.
It could be the same for Cullen Jones. I live in Cincinnati, OH. It is a big budget fight just to keep the community pools open for the summer. Ain't much room for racing up & down a pool that is filled with hundreds of other kids from the neighborhood. As such, it is unlikely that the inate swimming talent inside our African American youth will have a chance to shine. As a result, Cullen Jones will likely remain the only pepper in the salt of the US Olympic Swimming Team photos for many years to come.
Anyhow, I don't begrudge Tiger or Cullen gettin' paid for their talents. However, I am no longer holding out hope that they are pioneers for other people of African descent into their respective country club sports.
On the other hand, the Acting White blog gives another twist to this story. Bro. Collier hopes that the publicity Cullen Jones will get leading up to the Beijing Olympics may result in fewer drowning deaths and accidents for children of color.
What are your comments on Cullen Jones and his world-record success in the pool?
