Pumpkin Meets the Crockah

From the Grandpeeps!

Following his sophmore year, in which he tied the state record of Jeremy Linn and qualified for the Junior National Team, Brendan went to a Camp, that Ian also attended, before going to Sheffield, England. This was the first International Meet for Brendan. It was there he roomed with Ian, as he put it, a tall, skinny, kid from Maine. He called us from England, when he couldn't get his mother. We asked him whom he was rooming with Brendan said, 'some geek from Maine.' Ian was with him and we heard them both laughing. They hit it off great during this time and Ian said,' wouldn't it be great if we could go to the same college'. After returning home they kept in touch with each other for the next two years.

In the summer of their junior year both Ian and Brendan were recruited by and visited most of the same schools. Three of the schools Ian visited were Arizona, Auburn, and Texas. They also had invitations from Stanford, Michigan and many others. On some of these visits their parents went with them. Naturally, both boys like all the schools they visited. The boys however, were unaware that Mrs. C and Mrs. H were comparing notes concerning each of their visits discussing the pros and cons of each of the schools. The moms were in complete agreement about each school. During the long drive home from one visit Brendan had made up his mind that was the school he wanted to go to it was not Texas. When Brendan visited Texas he was impressed with the facilities, the school and Eddie Reese as a coach. When Brendan compared each school he had visited with two columns one with the pros and the other with the cons for each school. It was then he told his dad, I have decided to sign with Texas. When asked why, Brendan said, each school we visited, the schools were nice, the facilities were good, it came down to the coach. Brendan said each of the coaches said 'what an asset he would be for the team and for the school.'Eddie Reese was the only coach who asked Brendan, 'what do you want to get from your swimming, what are your goals.' When Brendan told him Eddie said, 'I'll get you there'. Brendan said he was the only one who asked me what I wanted. I knew then that I could work with Eddie.

Ian called Brendan and told him he was going to sign with Texas. Brendan was surprised and said 'I thought you were going to go to Arizona'. Brendan was upstairs and he started jumping up and down and yelling he was so happy. Mrs. H. couldn't figure out what was happening. He told Ian he also signed with Texas.

We have gone to Texas every December, for the Texas Invitational and to all of the NCAA's wherever they were held. At one time we met the woman who does all of the travel arrangements for the various Texas teams. She asked us who we were there to see and was really excited to meet us. She told us she has been Texas for nine years and never met a boy as nice as Brendan. She said no matter where he would see her he would go out of his way to stop and talk to her asking how she was doing etc. As she told us, he really means it too. If you remember Rowdy Gaines, in Indianapolis, said when Brendan was waiting behind the starting blocks. Rowdy said, 'Brendan is not only a good swimmer, he is even a better person.' That says it all. As grandparents we are naturally prejudice, but Rowdy Gaines had no reason to say what he did. Everyone who comes in contact with Brendan echoes what Rowdy Gaines said.