In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
Three-time Olympic Champion and NBC Sports Voice of Swimming, Rowdy Gaines, has the dream job. Who wouldn’t want a front-row-center seat at the Olympic Games? The 2021 Olympic Games (and the U.S. Olympic Trials) will mark Rowdy’s 8th turn in the chair.
What I want to know is what’s it really like? I have an idea. I’ve subbed for Rowdy before, but only for small competitions. I know it’s intense, days starting at 5am and ending, sometimes, after midnight. Thankful, ahead of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Rowdy shares some details in this SwimSwam Podcast.
Rowdy also addresses the elephant in the room. Rowdy is well aware his commentary is not for us, the Swim Nerds. Rowdy’s working for NBC. He’s under direct instructions to call the races for the non-swimming audience, that fan that drops in once every four years. “I have to have a moment where I explain the backstroke flags,” Rowdy laughed. “I do it on every Olympic telecast.”
Rowdy, of course, loves the television gig and he shares a lot of insights:
- his day-in-the-life from the Rio Olympics
- how he goes to the bathroom during live telecasts
- a few funny mistakes over the years
- when he’s gotten the giggles during live telecasts
- how he tries to manage four people talking in his ear while he’s commentating
- and he shares his thoughts on how COVID will impact the Olympics
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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
Follow Rowdy Gaines on Instagram here.
Follow Gold Medal Mel Stewart on INSTAGRAM HERE.
Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
Wildly unpopular view on this site, but I actually like Rowdy’s commentary. Does he always have his facts correct? No. Is he too redundant with his some of his recurring comments? Sure. But there’s no other commentator that has the man’s enthusiasm and we all take that for granted. I know I’m not the only one who always heard Rowdy’s voice commentating in my head when I daydreamed of swimming in the Olympics as a kid. Like he said in this interview, there are many people out there who would provide a better on-air technical analysis than him. However, he does a great job of pointing out things in races that are helpful for non-swimmers to understand what’s going on.… Read more »
I just wished he would get names correct and remember to look at lanes 1,2 and 7,8.
boo rowdy Gaines!!! He sucks and needs to get a life
Rowdy haters, I don’t get you! Rowdy is fantastic. When he retires, which I hope isn’t for a long time, Elizabeth Beisel is the perfect, enthusiastic, knowledgeable replacement.
Mel: Great interview’ appreciate what you and Rowdy do for the sport.
Kudos to Rowdy for doing this interview knowing the abuse he takes on this site…he could have told GMM ..thx but no thx…..this should give folks an insight to Rowdy and how passionate he is for swimming and spreading his love of our sport to everyone
I have had the opportunity to spend time with Rowdy at a Masters camp….He took time with every swimmer whether you were a great, good or average swimmer. He was incredibly humble as our Camp had Missy Franklin, Nathan Adrian and Elisabeth Beisel there. He was the MC, and at a dinner after each Olympian told a few stories…I raised my hand and said Rowdy you have gold medals..tell us one of your stories… Read more »
He can be good at those things and be passionate about the sport but also be an unprepared, biased commentator.
“The Olympics will definitely happen and will be the greatest Olympics ever” is a beautiful sentiment, however, the reality on the ground in Tokyo is that Covid state of emergency will start again on Friday and 70-80% of the local population do not welcome the idea of having the Olympics. Covid variants have spread thoroughly throughout the country. People in Japan are considering traveling to another country to get vaccinated due to the unavailability in country. Medical staff to support the Olympics will be in short supply and there is no way around that issue…extremely iffy indeed it would appear eh.
I can remember a while ago when Rowdy was commenting on the Men’s NCAA 800 Freestyle Relay. The last swimmer on the leading relay dove in with about a half pool lead. Rowdy said, Oh my gosh, look at that lead, my Aunt Tilley could hang on to a lead like that!!!!!!
I thought that was the most hysterical thing I ever heard!!
I hope you stay forever!!!!!