Olympics Blog

Category: Swimming

U-M AD On Bowman's Successor: I Want To Do It Right

Dropped by Ann Arbor today for another Michael Phelps media event -- this time it was for select international media outlets -- and caught up with Michigan AD Bill Martin to see where he's at in finding a new men's swimming coach. Bob Bowman is heading back to the North Baltimore Aquatic Club with Phelps as soon as the Beijing Olympics are over.

Doesn't sound like anything's imminent. Martin's got a search committee and he's getting input from ex-coach Jon Urbanchek and Bowman.

"We're working on it," Martin said, adding that current assistant Fernando Canales will get consideration for the job. "We've interviewed several candidates, and we'll interview some more. ... It's such an important program, not only to swimming in this country, but also to Michigan and respecting our traditions. I want to do it right."

Martin talked about trying to find a "respected, well-known coach who can recruit the best swimmers" on Wednesday. But while he didn't say it, I think one of the problems he's got is this: He also wants to find somebody who'll stick around for a decade or two. And with two of the best jobs potentially opening up soon -- Eddie Reese (Texas) and Skip Kenney (Stanford) have to be getting close to calling it quits -- the Michigan gig doesn't carry quite the same clout.