McCaffreyCap: October 22, 2010

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 22. YOU've found the McCaffrey'Cap, and we're glad you did. This week in the rundown we're talking about a positive test that's been a real pain in the butt for a sprinting superstar, making cash money on the World Cup circuit, Day 36 of Mark Schubert's leave of absence, and making a weekend of one of the U.S.'s most popular open water swims. TAKE YOUR MARK.

On the top of the rundown is the bottom of French Olympian Fred Bousquet, who tested positive for a banned substance found in an over the counter hemorrhoid ointment. Apparently, the issue flared up last June when Bousquet was in Canet for the Mare Nostrum meet. He picked up a different brand of ointment than the one he normally uses. The replacement contained heptaminol, a substance on the banned list. The French federation suspended Freddy for 2 months, but FINA and the World Anti-Doping Agency have yet to punish the sprinting superstar. Hopefully, it's not something harsh and embarrassing like… I don't know… revealing to the world that you have hemorrhoids.

The World Cup is in full swing making stops this week in Singapore and Tokyo, and if you're wondering why some of the sport's biggest names attend so many stops on the circuit, just ask former World Cup competitor Ed Moses whose YouTube video on the topic is our clip of the week. Ed's right, the World Cup is a great way to race some of the best, see the world, and make some cash in the process. Every Blue Ribbon throughout the series comes with 1500 bucks. The current 2010 series points leaders Therese Alshammar and Thiago Pereira have racked in $16,500 and $19,000, respectively. If they both hold on, they'll each get a $100,000 check for taking the series title. Just think if someone were to win 3 years in a row, the series purse alone would be as much money as Michael Phelps made recently for a weekend appearance in Mexico… and in no way is that depressing.

Day 36 of Mark Schubert's mysterious leave of absence and we're still hot on the trail of the national team head coach as he continues his vacation. Apparently, this week he's in Germany enjoying the October-festivities. Coach, we're glad to see you're having a good time and all, but while you're on leave USA Swimming is pushing the Athlete Partnership Plan through. You know the original plan that was amended when you were the head of the Pro Swimming Task Force? This week, USA Swimming released a new draft of the partnership that looks very similar to the one you were against. I'm confused, why would they be pushing for the plan you were publicly opposed to while you're on vacation? Hurry back coach London is only 645 days away.

We're coming under the flags and into the wall with the final topic on the rundown. Last weekend, in northern California the 11th annual RCP Tiburon Mile took place. The night before one of the most popular open swim in the US, Bob Placak put on a new event called the RCP Sprint Classic in a beautiful two-lane pool in his back yard. Josh Schneider walked away with $10,000 beating a field of All Americans and Olympic medalists, but the highlight for me came before we arrived at the classic. I didn't get the interview I wanted but I did get to hang out with the former NCAA champion and he even gave me his RCP commemorative cap… Ok I'm a huge swim geek.

We'll leave you with a short clip from the Tiburon mile highlight video that you can find on the Tiburon Mile coverage page right here on SwimmingWorld.TV. We'll stop the clock there on this week's show, and remember that's just one man's recap.

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