Coach Bruce and Tall Tom report in

I am sick but hope to be back next week.

Coach

Chuck, I will return. I am hiatus for awhile since I have to perform soon. Paula and I have to perform Argentine Tango in front of 350 black-tie people at a formanl dance ball on December 14. The instructor last night called us (really me) the "weak link" of the group. So I will get that bastard, and become the best. Hard to do when you have two left feet. So, some, maybe even most, mornings I will be working on dancing until I get better. Better at least so that I am not the God damn "weak link."

Tom

No word yet from Go You Beavers Guy who is being investigated by the Cal Alumni.....

What happened to Tom and Bruce

Rumor is rampant that Bruce is sick and Tom has lost his driving license at worst or has been denied the use of his son's Tim's car since none of the Manhattan Magnum Masters have seen either in the past two weeks.

Also, for some unknown reason, there have been many "Guy" workout appearances at the club. Also, with respect to Guy, I have reported him to the Cal Alumni group for rooting for his "Go you Bears" defeat last weekend at the hands of the Oregon State "Beavers."

Meanwhile, Jim has been busy in court on another lucrative court case defending another defendant facing a first degree murder charge....another one bites the dust....

Smokey Sunset on 18th Street

Video taken on November 16, 2008 following the unfortunate burning of LA and Orange County homes and resulting haze over Manhattan Beach.

Fruins' Fireworks Fiesta - 2007

Every year the city of Manhattan Beach Downtown Business Association funds a Christmas Fireworks display off the MB Pier. The video below was taken from the balcony during the Christmas party at swimmer Fruin's house (double click on the arrow located in middle of or left portion of screen):

Spooky, Halloween Weekend Girlie Man Ocean Swim - Sunday, November 2, 2008

A Day to Remember. Henceforth the Girlie Man Pier to Pier Swim, on the occasion of the digital pictures in the video below (courtesy of Nancy Roe), should be known as "The Survivor Swim." Click on arrow in the lower left corner if the screen below is black to start and view video:

The Survivors:

For the record, of a total of 20 swam in the ocean, from south of the Hermosa Beach Pier to the planned finish north of the Manhattan Beach Pier. The Manhattan Magnums taking part in the Girlie Man (wet suits allowed) Pier to Pier Ocean Swim were: Jim Hallett, of course, the person in whose name the swim is taken, Bob "help I'm lost," Tall Tom, and Mother Teresa....hearty and somewhat foolish swimmers on this day to be remembered. But all supposedly swam (the ManMags were pictured only in the last two pictures) and ate breakfast in Hennesey's following their harrowing experience.

Comments from the survivor emails:

Here are the photos I received yesterday.Teresa

Yes, indeed! What a great day! Here are some pictures. (Thank you very much Anne for taking pics and Gary for the officiating plus hot drinks. ) :-)Nancy

Hey, I just want to thank all of you for being out there with me today--it was a day I will not forget, and (showing my age) it was a total blast!....Jim

GOOD JOB EVERYBODY!!!! Now all future girlie-mans will be a piece of cake!
~ Lorie

Good Job GM I found a black REI jacket size ex-large in the men's room dressing area today, call me if its yours.Gary

Teresa, did fine once she got in. Only took her 9 and a half minutes to get up the courage to get in after being literally beaten back 10 yards a few times. Looked like the USC line coming at her.

When we finished at Manhattan Beach pier, the biggest set of the day crashed on her and others, pushing Teresa uncontrollably under the pier and through it. It was an incredible rip tide.

What Teresa and the others in her groups experienced caused the lifeguards to panic, and call in four lifeguard vehicles and one boat and order all swimmers to round the pier by 200 years. (I had rounded it by 2 years and got swept into the barnacles repeatedly by much smaller sets than crashed on Teresa). One swimmer had to be helped in by a lifeguard in the water.

That is why Teresa only barely is alive, only barely made it. Tall Tom

Only barely...Teresa

How did the race go this morning.....waves and ocean looked pretty narly this morning. Please let me know you all are alive and well.....Chuck

I just have to say it was so scary!!!! Jerry, one of our group and a lifeguard, told me I was going to be swept through the pilings so just go with it. I did this only to discover that I was only swept halfway through the pier and then held under. When I did finally make it to the surface, there was just another 10 footer ready to take me under again. Luckily that one swept me all the way through to the other side. There I saw Tom waiting on the shore saying I could make it now. Easy for him to say, he was the first one in and this after he told me we'll swim together! That togetherness lasted about 2 seconds around the Hermosa Pier before he took off leaving me to fend for myself.All in all, I'm glad I did it, and that it is OVER!!! Next year you all have to join us for this fun event. Teresa

All went well, with Tom the fastest and me the slowest and Bob and Teresa finishing by having a longshore current sweep them through the Pier pilings. We struggled at the HB Pier to get out through 5-6 foot breakers, only to find 10-12 feet at the MB Pier. By the time I arrived, three lifeguard trucks, a Baywatch boat, and 6-7 lifeguards were there helping us to get in, including a couple of rescues. I fortunately avoided the humiliation of a rescue because one lifeguard swam out to me and told me to swim 100 yards north of the first lifeguard tower to avoid the longshore current, and it worked. It took some of us 10 minutes or more to get into shore. The good news: the water was warm, so the hour and a half I spent in it was quite manageable. Thanks for asking!......P.S.--the lifeguards were simply awesome......Jim
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Death to a Diesel

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