"Jason Dunford" (8:05:50 PM): Hello Mr badstreamliner
badstreamliner (8:05:54 PM): haha
"Jason Dunford" (8:06:03 PM): what's going on?
badstreamliner (8:06:14 PM): nm
badstreamliner (8:06:19 PM): u ready to do the interview?
"Jason Dunford" (8:06:25 PM): thumbs up let's do this
badstreamliner (8:06:40 PM): leeroyyyy jennkinnssss
"Jason Dunford" (8:06:47 PM): damn right
badstreamliner (8:06:56 PM): hahaha
badstreamliner (8:07:01 PM): are u a "gamer"
"Jason Dunford" (8:07:38 PM): no not really...actually not at all. but there enough on our team
badstreamliner (8:08:04 PM): im not surprised lol
badstreamliner (8:08:08 PM): nerds
"Jason Dunford" (8:08:39 PM): i agree...
badstreamliner (8:08:57 PM): aight so lets talk stanford first
badstreamliner (8:09:02 PM): how was this year for you?
"Jason Dunford" (8:09:14 PM): this year overall was really good.
"Jason Dunford" (8:09:30 PM): had a good pac 10s but ncaa's was a bit disappointing personally
"Jason Dunford" (8:10:07 PM): after my build up i felt i would have a much better meet but i was feeling that good over the 3 days
"Jason Dunford" (8:10:14 PM): wasn't
"Jason Dunford" (8:10:42 PM): sorry my typing skills have a lot to be desired!
badstreamliner (8:10:59 PM): obviously pac10s is a big meet for u guys.. but how important is it to you guys to keep the streak alive?
badstreamliner (8:11:24 PM): as opposed to like arizona for example who pretty much ignores results at pac10s and brings the sauce at ncaa's?
"Jason Dunford" (8:12:28 PM): pretty important but if we had to sacrifice a pac 10 title in order to win a national title we most certainly would. i think we may play it a bit differently next year but we'll see
"Jason Dunford" (8:13:14 PM): maybe follow their lead and have a shaved meet before the new year to get our cuts instead of leaving it until pac 10s
badstreamliner (8:14:00 PM): ya.. although it is damn impressive to have 3 of the top 4 teams at ncaa's from the pac10
"Jason Dunford" (8:15:12 PM): yeah that was pretty sweet. it was also cool to have such a close battle with cal that essentially came down to the last relay. they really swum well this year.
badstreamliner (8:16:02 PM): is the cal stanford rivalry still intense at ncaa's or does that become less important at the big meet
"Jason Dunford" (8:17:25 PM): it was still pretty intense, we definitely did not want to lose to them and i know they were dying to beat us. also the dual meet this year had a completely different feel, it was pretty relaxed and neither team suited up
"Jason Dunford" (8:17:52 PM): thus i suppose there was more emphasis on the rivalry at the big meet
badstreamliner (8:18:23 PM): ya.. aight so speaking of the pac 10.. whats ur take on the arizona state situation?
"Jason Dunford" (8:20:51 PM): it's disappointing to lose another pac 10 program (oh yeah pac 5!?!) made even more so by the fact they had a really good class coming in and would probably have developed in a very competitive outfit next season. i would hate to be in anyone of those guys' shoes and be faced with such a dilemma of what to do next. let's hope it can get reinstated.
badstreamliner (8:22:21 PM): seriously.. so are the coaches at all the pac10 schools contacting the arizona state recruits in case they have no team next year?
"Jason Dunford" (8:23:52 PM): a letter has been sent out urging them not to "cannibalize" the team until it is confirmed that the program will not be reinstated. therefore i hope the coaches are honouring that request
badstreamliner (8:24:35 PM): oh i see... well thats good
"Jason Dunford" (8:24:43 PM): yeah i think so
badstreamliner (8:25:14 PM): so what made you pick stanford?
badstreamliner (8:25:20 PM): other than having the worst mascot in the ncaa?
"Jason Dunford" (8:25:36 PM): well that was probably the main reason!
"Jason Dunford" (8:25:39 PM): but not really
"Jason Dunford" (8:25:58 PM): i didn't really know what i was getting myself into
"Jason Dunford" (8:26:17 PM): i just applied as a regular student and did not come on any recruiting trips
"Jason Dunford" (8:26:59 PM): i was at high school in the UK so applied to other colleges there and only applied to Cal and Stanford.
"Jason Dunford" (8:27:38 PM): in the US
"Jason Dunford" (8:28:15 PM): when i was accepted by Stanford my parents urged me to accept and so voila i am here
badstreamliner (8:28:46 PM): wait so u got in on ur academics?
"Jason Dunford" (8:29:47 PM): yeah essentially. i had got in touch with the coaches before hand and of course mentioned my swimming in my app, but otherwise was just a regular review student
badstreamliner (8:30:12 PM): wow thats impressive
badstreamliner (8:30:23 PM): what are the ladies like at ur fine institution?
"Jason Dunford" (8:31:53 PM): well comparatively to other institutions probably a bit on the below average side...or so I've heard. but there are some fine women around and they can also hold a conversation (mostly)
badstreamliner (8:32:22 PM): hahaha
badstreamliner (8:33:02 PM): ok so many people dont know this but you were actually born in kenya right?
"Jason Dunford" (8:33:17 PM): yeah i was born and brought up in kenya
"Jason Dunford" (8:33:27 PM): in fact i am 4th generation kenyan
"Jason Dunford" (8:33:45 PM): my great grandfather moved to kenya from lithuania in 1902
badstreamliner (8:33:54 PM): tight! do u speak swahili?
"Jason Dunford" (8:34:16 PM): yeah...i bet the next question be asking for a sample
badstreamliner (8:36:20 PM): yep.. how do u say "timed prelims is freakin awesome!"
"Jason Dunford" (8:37:21 PM): "timed prelims ni poa sana"
badstreamliner (8:38:59 PM): haha k good..
badstreamliner (8:39:18 PM): how is swimming in kenya.. other than u and ur brother?
"Jason Dunford" (8:41:17 PM): at the age group level there is some talent, there just isn't the structure in place to develop it to a higher level. thus my brother and i had to go abroad in order to get the required training to get to where we are now. i think that is the case with lots of countries around the world which is why there are so many foreigners in the ncaa.
"Jason Dunford" (8:42:28 PM): i think the country itself needs to reach a higher plane of development before swimming can really take off partly because of the huge cost of running and maintaining swimming facilities
"Jason Dunford" (8:43:22 PM): i would like to do my part though when i retire from the sport
badstreamliner (8:44:11 PM): nice dude.. does kenya have relays at like worlds and the olympics??
"Jason Dunford" (8:46:58 PM): we sometimes put one together at worlds but are way of the pace because we only have two competitive legs (though this is not to belittle the other two guys who have done really well considering their training backgrounds). We got 4th at the all africa games in both the 4x100 free and medley relays, narrowly missing bronze in the free.
"Jason Dunford" (8:48:13 PM): my brother and i are the first kenyans to qualify individually in swimming, for the olympics in the country's history, so a relay is a bit premature at this point
badstreamliner (8:49:13 PM): are you and your brother famous in kenya?
"Jason Dunford" (8:50:14 PM): yeah we've become pretty famous over the last couple of years...certainly our race, and being brothers, gives us good novelty value
badstreamliner (8:51:49 PM): thats great that you are making the sport more popular
"Jason Dunford" (8:52:13 PM): yeah certainly there is more interest in the sport now
badstreamliner (8:52:26 PM): k i gotta ask since u grew up in kenya.. how the hell are kenyans so good at running
badstreamliner (8:52:40 PM): is it like genetics? or are u guys running marathons at age 8
"Jason Dunford" (8:52:47 PM): it is pretty amazing
"Jason Dunford" (8:53:13 PM): well i wasn't...i don't think personally i have those running genes!!(lol)
"Jason Dunford" (8:54:37 PM): but yeah it is a combination of the muscle makeup (lots of slow twitch fibres), living at altitude, running from a very young age and seeing running as a way to get out of poverty, which certainly provides motivation and drive
"Jason Dunford" (8:56:33 PM): many of the runners come from this one small region called the Nandi Hills in the Rift Valley which has the highest number of Olympic medals per capita of any community/ethnic gropu in the world
badstreamliner (8:57:05 PM): damn.. well it really is amazing
"Jason Dunford" (8:57:45 PM): yeah i look up to many of those guys and it was awesome to get to be with them at All Africa Games last year
badstreamliner (8:57:48 PM): if u keep making swimming more popular, kenya is gonna start bustin out some ridiculous triathletes
"Jason Dunford" (8:58:08 PM): yeah i think there is certainly potential in that domain
badstreamliner (8:58:22 PM): k so moving on..
badstreamliner (8:58:23 PM): beijing
badstreamliner (8:58:26 PM): what are ur goals?
"Jason Dunford" (8:58:48 PM): make the final in the 100 fly and break my african record
"Jason Dunford" (8:58:57 PM): and make it past prelims in the 100 free
"Jason Dunford" (8:59:44 PM): both big goals, but after making finals at worlds last year I definitely think they are attainable
badstreamliner (9:00:13 PM): ya definately
"Jason Dunford" (9:00:27 PM): i will be happy though if i swim two LTBs
badstreamliner (9:00:45 PM): for sure
badstreamliner (9:01:06 PM): what suit will you be wearing?
"Jason Dunford" (9:01:16 PM): still undecided
"Jason Dunford" (9:03:02 PM): the speedo LZR bodysuit does not come in a size small enough for me so hopefully they will have one out before beijing (hint hint...) as of now though i think i will be wearing some kind of legskin for fly as my experiences swimming fly in a bodysuit have not been good to date
badstreamliner (9:03:49 PM): haha.. i see
badstreamliner (9:03:56 PM): k story time!
badstreamliner (9:04:03 PM): give us a funny story from ur swimming career
"Jason Dunford" (9:04:17 PM): well where to start...
"Jason Dunford" (9:04:30 PM): most of them are to do with guys on the team.
"Jason Dunford" (9:04:50 PM): i think my personal favorite happened at NCAAs my sophomore year
"Jason Dunford" (9:05:48 PM): two guys on the team had this ritual where one of them would slap the other across the face before his race to get him fired up (sort of like what weightlifters do). they had been doing this all year.
"Jason Dunford" (9:06:51 PM): so we are at nc's and the swimmer who received the barrage of abuse was behind the blocks getting ready for his 500 free. the heat before was already in the water.
"Jason Dunford" (9:07:30 PM): so the guy who did the hitting steps up and gives him the usual slap.
"Jason Dunford" (9:08:10 PM): the swimmer requests a harder one, this being his big meet of the season and he felt he needed that extra boost.
"Jason Dunford" (9:08:51 PM): the guy who does the hitting gets a bit carried away (he himself was also pretty fired up) and let's him have it.
"Jason Dunford" (9:09:54 PM): the next thing we see is one of our teammates crouched over behind the blocks as if he is throwing up (that is our initial hypothesis).
"Jason Dunford" (9:10:16 PM): what in fact he is doing is spitting out a mixture of blood and tooth.
"Jason Dunford" (9:10:31 PM): it was pretty gnarly
badstreamliner (9:10:35 PM): HAHAHAHA!! are u kidding me?!
badstreamliner (9:10:49 PM): the slapper knocked his tooth out?
"Jason Dunford" (9:11:30 PM): not quite, he broke one of his teeth and cut his lip pretty badly
badstreamliner (9:11:56 PM): oh jeez.. why do i have a feeling danny beal was one of the participants of this event
"Jason Dunford" (9:12:45 PM): yeah he was the one who received the said abuse from Nate Cass (nickname "Tiny" because he is the biggest guy on the team!)
badstreamliner (9:12:58 PM): haha thats a good nickname
badstreamliner (9:13:01 PM): whats ur nickname?
"Jason Dunford" (9:14:07 PM): i have a bunch... human spring, dungo, j, johnso, joe, joseph, jakson-- all pretty random
badstreamliner (9:14:33 PM): hah
badstreamliner (9:14:41 PM): k its time for ur top 5
badstreamliner (9:14:52 PM): top 5 hottest women in swimming.. in order
"Jason Dunford" (9:15:04 PM): number one- Eugene Godsoe
"Jason Dunford" (9:15:11 PM): oh damn I thought you meant guys
"Jason Dunford" (9:15:16 PM): ...
"Jason Dunford" (9:15:22 PM): ok seriously
badstreamliner (9:15:25 PM): lol
"Jason Dunford" (9:15:50 PM): number one therese alshammar
"Jason Dunford" (9:16:26 PM): two... this estonian chick who is always at worlds but i don't know her name
"Jason Dunford" (9:17:09 PM): 3-i'll go with natalie coughlin
"Jason Dunford" (9:17:46 PM): 4-federica pellegrini
"Jason Dunford" (9:17:56 PM): the italian mid distance swimmer
badstreamliner (9:18:32 PM): ya shes hella underrated too
"Jason Dunford" (9:18:52 PM): 5- kirsty coventry (we have to have africa represented!)
badstreamliner (9:19:37 PM): lol
badstreamliner (9:19:48 PM): good list.. care to do the men?
"Jason Dunford" (9:20:17 PM): so i have already given away my number one!
"Jason Dunford" (9:20:36 PM): 2- our very own world champion Ben W-t
"Jason Dunford" (9:22:18 PM): beyond that there is no one else that matters (except maybe shaun phillips- he'll be gutted if he doesn't get a mention. i heard he might even cry. so he can be my number 3)
badstreamliner (9:22:58 PM): hahaha
badstreamliner (9:23:04 PM): k time for the LIGHTNING ROUND
"Jason Dunford" (9:23:21 PM): ok i am ready with my lightning typing skills
badstreamliner (9:23:23 PM): goggles over or under cap?
"Jason Dunford" (9:23:27 PM): under
badstreamliner (9:23:50 PM): silicone or latex cap..
badstreamliner (9:23:54 PM): i know what ur gonna say.. that dome cap u always wear
"Jason Dunford" (9:24:07 PM): yup
badstreamliner (9:24:37 PM): fly or free
"Jason Dunford" (9:24:48 PM): fly (free in practice)
badstreamliner (9:24:57 PM): paper or plastic?
"Jason Dunford" (9:25:04 PM): paper
badstreamliner (9:25:08 PM): peach or nectarine?
"Jason Dunford" (9:25:12 PM): peach
badstreamliner (9:25:18 PM): chunky or smooth peanut butter
"Jason Dunford" (9:25:34 PM): neither. can't stand the stuff
badstreamliner (9:25:38 PM): haha
badstreamliner (9:25:42 PM): short or long course?
"Jason Dunford" (9:25:50 PM): long
badstreamliner (9:25:58 PM): skip or ted?
"Jason Dunford" (9:26:06 PM): no comment
badstreamliner (9:26:12 PM): lol
badstreamliner (9:26:15 PM): blue or gold
"Jason Dunford" (9:26:19 PM): gold
badstreamliner (9:26:27 PM): and finally..
badstreamliner (9:26:29 PM): right or left tuck?
"Jason Dunford" (9:26:38 PM): up
"Jason Dunford" (9:26:45 PM): no kidding
badstreamliner (9:26:47 PM): hahahaha!
"Jason Dunford" (9:26:48 PM): left
badstreamliner (9:26:57 PM): alright man..
badstreamliner (9:27:00 PM): well thanks for ur time
"Jason Dunford" (9:27:31 PM): cheers for having me on. it was my pleasure. kwaheri ya kuonana
badstreamliner (9:27:52 PM): thanks.. jumbo!
badstreamliner (9:27:54 PM): is that right?
"Jason Dunford" (9:28:26 PM): jambo but that's what you should said at the beginning- it means hello. see ya
badstreamliner (9:28:46 PM): oh haha
badstreamliner (9:28:50 PM): later