Fran Crippen doesn't care how much talent you have or how fast you've been clocked in the pool. If you don't have the right attitude before jumping into the water, the Virginia men's swimming team captain wants you off the block.
"I've told the guys, 'If you ever think you're not going to win, don't even bother swimming -- there's no point,'" Crippen said.
These Cavaliers have a certain swagger about them. Nothing less than success is satisfactory. When you're the seven-time defending ACC men's swimming champion and haven't lost a meet to any ACC squad in over six years, anything else just isn't an option.
Virginia, the veritable Evil Empire of ACC swimming and diving, will be looking to continue the streak this weekend in College Park. The Cavaliers are despised by all of their conference competitors. But if that's the price they have to pay for success, so be it.
"Any time you win seven straight, people get sick of looking at you," Crippen said.
Crippen is the most successful swimmer on the most successful team in the ACC. In 2005 he was an All-American in four events (the 500 and 1650 freestyle, 400 individual medley and 800 freestyle relay) and was the ACC Men's Swimmer of the Year in 2003 and 2004. He also holds school records in both the 1000 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. But with alumni like Olympic gold medalist Ed Moses, Crippen may not even be the best Virginia swimmer this decade.
And if Virginia were to somehow lose this weekend, Crippen knows he and his teammates would be unable to escape the fact that they were the ones that broke the streak. Several former team members have been in contact with Crippen and his teammates in the weeks leading up to the ACC meet, offering words of encouragement as well as reminders of how important it is to keep the streak alive.
"To some people it's a pressure," junior Vanja Rogulj said. "To me, it's a joy."
Rogulj stole the ACC Men's Swimmer of the Year trophy away from Crippen, beating out the two-time award winner to take home the hardware in 2005. Rogulj earned All-America honors in 2005 in the 100 breast, 200 breast and 200 freestyle relay and competed in the 2004 Olympics for his native Croatia.
Rogulj knows very well what it feels like to be a winner, and plans on familiarizing himself with it even more this weekend. But then again, it's not like he has another choice.
These swimmers have eliminated losing as an option in ACC competition. It's not about whether the Cavaliers will win, but by how much. It may seem a little arrogant and cocky, but the philosophy has paid dividends.
"For as long as I've been here, it's been about winning, and we're not going to accept anything else," Crippen said.
This year, Virginia has an especially young team, but has still been able to maintain its usual level of success, earning a No.13 national ranking going into the ACC meet. Under the tutelage of 28-year head coach Mark Bernardino and upperclassmen like Crippen, Rogulj and John Millen, several freshmen including Bjorn Falk, T.J. Southmayd, Lee Robertson and Tony Colella have improved throughout the year.
The ultimate test for these Cavaliers will take place this weekend, as Virginia faces what may be its stiffest challenge yet in a strong Florida State squad. The Seminoles took an early lead in the ACC diving competition, which occurs before the swimming meets.
"Before we even jump in the water, we're down 60 points," Crippen said.
Not that Crippen thinks it will make much of a difference. While Virginia has maintained their training regimen throughout the season, the Seminoles have already taken time off this year, revealing how fast they are capable of swimming when they are at their peak. This gives the Cavaliers a glimpse of what time they will need to swim to beat FSU.
"They've already rested," Crippen said. "We know what we have to do to win."
But it's more than just that. Of course the Cavaliers know what they have to do to win. What really makes the difference is that they don't know how to lose.
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