20 Question Tuesday: Brendan Hansen

By: Bob Schaller

Posted: 01/06/09

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Brendan Hansen IS the breaststroke to many USA Swimming fans since 2000. The University of Texas star did not make the 2008 team in one of his specialty events, but ended up winning a gold medal in Beijing anyway by helping Michael Phelps to his record eight golds. The Pennsylvania native offers his strong insights and strong opinions in this week’s 20 Question Tuesday with Swimnetwork.com writer Bob Schaller.

1.) How do you rate your 2008?

Brendan: I think there are two things I look at from these whole Olympics. I told myself I would walk away with a smile, no matter what. Looking at the 2004 Olympics (in Athens), I put so much pressure on myself to win gold medals that when it was all said and done, I didn’t have as much fun. So my goal was to have fun and smile and enjoy myself and walk away with the experience. Getting third in 200 breaststroke at Olympic Trials hurt my confidence a little bit, and I think it showed in Beijing.

2.) Is there anything you would change?

Brendan: Actually, yes, and it’s for USA Swimming: Let us go home after the Olympics Trials. I need time to go home and decompress. The last two days of the Trials, everyone is riding on fumes. Let us go home for two or three days before we go out to California (for Training Camp), and we will swim better – and I know I will perform better

3.) This really seemed like a team more than ever – you’ve been on other National Teams, was this one different?

Brendan: I’ve never been a part of a team where guys can get together and become a team like this one. I saw the whole team without the coaches around, because they were over-coaching at that point, and I said, “Guys, what are our goals. I know to beat Australia, and win the most medals.” But one of our goals was to make America proud, and make people realize what swimming is all about. We did that. Swimming was the big ticket. Everyone who won or lost did a great a job representing us.

4.) Did you feel like that came across in the media?

Brendan: Part of me is kind of upset that NBC didn’t show what the team was all about – it just became the Michael Phelps show. It bothered everybody – it bothered Michael. I felt my relay (the medley) was the most pressure packed, because we were number eight – if we messed up we’d have been in history for a different reason

5.) What was the mood before that final relay?

Brendan: Heading out to march out for that race. I was trying to calm everybody down. Everybody knew what would happen.

[Michael Phelps, Brendan Hansen, Jason Lezak and Aaron Piersol of the United States hold up their gold medals from the Men's 4x100 Medley Relay at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. The United States team set a new world record with a time of 3:29:34. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)]

6.) Where do you reach to deliver in that moment, especially after a rough Trials and Games to that point?

Brendan: It just comes down to me saying to myself, “You have done this your entire life. Go back to what makes you so successful.” What gets us there is what makes us successful once we are there.

7.) You really seem to have a mature perspective – agree?

Brendan: I feel like I do. I just have been kind of able to, through the years, put things in perspective, as far as where I am at and where I need to be. You grow up with your parents’ influence to a certain point and then you become an individual on your own terms. If you put stress on too many stupid things, you won’t realize the overall picture of yourself, and your life.

8.) Are you retiring?

Brendan: You know, honesty I told myself that January 1st I would decide what to do. I haven’t been in the water that much, but I have been staying healthy, active and having fun. I knew had to be away from it for a while before I decide.

9.) Getting away is important, isn’t it?

Brendan: You talk to Jason Lezak and Dara Torres and that’s the key to their success. If I don’t decide to start in January, doesn’t mean I won’t be aiming for 2012. If I feel like I can achieve it, and want to train for it, then I will.

10.) What about Eddie Reese’s amazing job coaching you guys all to the Olympic team – I know Bob Bowman deserves credit for Phelps’ once-in-a-lifetime performance, but Eddie’s crew of you all was incredible, wasn’t it?

Brendan: That’s just goes to show you his versatility. Not many guys out there can coach Michael Phelps, but he’s just one guy, so you figure it out. Someone like Eddie coming out with seven or eight guys who are all so different and getting them all to the Olympics is amazing.

11.) You, Aaron Peirsol and Ian Crocker – one of you will retire or at least a couple of you will cut back, so with that in mind, what’s the run you all had like looking back, with all of you having world records in your own separate events – Ian the fly, Aaron in the backstrokes, and you in the breastsrokes?

Brendan: I think we all knew it was there – that prior to summer, we knew it would come to an end eventually. I think it wasn’t like a realization at the Olympics, because we knew it was coming. We were all so happy for each other. Now, we’re going our [different] ways do separate things, but we’ll always have those four or five years as great memories.

12.) The three of you were so different – is that was it worked?

Brendan: That was part of it. It was weird, but it was three guys feeding off each other. That shows the power of a team. This is such an individual sport, and it is up on the blocks, and you can highlight that, but what makes you successful at that moment is the guys who are working with you to make you better, and you have to have that to achieve your goals.

13.) Where did your leadership skills come from, and how were you able to show such class at Olympic Trials when international media was literally following your every step?

Brendan: That is strictly my parents and the way I was raised. I will tell you something that happened to me in a very significant way. It’s a simple lesson I learned at a young age. I made a complete butt of myself – I was just being an idiot – when I was 5 or 6 years old in grocery store. Dad said, “Son, you are a direct reflection of me, so when people see you acting out or doing something stupid, that’s a reflection on me.” Since then, I always wanted to do the right thing, and make them proud. Every time my character has been tested, I fall back to that making that right decision and that lesson I learned at a young age. Listen, at Olympic Trials, there was no good thing I could take away from that swim, so I was going to look at it with the attitude, “How can I make it a positive? I will have six weeks with these guys, time to do the right thing.” And I went forward from there.

[Brendan Hansen of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal in the Men's 4x100 Medley Relay held at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 9 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. The United States team won the gold medal with a world record time of 3:29:34. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)]

14.) Scott Spann and Eric Shanteau, who were training with you at Texas, said you handled them beating you with so much class – and you said if you couldn’t make it, you were thrilled for them – is that how much it meant to you?

Brendan: Right. That really is the way it was. I knew how hard those guys trained. If I was racing in the 100 backstroke and I beat Aaron Peirsol, he would have done the same thing. That’s the atmosphere we have at Texas. Those pro guys who trained that summer will never be the same as the group we had this time. I knew those guys were champing at the bit to get better. Who better than my teammates who represent our country?

15.) You are so competitive in the pool – if we’re out hunting or fishing, are you going to have to always win?

Brendan: Absolutely not. The beautiful thing about me is I have a switch about my competitiveness, when to turn it on and turn it off. Outdoors and fishing are not the time to have the switch on. You get to see the fun-loving side of Brendan then (laughs), get to hang out, and have a good time and enjoy the outdoors. That’s the way it was with my Dad and I, whether good day catching anything or bringing something home to eat, any day spent together was a good day.

16.) Ian cooks big time – ever brought home some fish or meat for him to cook for the group?

Brendan: I’ve never actually had a chance to give him anything. Not even pork or anything. But everyone will tell you he is a really good cook.

17.) How incredible was it for Ian to open up about depression – and use that platform so wisely? I was so proud of him. What was your reaction?

Brendan: Oh yeah, I thought he handled that well. Look, the character of a person is really tested when they fail, feel like they fail, or come back from adversity. Ian was so good when he was young, and was good for a really long time. People don’t realize that. People look at us, “Oh, you swim once or twice a year” and don’t hear from us again, so every time they see us swim, they expect records. Ian had to prove himself every time from when he was 15 until now. Of course he did some soul searching and figured some things out. When he was talking about retiring, I said, I said, “ I am telling you right now, nothing in life will be harder than you have done. Knowing that, you should be very proud of yourself.” We have all had hard days, and with Ian and the depression you can have these hard weeks and months. The fact that he was able to recognize that, deal with that, and help other people, shows Ian’s character.

18.) Where will you live eventually – you love Pennsylvania, but you sound pretty comfy in Texas?

Brendan: You know, I don’t know. I have been trying to figure that out. A job will lead me where to go. Being here in Pennsylvania over the holidays, it’s cold! And I’m not too down with it – I am (laughs) a big softie now!

19.) You have some of the most passionate fans in the sport. I remember tracking you with everything but bloodhounds for 20 Questions and Splash magazine stuff over the years, leaving you voicemails and emails, calling your friends, begging Eddie Reese to have you call me, yet your fans didn’t care – they were all over me to get you – that must make you feel pretty good to have such renegade fans?

Brendan: Yeah, I am. They have all the characteristics of me! I am one of the most loyal people you will ever meet in your life. When you look up to someone, it’s someone you want to be like. I am so appreciative of people who looked up to me and have supported me. At the end of the day, my fans were a big support staff through my years in swimming – and some of them are now my best friends. These aren’t groupie fans – at least my fans aren’t! – they are just looking out for my best interest.

20.) New Year’s this week – what are your 2009 resolutions?

Brendan: This is definitely a transition year, starting with whether I am going to swim or not. I know it will be a transition year either way. This comfort zone I’ve been in for the last eight years is no longer there. I’m going to have to face that. With all the apparel companies leaving the sports, and the governing bodies saying which suits you can wear, you are seeing the performance move away from the athlete and the focus will be the sponsors, and what the suit being worn is. I hope, at the end of the day in the next four years, that at least our country focuses on the performer. Because the last eight years, it’s been the same names and faces, and now there are 15- and 16-year-olds out there who will soon be the next Michael Phelps, Aaron Peirsol, Ian Crocker, and Brendan Hansen.