Dara Torres-Amazing

Mr. Smith...I am more than capable of following this conversation. There was remark made about this having never happened before....all I was doing is pointing to another story where the same is true. There are "older" people doing remarkable things all the time...all I am saying is why not take this at face value and believe that what we are seeing is a truely amazing performance by a truely "Amazing" athlete? I guess I am an eternal optimist.......

The way some think it does. I am not one who does. 40 is not old. When steroids are used??? http://www.steroid-abuse.org/ Ok....Michael Phelps is doing things nobody else has ever done....does that make him an automatic doper? I think not....something tells me he is probably tested quite often....where is the speculation and skepticism about him???

tjburk, Let me help you stay on track in the conversation. This is a discussion about middle age combined with a superior physical achievement as measured across the entire female population in the US for the sport of swimming. This is not a discussion about young men and women in their 20s doing their life time best times. John Smith

Ok....Michael Phelps is doing things nobody else has ever done....does that make him an automatic doper? I think not....something tells me he is probably tested quite often....where is the speculation and skepticism about him??? He's overly tall, with big hands and feet. I wonder if his parents were at the forefront of some genetic preselection experiment to make his turn out this way...I mean there is no proof that they didn't...I guess I'll just have to take it at face value. Doesn't rule out anything though...

Ok....Michael Phelps is doing things nobody else has ever done....does that make him an automatic doper? I think not....something tells me he is probably tested quite often....where is the speculation and skepticism about him???

I would like to say Dara is amazing. She is a mother her chidren can be proud of and will probably bragg about her. Just as many of the children are more than likely proud of all their parents who are still swimming. I was proud of my parents even though my mother never competed in anything. My dad who quit riding in the 7 day bicycle races when he got married. I don't like to hear gossip about unproven things about great athletes or any one. It seems it is a whisper campaign, and imaginations have gone wild. Where is the beef - proof positive.

Yes, if you want to be a supermum spend some overdue time in the kitchen making wholesome meals and snacks for your kidlets instead of self aggrandising down at the pool/gym/spa etc. Leave the sports to the men! Women, know thy place! /sarcasm off.

Let's just be very clear on one thing: casting suspicion is not as innocuous as all the doubters would have us believe. For the ill-informed and the over zealous even a hint of suspicion is proof of guilt. The fact that suspicion has been raised can sully an otherwise outstanding carreer. Doubt has a habit of overshadowing excellent achievements. This can be very harmful and damaging. Therefore, we should be very careful about what we say. And I don't mean trying to avoid law suits either. I don't think anyone has made libellous or slanderous remarks here. I just mean we should choose our language carefully and responsibly. Even the stating of opinions can have consequences. Opinions are not harmless. :soapbox: Syd

How about optimistic realism? It is within the range of plausibility. Not everyone is bad. In fact, the majority of people choose to be good, most of the time. Quite simply, Dara Torres does not deserve this slander. If anyone has earned the role of positive mother, it's her. At the of the day, the only proof of anything tainted has been preserved on this thread.

George, This Orlando reporter has done nothing different than what anyone else on this forum has done. She did not come out right and claim Dara was doing drugs. She is speculating and worried about potential cheating just as many on this forum. There is no law preventing someone from publicly noting their concern over potential misconduct or cheating or being worried about cheating. Discussing this topic without making direct accusations is entirely different than defamation of character. John Smith