George is right about the pro thing. I remember the first time the "dream team" basketball players went to the Olympics, it seemed like a big joke to me. Now it's gotten to the point where you just take it for granted that pros will be competing against amateurs.
These LZR (lazier) suits are a different type of phenomenon, but they still make the games less relevant, and less honorable. Does the LZR-clad swimmer who swims a time he couldn't have swam without the suit really think he deserves a medal over the guy in the next lane who is a better swimmer but either can't afford or refuses to wear the suit? I don't. These guys may be impressing themselves by setting new so-called world records with the suit, but it isn't impressing me. I think it's lame.
Pool swimming is starting to become like triathlon now with these techno-suits. In a sprint race, there is a very fine line between a FS pro or a LZR and a wetsuit. People intentionally keep the suits dry to take advantage of the added buoyancy. Buoyancy. you know, like that provided by a pull-buoy or a wetsuit or... a noodle.
Ironman Hawaii is the holy grail of triathlon, and wetsuits are not allowed in that race. I think the Olympics should set a similar high standard and ban all of these suits which are designed to add buoyancy.
If they had done that years ago, it would have preserved the meaning of the term "Olympic record", honoring past athletes who set true records without using dope suits. They didn't though, and I don't expect they will do anything now. I fully expect to see deck after deck of homogenous LZRs in Beijing.
George is right about the pro thing. I remember the first time the "dream team" basketball players went to the Olympics, it seemed like a big joke to me. Now it's gotten to the point where you just take it for granted that pros will be competing against amateurs.
These LZR (lazier) suits are a different type of phenomenon, but they still make the games less relevant, and less honorable. Does the LZR-clad swimmer who swims a time he couldn't have swam without the suit really think he deserves a medal over the guy in the next lane who is a better swimmer but either can't afford or refuses to wear the suit? I don't. These guys may be impressing themselves by setting new so-called world records with the suit, but it isn't impressing me. I think it's lame.
Pool swimming is starting to become like triathlon now with these techno-suits. In a sprint race, there is a very fine line between a FS pro or a LZR and a wetsuit. People intentionally keep the suits dry to take advantage of the added buoyancy. Buoyancy. you know, like that provided by a pull-buoy or a wetsuit or... a noodle.
Ironman Hawaii is the holy grail of triathlon, and wetsuits are not allowed in that race. I think the Olympics should set a similar high standard and ban all of these suits which are designed to add buoyancy.
If they had done that years ago, it would have preserved the meaning of the term "Olympic record", honoring past athletes who set true records without using dope suits. They didn't though, and I don't expect they will do anything now. I fully expect to see deck after deck of homogenous LZRs in Beijing.
