Could Speedo Cause Olympic Disaster?

Actually, in spite of the fact that it is self-serving, Speedo will have done GREAT WONDERS and an immeasurable service for the sport of swimming with their coup. Our sport is making headlines in LA, NY, Tucson, probably Paul Smith's hometown newspaper and on NPR. It's the talk of all sports for the coming Olympics. This kind of publicity is the only thing that will get the grandma's interested in tuning away from Judge Judy and watching the Olympics instead. Whereas, if our Pissing & Moaning Friends who wish to have only briefs worn had their way, swimming would quietly pass in the night like an insignificant iceberg next to a row boat. I'll bet the viewer share for swimming will be at an all-time high for the coming Olympics. Maybe, just maybe, some kid out there will be inspired to take on that scrawny Michael Phelps instead of bulking up to be a tight end for Pittsburgh. Take that all you old fashioned, uninteresting other sports. Long live the LZR!! Long live the European whiners who signed on with the wrong company. Long live Speedo!!

Speaking of this, there was a funny quote by Tara Kirk in today's Seattle Times. Kirk, You left out the rest of the story.... Now I'm going to feel guilt-ridden every time I go diamond-shopping... The Stanford graduate and Rhodes scholar finalist is engaged to Greg Sell, a Stanford doctorate candidate. Kirk showed her engagement ring, explaining how the diamond was traced back to Canada, not Africa. "You don't want to look at your ring and see an oppressive regime," she said to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Yikes. Good for the ratings though.

Again I must ask why my Borat swimsuit picture was taken down and they let pictures like the Phelps LZR stay??? Both of them are capable of mental scarring. :eek: Does anyone think Speedo included the transparent panel just so Phelps' Olympic rings tatoo would show? Or if bikini waxing is still in vogue. You would think that for $500 that a liner might be included. :)

And, no, I don't share Mel's enthusiasm for the suit. Well, me neither, but I bet Mel was reacting to the over-the-top thread title. Which isn't Ande's, of course, but was taken from the original article that he referenced. With all due respect to the many fine swimmers Germany has produced, the following quote "The German swim federation has to seriously consider it, otherwise we will sink completely into mediocrity" made me laugh (and begs the question). Let's please not blame a suit for any mediocrity. I bet that if either the Austalians or the US swimmers were banned from wearing the suit at the Olympics, they would still do an excellent job -- true champions will not blame adverse conditions for poor swimming. As far Mel's contention that a $550 suit will somehow cause swimming's popularity to skyrocket in the US: I believe that the performances of people like Phelps and Hoff will do a better job of that. What did more for cycling popularity in the US, the wins of LeMond and Armstrong, or the introduction of aerobars and Zipp wheels?

Could Speedo Cause Olympic Disaster? on a side note does any one feel the the photo of phelps and beard seems a bit too revealing Side note: I had to look hard to see what might be revealed; lot's more on display (and in less tasteful packages) at the pool every day. But I might have tried a variant of the pictorial structure and put Nathalie Coughlin in the middle and all in different poses (if they could move). However, I suppose the point is to display the swimsuits, then attach famous faces, arms and legs to the suits. VB

I'm assuming athletes sponsored by other manufacturers (e.g., Hansen and Peirsol are sponsored by Nike) will wear suits made by that manufacturer at the Olympics, correct? Erik Vendt and Larsen Jensen both jumped ship from TYR just before Speedo introduced the LZR. Somehow I don't think the timing was a coincidence.

Yes, there was a big article about the LZR suit in today's Denver Post.

In my book it seems strange to be talking about world records and mediocrity at the same time. Perhaps. It was the word he used. I'm sure he was talking about the team's performance as a whole, but if he believes that (lack of) a suit turns a WR-holder into a mediocre swimmer, it probably will.

Does anyone think Speedo included the transparent panel just so Phelps' Olympic rings tatoo would show?