Yes - one more time it's about the suit:
Here is a comparison to 2004 and what it took to make top 16 (top 8 for the 400) over the first 7 events:
2004 listed first then 2008 then the approx. % drop
400 IM - 4:24.8 to 4:21.0 1.5%
100 Fly - 1:01.29 to 59.97 2%
400 Free - 3:55.0 to 3:51.4 1.6%
400 IM - 4:49.57 to 4:43.2 2.3%
100 Br - 1:04.0 to 1:02.36 2.5%
100 Bk - 1:04.12 to 1:02.31 2.6%
200 Free - 1:51.1 to 1:48.76 2.2%
Ok - to be fair, people are getting faster, but I would guess at least a 1.5% drop across the board for the suit -- that is net time !
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Former Member
You guys can figure out some science experiment -- the clock never lies.
Oh man. Science, schmience. I guess if I feel in my gut the suit is responsible then it must be. Jeez, "some science experiment," like that would be a cockamamy way to figure out causes and effects of things.
No one is arguing whether the clock is lying. Look, the suit very likely makes a measurable difference. I have said that before; "it's a reasonable hypothesis," I've said. But it is irresponsible and inaccurate to claim that each time a swimmer dons a LZR (in any form? full body only? legs?) there will be a 1-2 second difference in time. I think Chris made a good point about the non-record-breaking performances: good think Hansen had a LZR on tonight or he'd have been 1:01--yikes. Why didn't Hoff or Ziegler crush the AR tonight? Probably nothing to do with the suit they wore--so why is it the only factor brought up when records ARE broken.
Why did Lochte improve his PR so much more than Phelps? They both had on LZRs! Wait, but Phelps was faster--maybe he's just more LZR-y. Obviously, PVK and Jensen beat Vendt because they're bigger and get more LZR coverage--oh wait, but Keller's bigger than all of them. I'll bet he had on the wrong size LZR.
You guys can figure out some science experiment -- the clock never lies.
Oh man. Science, schmience. I guess if I feel in my gut the suit is responsible then it must be. Jeez, "some science experiment," like that would be a cockamamy way to figure out causes and effects of things.
No one is arguing whether the clock is lying. Look, the suit very likely makes a measurable difference. I have said that before; "it's a reasonable hypothesis," I've said. But it is irresponsible and inaccurate to claim that each time a swimmer dons a LZR (in any form? full body only? legs?) there will be a 1-2 second difference in time. I think Chris made a good point about the non-record-breaking performances: good think Hansen had a LZR on tonight or he'd have been 1:01--yikes. Why didn't Hoff or Ziegler crush the AR tonight? Probably nothing to do with the suit they wore--so why is it the only factor brought up when records ARE broken.
Why did Lochte improve his PR so much more than Phelps? They both had on LZRs! Wait, but Phelps was faster--maybe he's just more LZR-y. Obviously, PVK and Jensen beat Vendt because they're bigger and get more LZR coverage--oh wait, but Keller's bigger than all of them. I'll bet he had on the wrong size LZR.
