Craig Lord's rather inflammatory article www.swimnews.com/.../6918 on the possibility that USMS will depart from FINA vis a vis allowed swim suits raises a fundamental issue:
If masters swimming allows a more lenient policy regarding suit technology than FINA swimming, will this help or hurt our status in the swimming world?
I love the high tech suits, and I think FINA has been boneheaded in many ways, but I personally think that the creation of a two-tier system--regular swimming and masters "handicapped" swimming--would be bad for our sport and only marginalize us in the world of athletics.
If the choice comes down to two options--abide by FINA's suit rulings OR permit suits like the B70 for masters (if it is outlawed by FINA for "real" swimmers), which side would you support?
Craig Lord: I think in time, if masters gets to be the playground that it may become should the fast suit folk remain, you may come to understand better some of the issues I have given warning about over the past year.
Kristina, while you're doggie paddling in the kiddie pool, I'll play in the sandbox outside the kindergarten classroom. Despite our Ivy League educations, we obviously have no grasp or understanding of the issues only Mr. Lord-Savonarola can opine about. Perhaps, if we are very fortunate, we can one day be sufficiently re-educated and erudite so that we "may come to understand" his hyperbole.
Craig Lord: I think in time, if masters gets to be the playground that it may become should the fast suit folk remain, you may come to understand better some of the issues I have given warning about over the past year.
Kristina, while you're doggie paddling in the kiddie pool, I'll play in the sandbox outside the kindergarten classroom. Despite our Ivy League educations, we obviously have no grasp or understanding of the issues only Mr. Lord-Savonarola can opine about. Perhaps, if we are very fortunate, we can one day be sufficiently re-educated and erudite so that we "may come to understand" his hyperbole.
