The playing field is more even this year than last year - nobody can really argue with that.
Of course they can. People can argue about anything. :)
Your point about shifting times is well-taken, though I don't think we've seen as abrupt a shift as in the last 18 months. (That, more than anything else, is the reason I think Piersol missed the finals in the 100 back. He simply misjudged the speed of the field. Though that certainly happened pre-LZR too.)
Still, swimming and track always have the clock as an absolute measure, even though techniques, training methods and the standards of excellence slowly evolve. I like being able to compare, directly, what I have done this year to 5 or 10 years prior. I believe you said something similar when you once called for a voluntary ban in masters meets.
I just wonder if swimmers & coaches reached the saturation point. Personally, I did get a little tired of, whenever some incredible swim is done, thinking "what suit was s/he wearing?" Or asking the same thing whenever there is a major upset.
Bring me back the good old days of just wondering what drugs they've been taking...:D
The playing field is more even this year than last year - nobody can really argue with that.
Of course they can. People can argue about anything. :)
Your point about shifting times is well-taken, though I don't think we've seen as abrupt a shift as in the last 18 months. (That, more than anything else, is the reason I think Piersol missed the finals in the 100 back. He simply misjudged the speed of the field. Though that certainly happened pre-LZR too.)
Still, swimming and track always have the clock as an absolute measure, even though techniques, training methods and the standards of excellence slowly evolve. I like being able to compare, directly, what I have done this year to 5 or 10 years prior. I believe you said something similar when you once called for a voluntary ban in masters meets.
I just wonder if swimmers & coaches reached the saturation point. Personally, I did get a little tired of, whenever some incredible swim is done, thinking "what suit was s/he wearing?" Or asking the same thing whenever there is a major upset.
Bring me back the good old days of just wondering what drugs they've been taking...:D
