That just makes no sense -- what is the bigger difference ?
No Tech suit vs. LZR
or
LZR vs Arena/Jaked
So last year the LZR was just fine, and now the suits are evil :badday: ????
How come he now wears a full body LZR in the 100 Fly ?
I support the Tech suits as long as my company has the best suit on the market ???
Definitely Phelps' statements -- and, all during this mess, Speedo's -- are inconsistent and self-serving.
And don't these sorts of statements support those who demeaned Phelps' accomplishments last year? "He only won all those medals b/c he had the best technology." (I'm not saying I agree with this statement.)
Not surprisingly, accurately or not, people are blaming the suits for two upsets: Phelps', and Piersol missing the finals in the 100 back. Just two more nails in the coffin, I suppose.
BTW, about the whole "full body" thing: I couldn't help but notice the winner of the 100 back wore legs only. As did Piersol when he set the WR, which would have won easily today. (And Irie REALLY needs to work on his underwaters...)
"Bob Bowman, coach to Michael Phelps, has instructed his charge not to race again in international waters - after Rome 2009 - until the new FINA suit rules kick in in 2009."
In other words LZR's may not have the same time bandit ability as Jakeds and X-Glides.
And he's stuck on the sidelines with an inferior suit?
It was really cool of Bob to stand up last year when the LZR was introduced and say that in support of other countries who cannot swim in Speedo because of their Federation rules we have decided that the US team should follow suit.
It was really cool of Bob to stand up last year when the LZR was introduced and say that in support of other countries who cannot swim in Speedo because of their Federation rules we have decided that the US team should follow suit.
Oh, it gets even better: he thinks the WRs from the last two years should be eliminated too.
To make a point, phelps should bust out an arena or jaked and lower biedermann's mark on that relay.
Interesting idea. If he went a 1:41.99 with Jaked, you think people would stop saying it's the swimmer not the suit.
Interesting idea. If he went a 1:41.99 with Jaked, you think people would stop saying it's the swimmer not the suit.
What good would further proof do? I mean we have 1001 example already!
Bowman is totally missing the point of racing and competition -- I find this just silly. It is NEVER just about the times -- it's about a level playing field and competing against the best swimmers at any given moment.
The playing field is more even this year than last year - nobody can really argue with that.
No kidding ...
Bowman is being somewhat of a hypocrite and a whiner. If Phelps was wearing Arena, would he say the same thing?
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
I have no idea what Biedermann was wearing in November last year - but he did take down Thorpe's 200 Free short course meters record and went 3:34 in the 400 -- which is about 3:41 in long course.
Biedermann was wearing an Arena when he broke the WR of Ian Thorpe of 1:41.10 with a time of 1:40.83 last November in a SCM World Cup meet. After the Olympics, he began working hard and showed improvement in just 4 months. He broke Ian Thorpe's WR from 2000 but it went completely unnoticed because we don't take SCM seriously here in the USA in Swimming.
YouTube - World Record for Biedermann
Now to take a look at the final of the 200 Free at the 2008 Olympics and check out the suit that Paul Biedermann is wearing. And of course check out the LZR that Phelps is wearing and it does not look like a level playing field to me. Paul Biedermann is not even wearing a full body suit and just legs and he goes 1:46.00 and the suit looks like an out of date adidas that there swimmers were forced to wear.
YouTube - Michael Phelps 200M Freestyle Final Beijing 08
To quote Biedermann.
"I hope there will be a time when I can beat Michael Phelps without these suits,'' the German added. "I hope next year. I hope it's really soon.''
If these suits put any doubt in your mind, then they need to banned. I think it is unfair that a shadow of doubt is cast on Paul's great swim.
I think Phelps is just a stubborn idiot regarding the suits -- "I am going to stand by my sponsor" ??? What kind of BS is that -- there is no benefit for Speedo to see him lose in the LZR.
He is going down tomorrow as well ... he can put on the Jaked at any time - nobody is stopping him except his stubborness - but to look all grumpy and blame the suit ??
You can cry about all the records being broken and I agree with much of that - but every swimmer as any suit available - if you choose not to wear it, you can't blame anybody but yourself. Standing principle would be wearing a regular speedo ...
What if the US would have lost the relay by a tenth ? What if the Russians beat the US in the 800 Free relay - I am sure everybody can be happy that he is standing by his sponsor then.
By the way -- the Germans were not allowed to wear the LZR last year at the Olympics - the addidas suits last year were terrible.
