I am really in an inflammatory mood and am going to say a couple of things on my mind.
First, regarding Speedo's sponsorship of Phelps three words come to mind that they might consider using in their next media blitz for selling suits to worshipers of the sport: Loser, poor sport and quitter.
Loser: in my mind, Phelps finished second in the 200 free but the average Joe sixpack will call that a loss. Hence, loser.
Poor Sport: it's been mentioned already in another thread that Phelps wouldn't even look at Biedermann after his loss. And we vilified Kitajima for his behavior? Hmmm.
Quitter: Bowman says he shouldn't swim until the suits are banned and Phelps says Bowman knows best. It's great to stick by your sponsor but shouldn't good ethical values trump your coaches view on occasion?
Second, regarding the 'great coaches' opinions: Schubert wants to place an asterisk by all records with the new suits. Bowman says it's all right to go back to 2007, before the LZR was introduced.
Doesn't that mean that all Phelps medals at Beijing are invalid? Or, at least, should have a star by the listing? How does Mark Spitz feel about that? What about Ian Thrope's comment that Phelps could never beat Spitz' record? Since Phelps is the Speedo poster boy for the LZR and, as noted elsewhere in the Forums, beat Crocker's record in a full body suit shouldn't he be ashamed?
My opinion of the whole lot has dropped tangibly. Personally, I'm ashamed to have cheered for Phelps during his career. He embarasses me...
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Bowman doesn't sound too good, and I think it's all about Bowman (coaches are measured by their swimmers... Phelps gets beat and Bowman feels personally beaten). He then says it's unfair: it was Biedermann's suit. Hmmm, he said nothing about the advantage the LZR was supposed to give US swimmers at Beijing. He'll calm down I hope and realize that Phelps is simply not in his best shape. Phelps said it himself. Biedermann, graciously, said the same. I watched the Youtube of Phelps swimming the 200 in Beijing and he looked better, esp. off the walls...but hey, not much better...he was less than .3 slower in Rome. He swam really well. About what he might have expected after taking the 6 months off. Biedermann looks fantastic in Rome and he looked great too last year in the SCM 200 record swim provided by someone on the forum. To focus on the suits is to miss the obvious. Phelps the swimmer got beat by Biedermann the swimmer. And it is not unAmerican to lose a swimming race. I would have preferred Phelps show the grace Stephanie Rice showed when she saw how Kukors had blown away her world record in the semis of the 200 IM; she smiled (it looked genuine despite Rowdy Gaines saying it was "fake") and warmly congratulated Kukors. Anyone at that level, even at the Masters level, knows how much hard work goes into swimming fast, how much heart and guts and pain; if we can't admire that in a competitor when they beat us then we lose the joy of the sport.
I understand why pre-tech suit swimmers might not like them (Gould, Gross, etc.) but for elite swimmers today all the suits are available, so it is a level playing field for them. Why not accept the improvement in speed, glide, etc.? Somehow polevaulters were able to shift from bamboo to steel to fiberglass. Tennis players moved from wood to graphite. Does it ruin their sports? No. I think this move away from all tech suits will harm the sport and is an over-reaction; now it is compounded by Bowman's crybaby attitude that his "star" will refuse to swim until they ban all tech suits (again, does he forget his embrace of the LZR last year?).
I am enjoying watching the swimming. Some great swims. Felt badly for Peirsol but he handled it graciously as well. Let's enjoy the remaining swims. I am pulling for Phelps in both the 100 and 200 fly; hope he wins and gets a world record in both. If he loses it will be to a faster swimmer. We should be able to accept that too.
Bowman doesn't sound too good, and I think it's all about Bowman (coaches are measured by their swimmers... Phelps gets beat and Bowman feels personally beaten). He then says it's unfair: it was Biedermann's suit. Hmmm, he said nothing about the advantage the LZR was supposed to give US swimmers at Beijing. He'll calm down I hope and realize that Phelps is simply not in his best shape. Phelps said it himself. Biedermann, graciously, said the same. I watched the Youtube of Phelps swimming the 200 in Beijing and he looked better, esp. off the walls...but hey, not much better...he was less than .3 slower in Rome. He swam really well. About what he might have expected after taking the 6 months off. Biedermann looks fantastic in Rome and he looked great too last year in the SCM 200 record swim provided by someone on the forum. To focus on the suits is to miss the obvious. Phelps the swimmer got beat by Biedermann the swimmer. And it is not unAmerican to lose a swimming race. I would have preferred Phelps show the grace Stephanie Rice showed when she saw how Kukors had blown away her world record in the semis of the 200 IM; she smiled (it looked genuine despite Rowdy Gaines saying it was "fake") and warmly congratulated Kukors. Anyone at that level, even at the Masters level, knows how much hard work goes into swimming fast, how much heart and guts and pain; if we can't admire that in a competitor when they beat us then we lose the joy of the sport.
I understand why pre-tech suit swimmers might not like them (Gould, Gross, etc.) but for elite swimmers today all the suits are available, so it is a level playing field for them. Why not accept the improvement in speed, glide, etc.? Somehow polevaulters were able to shift from bamboo to steel to fiberglass. Tennis players moved from wood to graphite. Does it ruin their sports? No. I think this move away from all tech suits will harm the sport and is an over-reaction; now it is compounded by Bowman's crybaby attitude that his "star" will refuse to swim until they ban all tech suits (again, does he forget his embrace of the LZR last year?).
I am enjoying watching the swimming. Some great swims. Felt badly for Peirsol but he handled it graciously as well. Let's enjoy the remaining swims. I am pulling for Phelps in both the 100 and 200 fly; hope he wins and gets a world record in both. If he loses it will be to a faster swimmer. We should be able to accept that too.
