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...
Former Member
..ts and Canadian CBC
Last Sunday our Glorious CBC (a station made for their staff to travel to all World events for a few days before, during and after the event, to give us two hours (minus annoying commercials, minus annoying interviews with the Canadian athletes, minus even more annoying travelogues narrated by (who else?) of coverage. So this past Sunday all I got in Canada was diving, some water-ballet (call me old-fashioned) and very little water-polo (which I would have enjoyed.) Nothing, nada re swimming until next Sunday, where we will get maybe 20 minutes of actual swimming.
On the other hand, NBC this last Sunday had a better coverage of swimming (but I had to listen to Rowdy Gaines who is just as annoying as our own Steve Armitage, albeit 25 octaves higher than Steve.)
Then I console myself that UniversalSports will have live (or taped) coverage during the week. However, living in Canada, I can get to watch UniversalSports' commercials but not the footage (not valid in my area.)
There's just no way to get any respect as a Canadian Swimmer/swimming fan.
Well it looks like the beat down in the 200 Free fueled a more typical effort and result in the 200 fly. What suit did they all wear? - then again maybe it doesn't really matter all that much?!?
For the record to Frank/Skip- according to various news reports Phelps has not lost in international competition in 4 years - my bad on not clarfying that statement.
I won't take away the fact that Phelps won eight golds from him. He could have potentially done in 2004 if the relay had gone right, he nearly did it at the 2007 World Champs, and he got it done at the 2008 Olympics. Even at this World Championships he will still walk away with more gold medals then many people see in their entire lives (I am talking elite swimmers here). You can attribute fast times to the suits, but a win is a win if everyone has access to the same suits (which they do).
If Phelps lost the race because of the suit alone, it's his fault for chasing the money instead of going with the right equipment. As I understand, Speedo would have let him wear another suit if he demanded it - he is Michael Phelps, he has the leverage.
In my experience people who train at an elite level well into their 20's have problems maturing emotionally until they quit swimming and enter the real world. It appears MP is no different, and his coach not much better. None of this is particularly surprising. Biedermann had an amazing swim.
Yes, I believe that there are "isolation" issues at work here that led to slow or awkward "maturity" development. Elite's can get buried in whatever it is they're training for or competing in, and miss out on some steps that assist in handling or responding to different circumstances. Not saying it's excusible and certainly some coaches help in dealing with negative circumstances better than others...
T
This year he did the same thing in the LCM format before this meet started with two outstanding swims in the 200 LCM Free. On 6-14-09, he went 1:44.88 at Mare Nostrum in Monte Carlo. On 6-28-09, he went 1:44.71 at the German Nationals in Berlin, which is the exact time that Ian Thorpe did when he won the 200 Free at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Those times were the fastest in the world until Phelps went 1:44.23 at Indy earlier this month so the difference here is less than a half second.
So he drops 2.71 seconds in a month....wow, he must have trained hard in that month.
Wookiee- The Geek was quite a piece of work until he was taken under Ion's wing and developed his present razor sharp powers of political, philosophical and sporting analysis. Fort then smoothed out the rough edges after that, leaving him the paragon of humility that we know and...put up with.
Wookiee- The Geek was quite a piece of work until he was taken under Ion's wing and developed his present razor sharp powers of political, philosophical and sporting analysis. Fort then smoothed out the rough edges after that, leaving him the paragon of humility that we know and...put up with.
Geek reminds me of the tech suit debate. Some love him...some hate him...the rest just put with him.
I'll repeat what I said earlier: I think everyone is being way too hard on Phelps. Phelps was beaten by a swimmer that was not even in his league until this week. No elite swimmer who has presumably been training at a very high level for years suddenly drops 4 seconds at the age of 23. It just does not happen. I would hope that I would smile and nod and shake the other fellow's hand. But I will not judge Phelps for his reaction. Everyone seems to forget that Phelps blamed himself, and his own alleged lack of training, in the press conference. I think Phelps is being too hard on himself - he came within .3 of his WR in the 200 freestyle, probably his most remarkable swim from the Olympics. Phelps was in fine shape. Biedermann had one of the most remarkable performances in swimming history, and just happens to be wearing a suit that will be illegal in four months.
And to give Biedermann credit, he has admitted the advantage the suit gives him. He would like get rid of them too I think. I don't blame him for doing everything in his power, legally, to win. But neither do I blame Phelps and his coach for pointing out the obvious inequities.
