Will we be as in awe as we are now next year when NO records are broken ??
"Awe" does not describe my feeling seeing all those records broken. "Ho hum" is more like it. The times themselves have little context, so they're almost meaningless.
I'm sure Biedermann and others will be incredible in jammers too. And I will feel awe at any records that ARE broken.
Will we be as in awe as we are now next year when NO records are broken ??
We have been through this discussion before -- I think it's pretty obvious - swim fans will continue to watch. Sport fans will stop paying attention - how many people watched Usain Bolt this summer compared to the 400 dash winner ? I don't even know who won any other running events at the track world's. The record run would slow down next year even with the suits, without the suits, we will just come to a stand still.
so this really does beg the question....tech suits really didn't help that much? I am for innovation in our sport, but with the recent performances by top swimmers, you really wonder did the tech suits really "enhance" their performance?
Sport fans will stop paying attention
Really, are they paying attention now? If I stopped 100 people -- heck, 1000 people -- on the streets of Richmond right now and asked them who Paul Biederemann is, they wouldn't have a clue. Most would guess NASCAR.
The only swimmer to achieve Bolt-like fame is Phelps, and I daresay he would have done it even if the LZR and all the other suits had never been invented.
Not every body is getting paid the same way as Mikey P. He can afford to skip the tech suits and lay down some (for him) not so great swims. For a lot of the other swimmers this is a shot to make some dough to continue swimming as pros. I'd be in a techsuit too, it's good business. I'm going to go ahead and say he's one of the few swimmers in the world that doesn't need a few bucks here and there to stay afloat between Olympics.
I think that some of Top European swimmers would be making the same amount of money whether they were in a tech suit or not. They seem to treated like the top sports stars in their native country. I think that it would have been cool if all the World Cup participants could have gone back to the old suits as a way to start fresh again or something.
I noticed that Biedermann doesn't do a tight streamline, too! In fact, I've seen videos of several high-caliber athletes who don't always do it... Very strange; ever since we were kids, we were indoctrinated to squeeze those ears!
I also noticed that Biedermann turns on the wall, rather than pushing off on his back... I do that, too...
I must have looked at this clip at least 20 times.
I can't help but thinking that Biedermann's technique payed a big role in winning over Phelps.
Phelps is a real joy to look at. Such a great feeling for water. But in my humble opinion, he constantly has to re accelerate on every right arm stroke. It's a victory of regularity and stroke rate over fitness in my opinion.
One more thing. Biedermann was highly confident by 150. He decided to opt for his best breathing side even if it meant not being able to look at Phelps potentially catching him back.
I noticed that Biedermann doesn't do a tight streamline, too! In fact, I've seen videos of several high-caliber athletes who don't always do it... Very strange; ever since we were kids, we were indoctrinated to squeeze those ears!
I also noticed that Biedermann turns on the wall, rather than pushing off on his back... I do that, too...
When your heart rate is probably over 180 bpm things tend to fall apart here and there, especially at the end of a 200 free. Its still flesh and blood in there.
