do we really need to change the rules so a handful of Olympians might show up at Nationals? I love seeing these guys/gals at Nationals as much as the next person, but I don't think we should be changing rules to encourage this.
Agreed. And it implies that the USMS brand is too weak to attract these swimmers without the suits. I would hope that even the most ardent techie would think that they are not the best thing about masters swimming.
USMS has already deviated from FINA once. Continuing the deviation in this respect is not necessarily flip flopping. From what I have gleaned, coverage is simply a huge issue for masters for various reasons (see Wookie's recent comment), whether you agree with that fact or not.
And I don't see, logically, how the fact that the rules generally have been the same supports the the notion that FINA cares about masters SCY competition in the US. From what I recall, they barely cared about SCM and LCM FINA masters competition ...
USMS recently passed a rule that the suits would not be legal past May 31. If in Sept they pass another rule saying they are now legal, how is that not flip-flopping? The sole reason it was extended to June 1 was because the SCY season was already in progress.
If "coverage" is such a big issue than either the SCM and LCM seasons will be marginalized even more than ever -- b/c swimmers don't want to give up their crutches (I mean suits) -- or there will soon be a push to allow the suits in meters.
I agree that FINA doesn't care about SCY, but USMS seems to care about FINA rules enough to follow them in SCY.
There are also some LMSCs where masters meets are few and far between, so that some swimmers will use USA-S meets to get their times. They will be at a disadvantage if USMS continues in its cheatin' ways.
I suppose I also just don't like the idea that this reasoning is based largely on the idea that old fart masters swimmers have such awful bodies that they need to be covered.
I also find it fairly ironic that triathletes are banning the suits ("swimskins") and we are talking about bringing them back.
do we really need to change the rules so a handful of Olympians might show up at Nationals? I love seeing these guys/gals at Nationals as much as the next person, but I don't think we should be changing rules to encourage this.
Agreed. And it implies that the USMS brand is too weak to attract these swimmers without the suits. I would hope that even the most ardent techie would think that they are not the best thing about masters swimming.
USMS has already deviated from FINA once. Continuing the deviation in this respect is not necessarily flip flopping. From what I have gleaned, coverage is simply a huge issue for masters for various reasons (see Wookie's recent comment), whether you agree with that fact or not.
And I don't see, logically, how the fact that the rules generally have been the same supports the the notion that FINA cares about masters SCY competition in the US. From what I recall, they barely cared about SCM and LCM FINA masters competition ...
USMS recently passed a rule that the suits would not be legal past May 31. If in Sept they pass another rule saying they are now legal, how is that not flip-flopping? The sole reason it was extended to June 1 was because the SCY season was already in progress.
If "coverage" is such a big issue than either the SCM and LCM seasons will be marginalized even more than ever -- b/c swimmers don't want to give up their crutches (I mean suits) -- or there will soon be a push to allow the suits in meters.
I agree that FINA doesn't care about SCY, but USMS seems to care about FINA rules enough to follow them in SCY.
There are also some LMSCs where masters meets are few and far between, so that some swimmers will use USA-S meets to get their times. They will be at a disadvantage if USMS continues in its cheatin' ways.
I suppose I also just don't like the idea that this reasoning is based largely on the idea that old fart masters swimmers have such awful bodies that they need to be covered.
I also find it fairly ironic that triathletes are banning the suits ("swimskins") and we are talking about bringing them back.
