Also the argument that tech suits encourage elite swimmers (Jones, Gangloff, etc.) to attend USMS Nationals. OK, I'll buy the argument that it did this time, but will this trend continue? It's sort of a novelty this year since the suits were banned for everyone recently. Not only that, but 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.
Everyone 35 and up enjoys seeing the young fast guys. Yeah, they're nice to have around and all, but you all don't have to compete against them except for in relays. If these guys keep showing up to our (tech-suit-free) meets, then fine, I can deal with that.
However, let's face it, we'll probably never see Fred Bousquet again. Because of folks like him, all us young folks (most of whom actually swim on MASTERS teams) get bumped out of top 10 and anyone who had a chance at USMS records now needs to be an olympic/world champs gold medalist to have a shot.
Bring the suits back again, and all the young people who have quit swimming and want to try to come back and have FUN at the sport for once get even further discouraged and slip into a life of potato chips, XBox Live, etc. Talk about your law of unintended consequences...
Also the argument that tech suits encourage elite swimmers (Jones, Gangloff, etc.) to attend USMS Nationals. OK, I'll buy the argument that it did this time, but will this trend continue? It's sort of a novelty this year since the suits were banned for everyone recently. Not only that, but 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.
Everyone 35 and up enjoys seeing the young fast guys. Yeah, they're nice to have around and all, but you all don't have to compete against them except for in relays. If these guys keep showing up to our (tech-suit-free) meets, then fine, I can deal with that.
However, let's face it, we'll probably never see Fred Bousquet again. Because of folks like him, all us young folks (most of whom actually swim on MASTERS teams) get bumped out of top 10 and anyone who had a chance at USMS records now needs to be an olympic/world champs gold medalist to have a shot.
Bring the suits back again, and all the young people who have quit swimming and want to try to come back and have FUN at the sport for once get even further discouraged and slip into a life of potato chips, XBox Live, etc. Talk about your law of unintended consequences...
