Like them or hate them, tech suits have damages the reputation of swimming in the mind of the John or Jane Q. Public. For the good of the sport, I'm glad they're going away.
(Citation needed.)
I think a study should be done to see the impact more swimsuit coverage has on participation. For example, silly as it may sound, if jammers were outlawed, lots of the little guys (12 and unders) might be reluctant to swim on summer teams. In the same vein, have more masters swimmers participated in meets because the tech suits have afforded more coverage? An interesting thought.
Banning the tech suits makes about as much sense to me as banning the new helmets in cycling that are supposed to be as advantageous as racing wheels. A helmet is as necessary in cycling as a swimsuit is for swimming. You don't need either to perform the activity, but it sure is a good idea for obvious reasons to wear one.;)
Why is swimming going backwards while other sports like cycling don't seem to have a problem with new technology?
My thoughts exactly: I Can't Use My Suit? - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
And Mel and Grace *** have disappeared from the swim scene too ...
Here's a reason I hate people who hate tech suits:
www.swimwestside.com/.../
This guy calls Rowdy a "stain" and urges us all to try training. I really hate when some idiot tells me to "train."
I don't particularly like the tech suits and I think that guy is an idiot.Tech suits are not immoral,they were not cheating,and while they do give some swimmers more benefit than others,almost always the fastest swimmer still won.
Here's a reason I hate people who hate tech suits:
www.swimwestside.com/.../
This guy calls Rowdy a "stain" and urges us all to try training. I really hate when some idiot tells me to "train."
Well yes, he is a bit obnoxious. (Of course, it is his own blog.)
I would say that 90% of the reason I dislike tech suits is personal preference, and so I like the ban because I don't have to worry about being at a competitive disadvantage. But I suppose there is a little bit of purist in me, too: when people say that (only) tech suits make swimming "exciting" and they are going to quit now that they are gone, the implication is that plain vanilla swimming is pretty damn boring.
Well, I kind of like "plain" swimming! And 99+% of all the swimming almost anybody does is in a training suit, so I would hope most masters swimmers at least find it palatable. So when someone says they will quit because they can no longer aid their swimming artificially, a small very ugly part of me says "good riddance." (The better part of me says nothing of the sort, of course.)
Sure, people who wear tech suits (mostly) train hard. But there is no denying it is an artificial aid to speed, no different conceptually from fins or wetsuits (which are the "ultimate" tech suit, of course, but have been around for quite some time).
As far as I can see, the tech-loving doomsayers arguing that age group kids would become thoroughly discouraged by their glacial slowness in the post-tech era have been thoroughly disproven, at least locally. Our AG meets are as fast or faster than ever and our AG clubs are more crowded than ever (certainly NOVA is).
So now the doomsaying is about our flabby, old bodies needing the suits, while I suppose those young studs never really did. Let's check back in a year and see what happens to that (somewhat offensive, at least to me) theory.
And Mel and Grace *** have disappeared from the swim scene too ...
Here's a reason I hate people who hate tech suits:
www.swimwestside.com/.../
This guy calls Rowdy a "stain" and urges us all to try training. I really hate when some idiot tells me to "train."
I suggest someone encourage that nitwit to show up in Mesa next year and put his performance where his mouth is.
I liked the tech suits, and thought they were neat. It appeared to me that it was an exciting time to be a competitive swimmer, so I gave the sport a try, and liked it a lot. Without the tech suits? Not so much. It feels like a giant step backwards to me. This is why I've not been in the pool so much and have gone back to competitive tennis this summer.
I didn't say I would quit. I did quit. I've stopped swimming competitively because I don't like the direction the sport is going.
The ugly part of you is very ugly indeed. Rude too. You should keep that part of yourself to yourself.
I am confused, you totally quit competitive swimming because of the direction it is going, but you spend time on these boards? I hope you aren't looking for tennis tips here. I am sure like the rest of us you will find your way back to swimming after some time off. You have to love swimming deep down to browse and contribute to these boards regardless of your current disappointment with the direction of competitive swimming. We will welcome you back. Chris is not ugly or rude, just honest (in my opinion). There are many others in his camp including most of the swimming governing bodies and parents of age groupers.
Tim
