Also, I thought that idiot was a pejorative.
In this case, it's warranted. I'm sticking with "stain." You read it the way you want to. The article was condescending and arrogant.
OK I can do this...deep breath... here we go
At no time there weren't no non-haters not being unhelpful without this failthread's non-debate not regarding the techsuit non-issue.
:cheerleader: YEAH!!! DECTUPLE-NEGATIVE!!! :cheerleader:
* Don't ask me for a translation... I don't know what I said either. I may have just declared war on Uranus for all I know.
This is not unlike a non-guilty verdict being stayed for an accused counterfeit genius! This is the real thing here, no?
Ten negatives do indeed make a positive! Unless there is a weird use of parentheses I am unaware of. That Guy has done it! By God, he has!
He truly is not unlike a false non-genius who no one can fail to not agree with when he's wrong! The mind reels!
This is not unlike a non-guilty verdict being stayed for an accused counterfeit genius! This is the real thing here, no?
Ten negatives do indeed make a positive! Unless there is a weird use of parentheses I am unaware of. That Guy has done it! By God, he has!
He truly is not unlike a false non-genius who no one can fail to not agree with when he's wrong! The mind reels!
I might agree with you Jim! It's... it's hard to say, really.
I thought that part of the logic of the coverage restrictions was to ensure that the suits don't give any significant advantage. Are people finding that the current generation of FINA approved suits still give a significant advantage? If not, why pay the rather high asking price for them?
As for the kids, at the last big USA-S meet I attended (Sectionals) 99% of the girls had on the Speedo LZR Elite kneeskin.
I guess if that continues Speedo will be lobbying FINA to stick to the new suit rules! It's a weird world.
Those who would quit now that the suits are gone, because swimming is somehow different must have only started a year or two ago, when the tech suit explosion started.
That's how it was for me. I ought to say it again: the tech suits are what brought me to the sport. From my outsider's perspective, this is how it appeared to me: for about 30-35 years swimming was unchanging and uninteresting. Then with the coming of the tech suits and the attendant publicity, my curiosity was engaged. I took a closer look and decided that I liked what I saw: a sport that was stepping into the 21st century and going someplace exciting. I joined up.
Loved the suits...sorry they are not there for you now but that's life. Go get those times without them now...you have a goal!
It's not "just life." Someone made this happen, and I disagree with their actions and their motive in doing so. However, I do understand that the tech suit supporters lost the fight.
I don't want to go get times without them. For the first 97% of my lifespan the sport of competitive swimming appeared uninteresting to me. Then it became interesting. I joined. Then it became uninteresting again. I left. I appreciate your enthusiasm and your attempt to instill enthusiasm in me, thanks much, but it's not working I'm afraid. :cool:
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.
If there's one constant in the world, it's change, especially lately! I really think that the bell cannot be unrung, at least not forever. How can I keep tabs on what's happening if I don't keep a toe in the water here? Besides, I have, at least for a day or two, a relevant story to tell. When someone says "tech suits never brought anyone to the sport" I am right here as a living counterexample. If I go away, then who will tell the story?
Obviously if nothing changes I will drift away in due course. Swimming is fun and somewhat rewarding, it's true, but right now it's not at the apex of my priorities. The course of events has soured the sport for me.
Well, you can look at it this way. The good 90% of me wishes you didn't feel the need to quit. The bad 10% of me wishes you well in your new endeavors (and also sort of wonders why you feel "plain-old" swimming is such a bad sport).
It's not such a bad sport, it's just uninteresting to me in its current configuration. I've participated in a lot of sports, and in almost all of them having the right gear would provide an edge. I was okay with that.
Ask them if they would be okay with someone using a Harley at the Tour de France, or someone using a Segway at the Boston Marathon... That is an absurd exaggeration, but I think that is the point, a concern about how far things can be pushed before the sport becomes grotesque. Fins and flotation devices are not allowed, but some of these tech suits were close to doing the same things as those devices.
If they don't like that answer, remind them that (male) body suits were how the sport started (wool in the '20s), and briefs are the modern invention.
Geek has said many things. I thought it was moral sense of false superiority.
Or was it a superior moral of false senses? :confused:
There is a big difference between something propulsive (Harleys and fins) and a suit. There is also a huge difference between taking and not taking a big dolphin kick on an breaststroke underwater pull or not touching the wall prior to a flip turn (for those of us who remember freestyle flip turns requiring a hand touch).
It's called evolution of the sport.
"Are We Not Men? We Are DEVO!"
When you see me on the blocks in a jammer you will know "grotesque"!
It seems like people have gotten away from the lamentable characteristics of tech-haters into the territory of YETATM(OLT)OTS, or Yet Another Thread About The Merits (Or Lack Thereof) Of Tech Suits. I tried to do my part to illuminate the thought processes of a haters (myself), even to the point of mortally offending a tech-lover. As far as I can see, the haters:
-- style themselves as swimming purists (and can be smug or self-righteous about it, though not necessarily)
-- don't like the suits (since this is a personal preference, it is hard to really cast someone as a villain for this)
-- moan about the cost, (lack of) availability, and/or the general unfairness of the suits (basically act like cry-babies)
-- are hopelessly mired in the past, the supposed "golden age" of swimming
-- (related) are Luddites who can't accept progress.
Did I miss anything? Of course, I could refute or defend all these characteristics, or come up with a similar caricature of tech-lovers, but that's not what this thread is about. Indeed, like Will Blyte, author of my favorite sports book I have decided to revel in my hatred.
Another interesting datum is the poll here:
Tech Suit Poll(yet again) - U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums
A majority voted against bringing them back, but do you notice how the votes cluster around the extremes? You can definitely see that we aren't the "tech-dislikers." In fact -- based solely on this poll -- you could even argue that tech-haters are more vigorous in their hate than the lovers are free with their love. But maybe that's reading too much into one poll; passions certainly seem intense enough on both sides.
Which brings me to the oft-noted thin line between love and hate.
As I have stated several times elsewhere, the bulk of my objection to the suits is being forced to chose between two unpleasant scenarios: wearing a suit I don't like or competing at a disadvantage. Either option lessens my enjoyment of the sport just a little bit. So it occurred to wonder what would happen if our very own Fortress -- who would probably admit she is a fairly competitive sort -- were somehow unable or unwilling to use the tech suits (eg b/c of poor fit, finances, or dislike). I would be wiling to bet a pretty big sum of money that her vociferous defense of the suits would turn around 180 degrees. And then some. ("A powerful ally she would be..." :))
I'll confess that I was inspired to this line of thought by a post of hers that made me laugh aloud, the one claiming that triathletes don't care about using technology in swimming (where does she think her beloved B70 got its start?) a pretty clear example IMO of the cart (conclusion) driving the horse (reasoning).
I don't mean to pick on Fort, of course, just to point out that all of this "hate" is mostly just a manifestation of our love of the sport. As if that is such a big revelation. Group hug.:chug:
Are you tired of grading exams or what there doc?
It pretty much boils down to the anti-progress crowd being either too cheap or too dumb to invest in their training. It's about 95% cheapness, 3% dumbness and 2% because they don't like wookie.
I'll assume Chris falls into the wookie crowd.
