2010 SCM Zone Championships

At least you get to wear a kneeskin... I can pay $150+ for a jammer that's stretched out after two meets. Yeah, we have it great. $370 for a suit that stretches out after two meets. The B70 was much more economical. The new suits may force me to cut back on meets. :bolt:

Yeah, but the economy has been bad for the last several years. Why would it all of a sudden cause a drop in meet attendance?

Yeah, but the economy has been bad for the last several years. Why would it all of a sudden cause a drop in meet attendance? Good point. Perhaps it's psychological? People don't want to see slower times?

Perhaps it's psychological? People don't want to see slower times? To the extent that there is any loss of motivation, I think this is a large part of it, at least for some at the top levels. Roque Santos made this argument at Convention, saying he wanted to see times closer to his college times. There is no hiding any more. I know that some people liked the coverage/construction for aesthetic purposes but I think the main attraction of the suits was that they made you swim faster. Intellectually knowing you are going to be slower, and the reason behind it, is not always sufficient preparation for seeing that ("slow") time on the scoreboard.

...I think the main attraction of the suits was that they made you swim faster...Damn straight! And I ask the question again: what's wrong with that? Oh yeah, they also make for great Halloween costumes to wear to embarrass your teenaged children:afraid:

To the extent that there is any loss of motivation, I think this is a large part of it, at least for some at the top levels. Roque Santos made this argument at Convention, saying he wanted to see times closer to his college times. There is no hiding any more. I know that some people liked the coverage/construction for aesthetic purposes but I think the main attraction of the suits was that they made you swim faster. Intellectually knowing you are going to be slower, and the reason behind it, is not always sufficient preparation for seeing that ("slow") time on the scoreboard. Well, we are in the business of trying to go fast or faster ... But I definitely preferred a full bodysuit for both speed and aesthetic reasons. I can say my recent personal worsts have not phased me much. I definitely expect(ed) to see slower times, and I have. But I have, in fact, gone faster in the 50 back in a kneeskin a couple weeks ago than I did in a Jaked at Nationals last May. So that is somewhat encouraging.

Damn straight! And I ask the question again: what's wrong with that? Well, we are in the business of trying to go fast or faster We're not going to agree on this. I can go faster by putting fins on too. I enjoy speed I've earned through preparation and performance, not speed I've purchased. And it becomes a matter who has the best fins (or, at least, that becomes an important factor). No thanks, I hated having to try to remember which suit I wore at each meet.

We're not going to agree on this.:agree: I agree. I honestly don't care that much; I'd prefer the suits to be legal, but am fine with jammers ... but I just thought we've had a long time on the threads -- days? weeks? months? -- where we didn't debate the suits. It was getting kind of boring just talking seriously about how to prevent burnout, technique, etc. :blah: Gonna try the techest legal jammer I own this weekend, though, to see if it gives me any edge in my 50.

I said "I think." If attendance is, in fact, down, I think it's suggestive. What about the economy? I've heard a couple of mumblings about that from our team. Many of us will only go to one-day local meets, except for New England SCY Champs at Harvard, which many of us are prepping to attend.

Gonna try the techest legal jammer I own this weekend, though, to see if it gives me any edge in my 50. There is so much wrong with that sentence I'm not sure where to begin...you've turned fully to the Dark Side. :)