New Swimsuits vs Steroids???

[Matt]

whats the difference?  all these world records are getting broken and its clearly due to these new swimsuits.  how do you feel this compares to steriod use in baseball? 

both are scientific advantages.  and both would probably of been used by every generation of athlete prior if it was available. 

some old school swimers want asteriks next to these new world records just like the baseball records.

honestly, i think these new suits give swimmers a bigger advantage over swimmers without the suits then steroids gives a baseball player over players without steroids

[Matt]

http://www.nbcolympics.com/wfla/news/newsid=132808.html#new+speedo+lzr+suit+making+splash

[Velcro]

I don't have a problem with it... they are clothes.. they don't have motors on them...

and they aren't detrimental to your health.  Those are the main differences...

steroids are dangerous and cause a strength boost.  The suits are just better fabric... nothing more.  You still have to swim and everyone has the suits so it is 100% level playing field, unlike with steroids where some do em and others try to be clean.

[Bull Dozer]

The suits are no different than the improved club and ball technology in golf.  Yes they do help but it is still up to the participant to physically do the work to get the world record or win the race etc.  Roids give you a biological edge and can also harm you in the long run so not all athletes may want to use them.  Swim suits on the other hand cause no harm to the body so everyone can wear them. 

[Matt]

Yes they do help but it is still up to the participant to physically do the work to get the world record or win the race etc. 

same can be said for Roids or HGH.  you still have to do the work and you still have to be phyisically gifted.  i just think that its clear that these suits give the swimmers of today a much better advantage then those without them.  so when you want to use the term "World Record"  i think there should be two classifications....before suit and after suit. 

swimming only has so many variables.  there is no competition other than oneself.  so without changes in technology it is very easy to compare swimmers from different eras.  unlike baseball, so many changes in talent pool (no pun intended)  changes in scouting, stratagies, ballparks, etc.

[Bull Dozer]

Yes they do help but it is still up to the participant to physically do the work to get the world record or win the race etc. 

same can be said for Roids or HGH.  you still have to do the work and you still have to be phyisically gifted.  i just think that its clear that these suits give the swimmers of today a much better advantage then those without them.  so when you want to use the term "World Record"  i think there should be two classifications....before suit and after suit. 

swimming only has so many variables.  there is no competition other than oneself.  so without changes in technology it is very easy to compare swimmers from different eras.  unlike baseball, so many changes in talent pool (no pun intended)  changes in scouting, stratagies, ballparks, etc.

Should tiger be looked down upon because his clubs, balls, shoes, shirts, and pants are so much better than some of the all time greats?  Steroids and HGH effect players away from the playing field more than on them.  Its the great recovery time they give athletes that make them such an advantage.  Imagine being able to not feel the after effects of a hard work out and being able to work like a mad man with no repercussion.  That's where roids give athletes the real advantage.  Also wearing a swimsuit wont cause liver failure but steroid use can.  For this reason some athletes may choose to stay away from roids while a swimsuit that causes no long term effects so everyone in the playing field will use them.  The swimsuit improvements are just technology for the equipment changing while roids and hgh are actually changing the athletes themselves and there in lies the difference. 

[Matt]

i think you are missing what i am trying to discuss....  are the changes to the new swimsuit bigger change to the sport then the sterioid era was to baseball.  i think it is.  im not trying to argue about if wearing this suit should cause people to be blacklisted or anything like what happened to Barry.

im just talking about from how these new world records are viewed.

and as for tiger, there are a lot of ther variables too...the rest of his comp are using these clubs and equipment but its also not the same courses that the older guys played on.  plus "world" records arent as coveted in golf as they would be in olympic swimming.

at the end of the records are made to be broken but when you have something like 50 world records getting broken in a 6 month span since this new suit came out...i see a pattern...and that pattern is directly related to this new piece of equipment

[Bull Dozer]

i think you are missing what i am trying to discuss....  are the changes to the new swimsuit bigger change to the sport then the sterioid era was to baseball.  i think it is.  im not trying to argue about if wearing this suit should cause people to be blacklisted or anything like what happened to Barry.

im just talking about from how these new world records are viewed.

and as for tiger, there are a lot of ther variables too...the rest of his comp are using these clubs and equipment but its also not the same courses that the older guys played on.  plus "world" records arent as coveted in golf as they would be in olympic swimming.

at the end of the records are made to be broken but when you have something like 50 world records getting broken in a 6 month span since this new suit came out...i see a pattern...and that pattern is directly related to this new piece of equipment

Ok then should old Olympic shooting records be valued more than the new ones because the rifle technology has improved my leaps and bounds?  Same with Archery, Skiing, luge and many many many other sports.  Technology changes and advantages gained by them are a part or sports.  Should 100yds ran in leather helmets and primitive pads be valued more than a back that does it in current equipment?  I see what your saying but there are TONS of sports where new technology helps boost records and that's just part of sports and technology evolving.   

[Matt]

swimming is one of the biggest olympic events though.  and i cant remember any single event in any sport that has had this big of a change on the performance. 

i understand your point and it is a valid one.  im not sold either way on this topic, thats why i brought it up.  to discuss it.  this being a message board and all....

i mean...if you are gonna disallow a record cause the wind was blowing a certain speed at the runners back in track and field but let these new records stand without mention of the new suit...its kinda odd to me

[Bruce Blingstein]

at the end of the records are made to be broken but when you have something like 50 world records getting broken in a 6 month span since this new suit came out...i see a pattern...and that pattern is directly related to this new piece of equipment

If this is true, thats pretty drastic.  

other equipment has gradually gotten better but not at this rate