[Erunsenef]

Phelps tries to move on after stunning loss


ROME – Michael Phelps has four more chances to win gold at the world swimming championships.

He's not likely to be satisfied until he gets another shot at Paul Biedermann.

In different suits, that is.

The unheralded German glided across the water, steadily pulling away from the winningest Olympian ever, and handed Phelps a stunning loss in the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday — his first defeat in a major individual race since 2005.

No sooner had they climbed from the water, the debate was on.

Was it the man? Or was it the suit?

Biedermann acknowledged that he had an edge in his Arena X-Glide, a polyurethane suit that has surpassed the Speedo LZR Racer worn by Phelps. All those suits are on the way out, to be banned by the sport's governing body starting in 2010. But for now, it's perfectly legal.

.....

Neither is coach Bob Bowman, but not with anything his swimmer did. He went off on FINA for allowing swimsuit technology to get out of hand — a race for speed that, interestingly enough, actually started in February 2008 when Speedo introduced the LZR, the very suit Phelps is paid a great deal of money to endorse.

The very suit that now looks like a slowpoke alongside fully rubberized suits such as the X-Glide and Jaked.

At the risk of sounding hypocritical, Bowman ranted that he may just pull Phelps from any more international meets until FINA follows through on banning these suits. As it stands, the governing body is pointing toward having new rules in place by May 2010, when male swimmers will only be able to wear waist-to-knee suits (known as jammers) made from textile fabrics.

Full article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090728/.../swm_worlds_33

"We've lost all the history of the sport. Does a 10-year-old boy in Baltimore want to break Paul Biedermann's record?" Bowman said. "The sport is in shambles right now and they better do something or they're going to lose their guy who fills these suits."

[Erunsenef]

What a babyish, hypocritical team. When Phelps' Speedo jammer took the world by storm in 2008, Phlps and his entire team said that they were only taking advantage of technological advances, and claimed you still had to be the best swimmer. Now that he loses a race, he, and his coach, all complain about swimsuit material technology.

I hope he chokes on some bong water!

[Uvgsgssu]

I'll agree and disagree with you Moose.

Phelps and team are being hypocritical.

But, there is clearly something wrong here. Biedermann shaved 2 seconds off simply because of the suit. World records are falling with almost every race. It's not normal. The suits are like steroids.

[Erunsenef]

I'll agree and disagree with you Moose.

Phelps and team are being hypocritical.

But, there is clearly something wrong here. Biedermann shaved 2 seconds off simply because of the suit. World records are falling with almost every race. It's not normal. The suits are like steroids.

I'm not disagreeing with you about the suits, Shtexas. And I'm glad it looks like their federation is taking action. It just infuriates me that Phelps and his coach, of all people, are the ones crying in the press, when they did the exact same thing in 2008. If you want to take advantage of technological advances, then you have no right to complain when someone uses the same thing to beat you.

[katespepach]

I've been watching the meet and the one night I couldn't watch there's high drah-mah.

[johobuo]

Moose, you're always defending the Germans

[Nptxsews]

Also, the world is bigger than Baltimore. Thank god.

[Erunsenef]

Moose, you're always defending the Germans

Hey! I did prefer Debi Thomas's "Carmen" over Katarina Witt's.

[Qrhzbadu]

What I don't like about men's competitive swimming these days are those suits. There was nothing wrong with speedo briefs. I'm just sayin'.

[Lidawka]

What I don't like about men's competitive swimming these days are those suits. There was nothing wrong with speedo briefs. I'm just sayin'.

A-MEN! Thank heavens for divers.

[SpeavaJap]

What I don't like about men's competitive swimming these days are those suits. There was nothing wrong with speedo briefs. I'm just sayin'.

I'd BUMP this post, but it would probably only be perceived as yet another perverted BUMP from Dry.

[Qrhzbadu]

Apparently it could be worse:


Flavia Zoccari's suit rips on July 3rd, 2009.


Ricky Berens' swim suit rips on July 26, 2009.

[SpeavaJap]

Hey! I did prefer Debi Thomas's "Carmen" over Katarina Witt's.

Debi Thomas' Carmen actually counted?

[SpeavaJap]

Apparently it could be worse:


Flavia Zoccari's suit rips on July 3rd, 2009.


Ricky Berens' swim suit rips on July 26, 2009.

I think I saw something about this in The Hunt for Red October... Except that the Russians claimed the propulsion system was silent...

[vipluka]

...by May 2010, when male swimmers will only be able to wear waist-to-knee suits (known as jammers) made from textile fabrics.

What I don't like about men's competitive swimming these days are those suits. There was nothing wrong with speedo briefs. I'm just sayin'.

I was waiting for someone to be excited about the news.

Flavia Zoccari's suit rips on July 3rd, 2009.
...
Ricky Berens' swim suit rips on July 26, 2009.

yowza...

[Nptxsews]

I'd BUMP this post, but it would probably only be perceived as yet another perverted BUMP from Dry.

As long as it's dry bumping, I think it can stay out of the dumpster .

[pitoufsd]

What a babyish, hypocritical team. When Phelps' Speedo jammer took the world by storm in 2008, Phlps and his entire team said that they were only taking advantage of technological advances, and claimed you still had to be the best swimmer. Now that he loses a race, he, and his coach, all complain about swimsuit material technology.

I hope he chokes on some bong water!

+1

I'll agree and disagree with you Moose.

Phelps and team are being hypocritical.

But, there is clearly something wrong here. Biedermann shaved 2 seconds off simply because of the suit. World records are falling with almost every race. It's not normal. The suits are like steroids.

Are you talking about swimming or the impact of racquet technology on tennis?

What I don't like about men's competitive swimming these days are those suits. There was nothing wrong with speedo briefs. I'm just sayin'.

Slut.

[Chiquita]

Biedermann was very quick to say afterwards that the suits should be banned, he knows it helped him win over an already sluggish Phelps and he looks forward to a truer rematch. Very classy.

[TerAlelmlor]

SHAME on you all.

Now dry's 2009 US Open Tailgate (pun intended) outfit won't be a surprise.

[katespepach]

SHAME on you all.

Now dry's 2009 US Open Tailgate (pun intended) outfit won't be a surprise.