I agree with the fact that he says bigger named programs can easily just have an advantage because of their suits and funding
BUT i hate when people base results only on the suits, like when people say 49 world records were broken in this suit or blah blah blah its bull. Yes people may have woren that suit and gone a bit faster but you can't just say with this suit you will go loads faster. Swimmers like me know it takes hours of work and dedication to succeed in this sport so when you give a kid a lzr you can't just be like since you have the lzr your goin to go a 20 instead of your usually 23 in the 50 it just won't work its all about the time you put in, but the suits will help you too there no arguing that
To say Utah being a mid major isn't worth suits because their swimmers don't impact NCAA's is bull. Many mid major swimmers have gotten "A" cuts in the suit. It makes a huge difference, you can't ignore that fact. Greg Winslow is a great coach, this is a great week of creative videos. Nice job!
Suits are killing the sport. Swimming used to be pure, where if you worked harder than the next guy you are going to be better than him... now you have to work harder than the next guy or have 500 bucks laying around
with following my almamater at conference it is evident what the suits are doing to performance. girls, and guys, that i trained w/that were good but not great are putting up times off the chart in comparison to previous years performances. i know that the years training may have been different and harder and they improved naturally through that but a seven second drop from prelims to finals in the 400 im says something (we weren't the typed to "relax" in the morning and rip it at night, and it was no suit...suit). i heard from my old coach that w/the suit a girl went 56.2 butterfly relay leg and then individually went 59 w/out the suit in prelims. i've never seen such inconsistant times or such great time drops before. i checked other d-2 conferences and some national records have already been broken (they weren't easy records, atleast for d2)! it will be fun to watch nationals but it's also hard knowing people are going these exceptional times mainly b/c of a suit. i also can't help but wonder what times great swimmers that have already graduated would have gone w/these suits. also, it was up to each individual swimmer to buy them and some couldn't afford it, and those swimmers are getting beat by other teammates that they swim laps around in practice. it just doesn't add up how kids that train slower are beating kids, other than the suit variable. when even in our own team the playing field isn't level, you have to question the playing field of the whole division. has anyone else noticed these results at their conferences?
it would be nice when they post results to have an indication when the suit was worn or not. suit talent, or training talent...
The reason big programs are sponsored is because they have olympians are there team that make them such a popular program or that they have developed olympians. Another reason why utah is not compared to the usc's or the florida's in football and do not get the credit of bcs schools is how many players from utah are going to be first round picks next year in the nfl? Also, its called a student loan, most of these kids swim on scholarships anyways.
Lets be honest... said: “not every program NEEDS suits. Sure, it makes a even playing field, but their is also a reason why they are a mid-major, its because the athletes are mid major quality. The athletes themselves are not as talented as others at major schools, thus they really dont have an impact at the national level. So, should schools like Utah, TCU, Whyoming, cincinnati, Easterm Michigan and so on with the mid-majors.... not essential. Perhaps for some swimmers that can compete t the NCAA level, like Josh Schiender from Cincinnati, but others from those schools that only will compete at conference and not affect NCAAs, then no, it really isnt proportional.”
Before you say ignorant crap like this, why don't you look at utah's relays and their top female/ male swimmers and their times. I'm pretty sure those will be competitive at ncaas. idiot.
My team just talked about this. We don't have the money, not in a major school, but nonetheless most of the competition is going to be wearing them thus we need them to be competitive. Essentially speedo just made swimming discriminatory, shame one them
Who are we letting represent us to the NCAA? Is it only the Michigans, Indianas, Auburns, Floridas, Texas, and Stanfords of our sport that have the NCAA ear. This is a huge trickle down effect if only the rich make the decisions that we all have to live by...
This "mid major" talk sparked my intersted so I did some research and it looks like Utah is a POWER SCHOOL by criteria but, it is from a "mid major" conference. I think Greg brings up an important point that shouldn't be overlooked about the attention that needs to be placed on the future of men's swimming programs across the country. The playing should be fair and as I see it these companies producing these suites have it all wrong. Shouldn't they help out the schools with less money so the competitions can be fair?
well see how the A10 conference meet goes next week, im pretty sure everyone is going to have the suits(some swimmers will have paid more for them then others) but that will give a pretty accurate representation of how mid-major teams did in getting the suits for their swimmers
Spending money on a training trip is a waste when you are short on money for suits. Seems like it would be worth it to just stay home and train if it meant they could have money for suits.
Let's Be Honest...quite the assumption and nose-in-the-air attitude about those not swimming for "The Big". Not having "the impact", this should not exclude them of the same opportunities as other teams and swimmers. Sounds like you are not much for equality.
On another note, "making it rain out here", that was great.
Not wearing the suits is like a nascar driver showing up in a Chevy Monte Carlo strait from the dealer and trying to win the Daytona 500. It aint happening.
Really?
I'm not sure how many people agree with your assessment.
I don't agree.... but I think I'm a minority
We'll see...
Ummm, pretty sure Utah Women's 800 Free Relay is ranked 8th in the country. Guess they can't really compete - thanks LETS BE HONEST for the comments and for the amazing spelling! Wyoming - Scott Usher swam there... we all know he couldn't really compete, I mean other than in the Olympics!
not every program NEEDS suits. Sure, it makes a even playing field, but their is also a reason why they are a mid-major, its because the athletes are mid major quality. The athletes themselves are not as talented as others at major schools, thus they really dont have an impact at the national level. So, should schools like Utah, TCU, Whyoming, cincinnati, Easterm Michigan and so on with the mid-majors.... not essential. Perhaps for some swimmers that can compete t the NCAA level, like Josh Schiender from Cincinnati, but others from those schools that only will compete at conference and not affect NCAAs, then no, it really isnt proportional.
Oh, and Garrett, I really like the new approach and organization of visiting a college and doing a week's worth videos (WWW, Technique Tuesday, and interviews) all from that one college. The Tennessee videos were great as well! Floswimming is doing a great job!
i don't think Greg was saying... "poor Utah", i got the impression he is trying to say, this is a big deal. HELP out men's swimming... cause it will hurt us all if this continues.
Good interview as we are all concerned about budgets and the lack of fairness in that these suits are not available to everyone as suit companies are only making a limited supply. However I would disagree with UTAH being a mid major. Try checking out a true mid major who's football program competes in the subdivision of DI. You will see there are many programs making chicken salad out of chicken you know what....
This guy is creative and seems to understand how to get it done. How did he end up at Utah? His second season??? It will be interesting to see long he stays there, not too many young coaches out there with these ideas. Seems like a cool guy, thanks for the different outlook on programs Garrett.
doesn't matter how hard your train, what circuit you do, how creative you are... what engine you build. You slide the most powerful engine into a vw bug and try and race a corvette the aerodynamic are going to kick your ass.
That is so true. When I swam the fast suit was the aquablade. You found out who was the best because everybody could afford the suit and the playing field was equal. Not wearing the suits is like a nascar driver showing up in a Chevy Monte Carlo strait from the dealer and trying to win the Daytona 500. It aint happening. These suits are like our cars and we need to regulate them. Either Speedo, TYR, and Blue 70 need to make these affordable, or we need to restrict them. Hopefully they will make them affordable cause they are fun, and bring excitment to our sport. PS i'm tired of having to raise money just to surrvive......
I didn't realize that University of Utah was a mid-major. Interesting perspective. I swam at a true Mid-Major school and for the men's team the last couple year's I believe the money raised through our annual bullroast and auction helped pay for the new suits. Our girls team I think is fully funded so the school paid for the suits in that respect.
I go to a mid major school and we have never had our suits bought for us. We have never had enough money. In past years, the school would pay for a jammer, anything more had to come from our own pockets.
We raised MONEY FOR THE LZR's. Raising money wasn't fun but we did it. I'm not going to complain.
There is an easy way to solve this problem. Stop with the MWC dual meet champion. If you don't make as many travel trips there will be more money for the suits.
Like his football team at Utah, Greg has a legitimate argument for a level playing field. He talks about his battle to keep his swimmers competitive. February 12, 2009
Suit Talk, The Other Battle
BUT i hate when people base results only on the suits, like when people say 49 world records were broken in this suit or blah blah blah its bull. Yes people may have woren that suit and gone a bit faster but you can't just say with this suit you will go loads faster. Swimmers like me know it takes hours of work and dedication to succeed in this sport so when you give a kid a lzr you can't just be like since you have the lzr your goin to go a 20 instead of your usually 23 in the 50 it just won't work its all about the time you put in, but the suits will help you too there no arguing that
it would be nice when they post results to have an indication when the suit was worn or not. suit talent, or training talent...
“not every program NEEDS suits. Sure, it makes a even playing field, but their is also a reason why they are a mid-major, its because the athletes are mid major quality. The athletes themselves are not as talented as others at major schools, thus they really dont have an impact at the national level. So, should schools like Utah, TCU, Whyoming, cincinnati, Easterm Michigan and so on with the mid-majors.... not essential. Perhaps for some swimmers that can compete t the NCAA level, like Josh Schiender from Cincinnati, but others from those schools that only will compete at conference and not affect NCAAs, then no, it really isnt proportional.”
On another note, "making it rain out here", that was great.
comparing a 45.5 freestyler in a LZR to a corvette? Hydro dynamically you KNOW that a guy in a LZR is the VW bug at best.
more like
Really?
I'm not sure how many people agree with your assessment.
I don't agree.... but I think I'm a minority
We'll see...
Oh, and Garrett, I really like the new approach and organization of visiting a college and doing a week's worth videos (WWW, Technique Tuesday, and interviews) all from that one college. The Tennessee videos were great as well! Floswimming is doing a great job!
We raised MONEY FOR THE LZR's. Raising money wasn't fun but we did it. I'm not going to complain.