Got no trouble running around in a speedo on New Year’s Day, but have never done so for Pride, even though the weather in July would certainly seem to be more conducive.  Am I just afraid of the competition, or is it something else?

Pretty unproductive this afternoon due to a cable outage wiping out the landline, broadband internet and the cable TV.  DVDs and the Blackberry kept me from curling up into a fetal position, but not much work got done.  Not that much would have with no courts, law library, post office or banks open, but I like to think I would have tried.  I was tempted to just go swimming and blow off all the pretenses of work, but I respected the scheduled off day from the gym, and hope my arm respects the decision and continues to heal.

You know what they say about idle hands though, so while following a twitter conversation ably engaged by The 17th Man and others, I was introduced to the Screaming Viking blog, a swim blog with two great recent posts touching on one of my pet peeve issues here.  The internets are abound with the stories of people who don’t swim and don’t get speedos (little-s, the small suits, not big-S, the brand).  One of the all-time most visited posts here (after the image of my prostate), was a post three years ago about some local high school water polo players suspended for wearing their team uniforms (speedos) to a school pride event.  SV’s posts were both more positive: local swimmers donning pink suits to show their support for breast cancer awareness, and a problem favorably resolved with some race officials thinking the swimmers were wearing two suits and being too modest.  They were both great posts, and especially with the post on the pink suits, it was nice to see that a swim team could show some support for breast cancer awareness and wear the suits of their choice without getting a bunch of suburban prudes’ panties in a bunch.

I’ve lamented here in the past about the UC’s drive toward mediocrity, particularly as shown by the axing of the Santa Cruz water polo program. Though I still think the UC can and should do better in protecting the system’s reputation and standing in all programs, I read an interesting article yesterday that included some discussion of Yale’s water polo program, and other sports, after they lost official recognition and became club programs. Glad to see that relegation to club status isn’t always the death knell of an athletic program, but can lead to positive outcomes.

Two related notes for the aquatics inclined: Penn State swimmers raised $235 in a charity auction by agreeing to deliver pizza in their speedos, and this year’s Maverick’s Big Wave contest may be canceled due to a lack of sponsors. Hmmm. Pondering. Hmmm.

Great article in the Washington Post on advances in swimming technique and training potentially explaining more of the recent advances in the sport that the newer high tech suit.  Separately, interesting to see that rather than follow Tyr’s lead and suing Speedo, Nike has reportedly decided to allow their sponsored athletes to wear Speedo suits, at least for the olympic trials.

Just noticed that my last two posts at Beachlaw were about San Onofre State Beach here in California abandoning its clothing optional policy, and a city pool in southern Utah being pressured to abandon its ban on bikinis and speedos.  Aside from academic interest due to an article I’ve been trying to write for forever about the different approaches to legislative drafting of silly dresscode ordinances, I’m just terrified to think that Southern California and Southern Utah might actually be of one mind on such an issue, even though they’re racing to the center from such different extremes.

Related to yesterday’s post on the new litigation between Tyr and Speedo, Gwen Knapp has a good column at S.F.Gate on the recent insanity in competitive swimwear.

Absolutely not talking about any of the cases I’m supposed to be working on this afternoon, but reading with amazement the complaint in what we’ll call Tyr v. Speedo.  The full caption is much longer, but cut to the basics, swimsuit manufacturer Tyr is suing the makers of Speedo suits on a variety of theories.  Factually it boils down to Tyr alleging that Speedo paid the coach of the U.S. Swim Team to promote Speedo’s new LZR suits despite duties to stay neutral, false statements, and the alleged defection of at least one Tyr-sponsored athlete to wear Speedo suits for the upcoming Olympic trials and games.  While there are no filed responses yet, there is an L.A. Times article containing responses to the suit.

I’ll start with some caveats.  I love swimming.  I don’t wear Speedo suits.  I like Tyr and TruWest because they fit me better, seem to last longer, and I’m a strong believer in buying local.  I’ve also never found goggles I like as much as my Tyr Technoflex.  Regardless, I’m hardly competitive, and no one’s ever going to sponsor me for anything athletic.

The most interesting part of the complaint, and the coverage, are the alleged defections of swimmers from one-suit’s sponsorships to another suit over supposed technological advances.  I can take or leave marketing hype about who’s suit wins more meets (and still believe athletes win meets) but when a manufacturer has to sue their own endorsers for breach of contract, something’s up.  Even if the new suit is better, doesn’t anyone believe in contracts anymore?  Signed enforceable agreements?  I’ve seen the arguments around the internets that contracts be damned, this is the only opportunity for these athletes to win at the Olympic level, and all but encouraging more defections and outright breaches.  So what.  Commitments were made. 

ESCONDIDO — The boys’ varsity water polo team at San Pasqual High School was defeated by its own Speedo swimsuits last week.The team was forced to forfeit its first preseason game Sept. 5 against Patrick Henry High after all but two team members were suspended from the game several days earlier for defying school administrators by wearing their Speedos at a school event.On Sept. 1, 15 of the team’s 17 players ran onto the school’s football field during “Jersey Night,” an event that honors the school’s athletes, wearing nothing but a swim cap and a Speedo swimsuit in front of a crowd of parents, students and staff members, the team’s coach said.

North County Times

Don’t know if it’s because I’ve been around pools too much, or some school administrators haven’t been out of their offices enough, but I’m just laughing. Not just at suburbanites getting their panties in a wad over men’s swimwear, but that some bureaucrat would expect some of the most aggressive, in-your-face athletes I’ve ever seen (water polo players) to not take such a silly order as a challenge.

Glad to see the coach sticking up for his team though.

“Why is this such a horrible, terrible thing? The boys were essentially showing spirit and enthusiasm for their sport,” [the boys' coach] said. “Nothing they did that night was intended to be offensive or derogatory in any manner.”
. . .
But [the coach] said many teams don’t have jerseys, and ultimately, his players were showing school spirit, which was what the event was all about.

Different team, same concept, from a calendar done by the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo team a few years back.

Sorry the team had to forfeit the game, but certainly hope they didn’t learn whatever lesson it was the school was trying to teach.

A little training is all I’d need. Thumb boy would have to take me to the pool with him, and maybe even share a lane, but I could totally do this. I don’t even need no stinkin’ Speedo.

Wow! The day is getting off to a great start. Some great blog posting material was in the news (see previous post), Pongo is sleeping well after a small feeding frenzy involving his birthday breakfast (real bacon), and I got in some laps down at the pool. Honestly, last night’s post for Shel’s Blogwhore 9 competition wouldn’t have been possible psychologically if the pool here hadn’t reopened back in February. Consider that photo brought to you by the swimsuit makers at Tyr.