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Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014

Get used to it

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

As millions of Americans, as well as millions of people from around the world, marvel at Olympics Gold Medal record-holder Michael Phelps and the United State Men's Swim Team, we tire of the continuous complaining of how today's high-tech swim suits are responsble for all the world records being set in the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

The entire media covering the Olympics and countless other detractors from around the globe are constantly poo-pooing the swimmers' historic achievements by saying the new space-age body suits keep the athletes more buoyant, are water proof and shed water faster than skin does, and in effect, are similar to an actual shark's skin.

So, they reason, the records are falling and today's wonderfully sculpted athletes, their high-tech work-out regimens, enhanced nutrition, and calmer water due to pool innovations, have absolutely nothing to do with all the shattered swim records.

Yeah, right.

What about carbon/boron heads on golf clubs replacing the old persimmon wood?

What about boron/titanium tennis racket frames replacing that heavy old wood used in the original rackets?

What about today's all-weather composite tracks replacing the old cinder and sand ovals of the past?

What about the invention of foam that rendered the old sand high jump and pole vault pits useless and created the total revolution in those events simply because the athletes could soar as high as possible and land softly and safely?

What about the chemically altered, nearly weightless composite pole vaulting poles that now sling the vaulter over the bar, replacing the old bamboo and aluminum models of long ago?

What about today's nearly weightless, composite athletic footwear replacing the heavy old rubber-soled, canvas models, for a long time the only sports shoe in town?

What about today's composite metal bats used in youth, high school, and college baseball and softball versus the old, cumbersome ash and maple wood bats of yesteryear?

What about today's Tommy John elbow surgery that replaces a pitcher's injured tendon with one from a cadaver and gets them back on the mound good as new?

What about synthetic oil and race cars? Fiberglas and titanium fishing poles and electronic depth finders? Lazer eye surgery? AstroTurf? Composite bows and arrows? Polymer bowling balls? Plastic dominoes?

Change, folks. As life moves on, we move on, hand-in-hand with countless, unforeseen technical advances that will eventually kill the past.

And all the records in all the sports are the helpless victims.