Also, the article is filled with who and what Mark Schubert is to Speedo and what he tried to do before these Championships.
So, is Cavic mouthing off or is every word he is saying true? From AP:
“If Mike wants an Arena, he just has to say it,” Cavic said. “If he wants a Jaked and they don’t want to give it to him free, I’ll buy it for him. He has options. I think in the media it’s been portrayed that he has no option, he has to swim for (Speedo). It’s a complete lie.”
“I know he’s making a lot of money from Speedo,” Cavic said. “It’s loyalty. But throughout all my experiences, I’ve learned this—free will is a gift with a price tag, and whatever you choose to do you’re going to pay, but how much you’re going to pay is really dependent on you.”
“I think there’s three options for Michael,” Cavic said. “The first option is to use the suit that he’s wearing, the second option is to get one of these (polyurethane) suits, which I guarantee Arena will provide him within the hour, as soon as he wants. The third option would actually be a dream of mine, to have the whole final everybody swimming in briefs. I swear to God, this is it, this is what I want, but this is the most unrealistic of all scenarios.”
“Last year at the height of the suit controversy, Mark Schubert said, ‘Do you want the money or do you want the win?”’ Cavic said. “Michael Phelps has plenty of money. Who knows what it is? I think it’s just loyalty and he’s very gracious for everything Speedo has done for him.”
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I am rooting for Cavic and his suit comapny!
12 comments:
I'm glad Cavic said it... being stuck with an "old fashioned" LZR is a personal problem. It's not that Phelps doesn't have access to other suits, it's that he won't use them. And honestly who is to say he'd be faster in one anyways? He didn't seem all that concerned when he had a stack for custom built LZRs while everyone else was scrambling to get what they could.
Anyways, I think Cavic is busy running his mouth like this because he's convinced that he can beat Phelps and if he does he is going to be pissed when everyone says "yeah but it was the suit." The media perception is that Phelps is invincible so Cavic can't win, even if he does win.
I'd be more impressed with Cavic if he wasn't still whinging that he won the 100 Fly in Beijing, and that all the clocks and photos were wrong.
I do agree that Phelps is choosing to swim with the LZR and if he loses the race, its his own choice. Bindemann handled it pretty well, I thought.
I agree, that was poor form.. These kids can't measure their words.
Awesome! I wish everybody on this thread could watch it at a sports bar and the loser had to buy the next round.
Much of what Cavic says is truth. Phelps is choosing loyalty over medals. Either choice is understandable. The problem I have with him is that he seems to be criticizing Phelps, implying that he's complaining, when I don't really think he has. Wanting the rules to change in the future =/= complaining/whining. Phelps has given credit to his competitors, decried his "bad" relay splits (although they really weren't) and complimented his teammates for "carrying" him, and talked about how although he's disappointed, it's not unexpected given his lack of conditioning. Pretty much everything but blaming losses on the suits.
It seems like Cavic shouldn't be directing his frustration at Phelps, but at the media. If he beats Phelps, he wants full credit for it, but he knows he won't get it from them. He knows Phelps is going to get the benefit of the doubt, not him, which is unfortunate, but not Phelps' fault.
I think this rash of statements has a lot to do with his bitterness over that Beijing final. He's obviously not as over it as he says he is. Frankly, I'm sympathetic to him because of the suit situation, but his comments about the Beijing final leave a bad taste in my mouth and make me think he's a poor sport.
Hi Amanda
You know, I have to admit that I am so biased that I think my bias regarding Speedo is getting the best of me.
Cavic needs to learn the dark arts of PR, huh?
Not gonna lie, I hope Cavic wipes the floor with Phelps. My opinion of Phelps, great swimmer and athlete that his, has steadily decreased since Beijing. I am extremely disappointed with how he and his coach have handled the suit controversy. I think a taking a chunk out of that hubris he's developed would be a very good thing.
Yeah, me too. I agree, Lindsay.
Bet Cavic wishes he hadn't trash talked so much now. Just feeds the beast.
True, true! - I really do think hat he, Bowman and Schubert as surrogates for Speedo have hurt swimming.
I think just when swimming was gaining popularity, FINA and Speedo had to send it back underground
i think thats sad that you want MP to lose just because he is a Speedo sponsored athlete. HE IS YOUR COUNTRYMAN! do you hope other speedo sponsored athletes are unsuccessful? don't you think that is rather childish?
also, who is to say Arena or Jaked is better than Speedo? isnt it funny that michael phelps set new work records in all his events (excluding the 200 free) while wearing an INFERIOR swimsuit? just because the LZR isnt 100% polyurethane doesnt make it a bad suit!
there were actually a lot of medalists and WRs set in the "old" Speedo LZR Racer, AND lots of athletes who switched from the LZR to Arena/Jaked didnt perform so well.
I think we should start a running list!...
*FTM = failed to medal
Michael Phelps (Speedo LZR)
- 100 fly gold WR
- 200 fly gold WR
- 4x100 free relay gold WR
- 4x200 free relay gold WR
- 4x100 medley relay gold WR
Ryan Lochte (Speedo LZR)
- 200 IM gold
- 400 IM gold
- 4x100 free relay golf WR
- 4x200 free relay gold WR
Dara Torres (Jaked)
- 50 free FTM
- 4x100 free relay FTM
also, in reference to Milorad Cavics statements... he also stated that he KNOWS he won the 100 fly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics! he has "seen the photos online" and he feels the touchpads weren't properly working! sounds a lil crazy and in denial to me!
also, am I the only one who finds it funny that Milo talks "smack" before the race, but always is in love with MP after the race? After the finish of the 100 fly in Rome, Cavic told MP that he is the "man" and that if he were to finish 2nd to anyone, he would want to lose to Phelps. He made very similiar statements after the 100 fly in Beijing.
I know, it's very tacky of me as person to root against Phelps due to his Speedo Sponsorship.
I just dislike Speedo so much due to the way they conduct business that I would root against the greatest swimmer ever just so speedo would change.
I am not going to rationalize my personality deficit, but I am certainly going to be honest about it.
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