Two observations today.
The first brings together several blog postings that have previously been made here: 'The Primacy of Machines' (July) and 'Suits You, Sir' (June). While the contentious debate about swimming 'super suits' appears to have been brought to a conclusion, the outcome nevertheless raises an important question:
Is there any sport in which an athlete can have primacy over technology (rather than machines), or are we now living in an age where the prevailing technological paradigm is such that it confers inevitable advantages on the athletes, teams and sports that embrace it? Alternatively stated, is sport now more about technological advantage rather than fair and open competition, and is there anything we can (or would want to) do about it?
Secondly, the nature of the following article from Time magazine, in my mind at least, invites a comparison with sport in the downturn:
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1913926,00.html/
Consider the following extract: "VW is benefiting from its traditional strengths — and even some of its weaknesses. The German firm has a strong position in Latin America, where it is the leading car maker, and in China, where it is ahead of the pack despite intense pressure from GM [and also in Europe]. Interestingly, the German car maker's weak position in the U.S. market, the world's largest, has turned out to be a blessing in disguise during this crisis." On this basis could football be the VW of the sporting world? If the comparison is a reasonable one, what could sport learn from taking a closer look at the downturn in the motor industry?
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