i cant imagine im going to change anyone's mind but i'll still rant away.
but what is really the difference between and artificially created wet race and a naturally occurring wet race?
this is, after all, a technology driven sport in which every aspect is enhanced through artificial means...so basically for me this is not a bridge too far.
as for other sports...some seek to eliminate the effects of nature all together (building of domed stadiums)..im not really a fan of that. a little too much on the sanitized side for me.
-naturally occurring wet races have become sanitized events imo. fear of accidents, liability issues, and SCs making everything safer.
some seek to change the nature of the playing surfaces (playing on grass vs artificial turf)...its made football (nfl) a much faster sport but also creates more injuries so jury is still out on that one for me though there are some new turfs that are more forgiving on knees and ankles now.
- technology allowing for the best of both worlds. speed with safety. its possible now to have a wet race in a controlled environment so its safer and hopefully that means we dont need SCs as the amount of water on the track can be managed.
some seek venues that facilitate world records (air quality and altitude)...you can almost pick which track events to watch because you know records will be broken. same for swimming with the new pools that are designed to mitigate wake effects and have manipulated water viscosity levels.
-with such a lengthy calendar why not have more variation? (although Purist made a good point earlier - other venues who cant do this will resent the spectacle/advantage venues who can offer this will have).
some pick venues based strictly on climate and time of year...the F1 calendar does this because in addition to needing favorable track conditions there are a lot of fans who have to sit outside during the event
- sprinklers mean you can see a wet race while staying dry in the stands.
some sports embrace differences to showcase the various skill sets required (grass vs concrete vs clay)
- this is where i think the sprinklers really come into play for me...driving in the wet is a skill i would like to see more of.
its all artificial anyways right? choices made to increase the entertainment value no? imo there is nothing inherently wrong with that.
agree to disagree of course but for me there are very practical and entertaining ways to insert technology. an artificial wet race is one i can currently get on board with.
fan boosts and PHD's are a bridge too far...although some medical treatments (platelet therapies for example) and PHD use is becoming not only more common but also more acceptable.
so who knows...10 years from now i will probably have a different view on that as well.
