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Two of the most fashionable in the Swimming community, Lochte is ready for his shoe line debut. "Jeah!"

07/28/10

Ryan Lochte  is the modern-day Gary Hall Jr. for the sport of swimming. Flashy. Loves the cameras. Everyone wants to be like Ryan. He’s great for creating that “bad boy” image – something swimming lacks. He’s a swimmer’s swimmer – younger age-groupers adore the guy because he’s laid-back, hip, and isn’t afraid to show his personality in front of the media and fans.

But shoes?

On August 3rd, Speedo will unveil the Ryan Lochte shoe line. Which means, well, I’m not exactly sure. Will they be shoes? Will they be deck flippy-floppies? Will they have large-sized superimposed images of Lil’ Wayne on them? No one really knows.

But, when I think about buying shoes, the names that pop into my head are: Jordan. Iverson. LeBron. You know, basketball guys. Run and jump guys. When I think shoe, I think about agile athletes known for their land prowess. Or stakeboarders. I own a pair of Converse myself, probably because subconsciously I see all the skateboarding kids wear them and I want them, too.

Remember when Lochte broke his knee? What was he doing, dancing?

"I'll have what he's wearing!"

I’m poking fun at Ryan. I’m sure the shoes will be great. And kudos to him for doing something different, something creative, and something to get people talking about swim apparel that doesn’t have anything to do with full-body polyurethane suits. It’s just slightly humorous that this shoe-line comes from a guy with a groin injury and mending knee from break-dancing.

Here's what I'm hoping these shoes will be:

1) I'd like to see them easy to get on and off (for swimmers behind the blocks.) Slip on. Slip off. That would be ideal. I remember back in my day we used to fiddle with shoes behind the blocks. No one wants that.

2) I'd like to see them employ a new technology (which I’m not sure has been invented yet) called “waterproof fuzz.” (We can land on the moon but we can’t have fuzzy slippers that won’t get wet? What up, science?)

3) I’d like to not break my knee and/or hurt my groin in them.

I’m just kidding. I really am. Maybe one day they’ll come out with a “Mike Gustafson” shoe line for old, out-of-shape, poor-postured writer-types. I’m interested to see what Lochte’s shoe line will look like, and if they cater to swimmers walking around on the pool deck or if they are just sneakers.

Because swimmers have their own demands for shoes. We are uncoordinated. We are accident-prone. And we need a shoe that addresses these needs. Preferably shoes that remind you with an audio voice that occasionally says, “Stop walking. You’re a swimmer. You are bound to hurt yourself at some point today.”