Culture TED Partners

In the Skype Studio: The ever-changing finish line

Posted by:

In his TED Talk, published last week, Sports Illustrated reporter David Epstein asks, “Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger?” The short answer is ‘yes,’ but it’s not just a matter of talent improving. He shows the nuance of how it’s also about changing technology that allow for faster speeds, rising expectations that enable athletes to push harder, and the fact that athletes are increasingly selected for the physical attributes associated with success in their sport.

At TED2014, Epstein took a seat in the Skype Studio to ask a variety of athletes: what’s the biggest change you’ve seen in your sport?

Watch the video above to hear answers from former NFL punter Chris Kluwe, who is sitting next to Epstein in the studio. And beaming in from locations across North America: retired Major League Baseball star Doug Glanville, gold medal bobsledder Steve Mesler and Hayley Wickenheiser, the Canadian women’s ice hockey player who also plays softball for her country in the Summer Olympics. Their takes on what’s changed in their respective sports is simply fascinating. Not to mention their thoughts on what should change.