“I told myself I never want to swim when I’m 30,” Phelps told reporters after his final race, making it clear that he won’t be back in the pool for the 2016 Olympics.
I suppose a tri career is out of the question as well.
The dude will have a long career in the commentary booth if he wants…
Columnist for High Times magazine?
Why aren’t you asking about what’s next for any number of other gold medal winning athletes that will retire?
Or what about the swimmers that missed selection and have to get real jobs?
Do you really care that much about MP or is it just the media hype?
“Why aren’t you asking about what’s next for any number of other gold medal winning athletes that will retire?”
Welcome to the real world. Phelps is the most accomplished Olympian in history. Surely you can’t be surprised that people are more interested in him than many of the less well known athletes.
Um this is America. We celebrate our most decorated athlete and he has become a house name. Are we morally obligated to give a shit about the other athletes?
Your soap box is a wee bit high; I’ll get you a ladder.
I’m not surprised, I just think it’s interesting that a few days a year of massive media hype for 8 years have done this to his career. As for your assertion of “most accomplished Olympian”, well, Usain Bolt might have a shot if he could race the 100m side shuffle, twirly whirly, and backwards run. Most accomplished swimmer is the term you were searching for. And yeah, it’s swimming, not exactly a spectator sport except when NBC decides to shove hours of it down your throat. It’s indicative of the pitiful culture surrounding Olympic sports in this country.
Um this is America. We celebrate our most decorated athlete and he has become a house name. Are we morally obligated to give a shit about the other athletes?
Your soap box is a wee bit high; I’ll get you a ladder.
This is the USA. We care about the people NBC decides we should. You aren’t morally obligated to care about anything but if you want the US Olympic athletes to succeed and breed a culture of success then you damn well better give a shit. Of course, I’m sure you’ve never watched a world champion have to wonder if they have to pay for a trip to a World Cup, but this is America.
As for your assertion of “most accomplished Olympian”, well, Usain Bolt might have a shot if he could race the 100m side shuffle, twirly whirly, and backwards run
Or he could run the 400 and 400 hurdles and 100 hurdles.
" Most accomplished swimmer is the term you were searching for."
Nope. I used exactly the term is wanted to use. Phelps has won 22 Olympic medals. He is, objectively speaking, the most accomplished Olympian, by a decent measure.
“Usain Bolt might have a shot if he could race the 100m side shuffle, twirly whirly, and backwards run”
Bolt has won 3 golds, all in the same Olympics (100, 200, and relay). That’s fine, but 3 golds doesn’t even put him in the same conversation with Phelps for most accomplished Olympian. It’s not even close. Maybe in two or three more Olympics, he’ll be closer. If you are suggesting that all the different swimming events are basically the same thing, then I would suggest you are underestimating the differences between the strokes and distances.
“And yeah, it’s swimming, not exactly a spectator sport except when NBC decides to shove hours of it down your throat”
As opposed to track and field?
Edited to correct Bolt’s events.
They don’t wonder about what I have to pay for, so why should I have to worry about them?
Bolt has won 3 golds, all in the same event.
3 different events – 100, 200, relay
"3 different events – 100, 200, relay "
My mistake, you are correct.
I’m not surprised, I just think it’s interesting that a few days a year of massive media hype for 8 years have done this to his career. As for your assertion of “most accomplished Olympian”, well, Usain Bolt might have a shot if he could race the 100m side shuffle, twirly whirly, and backwards run. Most accomplished swimmer is the term you were searching for. And yeah, it’s swimming, not exactly a spectator sport except when NBC decides to shove hours of it down your throat. It’s indicative of the pitiful culture surrounding Olympic sports in this country.
At this point Bolt isn’t even the most accomplished Olympian in Track & Field. And if you are trying to claim that all of Phelp’s medals stem from doing essentially the same thing I would invite you to take a couple of lessons and learn how to swim. I know it’s tougher to pick up as an adult, but with a little hard work I’m sure you can do it.
I’m getting tired of all the Phelps commentary. I’m sorry, but the swimming races are ridiculous. 100m X, 200m X, 400m X, 200m medley, for each stroke, individual and then relay. I mean, shouldn’t cycling then have a 10 mile race, a 20 mile race, a 50 mile race, a hill climb, 100 mile race, 150 mile race. Then we could have cyclists racking up tons of medals too! Just like swimming, it would take different skillsets to win each of those…
Sure and thats why the most medals list is dominated by swimmers and gymnastics. But its also why guys like Teofilo Stephenson, Carl Lewis, Al Oerter etc are mentioned.
“I told myself I never want to swim when I’m 30,” Phelps told reporters after his final race, making it clear that he won’t be back in the pool for the 2016 Olympics.
I suppose a tri career is out of the question as well.
i’m calling it… he’ll be back
" I mean, shouldn’t cycling then have a 10 mile race, a 20 mile race, a 50 mile race, a hill climb, 100 mile race, 150 mile race. Then we could have cyclists racking up tons of medals too! Just like swimming, it would take different skillsets to win each of those… "
Well, first off, swimming is different than cycling. Just because one sport has a legitimate reason to have a bunch of different races, that doesn’t mean they all should. Secondly, cycling does have lots of different distances and disciplines. There’s the road race, the time trial, Mountain biking, BMX, and 5 different track races. They are all different distances and different skill sets, although they all basically involve pedaling a bike ( except probably for BMX).
“I told myself I never want to swim when I’m 30,” Phelps told reporters after his final race, making it clear that he won’t be back in the pool for the 2016 Olympics.
I suppose a tri career is out of the question as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-j3xITvYQY
“New car, caviar, four star daydream,
Think I’ll buy me a football team”
Good for him.
This is the USA. We care about the people NBC decides we should…