Michael Phelps is the single most dominant athlete on the planet, bar none

[Irvine511]

some concerns that Phelps was looking rather tired after the 200 fly last night, yet he still swam his second fastest time ever in the 200 free.

could Lochte slay the beast in the 200IM? he'll have a battle with Aaron Piersol in the 200 bk beforehand, but Phelps has been sensational all week and he *has* to be tired.

and then there's Crocker waiting in the wings in the 100 fly.

going to be a very interesting next few days.

and poor Katie Hoff. i think the 400 IM shook her, and she's kind of swimming shattered right now.

 

[Utoo]

Sure, "luck" can always be considered a factor. But this isn't a reason to consider it:

After 400 m were swam, it was down to mere hundreds of a second.
How much closer would you like it to get before luck can be acknowledged ?

Michael Jordan scored a huuuge percentage of his career's points in the 4th quarter. To me, turning it on at the end is a symbol of a fantastic athlete, not luck that your opponent is tiring out.

Moreover, swimming is a sport where the times are recorded in hundredths for a reason---having a race come down to a few hundredths of a second is the norm, not the exception. That relay was not the first race that's come down to a few hundredths, and it won't be the last; nor was it the first where a swimmer came from behind to win. Using the above logic, we'd have to say that a very large percentage of swimming wins are due to luck.

I have to disagree.

 

[U2girl]

I don't get your definition of luck.

Yes, sometimes your opponent falters, like a girl falling off the beam, or a French guy swimming slower or whatever. But why does that mean you would have not otherwise won? Would the Chinese girls have won if Sacramone stayed on the beam and didn't fall on the floor? Probably still yes, given the large margin.

It isn't luck that you're a great athlete who performs better against an athlete that has a bad day. You're still a great athlete, whether it be the American swim team, the Chinese gymnasts, or whoever.

Honestly.

I was being sarcastic, since apparently that win - and the 2 second Phelps and 5 second US swim relay win - are comparable to the relay win by a few hundreds of a second.

 

[U2girl]

Sure, "luck" can always be considered a factor. But this isn't a reason to consider it:





Michael Jordan scored a huuuge percentage of his career's points in the 4th quarter. To me, turning it on at the end is a symbol of a fantastic athlete, not luck that your opponent is tiring out.

Moreover, swimming is a sport where the times are recorded in hundredths for a reason---having a race come down to a few hundredths of a second is the norm, not the exception. That relay was not the first race that's come down to a few hundredths, and it won't be the last; nor was it the first where a swimmer came from behind to win. Using the above logic, we'd have to say that a very large percentage of swimming wins are due to luck.

I have to disagree.

Quarters last 12 minutes in basketball. It's more like the guy that hits the shot for the 3 points to win in the last second.

As I said, if Lezak was doing that kind of "best Olympic ever split" on a reguar basis back in training, sure, that's skill. It looks more like Lezak managed an amazing swim in that particular race (wouldn't be the first or the last time an athlete manages amazing performances, thus causing upsets like that). A team with 0.6 lead with 100 m to swim should have taken it, 9 times out of 10.

 

[speedracer]

Quarters last 12 minutes in basketball. It's more like the guy that hits the shot for the 3 points to win in the last second.

Absent any other qualifications, this is a pretty awful definition/example of "luck" as well.

 

[U2girl]

Absent any other qualifications, this is a pretty awful definition/example of "luck" as well.

Well, given how much behind US were, maybe a better comparison would be the lucky shot at the end of the game, half the court away.

 

[U2girl]

Moreover, swimming is a sport where the times are recorded in hundredths for a reason---having a race come down to a few hundredths of a second is the norm, not the exception.

Then let's take another sport that introduced hundreds (even thousands) of a second: 100 m sprint. Often they get so close that they use a photofinish to decide the winner, so it comes down to whose chest (or is it the head that counts? not sure) happens to be crossing the line first.

Our local competitor on 110m hurdle race in Atlanta, for example, lost a gold medal to silver because the winner's breast happened to cross the finish line first. With a bit of luck, it could have been her breast and she would have won.

 

[anitram]

Our local competitor on 110m hurdle race in Atlanta, for example, lost a gold medal to silver because the winner's breast happened to cross the finish line first. With a bit of luck, it could have been her breast and she would have won.

Did she get implants after that?

 

[Lila64]

I think Phelps' success should be credited to skill, not luck. Give credit where credit is due. He wouldn't be where he is on "luck".

 

[Lila64]

Did she get implants after that?

 

[U2girl]

Alas, no, she didn't.

 

[U2girl]

I think Phelps' success should be credited to skill, not luck. Give credit where credit is due. He wouldn't be where he is on "luck".

Definitely.

 

[Irvine511]

and congratulations to Slovenia on winning a silver in the women's 200 free.

 

[Utoo]

Quarters last 12 minutes in basketball. It's more like the guy that hits the shot for the 3 points to win in the last second.

Sorry, but I've really got to disagree again. Lezak didn't do better in the last few hundredths of a second. He whooped the guy's ass for the whole last 50m. He was clearly catching up for that whole distance, and most clearly by the last 25m. Given that he stepped it up for the last 1/4 of his portion of the race (1/2 if you'll agree that he picked it up for the last 50m), it's every bit reasonable to compare it to Jordan stepping it up for the last quarter. If Lezak was neck-and-neck with the French guy the whole race through and only stepped it up in the last meter, then your analogy of making a buzzer-beating 3-pointer would hold.

Our local competitor on 110m hurdle race in Atlanta, for example, lost a gold medal to silver because the winner's breast happened to cross the finish line first. With a bit of luck, it could have been her breast and she would have won.

Or, with a bit more skill or desire, she might've run a little faster or been a little smarter as she crossed the finish line and tipped her head or breasts or fingertips across the line. I'm not downplaying that there's a possible role for chance. But just as easily as you can claim that the US swim team won by chance and not by skill or drive, I can say that your runner lost because of a lack of drive and the ability to kick it into gear when she had to.

From watching the event, it seems to me that Lezak pulled in the win due to skill and drive. And from reading the below quotes it seems that smarts and cunning played a part, as well:

The 32-year-old Lezak was nearly a body length behind Bernard as they made the final turn, but the American hugged the lane rope and stunningly overtook him on the very last stroke.

Wow!

"This has been happening my whole career," Lezak said. "People have gotten on my lane line and sucked off of me, so I figured this is the one opportunity in my whole career to do that."

(from ESPN - Lezak runs down French to win relay gold for U.S. - Olympics)

Never doubt an experienced athlete who 1). was taunted by the opposing team before the match, 2). is a friggin' champion with years of experience, and 3). is competing in the friggin' Olympics. Add to all that the desire to see a teammate and friend accomplish a magnificent feat--one that relies on your own performance--and I think you're greatly overestimating the power of chance and insulting Lezak in the process.

 

[trevster2k]

If Bernard wasn't the unthinking swimmer he is, Lezak probably would not have benefited as much from the draft as he did.

Credit goes to Lezak for never giving up and being smart enough to hug the lane marker. But credit also has to be given to the fact that Bernard made 2 amateur mistakes by hugging the lane marker at the turn thus dragging a 200 lb man behind him, slowing himself down and saving energy for his opponent to use at the end. And looking over during the last 5 metres instead of just focusing on the wall. If this did not occur, it was unlikely for Lezak to catch him. Drafting only occurs under certain circumstances and Bernard was more than happy to give the opportunity to Lezak which he took full advantage of. I wouldn't call it luck other than just stuff that happens in sport.

Bernard did it again during the 100m heat by lifting his head to turn around to check his time as he reached the wall instead of just finishing along with hugging lane marker again. He learned nothing from the experience.

ETA Phelps is not a lucky athlete by any means. His genetic gifts and incredible work ethic are why he is at a different level than the rest of the swimmers.

 

[No spoken words]

Re: Bernard looking over....Lezak also looked over, so, call that a wash.

 

[trevster2k]

I don't recall seeing Lezak making the mistake of looking over at the end taking away precious hundredths of seconds. But in any case, I am not taking anything away from Lezak's tremendous final leg. There were certain events which allowed this remarkable finish to happen which is what others much more knowledgeable than I have pointed out. Lezak was the perfect man to be in that situation who could use his experience to take advantage instead of panicking.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

NBC's slo-mo shot of the last 10m shows Lezak taking a peek. They even used those fun pens that the football announcers use to circle the moment.

 

[trevster2k]

Here, go nuts over and over again.

3rd page last video

CBC Olympics | On Demand Video

 

[No spoken words]

NBC's slo-mo shot of the last 10m shows Lezak taking a peek. They even used those fun pens that the football announcers use to circle the moment.

Good memories + telestrators FTW.

 

[anitram]

Thought this was cute:

"I got 80 text messages today. One of my friends said to me, 'Dude, how many times a day do I have to see your ugly face?'"
-- Michael Phelps (USA)

 

[U2girl]

Sorry, but I've really got to disagree again. Lezak didn't do better in the last few hundredths of a second. He whooped the guy's ass for the whole last 50m. He was clearly catching up for that whole distance, and most clearly by the last 25m. Given that he stepped it up for the last 1/4 of his portion of the race (1/2 if you'll agree that he picked it up for the last 50m), it's every bit reasonable to compare it to Jordan stepping it up for the last quarter. If Lezak was neck-and-neck with the French guy the whole race through and only stepped it up in the last meter, then your analogy of making a buzzer-beating 3-pointer would hold.



Or, with a bit more skill or desire, she might've run a little faster or been a little smarter as she crossed the finish line and tipped her head or breasts or fingertips across the line. I'm not downplaying that there's a possible role for chance. But just as easily as you can claim that the US swim team won by chance and not by skill or drive, I can say that your runner lost because of a lack of drive and the ability to kick it into gear when she had to.

From watching the event, it seems to me that Lezak pulled in the win due to skill and drive. And from reading the below quotes it seems that smarts and cunning played a part, as well:


(from ESPN - Lezak runs down French to win relay gold for U.S. - Olympics)

Never doubt an experienced athlete who 1). was taunted by the opposing team before the match, 2). is a friggin' champion with years of experience, and 3). is competing in the friggin' Olympics. Add to all that the desire to see a teammate and friend accomplish a magnificent feat--one that relies on your own performance--and I think you're greatly overestimating the power of chance and insulting Lezak in the process.

Maybe compare it to the basketball player that scores 50 points at the NBA finals ?

Skill and drive and strategy were all used but it didn't hurt he swam the fastest split in Olympic history at such a crucial race.
"I don't know how I was able to take it back that fast, because I've never been able to come anywhere near that for the last 50." "I knew I was going to have to swim out of my mind," Lezak said. "Still right now, I'm in disbelief."

Acknowledging amazing feats that happen at the Olympics by chance isn't meant to be insulting and I'm sorry if it offends you.

Thanks, Irvine - congrats Phelps on getting the historic 11 gold at the Olympics. Our first swimming medal at the Olympics, and all three in that race broke the WR. The newspaper here talks of swimuits and ponders doping at seeing the WR dropping like flies at these Olympics, but "today we won't talk about it".

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yahoo sports

Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 9:15 pm EDT
Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day

By Chris Chase

After he retires from swimming, Michael Phelps might want to try his hand at competitive eating. The Olympic star recently said he consumes 12,000 calories per day, or 9,500 more than the FDA recommends for an active, young male.

Phelps has to keep his intake up in order to compensate for all the calories he burns during the 30-hours per week he spends in training. He told NBC that an average day might have the following menu:

Breakfast: 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, 5-egg omlette, bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast, 3 chocolate chip pancakes

Lunch: 1 pound pasta, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Dinner: 1 pound pasta, 1 large pizza, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Three years ago, Phelps told an interviewer:

"I eat pretty much whatever I want. I don't have a strict diet. It's all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can. To be honest with you, I have a tough time keeping weight on."



Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 4:19 pm EDT
Will Michael Phelps' last race be shown live all over the country?

By Nick Friedell

Olympic fans on the west coast now have an extra incentive to cheer for Michael Phelps. Media Bistro received an anonymous tip, saying NBC is 'seriously considering ' televising Phelps' last race live for the entire nation, not just the eastern and central time zones, as they have done throughout the Games.

NBC giving serious consideration to airing Saturday's prime-time Olympic coverage live in all time zones due to Michael Phelps' potential 8th gold medal. This would allow full network to show race as it is happening. Otherwise, West Coast viewers would see it three hours after it takes place. Final decision may be made late Thursday night EDT.

If Phelps is actually on the verge of earning his eight gold medal, I think NBC would be stupid not to show it live in every time zone. The number of angry viewers they would have to put up with if they didn't show the race live would be astronomical.

Showing the competition live though would be opening a Pandora's box of sorts for the network. As Maggie mentioned, NBC has already taunted viewers on the west coast with 'live' graphics. If this race is broadcast on Saturday live, then what happens on Sunday when all the west coast viewers want to see the other events as they are taking place, and instead, are forced to watched tape-delayed coverage once again. NBC has backed themselves into a corner here and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

 

[Irvine511]

i'm really beginning to wonder if Phelps actually is going to do it.

he looked perfect in the semis of the 200 IM, and while Lochte will give him a race, i just can't see him losing.

Phelps had a terrific prelim in the 100 fly, too, and Crocker looked way out of it, more than a second behind Phelps and just barely made it into the semis.

there's a Serbian who actually beat Phelps this morning in the 100 fly, but when the pressure is on, and if Crocker is off his game, no one beats Phelps.

it really could happen.

of course, now that i've jinxed it ...




on another note, i really wish the US women were swimming better.

 

[trevster2k]

Hey Irvine, do you think this pool combined with the suits has put all the records askew? It seems that everyone is reaching new heights in this event. Will there be a rude awakening when swimmers return to pools which aren't as deep, and with weaker drainage systems?

For the near future, will this be the only pool where records can be broken because of the most optimum conditions? Because this has been an insane meet and records aren't being broken by one person and by a little. They are being decimated (and in the recent past, these kinds of performances would lead to drug questions, not that this is the case here) with multiple people or teams breaking it at the same time. I believe in the Olympic bump but this is extremely unusual.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Michael Phelps, the billion dollar man?

Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:07am EDT

By Belinda Goldsmith

BEIJING (Reuters) - Weighed in gold, Michael Phelps is worth about $3 million. In reality the face of the Beijing Olympics is probably worth 10 times that amount each year.

Marketing experts said the 23-year-old American, who is now the most successful Olympian with 11 gold medals, will become the richest professional swimmer ever, far surpassing the money earned by the former most decorated U.S. swimmer, Mark Spitz.

"He's the greatest Olympian in the world and he'll be able to earn money everywhere as he's an international brand," Australia-based celebrity agent Max Markson told Reuters.

"He's a billion dollar man. He won't have to get a job ever. He can live off this for 50 years."

Olympic sports have meant big business since the Olympic movement allowed professional athletes to compete 20 years ago.

But none has banked the sums earned by charismatic megastars like Tiger Woods, David Beckham or Michael Jordan whose names are globally known and set cash registers ringing everywhere.

Eli Portnoy, chief brand strategist at the Portnoy Group, a U.S. consultancy specialized in branding, doubted Phelps -- or any Olympian -- would match the earning power of Woods who is estimated to become the first billionaire athlete by 2010.

Phelps reportedly earns about $5 million a year from endorsements although his agency Octagon declined to comment. Portnoy forecast this rising to about $30 million, short term.

"In the heat and intensity of this event it may seem that his earning power is limitless, but you have to pull back and look at someone like Tiger Woods who has performed at a top level for years and years in front of the world," he said.

"The Olympics is only held once every four years. After a year to so Americans forget about the Olympics and move to stars they see more. Kids want someone else on their Weetabix box."

THE PHELPS PHENOMENON

Phelps is already the epitome of the modern American corporate Olympian with the Phelps Machine in full swing before he topped the record nine gold tally held by Spitz and Carl Lewis, Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi and Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina.

Phelps, who became a professional swimmer at 16 and a millionaire by 18, has sponsors, agents, lawyers, accountants, charities, his own website in English and Chinese, and even his own logo with a wave-like blue M and red P over his name.

An Octagon spokesman said his sponsors were credit card company Visa Inc., Speedo, watch maker Omega, AT&T Wireless, energy food company PowerBar. Kellogg's, Rosetta Stone, and PureSport. He declined to say what they paid Phelps.

Within seconds of Phelps's snapping up his 10th gold medal, Visa released a special edition television commercial commemorating his title as the most decorated Olympian.

"You need to be out there early and establish your affiliation with the property, Michael Phelps," said Michael Lynch, head of global sponsorship management at Visa whose relationship with Phelps dates back to 2002.

"His performance here will benefit us as it will add to the visibility we will get through this affiliation ... and his earning ability will increase, there's no question of that."

Portnoy said Phelps's youth and composure under pressure made him a marketer's dream. The only blotch on his record was an arrest for drinking and driving in 2004 for which he apologized.

"In the short term, he is a gold mine because he represents everything that is pure, young, strong and visionary about America. We haven't had anyone of this significance since Mark Spitz," said Portnoy.

"Guaranteed there will be marketers wanting a piece of him that make no sense and it will interesting to see how his handlers cope with this and if they get greedy because the Olympics has a narrow avenue of marketability."

 

[Irvine511]

Hey Irvine, do you think this pool combined with the suits has put all the records askew? It seems that everyone is reaching new heights in this event. Will there be a rude awakening when swimmers return to pools which aren't as deep, and with weaker drainage systems?

For the near future, will this be the only pool where records can be broken because of the most optimum conditions? Because this has been an insane meet and records aren't being broken by one person and by a little. They are being decimated (and in the recent past, these kinds of performances would lead to drug questions, not that this is the case here) with multiple people or teams breaking it at the same time. I believe in the Olympic bump but this is extremely unusual.

it is extremely unusual. everyone will point to the suits, the pool, the improvements in training, the fact that swimmers can now be professional athletes, and the fact that this is the Olympics and people train for 4 years with this one meet in mind.

what i also think is interesting is how spread out the medals have been. traditional powers like the US and Australia are doing well, but what we have seen, now more than ever, are individual countries who spend time and money on individual swimmers who are capable of stepping up big time for a single meet. these individual swimmers usually train in the US (occasionally Australia) and then swim for a country, like, say, Zimbabwe, with Auburn grad Kirsty Coventry being the perfect example. these individual athletes don't have to worry about the brutality of just making the US or Australian Olympic Teams, and they can focus on this single meet alone, as opposed to US and Australians who have to peak twice in a year, or as the case with the US, twice in 6 weeks. so one individual who's been lavished attention and training can step it up and swim great and raise the bar.

also, the Chines swimmers have been hidden for the past 4 years. after all the drug violations in the 1990s, the team disappeared and have been training in secret for the past 4 years, all for this one meet. they won no medals at the 2007 World Championships, and now they've got multiple medals.

and there is always science to consider. it's not so much "are they doping" but its for sure that some are, and it's for sure that some are taking PEDs that might not be illegal, yet. the mentality in all sports is more the letter of the law than the spirit -- i.e., there might be a PED out there, but if it's not specifically illegal, or, if there isn't a specific test for it, then that athlete will probably take it. lots of people point to HGH as an example of this.

so it's a variety of things. but, yeah, it's been insane.

 

[Hewson]

Yahoo sports

Wednesday, Aug 13, 2008 9:15 pm EDT
Michael Phelps eats 12,000 calories per day

By Chris Chase

After he retires from swimming, Michael Phelps might want to try his hand at competitive eating. The Olympic star recently said he consumes 12,000 calories per day, or 9,500 more than the FDA recommends for an active, young male.

Phelps has to keep his intake up in order to compensate for all the calories he burns during the 30-hours per week he spends in training. He told NBC that an average day might have the following menu:

Breakfast: 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, 5-egg omlette, bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast, 3 chocolate chip pancakes

Lunch: 1 pound pasta, 2 ham and cheese sandwiches, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Dinner: 1 pound pasta, 1 large pizza, energy drink (1,000 calorie)

Three years ago, Phelps told an interviewer:

"I eat pretty much whatever I want. I don't have a strict diet. It's all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can. To be honest with you, I have a tough time keeping weight on."


.

Watch as Phelps goes for Gold #8 he'll have a heart attack and croak in the pool from clogged arteries from all the eggs and pizza.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

 

[MrPryck2U]

When those Collector's Edition Michael Phelps Wheaties' boxes come out, y'all better stock up.