Please, give us a break! I’m so, so over turning on the Olympics or looking at the covers of newspapers to see this man. He hasn’t even returned from Beijing yet, and he’s already played out most of his popular welcome. Why does the media unfailingly drown us in someone’s newfound popularity? Ten weeks ago I had never heard of Michael Phelps and my life was perfectly fine.
Amazingly, I just read a story in the Times about questions over a Chinese unknown winning a women’s swimming race in record time. There are accusations of doping from the Australians. (To be fair, I never met an Aussie in China who didn’t loathe the Chinese, and the accusation came from the woman’s mother. Um, sour grapes anyone?)
But Phelps wins a zillion of the things and no one says a peep about drugs?
In the accusations flying that China allows doping, people seem to have all-but forgotten that Marion Jones is currently watching the Olympics from JAIL. It’s not like the U.S. doesn’t dope.
I’ve been having conversations with friends and acquaintances all week, ruminating over the same question: “Who doesn’t drug?” It’s like we’ve all tacitly agreed to accept the fact of “extra help” because we know it’s not going anywhere. It’s like the kids who cheat on the SATs or have someone else write their college entrance exams. We all know that people do it, we just hope it’s not anyone we know.
Maybe if we weren’t so obsessed with winning at all costs, as a species, then this wouldn’t be such an issue. I read a great article in Vanity Fair (yes, I read fashion rags), all about doping. What struck me was one woman’s assertion that she didn’t want to drug, but it didn’t take her long to realize that she had to in order to compete with the people who did – and do.
Anyway, if I see one more of these pictures, I’m going to hurl. I thought “nice guys” were supposed to finish last, no?
I must be Chinese at heart, because I’m not that impressed either. It’s only swimming, people. He didn’t cure cancer. Or help children. Thus far, he’s spent most of his life inside a pool. Like a goldfish.
God help me to understand those obsessed by sports. I just don’t get it. But, then again, maybe I’m just bitter because I can’t swim at all (true), and I was always picked last for my 8th grade sports teams (mostly true). Maybe those of us who were never “athletic” can’t ever understand the inner workings of those that are.
i’m only 14 so u mite not really care.
well.
he mite use dope.
he was arrested for dui once.
but his body has been built to swimming.
the way he swims shapes his body.
he’s actually very disproportionate.
so i don’t think he uses dope.
he just has too many advantages over the other swimmers.
which is actually unfair.
and u’ve nvr heard of him b4?
i’ve known about him since i was 3.
haha. i wish i was 3 now.
Hey I just stumbled upon your thread and I agree with you 100%
Just keep on blogging!
IM SICK OF HIM TOO.
I am so sick of hearing about Michael Phelps and seeing his retarded smile with his big fat monkey ear. Seriously, that guy has physical features of a monkey; long arms, short legs, floppy ear and stupid smile. Besides, swimming isn’t even exciting to watch, its just a bunch of guys and girls doing laps in the pool. If it wasn’t about the medals, I bet no one would care. NBC need to stop showing all those swimming events (Men and women) and show more gymnastic events. I am also tired of watching all those volleyball game during prime time.
If I have to hear one more story about phelps, I’m gonna puke!!!!!
his ugly head must be so big right now. i’m soooo sick of him.
Michael Phelps can kiss my ass. The whole concept of the Olympic Games needs to go, as far as I’m concerned. Nothing but a monument to nationalism and win-at-all-costs jock mentality. Its time to move on, people.
it is certainly newsworthy that he’s won more golds than ony other olympian in a single olympics. For that he should definitely get a heightened level of exposure and coverage. But I agree with you that is does not seem balanced, especially now that he’s accomplished it and the focus seems to not be migrating away from him to other athletes and events. Instead, we’re now being bombarded with tedious congratulatory interviews, that even Michael seems to be getting bored with.
I hear you, sister.
I’m a 32 year old American man, love running, kayaking, scuba diving – I’m fitter than probably 99% of the coach potatoes who are rabid sports fans, but I don’t watch sports. I like to go to the occasional high school football game for the festive atmosphere, but that’s it. Trying being a man in this country and vocalizing the fact that you don’t like sports. People look at me as if I said Abraham Lincoln was a loser. There is a collective psychological pathology in this country that every man is supposed to like watching sports.
This Phelps thing is another ridiculous situation.
A couple of oil changes ago, I was sitting in Jiffy Lube waiting for my car, and picked up the first magazine I found on the waiting room table. It had a story on an olympic swimmer I had never heard of named Michael Phelps. It talked about his ADHD, and his mother getting him into swimming to give him focus. Apparently he had a bit of an attitude problem as well. Also talked about his drunk driving arrest. What really struck me were some stories his coach was telling of Phelps wanting to miss practice now and then to do normal things – hang out with friends, explore some different interests, go out on a date, etc. – normal things kids do when they are finding out who they are. The coach talked about coming down hard on Phelps, telling him that he would be wasting valuable training time, that if he wanted to be the best, essentially he should sacrifice a normal life. The picture the article painted was of someone who was emotionally and socially stunted because there was no time allowed to do anything but swim. His identifity for foreclosed for him at a pretty early age. I know there are people out there who admire him because he is such an incredible athlete, but I feel sorry for him for not being allowed to develop into much of a well-rounded person.
In a few years, some other kid is going to come along, who will be the next big thing. Maybe he’ll even beat Phelps’ times. By then Phelps won’t be able to match his own times from his glory days. He’ll be in his thirties and his “glory days” will have passed, and he will have sacrified years of opportunity to become an interesting well rounded person with varied life experiences, because he lived in a pool most of his formative years so that he could “be the best” for just a few short years. Sic transit gloria mundi.
I’m sick of him too.
He volunteers to be tested for drugs every chance he gets. That’s probably the best way to do it. It takes away any doubt. Obviously, there are still people who comment on things that they know nothing about…
totally agree with the blogger. I’m going to hurl if I see or hear one more piece of information on Michael Phelps. Phelpsmania needs to go. I’m happy that he’s really accomplished in swimming and won all these medals but the media need to stop making him seem larger than life. They made a huge deal of him having ADHD…and getting made fun of while growing up. Uh, I think a good number of us experience that–think that’s something called growing up.
Except for his obvious ability to swim (which probably owes to his unique physical makeup–long limbs and double joints everywhere), he seems like a socially inadequate (he always had his ipod plugged into his ears) fratboy with a bad attitude and poor music taste.
Hello,
I run into your blog by accident but spend some time to read your comment about phelps.
I have to agree on most of the stuff you wrote.
Regarding to the ones claiming phelps body is a wonder of nature and build for swimming i have to say he may have a suitable body type but he is human. Don’t forget thorpe kicked his ass in Athens 2004. So if phelps body is so perfect he would have won back then too. 2 years of untraceable dope and millions of dollars in sponcorships can get you clean even if you are not.
Imo all top athletes use dope. There is no such thing as clean sports anymore when it comes to top competition. Everything has to do with sponsors and money and not for the sake of competition as it should have been.
Amen! It is just swimming…let’s keep things in perspective! Sure, the guy might be the best swimmer ever, but all of his efforts will be rewarded in spades. I don’t understand why people insist on idolizing these celebrities. I know many people who work their butts off to try to be the best that they can be. They do it to support their families, they volunteer their time to charities and around the community, and we all take those people for granted. Please…let’s save the worship for God and just give Michael Phelps a pat on the back and a good ‘atta-boy’!
YOU ARE RETARDED!!!! MICHAEL PHELPS IS THE GREATEST SWIMMER OF ALL TIME!! he just made an olympic record how can you not say that you are proud of that? you are toally unamerican if you are not excited about that! this is a huge accomplishment! winning eight gold medals in the 2008 olympics was an oliympic record and a world record!!! it will never be achieved by anyone else or beaten by anyone!!! maybe by himself though!!!! get over it and let all of us be excited about something this great if you wont be excited!!!!!!!