Phelps comments on 2008 Games

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

swimr4life — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:48:43 GMT

From SI's perspective it's certainly a niche sport. Their bread-and-butter sports are football, baseball, basketball and hockey, with a little bit of golf and tennis thrown in. (Oh, yeah, I almost forgot the swimsuit edition.) I was sitting in the doctor's office this morning and they happened to have that issue. I got to the end of the second page and was disappointed to see the article wasn't more detailed. I went to their website just now. They don't even list swimming in their "Other" tab. Skip SI appeals to a certain "niche" of old high school/college football/baseball jocks that still think,"I could've been a contender!" :thhbbb:

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

jonblank — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 08:12:44 GMT

Based on his recent results, and on the fact that there was a two page spread in Sports Illustrated on World Championships (the only swimming news that I've ever seen in SI in a non-Olympic year is those little 'Faces in the Crowd' blurbs), I'd say he's doing pretty well on both counts! Yay Phelps!! One comment in the SI article that bothered me was the citation of swimming as a "niche sport". It's certainly the most popular participant sport in the US, (if you count noodlers and their ilk), and one of the "glamor" events of the Summer Olympics. I know it's not Monster Trucks or World Wide Wrestling:dunno: , but give me a break - "niche sport"?

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

aquaFeisty — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:14:21 GMT

Sorry...I have to strongly disagree. He put in years of yardage and hard workouts before he got any monetary rewards! He deserves every penny of what he is getting right now. He wants to be the best in the world. I think it is awesome that swimmers are finally making a fraction of the money that other professional athletes make. I'm with you, Beth! There is no way that anyone could continue to push themselves through the kind of workouts that Phelps does if it was only for the money. Phelps main motivators seem to be: 1. He hates to lose 2. He wants to elevate the sport of swimming, particularly in the US Based on his recent results, and on the fact that there was a two page spread in Sports Illustrated on World Championships (the only swimming news that I've ever seen in SI in a non-Olympic year is those little 'Faces in the Crowd' blurbs), I'd say he's doing pretty well on both counts! Yay Phelps!!

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

smontanaro — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 04:36:17 GMT

One comment in the SI article that bothered me was the citation of swimming as a "niche sport". From SI's perspective it's certainly a niche sport. Their bread-and-butter sports are football, baseball, basketball and hockey, with a little bit of golf and tennis thrown in. (Oh, yeah, I almost forgot the swimsuit edition.) I was sitting in the doctor's office this morning and they happened to have that issue. I got to the end of the second page and was disappointed to see the article wasn't more detailed. I went to their website just now. They don't even list swimming in their "Other" tab. Skip

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

BillS — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 03:57:35 GMT

It can't be a niche sport when the likes of NPR's Frank Deford offers flattering commentary comparing Michael Phelps to dominant athletes such as Messr's Woods and Federer. You can listen here: www.npr.org/.../story.php

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:59:20 GMT

He's only in it for the money.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

FlyQueen — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:40:57 GMT

Yeah those are big gaps, but look how much time Lochte just dropped in the 200 back ... it was over a second ...

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:28:51 GMT

Would be interesting to see what their head to head results are....I know Phelps has won at least two of the match-ups.....Anyone?

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

knelson — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:47:45 GMT

but I dont think that he can beat crocker in the 100 fly because every time phelps beats crocker its because crocker screws up some how. Of course he can beat him. We've just seen that he can beat him. We've seen with these two, in most cases, it comes down to the finish. Sometimes Crocker has a better finish, sometimes Phelps does. I do think Crocker is the better 100 flyer, but he's also a little more inconsistent. Also, keep in mind there were a couple guys expected to threaten Phelps in Melbourne who tanked (or, perhaps more politically correct "failed to challenge Phelps"). Namely, Peter VDH in the 200 free and Laszlo Cseh in the IMs. I wouldn't count those guys out yet. Also, the south Africans in the 400 free relay. Was there Athens performance a flash in the pan?

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Frank Thompson — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 10:12:00 GMT

Ian is 3 wins and 3 loses in the rivalry. He had big wins over Phelps in 2003 Barcelona, 2004 Long Beach, and 2005 Montreal. However Phelps got the big win in 2004 Athens to go along with wins at the 2005 World Championship Trials in Indy and the recent 2006 Nationals last August. We, unfortunately did not get to see a race at Pan Pacs. So it will come down to who is swimming better. The comment above was from the 100 Fly thread before the World Championships. Ian Crocker is 3 wins and 4 loses now which means that Michael Phelps is 4 wins and 3 loses in the big championship races in the last 4 years.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:42:00 GMT

Seagurl, hate to disagree with you but, 3.5 seconds for the 400 IM and 1.21 seconds for the 200 IM are pretty big margins for those races. Don't know if Lochte can make up that much difference. Kind of hope he does, just to make the races a little closer. Anybody think anyone will come close to Phelps in the 200 Free? And if so, who? Lochte is only going to get better, so phelps has to go near or better than the world record to win. That is hard but I think phelps can beat lochte but I dont think that he can beat crocker in the 100 fly because every time phelps beats crocker its because crocker screws up some how. Phelps needs a little luck to get 8 gold medals.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:37:24 GMT

He's only in it for the money. Huh? Michael Phelps swims to be the best in the world. I'm sure he's thrilled to make a nice living from swimming, but I bet when he was setting age group records at 14 that he wasn't thinking about Speedo sponsorship. He was simply trying to win. Phelps is only 21 but is steadily maturing as a person. He is respectful to his teammates and competitors yet a fierce competitor.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:32:26 GMT

Can't base this opinion on anything factual. But I think Phelps will continue to improve, especially in shorter races. He added weight training only recently and the full benefit is still ahead of him. I think Crocker must truly focus his training to beat Phelps in 2008. Phelps is probably the USA's fastest 100 freestyler now. He continues to show that he is the strongest man in the water over the 2nd half of a race and he's improving most in the first half. Lochte is capable of an upset but the sun, the moon, and venus have to line up a certain way for Phelps to be beaten. I think Peirsol has to worry about Lochte more than Phelps does.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

swimr4life — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:19:44 GMT

He's only in it for the money. Sorry...I have to strongly disagree. He put in years of yardage and hard workouts before he got any monetary rewards! He deserves every penny of what he is getting right now. He wants to be the best in the world. I think it is awesome that swimmers are finally making a fraction of the money that other professional athletes make.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

The Fortress — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:12:10 GMT

He's only in it for the money. This comment is vastly more inaccurate than the Einstein signature that bothered you so much.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 15:54:56 GMT

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:37:50 GMT

All this debate is assuming that all three do make the Olympic team in their respective events. Yes, it is an assumption...although a rather safe one.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Allen Stark — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:32:08 GMT

A fairly safe assumption,barring illness or injury. The one chance trials does make qualifying have just a touch of luck. As I have said before,in a rational world there would be an Olympic qualifying time,if you made it you are in,regardless of nationality.The Olympic finals should be the 8 best swimmers,period.:dedhorse:

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:09:55 GMT

All this debate is assuming that all three do make the Olympic team in their respective events.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 09:07:49 GMT

If anyone can spoil Phelps quest, I'd say it was Lochte. Crocker is amazing and will take him out in the 100 fly, but Crocker isn't there in the other races, but Lochte is. I've always been surprised how well Lochte keeps up. Everyone focues on the fact that Phelps is ahead of the WR by however much, but Ryan is almost always ahead of it too and only about half a body length behind Phelps....and their BOTH ahead of the rest of the field by several body lengths,not just Phelps. If they both keep improving Phelps will win, but if Phelps hits a wall (hopefully he won't) and Lochte doesn't then Lochte will have him. Either way, as they both improve, it'll turn into some amazing races!

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 07:50:13 GMT

Shoot Bill. I think your quote, attributed to Kip Keino, may answer your own question. Indeed. What we have here is an incredibly talented athlete who takes his own training VERY seriously. In addition, he practices with one of the best teams/programs in the US...some would argue THE best. In a recent SI magazine, post Melbourne, it states that Phelps found himself very late for a practice one morning. Bowman was intent on chewing him up oneside and down the other until he realized that Phelps was more angry with himself than Bowman was with Phelps. He is a man on a mission who happens to have the capacity to complete his objectives (I think so anyhow). In the same issue, Libby Lenton made the remark that there should be three teams for the "Duel", USA, AU, and Phelps. Not a big SI fan (read this while getting my hair cut) but I though this article was pretty good. Regarding Crocker and Lochte, Crocker knows better than anybody else in the world that Phelps can never be ruled out. Lochte is good, but he's got aways to go to actually surpass Phelps especially if Phelps continues to improve between now and summer 2008.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:48:03 GMT

8 golds will be very hard to get because of the 100 fly and don't forget about ryan lochte.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:26:45 GMT

I was actually most impressed that he is out there promoting Special Olympics. It's important to give something back.

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:43:02 GMT

How can his body maintain that level of training and competition? I know he is relatively young, but his training is super-human!

RE: Phelps comments on 2008 Games

Former Member — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 05:42:17 GMT

I like his last comment about the AM finals! Yep that's me out then. I am not a morning swimmer!