He is getting too much credit by apologists in the press talking up how he is simply conserving his energy after placing lower than usual in the standings and besides, "it's the finals, stupid..."
He is getting too little credit for doing so amazingly well despite being as unprepared as he is. In the year of our lord, 2012, what kind of an athlete can take only one-year-or-so of training and defeat those sublimely refined athletes that spent 4-years-or-more of training? Yeah, he is that great, but there is a "faster gun" now and his name is Ryan Lochte.
As I write this Phelps has just placed third in the 200-fly prelim; this would be something unthinkable circa 2008. (Did he even lose a race in 2008?) A writer at Swimming World politely stated that either Michael Phelps was either conserving energy or the world has caught up. To give him the benefit of the doubt, I believe Phelps is obviously conserving energy because he has to. He is a weakened warrior and the expectations are high. It is my opinion that he is only swimming at 80% of his ability and in the years to come when he nears middle age I suspect his apathy towards swimming for 2-years plus will haunt him.
Yeah, "...youth is wasted on the young" - John Steinbeck
Chloe Sutton has heart!
Imagine how daunting it must be to see your competitor take a two-body-length lead in less than a couple of minutes yet still keep with your game plan and beat the remaining six A-List athletes? That's what Chloe did and she made the Olympic team for the second time in a row. Congratulations Chloe.
Allison Schmitt has guts!
I don't know Allison Schmitt nor have I seen her interviewed or know what sort of woman she is but I imagine that when she took to the blocks last night; (I have a wild imagination), she said to herself: "eff-it I going all out - LOL - screw you all." Subsequently, consequently, and FREAK-quently she is now in the top three in the world for the 400-free and the 200-free as well.
Ryan Lochte!
Only "kryptonite" can stop him. I predict he beats Phelps in the 100-Fly.
Janet Evans!
Her goal was to make it to Olympic Trials and that she did. At 40-years-old she placed 80th defeating thirty-five of the crème de la crème of USA Swimming athletes. US Masters Swimming should send her a bouquet or roses for the effort for how inspirational she was.
10 comments:
Yeaaaaaaaah, Phelps sitting 3rd after the prelims of the 200m Fly has never happened and is completely unprecedented.
Except for that time at Olympic Trials in 2008. (And, just for posterity, he was 2nd after the heats in 2004 and 2000.)
OK "Rainman: I stand corrected.
Facts are beautiful things...
Calling someone who made the Olympic team "unprepared" is an offense to them and to all the others who worked hard but didn't make it. Michael Phelps isn't unprepared. If you say "less prepared" than in 2008, I may agree with you. But you know what? He's entitled to. He has nothing to prove to anyone and I'm thankful he's decided to swim in London. If I remember well, two years ago you predicted he would retire and wouldn't swim in Shanghai, let alone London.
Phelps is doing all right, he made the team in 400 IM and people should get off of his back already.
On the other hand, how come no one talks about "9 gold medals" for Mr Incredible ie. Lochte anymore? Where are all those overzealous fanboys and Lochte himself now? Lochte's coach, Gregg Troy, says it's not about how many events he can swim but how many he can swim well. Really? When did he learn that wisdom? Yesterday? Why did he enter such events like 50 free or 200 fly or what not. No, instead, let's talk about how Phelps lost semifinal to Lochte by 0.02s. Laughable.
Junker23... You may always have the first and last word.
Prepared and unprepared are relative terms. I think Phelps is phoning it in when you compare his talent to the pool-time he has put in in the last four years.
I did predict he wouldn't swim and that was when he was out on the golf course and avoiding the pool, yelling at Bowman and I thought the prediction looked good. As I have said in earlier posts as far back as 2008 that my swim predictions not that great.
I was very upset when I saw Lochte signed up for 11-events. I did not post anything because I thought it was possible that he would try it. Obviously it was a ruse.
As you all know I am looking forward to Michael Phelps leaving the stage.
I'm not surprised. Everyone in swimming community seems to want him out. No wonder he doesn't want anything to do with it anymore.
Tony Austin said...
Ryan Lochte!
Only "kryptonite" can stop him. I predict he beats Phelps in the 100-Fly.
jaja.. tú estás loco!
"I am looking forward to Michael Phelps leaving the stage" -- this is one of the most idiotic comments/sentiments expressed on this blog.
Michael Phelps is THE reason why you can enjoy the Olympic Trials on broadcast television. He was the reason people tuned into the Olympics in '08 and his rivalry with Lockte is why people will tune in for London.
This sport will wither back to the relative obscurity it enjoyed in the 90's should Michael Phelps actually retire after London.
Any fan of the sport should hope and pray that he sticks around for a few more years.
Jah, baby! I sure am!
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