'Plunging New Depths' - Swimming

[Cachoo]

I love the relays. I read the comments here first and thought the American girls/women must be so upset and then watched the race and found them delighted with the bronze medal. After the finish of the race and the medal ceremony they only showed the Aussies and Americans. They never did show the team from the Netherlands. I find that annoying. I would have liked to see the silver medalists in addition to the gold and bronze winners.

[Buzz]

Poor Michael Phelps. One of the biggest stories yet is him failing to medal in one race. Hope he pulls it together and shows them all he still got it.

[museksk8r]

I don't say Poor Michael Phelps. From interviews he has given, he and his team didn't prepare for this London Games like they had for the Beijing Games. Then, there have also been the snarky comments toward Ryan Lochte that nothing he has done these past 3 years matters until he does it at an Olympic Games. Seems Michael's enormous ego made him believe that he didn't have to work as hard as Ryan to get the results he wanted, so his ego got rightfully deflated, failing to medal at an Olympics for the first time since 2000. Team Phelps only have themselves to blame.

[poths]

I don't say Poor Michael Phelps. From interviews he has given, he and his team didn't prepare for this London Games like they had for the Beijing Games. Then, there have also been the snarky comments toward Ryan Lochte that nothing he has done these past 3 years matters until he does it at an Olympic Games. Seems Michael's enormous ego made him believe that he didn't have to work as hard as Ryan to get the results he wanted, so his ego got rightfully deflated, failing to medal at an Olympics for the first time since 2000. Team Phelps only have themselves to blame.

Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that you know exactly how hard Phelps has been training.

He doesn't like the IM, he's right not to be afraid of competitors, he's already a legend and he made the American team for a fistful of events. What was your point?

[allezfred]

Poor Michael Phelps.

Of all the people this could be said about. He's got 14 million gold medals already.

[museksk8r]

Forgive me if I find it hard to believe that you know exactly how hard Phelps has been training.

He doesn't like the IM, he's right not to be afraid of competitors, he's already a legend and he made the American team for a fistful of events. What was your point?

Phelps himself admitted in an interview that he had not trained or worked as hard this go around as he did in the lead up to Beijing. I never stated he only worked x amount of hours in the pool or in the gym. I just repeated what he himself admitted. Not everyone has to bow down to this guy or pity him for losing one event. Sheesh.

[Rafter]

I'm sure Phelps doesn't have quite the motivation he did in 2008. Can't say I blame him.

Saw a pic of Lochte with braces that appeared to have diamonds in them. Wtf is up with that?

[Frau Muller]

Poor Michael Phelps. One of the biggest stories yet is him failing to medal in one race. .....

After all of the NBC hype...

Larissa Latinina's Revenge. She hasn't said much...just smiled really big when she met Michael. Tee-hee.

Let's see if, in the remaining days, he can grab 3 medals of any metal. The sickening thing is that a lot of more deserving swimmers will likely be pulled off relay races just to let this egomaniac and the greedy marketeers around him have his way.

[Rukia]

After all of the NBC hype...

Larissa Latinina's Revenge. She hasn't said much...just smiled really big when she met Michael. Tee-hee.

Let's see if, in the remaining days, he can grab 3 medals of any metal. The sickening thing is that a lot of more deserving swimmers will likely be pulled off relay races just to let this egomaniac and the greedy marketeers around him have his way.

Oh yes, because he didn't swim at trials and earn his spots in races or anything. I don't really care if he wins or loses, but the guy isn't circumventing some rules or something. He did what he needed to do at trials.

[museksk8r]

Saw a pic of Lochte with braces that appeared to have diamonds in them. Wtf is up with that?

That's his thug life for realz. Jeah! That's just Ryan wearing his grill and being his fun-loving, goofy self. That shoe collection of his is INSANE and I couldn't help but think that anyone with that many shoes and watches has to be a bit of a douche or maybe a lot, but nevertheless, he is humorous, interesting, and hot. I think he believes he was Lil Wayne in another life.

[Zemgirl]

Saw a pic of Lochte with braces that appeared to have diamonds in them. Wtf is up with that?

To accessorize his gold medals?

Lochte told ESPN that he had a girlfriend in 2008, which he referred to as a big mistake, but this time he can have fun. But only once he's done competing, I imagine. Still, I don't think he needs diamond braces or a show collection to get anyone's attention in the village. Maybe he just likes how they look?

[Frau Muller]

Oh yes, because he didn't swim at .....

'The Powers That Be' can skew things at 'Trials' to ensure TV-marketing faves make it to the Games. They tried with Sasha Cohen in 2010 and, thank goodness, didn't have their way there...too many people were onto the game.

Returning Oly Stars are PAID to try to come back and show up at the next games to help pump advertising fees.

[AYS]

I think it's pretty clear that Bowman talked Michael into doing 400IM when he'd made it extremely clear many times he wanted to retire it after Beijing. It was a misjudgment on Bowman's part to think they could get it in shape after not training it for the last 4 years. When you have been doing what your coach says since you were like 8 yrs old, it's hard to say no and he probably thought he could pull something out by sheer will, but the body said no for him yesterday. I hope he can put that race behind him and have a successful final meet.

[Domshabfan]

Skating is a judged sport hence inflated score is possible however swimming is timed, how are they able to push him into an event without him actually qualifying. Phelps actually deserves his place in the US team and he is one of the fastest guy still around.

[michiruwater]

Michael Phelps is the current World Champion in 4 different events, two of them being the relays. I hardly think anyone had to cheat to get him on the team.

[Matryeshka]

'The Powers That Be' can skew things at 'Trials' to ensure TV-marketing faves make it to the Games. They tried with Sasha Cohen in 2010 and, thank goodness, didn't have their way there...too many people were onto the game.

Returning Oly Stars are PAID to try to come back and show up at the next games to help pump advertising fees.

I watched the Oly Swimming Trials. There was something reallly new and innovative there--it was called A CLOCK. There are no judges at all to decide who had the prettiest stroke, longest stride, etc! How strange! And Phelps came in first or second in all of his races and they let him on the team

The US Swimming Olympic Committee are absolute slaves to THE CLOCK. They do not say person who finished fourth goes instead of person who finished second. It doesn't matter how many endorsement one has, unless of course, you are suggesting they created a time warp for Phelps allowing him to swim in some other reality and poof back at the last minute to earn his position.

The comparison to Sasha Cohen is ludicrous. Sasha Cohen participates in a judged sport...and didn't make the team (rightfully so). Phelps did make the team (rightfully so). He didn't do well in an event he wasn't expected to do well in and wasn't initially going to swim. Frankly, in the interview, he didn't seem incredibly upset by it either. He knew his chances weren't great

And returning US Olympic stars are not paid to try and come back by the USOC or any other body. The US has never offered any cash/property award/incentive for athletes who go to the games or win. Other countries do, and that's fine, but the US does not. For many athletes, even if the US did offer something, they could not accept because they would lose their NCAA status. What independent advertisers offer certain athletes with high Q ratings is a different story, but it's not done through any official US Olympic body.

[london_calling]

I watched the Oly Swimming Trials. There was something reallly new and innovative there--it was called A CLOCK. There are no judges at all to decide who had the prettiest stroke, longest stride, etc! How strange! And Phelps came in first or second in all of his races and they let him on the team

[Buzz]

GOOD LUCK TO PHELPS!!!

[Theatregirl1122]

The 4x100 relay tonight will be interesting. The prelim splits for the US were 1. Grevers, 2. Lezak, 3. Feigan (lead off), 4. Berens. Which should mean that tonight's team will be Phelps, Jones, Grevers, and Adrian with Phelps doing lead off and Adrian doing anchor. I expect they'll probably get bronze although certainly silver is within reach.

I don't really think gold will happen, though.

[Cachoo]

Like him or hate him I think Phelps is the greatest swimmer of all time but he still had to swim well to make the team. There was no spot reserved for him. Ita w/ Matryeshka regarding the trials and that pesky clock.