Swimming & Diving thread

[ilovepaydays]

YAY! Dressel wins the 100m fly! Both of ‘s medley relays look INSANELY good!

Michael Phelps has joined Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines in NBC’s commentary box. I’m not sure what to think of how well he’s doing so far.

 

[Amy L]

Michael Phelps has joined Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines in NBC’s commentary box. I’m not sure what to think of how well he’s doing so far.

I've missed most of the coverage of the trials, but from what I've seen so far from Michael Phelps is a Lipinskiesque "When I won..." "What I used to..." etc. Not that he doesn't have potential but imo he's relying on being Michael Phelps more than he is analyzing.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

I’m not sure what to think of how well he’s doing so far.

His insistence on calling all these grown women "the girls" is really grating.

 

[ilovepaydays]

I've missed most of the coverage of the trials, but from what I've seen so far from Michael Phelps is a Lipinskiesque "When I won..." "What I used to..." etc. Not that he doesn't have potential but imo he's relying on being Michael Phelps more than he is analyzing.

His insistence on calling all these grown women "the girls" is really grating.

Agreed on both. Say whatever you want about Rowdy Gaines and how excited he gets, but you can’t deny that Rowdy doesn’t come prepared to discuss properly about these races and swimmers.

 

[Karen-W]

I've missed most of the coverage of the trials, but from what I've seen so far from Michael Phelps is a Lipinskiesque "When I won..." "What I used to..." etc. Not that he doesn't have potential but imo he's relying on being Michael Phelps more than he is analyzing.

His insistence on calling all these grown women "the girls" is really grating.

"You know, right?" I wonder if anyone at NBC thought perhaps they still needed an audition tape from him before they signed him as on-air play-by-play "talent".

It's going to be a LONG week in Paris next month...

 

[ilovepaydays]

"You know, right?" I wonder if anyone at NBC thought perhaps they still needed an audition tape from him before they signed him as on-air play-by-play "talent".

It's going to be a LONG week in Paris next month...

I think Rowdy commentated a lot of NCAA swimming before he started for NBC for (I think) for the 1996 Olympics.

Also - and I understand this may be shallow - but the man bun isn’t a good look for Phelps. It’s just not.

 

[canbelto]

Michael Phelps has always struck me as one of the most boring people on the planet, and the commentary is not changing my mind.

 

[skatingguy]

Michael Phelps has always struck me as one of the most boring people on the planet, and the commentary is not changing my mind.

Well he has spent the majority of his life going back and forth between two the ends of a pool, and who knows the impact of all those chemicals.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Michael Phelps has always struck me as one of the most boring people on the planet, and the commentary is not changing my mind.

Well, I was going to also mention how Michael Phelps’ basically sounded like and a wet towel, but I’m trying to be more disciplined in not snarking too much in these threads. I try to be as positive as I can, I promise.

 

[Karen-W]

Well he has spent the majority of his life going back and forth between two the ends of a pool, and who knows the impact of all those chemicals.

I bet he's imbibed more bleach than certain other prominent Americans.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I'm pretty sure that if Phelps didn't say "when I did this or that" Dan Hicks would ask him about his experiences. I must say Phelps did point out that he thought Ledecky looked disappointed in her time for the 800m free. And I think he was right.
And Phelps was a bit annoying saying "girls" too much. But I'm betting he changes his vocabulary to women at the Games, much like the remarks about Simone Biles' parents not being her parents forced NBC to fire one announcer and promote Terry Gannon to do gymnastics.

 

[just tuned in]

In the other commentating pool (diving), Laura Wilkerson is doing a fantastic job.

 

[Rukia]

Laura Wilkerson keeps calling them "girls" too though if that annoys people (although in fairness she did correct herself a couple times). Lol that's not something that bothers me because my friends and I are always calling ourselves girls or girlies anyway so I barely noticed that Michael was doing it.

 

[On My Own]

Lol that's not something that bothers me because my friends and I are always calling ourselves girls or girlies anyway so I barely noticed that Michael was doing it.

huh. Has "girlies" really caught on IRL outside gen Z?

 

[Rukia]

huh. Has "girlies" really caught on IRL outside gen Z?

I'm faaaaaaaaarrrrrr from gen z (aka i'm so old)

 

[On My Own]

I'm faaaaaaaaarrrrrr from gen z (aka i'm so old)

Right, I'm just expressing surprise us ancients say "girlies" too. I feel we should maintain our dignity personally

 

[Rukia]

Right, I'm just expressing surprise us ancients say "girlies" too. I feel we should maintain our dignity personally

some of us can do both

lol we're just having fun in the end the rest of this world constantly bad so we make fun where we can

 

[On My Own]

some of us can do both

lol we're just having fun in the end the rest of this world constantly bad so we make fun where we can

Well I suppose it depends on your group. Probably far less cringe seeing women saying it. Gay men my age or older calling women "girlie" online makes me want to

 

[Rukia]

Well I suppose it depends on your group. Probably far less cringe seeing women saying it. Gay men my age or older calling women "girlie" online makes me want to

lol yeah I really only do it with people I know don't care but also I think that's why I barely registered Michael was saying it before people mentioned here (I did notice Laura because she corrected herself which made me go "oh wait she did say that")

 

[On My Own]

Just to add something related to swimming and diving: I know nothing about swimming or diving, and don't watch.

I used to talk to this one guy who only ever used to discuss ass shots of male divers in diving. So he clearly also didn't know anything of relevance in diving. And probably shouldn't be watching?

 

[just tuned in]

I guess it depends on whether one thinks the term “girls” is affectionate or infanticizing.

 

[just tuned in]

Just to add something related to swimming and diving: I know nothing about swimming or diving, and don't watch.

I used to talk to this one guy who only ever used to discuss ass shots of male divers in diving. So he clearly also didn't know anything of relevance in diving. And probably shouldn't be watching?

Too many ass shots on both the women’s and men’s side. The camera operators (men) are holding the cameras very low.

 

[danafan]

I've really enjoyed watching the US diving trials during the week on NBC. Sarah Bacon finally qualified in two disciplines (3m individual and syncro) at her FOURTH Olympic trials. She's been one of the most successfully American divers on springboard the last few years and she's overcome so many injuries too so I was so happy for her. The women's 3m event came down to the last round and was very exciting to watch.
I watch a lot of diving so I should have recognized Carson Tyler who won the men's 10m trials as he competed at the Canada Cup international earlier this year that I watched online. The US might get a second entry once the remaining quota places are reallocated but as NBC explained (or avoided trying to LOL) on their broadcast this process seems confusing so I guess we'll have to wait.

 

[canbelto]

God, Michael Phelps is so boring. He has no wit or charm.

 

[Rukia]

I'm so hype for Simone Manuel. I just enjoy her swimming.

 

[Karen-W]

God, Michael Phelps is so boring. He has no wit or charm.

Day 2 of Phelps in the booth has me even more convinced that no one at NBC even bothered with an audition tape from him. That's not enough, NBC. Do better. Or, you know, continue to bleed viewers, lol.

 

[Rukia]

Day 2 of Phelps in the booth has me even more convinced that no one at NBC even bothered with an audition tape from him. That's not enough, NBC. Do better. Or, you know, continue to bleed viewers, lol.

I'm wondering if this was more of a "nbc thought this was a good idea" than phelps really wanted to do it. Because he seems like he'd be just as happy watching from the sidelines with his family lol.

 

[skatingguy]

Day 2 of Phelps in the booth has me even more convinced that no one at NBC even bothered with an audition tape from him. That's not enough, NBC. Do better. Or, you know, continue to bleed viewers, lol.

But Phelps has done commentary before, and has been named as one of the NBC commentators for the Olympics. Maybe it's the name recognition thing.

 

[Karen-W]

It could also be this particular race itself. Finke won by a wide margin, it's an extremely long distance and one that Phelps never bothered with. Maybe he's just too disinterested in it to put much effort into the commentary. Hopefully he'll be more engaged in Paris.

 

[canbelto]

Day 2 of Phelps in the booth has me even more convinced that no one at NBC even bothered with an audition tape from him. That's not enough, NBC. Do better. Or, you know, continue to bleed viewers, lol.

It's the same thing with the NBA. I swear they sometimes just find a famous name and think he'll be great at broadcasting. I'm still old enough to remember the days when Magic Johnson called NBA games and just bumbled his way through the entire game.