IGX

Obviously downgraded the PED program for his last Olympics. Textbook case of being together physically but mentally done

He sounds like a guy who wants to be done with it - has sounded like that for four years now - though is still, on a bad day, in the top 6 of any event he enters.

I could see him coming back in two years and making a push for another team after he has been away from it all for a few years.

What's weird is that his mom seems to really want him to keep swimming.

Totally seems to have checked out. I could see how he maybe wouldn't be able to mentally recover from that program he swam in 2008.

How do you get focused again after that?

It's still early.

With a couple trillion in endorsements,... can he get his teeth fixed?

baffled wrote:What's weird is that his mom seems to really want him to keep swimming.

Totally seems to have checked out. I could see how he maybe wouldn't be able to mentally recover from that program he swam in 2008.

How do you get focused again after that?

He didn't take any real time off in the past four years, competing in pretty much every major competition. I wonder what would have happened if he had walked away entirely for a good three years - do something else physical , perhaps even something in the water, but no real swimming - and see what happened.

Terry B. wrote:I wonder what would have happened if he had walked away entirely for a good three years - do something else physical , perhaps even something in the water, but no real swimming - and see what happened.

You mean like crab fishing? Maybe sign a big-time contract for a 2 season run on Deadliest Catch. Get fat eating dozen-egg fried Twinkie and mayo omelettes on the high seas, then tie that into a Celebrity Biggest Loser appearance, with a sob story of how he never knew what he had until it was gone and how his life's goal is to get back into the Olympics for just one more go. 2016 - Most emotional Olympics ever. The media milks it for all it's worth. America's son, redeemed. He comes back from being a fat, burned out slob to regain his former glory. Folks all across America see it as a metaphor for the entire country. Phelps becomes a hero and inspiration to all. He goes down in history as one of the most important Americans of all time.

If only Phelps had me as his agent, that kid would be going places.

Kraj 2.0 wrote:

Terry B. wrote:I wonder what would have happened if he had walked away entirely for a good three years - do something else physical , perhaps even something in the water, but no real swimming - and see what happened.

You mean like crab fishing? Maybe sign a big-time contract for a 2 season run on Deadliest Catch. Get fat eating dozen-egg fried Twinkie and mayo omelettes on the high seas, then tie that into a Celebrity Biggest Loser appearance, with a sob story of how he never knew what he had until it was gone and how his life's goal is to get back into the Olympics for just one more go. 2016 - Most emotional Olympics ever. The media milks it for all it's worth. America's son, redeemed. He comes back from being a fat, burned out slob to regain his former glory. Folks all across America see it as a metaphor for the entire country. Phelps becomes a hero and inspiration to all. He goes down in history as one of the most important Americans of all time.

If only Phelps had me as his agent, that kid would be going places.

You tie that in with him getting fat then losing it over the 10-weeks before the US trials (did you entirely miss the celebrity diet book tie in?) and you are on to something.

Terry B. wrote: I wonder what would have happened if he had walked away entirely for a good three years - do something else physical , perhaps even something in the water, but no real swimming - and see what happened.

He would suck if he did that.
A few seasons off here and there would have probably done him some good, but it's tough to tell - the hardest part of swimming is the daily grind. It's not like lifting. Once you step away from daily 10,000meters+ for any length of time, it's pretty tough to come back to it mentally/emotionally.

It's still early. The 400 IM is a tough one. The 200 butterfly is his event - I'd bet money he wants to win just to shut Clary up. The 100 butterfly is a sprint - if he has a good race and doesn't mess up, he'll medal. 200 IM is, compared to the 400 IM, also a sprint - he'll do well there. The medley relay should medal.

He looked pretty casual in the 200 butterfly semi. I think some of this is just Sports Media looking for something to talk about.

He swam a 1:55 and then a 1:54. He'll swim a 1:53 (or better) tomorrow and it'll take 1:52 to win. That's my prediction.

Terry B. wrote:

baffled wrote:What's weird is that his mom seems to really want him to keep swimming.

Totally seems to have checked out. I could see how he maybe wouldn't be able to mentally recover from that program he swam in 2008.

How do you get focused again after that?

He didn't take any real time off in the past four years, competing in pretty much every major competition. I wonder what would have happened if he had walked away entirely for a good three years - do something else physical , perhaps even something in the water, but no real swimming - and see what happened.

Or maybe he could take some time off and crossfit to stay in shape

Lockte does CROSSFIT motherfuckers

One of the US women swimmers walked out in a t-shirt that read: "every second counts". No lie.

Shafpocalypse Now wrote:Lockte does CROSSFIT motherfuckers

Haha, I'm sure that's what all the @Fers think based on this:

Because flipping tires and throwing objects for singles for max distance or height are SO @F. I bet that they've even been on mainpage...oops, maybe not...ever.

Couch invented tires. He probably even invented the wheel, but he's too modest to say that. Everyone who uses a tire for anything is stealing his intellectual property.

Gorbachev wrote:One of the US women swimmers walked out in a t-shirt that read: "every second counts". No lie.

It was a phrase years before Crossfit existed. Not sure your point.

Pinky wrote:Couch invented tires. He probably even invented the wheel, but he's too modest to say that. Everyone who uses a tire for anything is stealing his intellectual property.

You're forgetting his greatest invention-- teh HPV.

kreator wrote:

Gorbachev wrote:One of the US women swimmers walked out in a t-shirt that read: "every second counts". No lie.

It was a phrase years before Crossfit existed. Not sure your point.

It was a movie Xrosfit made about the gehames? That's my point? Do you see now? Ok proof it maye is not but so neither is the reverse?

Boris wrote:He swam a 1:55 and then a 1:54. He'll swim a 1:53 (or better) tomorrow and it'll take 1:52 to win. That's my prediction.

Jason Devaney ‏@JasonNBC
Wow! @MichaelPhelps second in 200 fly final. Chad Le Clos wins in 1:52.96. Phelps was 1:53.01.

:-"

Phelps now the most successful Olympian EVAH!

Boris wrote:

Boris wrote:He swam a 1:55 and then a 1:54. He'll swim a 1:53 (or better) tomorrow and it'll take 1:52 to win. That's my prediction.

Jason Devaney ‏@JasonNBC
Wow! @MichaelPhelps second in 200 fly final. Chad Le Clos wins in 1:52.96. Phelps was 1:53.01.

:-"

I wouldn't brag. You were on the wrong end of that by .01 seconds.

Lockte is a douche supreme

Shafpocalypse Now wrote:Obviously downgraded the PED program for his last Olympics. Textbook case of being together physically but mentally done

Today Michael Phelps secured his third gold medal of London 2012 and the 21st Olympic medal of his career.

What gives?

Imo, failing to medal in the 400 IM was a relief for him. Most people tend not to implode on relays. The 200 fly was his baby. The 100 fly race was pretty incredible really - he was 7th at the turn and he basically face-planted into the wall on it.