Opinion of Michael Phelps from :( to :)

[ybiaw]

[QUOTE=Rackonteur;8790799]
Well, right there is a lot of what is wrong with this country.

People used to have good manners, and part of being adult was growing up being taught how to behave like a grownup in public (especially having the eyes of the world on you).

Not so anymore. Like that fencer who won his event. Pulling off your mask and pounding the playing surface with your fist is poor sportsmanship.

Being an adult means having a little self-control unless extenuating circumstances rob you of it. I have seen enough Olympics and their medal ceremonies to know how ADULTS behave.

Anyone else remember the guy who got the flack for raising his fist during the medal ceremony back in the '60s? These bad manners are nothing compared to that, but they’re still bad manners.

Anyone who has the discipline to train for their sport day in and day out should also be able to exercise discipline when they win. It’s what’s called being a well-rounded athlete.[/QUOTE]

Are you effing serious with this?

[AMWookey]

[QUOTE=Rackonteur;8790799]
Well, right there is a lot of what is wrong with this country.

People used to have good manners, and part of being adult was growing up being taught how to behave like a grownup in public (especially having the eyes of the world on you).

Not so anymore. Like that fencer who won his event. Pulling off your mask and pounding the playing surface with your fist is poor sportsmanship.

Being an adult means having a little self-control unless extenuating circumstances rob you of it. I have seen enough Olympics and their medal ceremonies to know how ADULTS behave.

Anyone else remember the guy who got the flack for raising his fist during the medal ceremony back in the '60s? These bad manners are nothing compared to that, but they’re still bad manners.

Anyone who has the discipline to train for their sport day in and day out should also be able to exercise discipline when they win. It’s what’s called being a well-rounded athlete.[/QUOTE]

You have GOT to be kidding me.

One of my favorite parts after the eventing stadium portion was the fist pumping and huge grins from the riders who made it through.

But no, let’s have them be robots to please some old fashioned ideals.

[skydy]

@Rackonteur;8790799

Anyone else remember the guy who got the flack for raising his fist during the medal ceremony back in the '60s? These bad manners are nothing compared to that, but they’re still bad manners.

I remember. It was more than one guy, and it was during the civil rights movement. It was the “black power” sign. I was a kid and I thought it was moving.

The people who were upset about it were mostly, white conservatives. They considered it an inappropriate “political” statement.

[Foxtrot_s]

It was at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Black Power salute was called a Human Rights salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, when they medalled
for the 200 meters.

Considered to be one of the more overtly political statements made in modern Olympic Games.

Quite appropriate considering the current political climate these days…

[TBROCKS]

[QUOTE=StormyDay;8790757]
He has openly admitted to not training and still winning in 2012. He has had serious addiction problems, and still managed to win in 2012. He himself admits to these things. As someone who understands this sport I find that saddening and pretty enraging that other athletes who trained every day, as hard as they could, lost to someone who was just f-ing around and having DWIs.
Maybe he is the best swimmer of all time. But that doesn’t mean his glory (especially in 2012) is well deserved. I for one believe hard work should always be celebrated over natural talent.
I do have to say I believe he is conducting himself better at these games. But it is still hard to forget the past.[/QUOTE]

Oh for gods sake, of course he trained. Do you actually believe he stumbled into the pool hungover and won 25 Olympic medals?
Hard to forget the past? Did he personally hurt you? You might need to lighten up just a tad.

[Kyrabee]

Well…he co-owns some races horses. Who knew. Looks like he is making sure they have further careers.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/olympics/equestrian-says-michael-phelps’-horse-could-be-in-the-olympics-one-day/ar-BBvu7jP?ocid=mailsignout

I have no beef with the guy. He is human and an incredible athlete.

Susan

[AffirmedHope]

I’m not a fan of the guy either, but yeesh, he doesn’t take up this much space in my head. I think he’s an ass, but a very accomplished, athletic, ass. :lol:

I do love all the memes floating around of him with his game face though! :lol:

[no_sniveling]

Not a fan, never have been, and I’ve been following swimming for a long time…the tongue flipping through the fingers after he won the 200 fly was really offensive.
Meanwhile Gabby Douglas and Lily King get raked over the coals… double standard anyone?

meanwhile, poor little Ryan

[StormyDay]

[QUOTE=TBROCKS;8791146]
Oh for gods sake, of course he trained. Do you actually believe he stumbled into the pool hungover and won 25 Olympic medals?
Hard to forget the past? Did he personally hurt you? You might need to lighten up just a tad.[/QUOTE]

He admitted that he trained only like 3 times a week before 2012. That is nothing, compared to the amount of training most competitors do, or even the training he does now or before. So yes, he did ‘stumble in and win those medals’ :lol: I seriously doubt he was hungover though
And yes, ‘hard to forget the past’. As in, I would not be surprised if we heard a unflattering story before the Olympics is over.
Again, he seems to be showing good sportsmanship and also seems to be conducting himself better this time too. But who knows? The games are yet young.

[roseymare]

I suppose those tears welling up in his eyes must have been fake as well.

Some people laugh at inappropriate times especially when emotional.

[NEEDS_A_NAP]

Calling Michael Phelps a monkey is just !!

No words. And all this heart clutching during the anthem is beyond me…some say it started with Nixon. I have a personal theory it started when country music took over the intro to Monday night football, and announcers started directing people to stand with their hands over their hearts during the anthem.

And before you start commenting on what occurred during the Mexico City Games - get a freaking clue. That wasn’t just some guys putting their fists into the air - it was a well thought out, planned, they knew what the consequences would be for their actions, seminal moment in Olympic history .

[ynl063w]

[QUOTE=peedin;8789469]
I don’t like him either, and I’m sick of him. I know he’s won a lot of medals (duh) but please spotlight some of the lesser known athletes.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes this is a great idea. Just like giving trophies and awards to every kid on every team, every kid who “graduates” from 6th grade, etc. Because hey, we’re ALL SPECIAL and we all deserve our 15 minutes of fame at the very least.

This is the Olympics. The emphasis should be on the winners. I’m sure the also-rans have gotten plenty of local coverage leading up to the Olympics, and you can likely find all the information you want on them with a simple Google search.

[ynl063w]

[QUOTE=StormyDay;8790757]
He has openly admitted to not training and still winning in 2012. He has had serious addiction problems, and still managed to win in 2012. He himself admits to these things. As someone who understands this sport I find that saddening and pretty enraging that other athletes who trained every day, as hard as they could, lost to someone who was just f-ing around and having DWIs.
Maybe he is the best swimmer of all time. But that doesn’t mean his glory (especially in 2012) is well deserved. I for one believe hard work should always be celebrated over natural talent.
I do have to say I believe he is conducting himself better at these games. But it is still hard to forget the past.[/QUOTE]

Are you saying that you believe Olympic medals should be awarded based on who works the hardest? So, let’s not even bother holding the Olympics, we can just form a committee every four years where someone follows each athlete around for the entire year and records the time each one spends training, and the one who logs the most hours wins? Would that ensure that the winner of every gold medal actually DESERVES it?

[Highflyer]

[QUOTE=ynl063w;8791333]
Are you saying that you believe Olympic medals should be awarded based on who works the hardest? So, let’s not even bother holding the Olympics, we can just form a committee every four years where someone follows each athlete around for the entire year and records the time each one spends training, and the one who logs the most hours wins? Would that ensure that the winner of every gold medal actually DESERVES it?[/QUOTE]

PLEASE MAIL ME MY EVENTING MEDAL. NO ONE WORKS HARDER AND HAS LESS TALENT THAN ME.

[ynl063w]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8791342]
PLEASE MAIL ME MY EVENTING MEDAL. NO ONE WORKS HARDER AND HAS LESS TALENT THAN ME.[/QUOTE]

You will have to wait until 2020 when a committee member will be assigned to you and will follow you around for the entire year 24/7, logging your training hours. Now that I think about it, a second person reviewer will probably have to be assigned to ensure that no one cheats. Or the committee members can video the athletes? Real Olympic Athletes of the World? Instead of the Olympics, we can have a new reality TV show. Only when you prove that you have in fact worked harder than everyone else in the world will you receive your gold medal.

[PeteyPie]

I like watching Michael Phelps swim. Out of the pool, he seems gracious and kind and I really don’t care if he has messed up in his still young life. He is an amazing athlete.

What I don’t like is hearing criticisms of people’s appearances, that is, innate things over which they have little or no control, whether it is Michael Phelps, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, the Obamas, Ted Cruz… It seems mean, juvenile, and irrelevant, AND it detracts from discussion about the merits of a person’s behavior or performance.

[wireweiners]

If he can win like he does while only training 3 days a week, then more power to him.

[Xhltsalute]

Maybe his ADHA has something to do with his occasional awkwardness.

[dressagetraks]

[QUOTE=ynl063w;8791320]
Oh yes this is a great idea. Just like giving trophies and awards to every kid on every team, every kid who “graduates” from 6th grade, etc. Because hey, we’re ALL SPECIAL and we all deserve our 15 minutes of fame at the very least.

This is the Olympics. The emphasis should be on the winners. I’m sure the also-rans have gotten plenty of local coverage leading up to the Olympics, and you can likely find all the information you want on them with a simple Google search.[/QUOTE]

Maybe I misread the intent of the comment you’re responding to, but I also would like to hear more about some of the lesser-known athletes. And by that I do NOT mean about everybody down through 10th place. I’m no fan at all of the trophies for everybody philosophy. I mean people who are themselves winning medals or doing well in the pre-medal rounds in other events besides swimming. It seems like there is so much of him on TV this Olympics, even in non medal rounds.

An aide client of mine was just saying this yesterday. She has lovingly watched every Olympics in forever. One of her favorite things is seeing the variety of sports. She only gets the local broadcast channels, not cable, but she has watched the local broadcast channels, not cable, in past Olympics. She was saying yesterday how limited this Olympics was and that it showed less of a cross-sport selection than she could ever remember. She said, “I am so sick of seeing Michael Phelps. It’s great he’s winning for us, but aren’t other athletes there winning at anything else?”

I myself noted the “60-second Olympic update summarizing the action from today’s events” the other day on the radio. This comes on every hour on the radio station, and I often hear it while driving around to aide shifts. This was after Phillip had won the USA an individual bronze medal on that same day.

The time divided in their “summary of the action of today’s events” ran Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, Phelps, oh and also gymnastics. Tune in next hour for another look at what is happening in Rio." Okay, it’s only 60 seconds, but I could in 60 seconds say, “Michael Phelps won another X gold medals, Phillip Dutton won the individual bronze in equestrian, the gymnastics team won X, and these other USA athletes did X” and make their 60-second “summary of the action” cover more than (barely) 2 events. They were actually talking about Phelps’ future schedule (“he competes in this tomorrow, this day after tomorrow”) before they ever got down to mentioning gymnastics. And again, we had won medals in other events that day, medals they ignored in their “summary of the action of today’s events” in favor of giving us his schedule 2 and 3 days out.

[RockinHorse]

I did not object to Phelps during the anthem. I think it showed a human side to him.

I also won’t condemn him for his past bad behavior. He was basically a kid who got thrown into the national spot light of fame and fortune and he had no idea how to handle it. The same thing has happened to many other athletes.

I like to believe he is genuinely trying to turn his life around and I hope it sticks.