Althouse: Michael Phelps swam the first swim "like it was the last."

July 29, 2012

Michael Phelps swam the first swim "like it was the last."

"Like he has swum it one too many times. Like he was swimming out of obligation, rather than inspiration...."

15 comments:

traditionalguy said...: My guess is that Michael did not eat enough. But then again, he wouldn't have time to practice swimming if he spent all day eating. Decisions, decisions.; 7/29/12, 7:29 AM
rhhardin said...: It's probably from eating British cuisine.; 7/29/12, 7:33 AM
rcommal said...: There are advantages to retiring before declining, especially when so much hype is involved.

It was a bit wince-inducing to watch some of the commercials aired during the swimming blocks, given the outcome of the race (especially given the performance in the preliminary--which, I know, may have partly been due to conserving energy).; 7/29/12, 8:26 AM
Oso Negro said...: High-level swimming requires an unbelievable amount of work and dedication. Just because there was a time when Michael was unbeatable does not mean that he gets the medals just for showing up. That, after all, is why they swim the race. His achievements in the sport are, and will remain, exceptional, no matter how he performs the rest of these games.; 7/29/12, 9:21 AM
Craig said...: 400 IM? The object is to finish the race. If they swam the strokes in reverse order nobody would finish.; 7/29/12, 10:09 AM
Dante said...: My theory is Phelps was drafted to swim again. Probably by the government, or maybe even Obama himself. Phelps can help to instill the image of American Decline.; 7/29/12, 10:33 AM
Joe said...: Wow, someone comes in fourth in the hardest swimming event and he's a has-been.; 7/29/12, 10:48 AM
Paco Wové said...: "Wow, someone comes in fourth in the hardest swimming event and he's a has-been."

Well, you know that the silver medal is just the First Loser consolation prize.; 7/29/12, 10:50 AM
Patrick said...: dude wins 8 gold medals. Apparently phones it in for a race. Still is 4th best in the world.; 7/29/12, 11:00 AM
Big Mike said...: I think his coach convinced him to swim the race because he had a chance to medal. Finishing 4th shows that he certainly did have a chance. And if he'd swum better in the prelims, he'd be in an inner lane and dealing with less turbulence. Over 400 meters, the difference between lane 8 and lane 6 was probably the difference between 4th and 3rd, maybe even 4th and 2nd.

About 45 years ago I swam the 400 IM. I hated it too.; 7/29/12, 11:34 AM
michaele said...: This time around, Michael Phelps was like one of those people Obama knows who works plenty hard...sometimes to be the best or a great business success, you have to work heroically hard.; 7/29/12, 12:22 PM
MadisonMan said...: 4th Place in the Olympics is quite a feat for a has-been (eyeroll)

As the Dad of a swimmer, I'll say that sometimes the water just doesn't get out of the way fast enough. But then the bad day is over and a better day arrives.; 7/29/12, 12:30 PM
lemondog said...: He swum like a bum, emerged numb he was glum.

Ho hum.

Still has what, 5 or so events to go.

Go Michael!; 7/29/12, 12:30 PM
Anonymous said...: @Dante - except winner was american as well. I'm surprised he even showed up for another Olympics. It was bound to be anticlimactic no matter how well he did. IIRC, he committed early to another, probably when he was still high off of the last one.; 7/29/12, 3:51 PM
Craig said...: Lochte and Phelps both could have used another day to fully recover from swimming the prelim and the final of the 400IM before going after the 4x100.; 7/30/12, 1:46 AM