Michael Phelps at the next summer olympics
PatTX
Olympics. My thought was: why? The guy is a multi-millionaire, after all. It
may be time for him to move on....
Pat in TX
Steve Curtis
Dara Torres didn't stop training for four Olympics, even though she
didn't have the endorsement opportunities that Phelps has had. Why
should he quit now? Apparently he loves the competition and challenge
much in the same way that Torres did.
da...@geewhiz.com
wrote:
Maybe because he's still has the competitive fire and hasn't succumb
to "black line syndrome" (read: Thorpe) yet.
Why does Tiger keep playing golf--his income dwarfs Phelps's.
Dave Clary
Corpus Christi, TX
PatTX
::: He said in an interview that in January he would start training for
::: the next Olympics. My thought was: why? The guy is a
::: multi-millionaire, after all. It may be time for him to move on....
:::
::: Pat in TX
:::
:: Maybe because he's still has the competitive fire and hasn't succumb
:: to "black line syndrome" (read: Thorpe) yet.
::
:: Why does Tiger keep playing golf--his income dwarfs Phelps's.
::
:: Dave Clary
:: Corpus Christi, TX
Here are my reasons: 1. Michael Phelps can't outdo his last Olympics
performance, whereas Tiger Woods can. 2. I think swimming at Michael's level
is harder than playing golf---it certainly takes more training time and
effort.3. Michael has other irons in the fire, now, which will take some of
his focus away. He is no longer just able to do one thing: swim. and 4. He
has said he won't swim in as many races and will try different ones. So, he
will be compared to his past efforts--something Tiger doesn't have to worry
about. Tiger will be thought of as "post-knee operation" and won't be
compared to "pre-knee operation."
I am just saying he has a lot to risk for little reward.
Pat in TX
Robert W. McAdams
If we followed your argument to its logical conclusion, then no baseball
player who sets a new record for most home runs in a season should ever
play baseball again.
Bob
PatTX
:: If we followed your argument to its logical conclusion, then no
:: baseball player who sets a new record for most home runs in a season
:: should ever play baseball again.
::
::
:: Bob
Not at all. That's comparing apples and oranges. How many baseball players
practice 6-8 hours a day in a different medium than they are used to when
walking around? Baseball? You have GOT to be kidding!
Pat in TX
MW Smith
He is doing it because he likes swimming.
PatTX
: He is doing it because he likes swimming.
I think he's doing it because he doesn't know anything else. Any other way
to live. He's put his entire life into winning at the Olympics and doesn't
realize there are other things to do with his time now that he has achieved
his lifelong goals. If he's doing it "because he likes swimming" then I
think it would be more realistic to say "he likes winning." He's already
talked about what a grind it was, swimming 6-8 hours every day for 365 days
a year. He didn't much sound like he "liked" that.
Pat in TX
da...@geewhiz.com
wrote:
What exactly is he risking? The "cash-in" period for swimmers can be
short lived. He won't be going after eight golds in London but he can
still make a big impact in upcoming Worlds (especailly since it will
get some TV coverage) and in the Olympics. This will keep him fresh
in the public eye and help sustain his appeal for endorsements. If
were to just hang it up now, then he would run the risk that he will
become less relevant in a country that really doesn't care about
swimming. He is great at what he does, and he definitely has four
good years left. No reason for him to hang up his goggles at this
point.
I only threw in the Tiger reference to counter your "quit because he's
rich statement."
MW Smith
No, I think he just likes swimming. And being in the middle of it all.
I think I heard the number $100 million in his 60 Minutes interview.
He doesn't have to do anything else. If he changes his mind someday,
then he'll do something else.
Madelaine
I sort of agree with Martin. Swimming is all he, Michael Phelps, knows.
He has ADD--and there are no "Look! a bunny!" moments in the pool. It
gives him perfect focus. Swimming teaches persistence against the odds
in a way no sport can match (except maybe golf...)and very hard work for
very slim rewards.
I have to say, however, that I don't think there is a sport harder than
golf. Maybe Phelps should take up golf (but there are literal "Look! a
bunny!" moments in golf). I certainly would if I were rich.
I wish I liked Phelps more. Most swimmers I know are good-looking
brainiacs, and this guy is what he is....
Madelaine
PatTX
:: I sort of agree with Martin. Swimming is all he, Michael Phelps,
:: knows. He has ADD--and there are no "Look! a bunny!" moments in the
:: pool. It gives him perfect focus. Swimming teaches persistence
:: against the odds in a way no sport can match (except maybe
:: golf...)and very hard work for very slim rewards.
::
:: I have to say, however, that I don't think there is a sport harder
:: than golf. Maybe Phelps should take up golf (but there are literal
:: "Look! a bunny!" moments in golf). I certainly would if I were rich.
::
:: I wish I liked Phelps more. Most swimmers I know are good-looking
:: brainiacs, and this guy is what he is....
:: Madelaine
I think I get your drift. It's that Phelps is a bit one
dimensional....Swimming is his entire existance.
Pat in TX
Steve Curtis
>"PatTX" wrote:
Correction, Dara Torres trained for and competed in five Olympics: 1984,
1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008.
MW Smith
I would use the term "single-minded" instead of "one dimensional." I
don't think you can become that good at anything without single-
mindedness. But that doesn't mean a single-minded person isn't capable
of learning and doing other things, just that he is not likely to
change as long as he enjoys doing what he is doing. And, in Phelps'
case, he is at the top of a very tall mountain of achievement. To get
to the top of some other mountain will require a long trip down and a
longer trip back up somewhere else.
Madelaine
Phelps and his mother both credit much of his success to his ADHD--which
gave him the advantage of plentiful energy for training and the
life-disadvantage of difficulty with focus, which swimming helped him
with by its nature. He is really young to "retire" in any sense of the
word, so he needs a new challenge. I think it will be very hard for him
to find something else that helps him focus in the same way that
swimming has. I think that learning and doing other things is harder
for Phelps than for the average person.
Madelaine
MW Smith
> Phelps and his mother both credit much of his success to his ADHD--which
> gave him the advantage of plentiful energy for training and the
> life-disadvantage of difficulty with focus, which swimming helped him
> with by its nature.
That demonstrates one of my other pet points: To get to the top in
swimming anymore, it's in the genes.
> I think that learning and doing other things is harder
> for Phelps than for the average person.
Yes, but with $100 million, he doesn't have to do anything else. He
can swim in at least one more Olympics, and with his ability, probably
more, and he can switch to marathon swimming any time he wants. He
might not be a marathon superstar, but why would he care? He loves
swimming.