I have Nick hooked. The Olympics have been on every night in our home since it started. I have always been a huge fan & this year has been amazing! Of course I am a HUGE fan of Michael Phelps and Dara Torres! I get so excited when Phelps races!! The men's relay by far is the best race I have ever seen! It was so great to beat the favored winners from France!!! I cannot wait to see if he goes 8 for 8!!
Here is a little snippet I found:
8 reasons to watch Michael Phelps in Beijing
By Pamela Barone, NBCOlympics.com
Posted Wednesday, August 6, 2008 11:55 PM ET
Michael Phelps is dominating the headlines in Beijing, where he swims eight events, and 17 races, during the nine days of Olympic competition. The world's greatest swimmer is now on a course for history.
If you're still not sure why you should watch, here are eight reasons.
1. He'll be too old to do it again in London.Though 27 is still young in normal life, it's considered old in swimming. And although many swimmers have continued to have careers in their late 20s and 30s, it's unlikely Phelps could pull off his 17-race program in four years. He has said he will train for London, but will probably focus on shorter events, including the 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke. One thing's for sure: the 400m IM, which in Beijing will probably be his closest race, is out for 2012.
2. The Fu Manchu.Phelps has sported the look several times this year, but never has it gotten so much attention. Phelps admits he's been "experimenting with facial hair," and seems to be amused by the media frenzy that has ensued. Though Phelps will shave before competition begins, the look has definitely made an impression in Beijing.
3. He's mastered the art of the close finish.Phelps has certainly maintained an edge on the field throughout his career. But he has had a few scares, including the 100m butterfly in Athens, where he beat Ian Crocker by .04 of a second, and the same event at the 2007 Worlds, where he beat Crocker by .05 of a second. In both races, the announcers had given it to Crocker ("It doesn't look like Phelps will win it!") before Phelps came up with a "magical touch" to secure the win.
Videos
Phelps vs. Lochte
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are set to battle in the IMs.
Phelps' dolphin kicks are unmatched
Phelps: Dreaming big as a kid
Photos
Faces of Phelps with Fu
Michael Phelps came to Beijing sporting a Fu Manchu.
U.S. swim team arrives in Beijing
Michael Phelps through the years
Michael Phelps underwater
Related Stories
Winning eight starts with the first
Phelps has already made his mark
Gaines: Breaking down Phelps' eight
Michael Phelps: Records in reach
4. Of course, sometimes, it's fun to see someone destroy the field.Yes, there will be close races, but there also will most likely be a few where Phelps absolutely crushes the competition. The most likely events to see that are the 200m butterfly, where Phelps owns eight of the 10 fastest times in history, and the 200m freestyle, where just last year Phelps smashed Ian Thorpe's seemingly unbreakable world record. In both events, his closest competitor is a fellow American, though Gil Stovall (200m fly) and Peter Vanderkaay (200m free) are still nearly two seconds behind in their respective events.
5. He'll be swimming for a $1 million bonus.Before the Athens Olympics in 2004, Speedo, which is Phelps' top sponsor, offered him $1 million if he could match Spitz's record of seven golds in one Games. Speedo is offering the same bounty this time, with one important difference: In 2004, Speedo had insurance on the offer; this time, they're on the hook for the whole million because they couldn't find anyone to insure it. That might bode well for Phelps, since insurance companies generally know a good deal when they see one.
6. His program is one of the most ambitious athletic feats of all time.It's hard to overstate the difficulty of what Phelps is attempting. Plenty of swimmers have the talent and versatility to swim many different events, but only Phelps has the aerobic capacity to swim all of them in one meet. No one else in men's swimming comes close to swimming as much as Phelps, and that includes Mark Spitz, who covered about half as much distance in Munich as Phelps will in Beijing.
7. It will be live in the U.S.The finals will be held in the morning in Beijing, putting the races in primetime in the U.S., which is 12 hours behind China on the East Coast. Since the Olympic finals are typically held at night, local time, the time difference presents the possibility of knowing the outcome of the race before it airs. There are always a dedicated few who avoid TV and Internet all day in order to avoid learning the result. But this time, there are no isolation tactics necessary: You can watch Phelps live every night.
8. History is at stake.We all know that if Phelps wins eight gold medals in Beijing, he will beat Sptiz's single-games record of seven. But he needs only four to become the most decorated Olympic champion in history. The current record of nine career golds, shared by four athletes (including Spitz), is well within reach, since Phelps won six in Athens alone. So even though he may not go 8-for-8, chances are he will take over the top spot on the all-time list.
By Pamela Barone, NBCOlympics.com
Posted Wednesday, August 6, 2008 11:55 PM ET
Michael Phelps is dominating the headlines in Beijing, where he swims eight events, and 17 races, during the nine days of Olympic competition. The world's greatest swimmer is now on a course for history.
If you're still not sure why you should watch, here are eight reasons.
1. He'll be too old to do it again in London.Though 27 is still young in normal life, it's considered old in swimming. And although many swimmers have continued to have careers in their late 20s and 30s, it's unlikely Phelps could pull off his 17-race program in four years. He has said he will train for London, but will probably focus on shorter events, including the 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke. One thing's for sure: the 400m IM, which in Beijing will probably be his closest race, is out for 2012.
2. The Fu Manchu.Phelps has sported the look several times this year, but never has it gotten so much attention. Phelps admits he's been "experimenting with facial hair," and seems to be amused by the media frenzy that has ensued. Though Phelps will shave before competition begins, the look has definitely made an impression in Beijing.
3. He's mastered the art of the close finish.Phelps has certainly maintained an edge on the field throughout his career. But he has had a few scares, including the 100m butterfly in Athens, where he beat Ian Crocker by .04 of a second, and the same event at the 2007 Worlds, where he beat Crocker by .05 of a second. In both races, the announcers had given it to Crocker ("It doesn't look like Phelps will win it!") before Phelps came up with a "magical touch" to secure the win.
Videos
Phelps vs. Lochte
Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are set to battle in the IMs.
Phelps' dolphin kicks are unmatched
Phelps: Dreaming big as a kid
Photos
Faces of Phelps with Fu
Michael Phelps came to Beijing sporting a Fu Manchu.
U.S. swim team arrives in Beijing
Michael Phelps through the years
Michael Phelps underwater
Related Stories
Winning eight starts with the first
Phelps has already made his mark
Gaines: Breaking down Phelps' eight
Michael Phelps: Records in reach
4. Of course, sometimes, it's fun to see someone destroy the field.Yes, there will be close races, but there also will most likely be a few where Phelps absolutely crushes the competition. The most likely events to see that are the 200m butterfly, where Phelps owns eight of the 10 fastest times in history, and the 200m freestyle, where just last year Phelps smashed Ian Thorpe's seemingly unbreakable world record. In both events, his closest competitor is a fellow American, though Gil Stovall (200m fly) and Peter Vanderkaay (200m free) are still nearly two seconds behind in their respective events.
5. He'll be swimming for a $1 million bonus.Before the Athens Olympics in 2004, Speedo, which is Phelps' top sponsor, offered him $1 million if he could match Spitz's record of seven golds in one Games. Speedo is offering the same bounty this time, with one important difference: In 2004, Speedo had insurance on the offer; this time, they're on the hook for the whole million because they couldn't find anyone to insure it. That might bode well for Phelps, since insurance companies generally know a good deal when they see one.
6. His program is one of the most ambitious athletic feats of all time.It's hard to overstate the difficulty of what Phelps is attempting. Plenty of swimmers have the talent and versatility to swim many different events, but only Phelps has the aerobic capacity to swim all of them in one meet. No one else in men's swimming comes close to swimming as much as Phelps, and that includes Mark Spitz, who covered about half as much distance in Munich as Phelps will in Beijing.
7. It will be live in the U.S.The finals will be held in the morning in Beijing, putting the races in primetime in the U.S., which is 12 hours behind China on the East Coast. Since the Olympic finals are typically held at night, local time, the time difference presents the possibility of knowing the outcome of the race before it airs. There are always a dedicated few who avoid TV and Internet all day in order to avoid learning the result. But this time, there are no isolation tactics necessary: You can watch Phelps live every night.
8. History is at stake.We all know that if Phelps wins eight gold medals in Beijing, he will beat Sptiz's single-games record of seven. But he needs only four to become the most decorated Olympic champion in history. The current record of nine career golds, shared by four athletes (including Spitz), is well within reach, since Phelps won six in Athens alone. So even though he may not go 8-for-8, chances are he will take over the top spot on the all-time list.
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