An open letter to Michael Phelps

[thatcrazycajun]

Dear Mr. Phelps:

I admit to having not paid much attention to the Games of the 29th Summer Olympiad being played in Beijing, China this past week or so. I've never been much of a sports fan, save for those few teams with which I have a personal association (the New Orleans Saints and the LSU Tigers, chiefly). But even I have managed to be astounded and excited by your stupendous achievements on behalf of our nation this week.

Shattering a record that has stood for the better part of my lifetime, you won eight—eight!—gold medals in swimming, and now possess 14 in all, more than any other currently active Olympic athlete (perhaps more than any in the history of the modern Olympic movement; I haven't checked those records). Surpassing Mark Spitz's legendary seven medals at the 20th Summer Games in Munich, (then West) Germany in 1972, you blitzed your way through the pool at Beijing's Water Cube natatorium and amazed the world not only with your speed and skill in the water, but your sportsmanship out of it. You have made a point of engaging with your US teammates and with newer athletes and recognizing their contributions. Even Spitz himself was impressed, telling one reporter your performance could be summed up in "one word: epic."

You have, in just eight short days, become the face not only of your country's athletes, or of your sport, but of the whole Olympic movement. Your name will be carved alongside those of such as Jesse Owens, Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comaneci and Spitz in the annals of the world's greatest competitors in the Games. As Spitz could probably tell you (and no doubt will, or may even already have), this lofty status carries with it a commensurate—and tremendous—responsibility.

You have told the press that Spitz inspired you; you will go on to inspire some child watching now in turn to match or beat your efforts. Be aware that at all times, in or out of a swimsuit, you represent your nation, your sport and the Games. Keep your cool, stay clean, and continue as you have begun. And keep encouraging younger swimmers and building the sport, as you are now doing. Conduct yourself in all things as if the whole world was watching, every minute...because for the rest of your natural life, they will be. Count on it.

We're all busting with pride in you. Don't let us down.

Your admiring fellow American,
TCC

Comments

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Awright!

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Dude's pretty good. Boring (a world record and a gold medal every time but one, and that a win by 1/100 of a second), but good. And he does listen to Eminem, which is minus points. But overall, acceptable performance :-)

[mscongeniality.livejournal.com]

The Eminem is countered by being from Baltimore, hon. ;-)

[wouldyoueva.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Gotta love a Balmer Boy, hon.

(But...does Timonium count as Baltimore? Hmmmm)

[mscongeniality.livejournal.com]

Well, it's in Baltimore County. When you're looking at it on a national scale, that's close enough!

[robin-june.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of this post this morning while listening to radio scuttlebutt talking about Lindsey Lohan wanting to meet Michael Phelps -- and then saying that he wasn't too adverse to meeting her, too.

Oh, drats.

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

I caught the edge of a story on ESPN while eating lunch during this, there is ONE other Olympic athlete who has more gold medals than Phelps. A lady gymnast from somewhere in the old Soviet Bloc (this is going by her last name, which ended in "-ova").