peepinmofo Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug...p&type=lgns I heard him in an interview on ESPN, he said something like, "no one else knows what he is going through but ME. Im the ONLY person that has any idea what he is being put through, and I want to be there to pass the torch...". Anyway, does hge deserve to be there? Sure he does. But for him to make the conversation "ME ME ME", well, Im glad he isnt there. HONG KONG (AFP) - US swim legend Mark Spitz won't be on hand in Beijing if Michael Phelps breaks his record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics—because, he says, no one bothered to invite him. Spitz said the International Olympic Committee, a US television network or FINA—the international body that governs world swimming—should have brought him to the Games this year, with Phelps making a go at his record. "I never got invited. You don't go to the Olympics just to say, I am going to go. Especially because of who I am," Spitz told AFP in Hong Kong. "I am going to sit there and watch Michael Phelps break my record anonymously? That's almost demeaning to me. It is not almost—it is." Spitz became one of the most famous athletes in the world at the 1972 Munich Olympics, winning seven gold medals—with seven world records—in what many consider to be one of the greatest achievements in all of sport. Phelps is aiming to better that mark in Beijing, hoping to bring home eight golds. And Spitz, now 58 and grey and without his trademark moustache, cannot understand why he wasn't asked along to see the show. "They voted me one of the top five Olympians in all time. Some of them are dead. But they invited the other ones to go to the Olympics, but not me," he said. "Yes, I am a bit upset about it." Now a stockbroker and motivational speaker, Spitz also thinks he could have won eight golds himself in Munich if only he had had the chance. "I won seven events. If they had the 50m freestyle back then, which they do now, I probably would have won that too," he said. Spitz, whose brief stint in show business in the 1970s never quite matched his success in the pool, said he attended the Athens Olympics four years ago—when Phelps also tried to break the record. "They did not once put my face on television," he recalled. "But as soon as the swimming was over, and Michael Phelps didn't break my record, every time I went to beach volley, they put my face on the volleyballs." Spitz said it would have been a great idea if he could be the one presenting the gold medals to Phelps, who has for years been candid about his ambition to eclipse the mark of seven golds. And Spitz thinks Phelps will succeed—for one very good reason. "He's almost identical to me. He's a world-record holder in all these events, so he is dominating the events just like I did," Spitz said. "He reminds me of myself." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeteebee Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Sounds like somebody wanted a free trip to China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 Sounds like somebody wanted a free trip to China. Most likely an all expense paid trip too. I bet he would have complained if they invited him, but made him pay for a hotel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskey Pimp Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Is there any reason that they can't have some sort of ceremony back in the US after the Games? I'm sure Phelps would love to be hearing all this stuff about a ceremony in Beijing once he wins the 8 instead of being able to just focus on his events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 This is a little unfair. He's in a difficult situation. Is he whining? Sure, but he shouldn't have to. He should be invited and a whole ceremony planned around him 'passing the torch'. I guess he doesn't have an agent? it's pretty strange how you never see the guy. you'd think he'd be on NBC all the time doing interviews and such. the fact that the only time you ever see him is in footage from the 70s porn stache days tells me he probably IS a tool, difficult to work with, etc. but yeah, it does seem odd that he isn't there. I wouldn't be surprised to see him whisked in, now that phelps has made it past two of the more difficult events and is still on track for 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 it's pretty strange how you never see the guy. you'd think he'd be on NBC all the time doing interviews and such. the fact that the only time you ever see him is in footage from the 70s porn stache days tells me he probably IS a tool, difficult to work with, etc. but yeah, it does seem odd that he isn't there. I wouldn't be surprised to see him whisked in, now that phelps has made it past two of the more difficult events and is still on track for 8. Wow, Az... I consider you one of the smarter guys here, so if you really think the bolded statement is true, maybe I'm not paying enough attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Wow, Az... I consider you one of the smarter guys here, so if you really think the bolded statement is true, maybe I'm not paying enough attention. I don't see what's so crazy about what I said. clearly, the networks and the olympic committee and whoever else has power in this sort of thing want nothing to do with the guy. there must be some reason. it's certainly not his lack of olympic accomplishment. don't think it's out of line to speculate that maybe people just don't like working with him. and reading that interview sorta reinforces that speculation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Scorp Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I saw the interview and my first reaction was that the Olympic comiittee should have invited Spits to the events. Send him a ticket and a pass, big deal, the publicity would have been hugh!!! But I am not sure there is a precedence for this? He did seem a bit whinny during the interview but that could have been some editing. Dude won 7 gold medals in one Olympics so they should give him some cred. Think back to when Emmitt broke Payton's rushing record or when Favre broke Marino's TD record... I don't think Walters family was there and Marino was not at Favre's game. Don't remember if Aaron was at Bond's game when his record was broke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I don't see what's so crazy about what I said. clearly, the networks and the olympic committee and whoever else has power in this sort of thing want nothing to do with the guy. there must be some reason. it's certainly not his lack of olympic accomplishment. don't think it's out of line to speculate that maybe people just don't like working with him. and reading that interview sorta reinforces that speculation. From your statement, you made it seem like you were wondering "where has this guy been?". He's not a media bitch, despite what you read here and from the (I'm sure) well-edited ESPN piece. The guy is busy with a family (2 sons) and a career (motivational speaker, among other things) and was likely just contacted by ESPN - and other media outlets - after it was learned he was not contacted by the powers that be with the U.S. Olympic Team. Just because someone stays out of the spotlight and happens to show up when HE'S shown up with a bit of a beef doesn't make him a "tool" or hard to work with. I think the guy is getting a raw deal. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 (edited) This is a little unfair. He's in a difficult situation. Is he whining? Sure, but he shouldn't have to. He should be invited and a whole ceremony planned around him 'passing the torch'. Phelps has to collect EIGHT gold medals. Any such "passing the torch" ceremony would rightly be perceived as arrogant and foolish. Phelps is neither of those things as far as I know and I would have thought his connections would make sure he stayed as far away as possible from all that media hoopla. Edit: We already saw what happens to the overconfident when the French were wiped out yesterday. Edited August 11, 2008 by Ursa Majoris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Spitz reminds me of the '72 Dolphins. I hope Phelps gets all 8 golds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 And FWIW, I think a "ceremony" would be pretty cheesy.... but having a legend like Spitz as a representative of the U.S. Olympics should have happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 From your statement, you made it seem like you were wondering "where has this guy been?". He's not a media bitch, despite what you read here and from the (I'm sure) well-edited ESPN piece. The guy is busy with a family (2 sons) and a career (motivational speaker, among other things) and was likely just contacted by ESPN - and other media outlets - after it was learned he was not contacted by the powers that be with the U.S. Olympic Team. Just because someone stays out of the spotlight and happens to show up when HE'S shown up with a bit of a beef doesn't make him a "tool" or hard to work with. I think the guy is getting a raw deal. Just my opinion. I see your point, but apparently the same thing happened to him in 2004, hence the complaint about NBC not putting him on TV. it sounds like it's not a one-time slight by the IOC, it's a more of a systematic long-term thing where the IOC, NBC and the swimming group all want nothing to do with him. I have to say though, even if he IS a total d00sh, he should be there getting interviewed and having his face flashed on TV if/when phelps breaks his rather astounding record. I mean, if NBC can send jim gray to interview pete f'n rose during the all-star game because it's newsworthy, surely they can work with spitz. so yeah, I agree completely, he IS getting a raw deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 how so? They don't want anyone to achieve that record, Spitz does I think he's just saying he does to get some media attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 (edited) how so? They don't want anyone to achieve that record, Spitz does Agree. I see your point, but apparently the same thing happened to him in 2004, hence the complaint about NBC not putting him on TV. it sounds like it's not a one-time slight by the IOC, it's a more of a systematic long-term thing where the IOC, NBC and the swimming group all want nothing to do with him. I have to say though, even if he IS a total d00sh, he should be there getting interviewed and having his face flashed on TV if/when phelps breaks his rather astounding record. I mean, if NBC can send jim gray to interview pete f'n rose during the all-star game because it's newsworthy, surely they can work with spitz. so yeah, I agree completely, he IS getting a raw deal. I hear ya... and I'll be honest, I don't remember CRAP about the 2004 Olympics. My wife asked me something about them last night and I was like ... So if that's true... who knows. I think he's just saying he does to get some media attention. I don't know.... I can see how someone may make the Spitz/72 Dolphins comparison, but like Opie said, Spitz WANTS Phelps to break the record... totally rooting for him. In fact, he's been right there alongside Spitz as he developed into one of the premier (if not THE premier) swimmer in the world. It's been JUST with the Olympics (both in 2004, as I just learned and now in 2008) that he's been "forgotten". And to that end, Spitz doesn't go out of his way to get his story out there. Mercury Morris and the rest of the '72 Dolphin idiots did whatever it took to get face time. Edited August 11, 2008 by darin3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 From your statement, you made it seem like you were wondering "where has this guy been?". He's not a media bitch, despite what you read here and from the (I'm sure) well-edited ESPN piece. The guy is busy with a family (2 sons) and a career (motivational speaker, among other things) and was likely just contacted by ESPN - and other media outlets - after it was learned he was not contacted by the powers that be with the U.S. Olympic Team. Just because someone stays out of the spotlight and happens to show up when HE'S shown up with a bit of a beef doesn't make him a "tool" or hard to work with. I think the guy is getting a raw deal. Just my opinion. I agree he is getting a raw deal, but the point is, he is all about himself. Was it edited, sure. But he still said the things he said, and it was all about him. It wasnt aboutPhelps winning, it was about HIM being there because HE was the only one who has done it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 Phelps has to collect EIGHT gold medals. Any such "passing the torch" ceremony would rightly be perceived as arrogant and foolish. Phelps is neither of those things as far as I know and I would have thought his connections would make sure he stayed as far away as possible from all that media hoopla. Edit: We already saw what happens to the overconfident when the French were wiped out yesterday. This brings up another good point... Why would they ask him to go when there is no guarantee he will even match or beat the record? Who's record did Spitz beat? Was that person there when Spitz won all the golds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I and I ALONE from the Huddle know exactly what they are going through (well you know, all except for all of the homosexuality that they do). So I should probably be there (as a friend) to pass the torch to one of those guys anyway. We could take up a collection here to pay for my much deserved trip to China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peepinmofo Posted August 11, 2008 Author Share Posted August 11, 2008 http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/...videoId=3528126 Here is the video. Im sorry, but this guy is just a f***ing cock holster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menudo Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 He probably should have been invited. However, he comes off as a complete tool here, and apparently Darin is banging him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 He probably should have been invited. However, he comes off as a complete tool here, and apparently Darin is banging him. Darin calls him "Swallows" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Darin calls him "Swallows" Wouldn't that cause this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 He probably should have been invited. However, he comes off as a complete tool here, and apparently Darin is banging him. Darin also has a 70's porn mustache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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