pretty darned good

That’s the only explanation, right?

Posted by Mark Coale

1 COMMENT

  1. Taking into account the poseur called “Aquaman” at DC Comics these days, I think Phelps is a far better successor to Arthur Curry/Orin. Get this guy an orange & green costume and a trident stat!

  2. I’m still outraged by the tight, revealing outfits they force these swimmers to wear. Disgusting.

    Speaking of which, did you check out the outfits on those women running the marathon? It’s as if Hugh Hefner was running these games!

  3. “I’m still outraged by the tight, revealing outfits they force these swimmers to wear. Disgusting.”

    There’s nothing more aerodynamic for humans to wear than bare skin. And it’s pretty sexy seeing all those rippling muscles on these healthy, athletic people (both women and men). Sets a far better example than the skeletal exposure of skin in most women’s fashion magazines, don’t you think?

    If anybody saw some of the specials of Michael Phelps (yum), he’s actually double jointed in his knees, ankles, and fingers and has an impossibly “Atlantean” arm span. Plus, he went to UT (University of Texas). That explains it all right there. ;)

  4. Congrats to Phelps. To say the least, an amazing performance.

    However, all this grousing about swim-wear and the like reminds me of a headline I recently read in the Onion:

    “Let’s All Go To The Beach And Complain”

  5. “I thought he went to Ann Arbor.”

    Doeth. You’re right. The news mentioned him in the same breath as Hansen and Peirsol who both went to UT.

    Guess he’s just not as cool as I thought. ;)

  6. “Anyone remember Marion Jones? and now she’s in jail… ”

    I refuse to allow the actions of a different athlete to keep me from enjoying sporting events.

  7. “…you get to be a superhero by believing in the hero within you and summoning him or her forth by an act of will. Believing in yourself is the first step to realizing that potential.”

    According to Ozymandius, the smartest man on the cinder.

    I suspect that as the legend of Phelps grows, a lot of focus will be placed on the notion that in school he was a problem student with what they call “attention deficit disorder”…it seems that aspect of his story has gotten some attention and will likely get more.

  8. “I suspect that as the legend of Phelps grows, a lot of focus will be placed on the notion that in school he was a problem student with what they call “attention deficit disorder”…it seems that aspect of his story has gotten some attention and will likely get more.”

    Maybe helping to show some parents that it isn’t a “disorder” at all? And that we don’t need to dope up our children because of it? I was diagnosed with ADD once upon time (and tourettes), along with half of the rest of the world, and never felt like I was impaired because of it. IMHO, it just means I have a lot of interests in a lot of different subjects, and that I have to constantly challenge myself to maintain my attention on a subject. And if that means you just have to work harder than some people sometimes to stay on task? Then that only makes you a stronger person. :)

    And nice quote. :) I’d never heard that definition of a superhero before.

  9. One of the bits mentioned by NBC in Phelps’ profile was that his heart pumps twice as much blood as a normal human’s heart. If that isn’t the very definition of “mutant” then I don’t know what would be. He’s clearly an inhuman manfish! With a double blood pumping heart! It is patently unfair that normal humans have to compete against him.

  10. if you can eat the amount he eats every day* and still be able to live, yes: you’re a superhero.

    *12.000 kCals per day.

  11. Ya think they’re posting about Batman at various “news blogs of ‘sports culture?'”

    Yeah, I don’t think so either.

  12. Ya think they’re posting about Batman at various “news blogs of ‘sports culture?'”

    Yeah, I don’t think so either.

  13. “And nice quote. :) I’d never heard that definition of a superhero before.”

    Are you even allowed to post comments on this blog without having read Watchmen? Surely this must be some form of rule infraction.

  14. I think this is just another poor excuse for Heidi to slip in another picture of a half-nude buff dude (like her previous Jake D, various 300 picts). As a man with a beer belly, I cry SEXISM!!!! if I started putting up half-naked picts of the women’s beach volleyball team (sans W), I’d probably get bashed as a misogynistic bastard…

  15. SpyBoy: Get over it already. Some people have broader interests than you do.

    And you’re wrong anyway. Bizarro was on a recent cover of Sports Illustrated where they talked about what a strange baseball season it has been.

  16. “Are you even allowed to post comments on this blog without having read Watchmen? Surely this must be some form of rule infraction.”

    LOL. I’ve flipped through Watchmen, but it isn’t my cup of tea, unfortunately. Being a comic creator who hasn’t read Watchmen? It’s much like a writer who hasn’t read Kerouac: everybody claims to have read “On the Road,” but how many are willing to admit they didn’t get past the first page?

  17. @JoeDumars

    Heidi didn’t even post this story, I did. And I went out of my way to not pick a “glaringly beefcake” photo, but It’s not easy to find one of Phelps that isn’t.

    that said, I was tempted to throw in an unnecessary photo of one of the cute Swedish team handball players, but opted not to do so. :>