Showing posts with label Michael Phelps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Phelps. Show all posts

Monday, July 24, 2017

Shark Beats Michael Phelps





Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Jimmy Fallon: Weiner Jokes

JIMMY FALLON: This is just crazy news. Anthony Weiner is back in the news with another sexting scandal. He's like the Michael Phelps of sexting. He keeps saying he's going to retire, and every four years he's back - and he's wearing a Speedo.

...

And finally, I saw that Twitter just added a night mode setting that adjusts the screen lighting to make it easier for users to tweet in the dark. It's also called the Anthony Weiner mode.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Michael Phelps - 22 GOLD






Incredible!

Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps

What a great photo!

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Michael Phelps - 21 GOLD



Amazing.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

#PhelpsFace

It's kind of sad when the thing generating all the excitement about the Olympics is #PhelpsFace.

That's life as we know it now.

(Insert #PhelpsFace here.)


Monday, August 8, 2016

Michael Phelps - 19 Gold Medals

Congratulations, Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps, Ryan Held and Nathan Adrian!







And congratulations, Katie Ledecky!






Go Team USA!

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Rio Olympics Opening Ceremony

Wow.

That was so long!








Go Team USA!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Phelps, Franklin, Ledecky: GOLD

It's a GOLD rush by the American swimmers today.

Missy Franklin won GOLD in the 200m Backstroke, setting a world record. Elizabeth Beisel picked up the BRONZE.

Michael Phelps won GOLD in the 100m Butterfly. In the last individual swim of his career, Phelps won his third straight GOLD in the event. It was his 21st Olympic medal, his 17th GOLD.

The guy's pretty good.

There was more GOLD for Team USA.

Katie Ledecky won GOLD in the 800m Freestyle.

In the 50m Freestyle, GOLD medalist Cullen Jones picked up the SILVER.

Wow.

What a day at the pool!

Congratulations, Team USA!!!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Phelps - Gold, Lochte - Silver: 200m IM







Another great day in London for Team USA!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Michael Phelps: 19 Olympic Medals

Three of his teammates helped Michael Phelps swim into history today.

The U.S. 4x200m freestyle relay team took gold, earning Phelps his 19th Olympic medal, the most of any athlete ever.

From the Associated Press:

With a lot of help from his friends, Phelps took down the last major record that wasn't his alone, swimming the anchor leg for the United States in a gold medal-winning performance of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay Tuesday night.

About an hour earlier, Phelps took one of the most frustrating defeats of his brilliant career, making a shocking blunder at the finish and settling for silver in his signature event, the 200 butterfly.

That tied the record for career medals held by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, but it was hardly a triumphant moment. Phelps slung away his cap in disgust and struggled to force a smile at the medal ceremony.

But any disappointment from that race was gone by the time he dived in the water on the relay, having been staked to a huge lead by teammates Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens.

Before the race, they all huddled together, fully aware of their role in history.

"I thanked those guys for helping me get to this moment," Phelps said. "I told those guys I wanted a big lead. I was like, 'You better give me a big lead going into the last lap,' and they gave it to me. I just wanted to hold on. I thanked them for being able to allow me to have this moment."

I like that Phelps' record-breaking medal was gold. I like that it came with a relay, a team effort.

Congratulations to Michael Phelps.

Congratulations to Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer and Ricky Berens.

Fantastic!


Michael Phelps: 200m Butterfly - SILVER

So, so close!

But no gold.

Watching NBC's livestream of the event, the commentators said that Phelps lost.

True, he wasn't first, but silver is not bad.

One more medal and Phelps becomes the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time.

Not bad at all.

_________________

Congratulations to Allison Schmitt! She won gold in the Women's 200m Freestyle.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Milwaukee Admirals and "Don't Be Like Mike" Night

Thursday's Admirals game is getting a good deal of attention, and it has nothing to do with hockey.

That night's promotion is doing what successful promotions should do -- get noticed and draw people to the event.

From the Admirals' website:

Michael Phelps has done a lot of things in his life that he is proud of. Eight Olympic Gold Medals from last year’s summer games is just the start of a long list of accomplishments that anyone would want to emulate.

Unfortunately, the limelight that currently shines on him is not for any of his athletic achievements, but for an act that is a bit more dubious. Thus, the Milwaukee Admirals present “Don’t Be Like Mike” Night at their game on Thursday, February 19th at 7:00 pm versus the Rockford IceHogs.

All fans who are graduates of a DARE program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) can get into the game for just $2 by bringing their DARE graduation certificate to the Admirals’ office or the Bradley Center box office. In addition, anyone with the name Michael, Phelps, Mary Jane, Cheech, Chong, Weed (Wied) or anyone who has won an Olympic Gold Medal can also get their ticket for only $2.

“I, along with Nancy Reagan, want to encourage people to not do drugs,” said Admirals President Jon Greenberg. “As an organization the Milwaukee Admirals don’t condone or encourage the use of illegal drugs, including, but not limited to marijuana, or anabolic steroids for that matter.”

The Ads will also be giving away a weed wacker, courtesy of National Ace Hardware, that will be signed by the team and if the Admirals score with 4:20 left on the clock in any period one lucky fan will win a season ticket for the 2009-10 season. The number 420 is often known as the police code for illegal drug use.

Plus, to ensure that no one ends up in the same predicament as Michael Phelps, the team will provide a document shredder at the DigiCopy Information Table outside section 225 so fans can bring any embarrassing or incriminating photos to be destroyed.

While there's plenty of humor here, I think this promotion is at least a bit more meaningful than the Larry Craig "bobblefoot" giveaway by the Saint Paul Saints last May.

It has some redeeming value, though the message is lost a bit amid the week wacker, the document shredder, and all the other joking around.

Of course, this really isn't about raising awareness regarding illegal drug use. It's not about mocking Michael Phelps either, though the promotion certainly does.

It's about boosting attendance, pure and simple. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Bill Maher and Jay Leno, February 10


(Screen grab/NBC)

Bill Maher, looking as greasy as ever, was on Tuesday's Tonight Show. Actually, Maher looked greasier than usual.

Of course, Jay Leno and Maher talked about Barack Obama.

Maher said, "Wow, we did it. We elected a black guy. Great."

The crowd applauded.

Leno asked him to evaluate how Obama has done so far.

Maher took the opportunity to bash President Bush. What a shock! I didn't see that coming.

Maher spoke of the mess Obama inherited.

"First of all, you have to look at in perspective, you know. He is coming in after Bush, that's like, you know, being a maid in a hotel after Led Zeppelin has stayed there."

Then he mumbled something about Bush's "leave no dollar behind" program.

Maher admitted that Obama had made some rookie mistakes but noted that we'd be much worse off if McCain had won.

"Think of what the mood we would be in if it was old man McCain and Cruella de Vil in there right now."

The audience liked that.

About the economic stimulus plan, Maher said, "That is a big package, even for a black man."

What a comic genius!

Maher commented on how hard Obama tried to reach out to the Republicans. He bemoaned the fact that only 3 Republicans voted for the stimulus plan.

He asked, "What happened to the honeymoon? Weren't you supposed to get a honeymoon?"

Maher said, "I mean this is like going to Niagara Falls and you find out you're not gonna get laid. You're wife is a dude, and the hotel's on fire. The Falls are made of blood, not water."

Next topic: The more relaxed dress code in the Obama White House.

Maher mocked President Bush.

Transcript

MAHER: There were pictures of [Obama] just in a shirt and not his coat. This enraged the Republicans, which is such a double standard. I seem to recall we were happy if Bush didn't try to put his pants on over his head. He peed himself on 9/11 but his tie was straight.

I think that's really awful. Maher should be thanking President Bush for keeping the nation safe since the attacks.

What did Maher do on 9/11? Not long afterward, I remember he said, "Americans have been the cowards lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly."

Still talking about the White House dress code--
MAHER: The way they act like this is going to change everything, like, 'Oh, well, Obama's got casual Fridays. Yeah, sure, next thing you know he's going to be coming in with, you know, a neck tattoo and cornrows.' You know, I think people forget because they lived with eight years of the Bush clown posse that this is what people do when they're working. They take their coat off, OK?

Next topic: The Michael Phelps bong incident. Naturally, Maher spoke in favor of pot smokers.
MAHER: He's taking a bong hit and now he's O.J.

I wish we would end the charade in this country that putting marijuana in your body is somehow worse than a thousand other things that people put in their body, including anything made by Kellogg's...

You know, Michael Phelps, he's a nice young guy, but you know what? I just wish sometime when somebody gets 'caught' smoking marijuana they wouldn't be such a wimp about it. 'I made a misjudgment.' Yes, when you acted like such a pussy about not standing up and saying, 'Excuse me, I'm an adult. I can do things that an adult can do. I wouldn't recommend this for children, but I wouldn't recommend driving a car or having sex or starting a fire for children.'

I'm surprised that didn't get bleeped, but it didn't.

Maher completely disregarded the millions of dollars in endorsements that Phelps is raking in. Phelps' image matters.

After the commercial break, Maher and Leno continued to talk about pot and Phelps.

Maher asked Leno, "Have you ever had a bong hit?"

Leno sort of dodged and said, "I don't even drink alcohol, so to me the whole thing is a moot point."

Maher joked with Leno, telling him that "even presidents admit they've had a bong hit."

Maher continued to rant about Kellogg.
MAHER: Americans just have a very weird idea of what is healthy and what is not healthy for them, and where things fall on that scale. And I'm sorry, but the products made by Kellogg, in fact, everything in the super[market]...

Talking about Alex Rodriguez and his admission that he used steroids, Maher went on trashing the way Americans eat.
MAHER: Let me tell you something folks. You're all on steroids. If you eat the food in America, if you eat the cows, if you eat the chickens, if you eat the pigs, they shoot them all up with steroids, hormones... This is why people are so sick. I'm serious.

I didn't know Maher was such an organic guy.

On the mother of the octuplets, he asked, "Why can't some people just be labeled baby addicts?"

"The fire marshall had to close down her vagina."

"How is she gonna complete her duties as the governor of Alaska?"

Why bring Sarah Palin into this?

Maher was bitter about getting passed up for an Oscar nomination for his documentary, Religulous.
MAHER: Snubbed by the Academy. That just shows you what, how this topic is treated in America. I mean, and Entertainment Weekly said it right, they said if the Academy wants to be completely irrelevant, they're doing a hell of a good job by not nominating this film.

He complained that people didn't see the film, which was weird because when Leno introduced Maher, he mentioned that Religulous was the highest grossing documentary of last year.

Maher hawked the DVD, saying that now no one can stop people from seeing it, as if there were some sort of conspiracy. Maher contends that the religion topic was too hot.
MAHER: So many people wrote to me and said, 'We couldn't see it in the theaters 'cause it wasn't playing within 300 miles of us,' because once again, this is America. Well, now you can see it on DVD. They can't stop you from seeing it.

Yeah, right. Maybe people just aren't Bill Maher fans. That doesn't seem to have crossed his mind.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Michael Phelps: Of Pot and Frosted Flakes

"Made it, Ma! Top of the world!"

Michael Phelps was on top. After his triumphant performance at the Beijing Olympics, he couldn't have been any higher, so to speak.

Rather than savor that glory responsibly, Phelps squandered it. He was reckless.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Michael Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming, the latest fallout from a photo that showed the Olympic great inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

The sport's national governing body also cut off its financial support to Phelps for the same three-month period, effective Thursday.

"This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero," the federation said in a statement.

"Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust."

Also on Thursday, Kellogg Co. said it will drop Phelps' endorsement deal.

Most of his major sponsors, such as Visa Inc., Speedo, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega and sports beverage PureSport's maker Human Performance Labs, stood by the athlete following the news, even if they didn't condone his behavior.

But Battle Creek, Mich.-based cereal and snack maker Kellogg said Phelps's behavior is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg."

USA Swimming did a very safe thing.

Phelps' penalty seems harsh enough. Some consider it too harsh, but it probably won't impact Phelps' potential future success at all.

I think Kellogg did the safe thing, too.

Phelps was Mr. Frosted Flakes. Kellogg used him to appeal to kids.

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Aug 19, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- He's already taken his place in history alongside the legends, but now Michael Phelps can add one more milestone to the list. After earning eight gold medals in the 2008 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps has earned a place of honor on the front of specially-marked Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (R: 66.26, -0.45, -0.67%) and Kellogg's Corn Flakes (R: 66.26, -0.45, -0.67%) cereal boxes.

The gold medal winning Olympic champion from Baltimore, Maryland will be featured on Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cereal packages that are expected to hit grocery store shelves across the U.S. in mid-September. The boxes will feature images of Phelps during what were some of the most memorable moments of this summer's Olympic Games.

"As an Official Sponsor of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and a proud sponsor of Phelps, it is only fitting that Kellogg Company feature this world-class athlete on its iconic boxes of Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes cereals," said Marta Cyhan, Vice President, Global Promotions, Kellogg Company. "Michael embodies the values behind our Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes (TM: 87.59, -1.33, -1.49%) program. He knows that winning is not just about the glory that comes with gold medals, but about good sportsmanship, working hard and being your best."

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes helps kids be their best through its Earn Your Stripes program. With inspiration from Tony the Tiger (R: 66.26, -0.45, -0.67%), the Earn Your Stripes program is designed to encourage kids to eat right, be more active and work hard to achieve all of their goals.

There really was no way for Kellogg to stick with Phelps, what with its "Earn Your Stripes" program to help kids.

Phelps is an adult. He smokes pot. OK. Who cares? As an adult, it doesn't influence me in any way.

It's a different story for kids. They might have difficulty sorting out the mixed messages. Phelps' behavior could influence them in a negative way.

"Michael embodies the values behind our Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes program. He knows that winning is not just about the glory that comes with gold medals, but about good sportsmanship, working hard and being your best."

Yeah, I don't think the imagine of Phelps sucking on a bong embodies the values behind the Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes program.

Phelps is earning so much in endorsements I doubt that he cares about losing his Kellogg deal. If the others started peeling away, that might concern him. That might hurt.

There is a good lesson here:

Phelps has shown that winning a slew of gold medals doesn't necessarily make one a good role model, especially for kids.

And not all good role models have gold medals to show for it.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Letterman: Top Ten Michael Phelps Excuses

TOP TEN MICHAEL PHELPS EXCUSES

10. Anxious to rid myself of those bothersome billion dollar endorsements

9. Too much chlorine

8. Uh... I thought it was chapstick

7. Asked myself, 'What would Chong do?'

6. Uh... Glaucoma?

5. It's my last chance to goof off before I have to settle down and get a real swimming job

4. Uh... I got bitten by a groundhog?

3. Chillax, Broseph

2. Was doing research for upcoming film "Michael and Kumar Go to the Olympics"

1. Huh?

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Michael Phelps: Pot Statement

Michael Phelps has admitted that the bong photo is legitimate.

Statement:

In a statement released to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.

Phelps said: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."

This statement may express Phelps' feelings, but these certainly aren't Phelps' own words.

Statements like these don't often come from the individual. They come from lawyers, agents, and handlers.

I believe Phelps' promise that "it will not happen again." He won't smoke pot again around people he doesn't know well and doesn't trust.

________________

More.

Michael Phelps and the Bong

UPDATE: Michael Phelps' Statement
______________


Michael Phelps, what were you thinking?

From Brit tabloid, News of the World:

THIS is the astonishing picture which could destroy the career of the greatest competitor in Olympic history.

In our exclusive photo Michael Phelps, who won a record EIGHT gold medals for swimming at the Beijing games last summer, draws from a bong.

...And after sporting chiefs announced laws which mean four-year bans for drug-taking, Phelps’ dreams of adding to his overall 14 gold medal tally at the 2012 games in London could already be OVER.

Those dreams seemed the last thing on his mind when he puffed from the bong during two days of partying with students last November, a quiet time in the swimming calendar when athletes would not expect to get tested for drugs.

One party-goer who witnessed the star’s behaviour told the News of the World: “He was out of control from the moment he got there.

“If he continues to party like that I’d be amazed if he ever won any more medals again.”

Phelps’ aides went into a panic over our story and offered us a raft of extraordinary incentives not to run the bong picture.

It was on November 6, weeks after his Beijing triumph, that 23-year-old Phelps surprised students at the University Of South Carolina in Columbia by showing up unannounced at a house party.

He was visiting Jordan Matthews, a girl he was secretly seeing who was a student there.

Our source revealed: “Michael came to visit Jordan but ended up just getting wasted every night.

...“He didn’t know many people so you’d think he’d be a little shy. But he was loud, obnoxious and slamming beers from the get-go.

“Every girl wanted a piece of him and every guy wanted to be his best buddy. He couldn’t get enough of all the attention.”

As he basked in his hero status, Phelps knocked back beers and shots of spirits. And when a student offered him the glass bong engraved with red writing, he did not hesitate, says our source.

...Our source said: “You could tell Michael had smoked before. He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do.

“He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits. Michael ended up getting a little paranoid, though, because before too long he looked like he was nervous and ran out of the place.”

Who knows if these accounts are authentic?

However, that really doesn't matter.

There's a picture, and when there's a picture, no more really needs to be said.

What is Phelps going to say? He smokes pot for medicinal purposes? It helps increase his appetite? It's not easy eating 12,000 calories a day.

This was not a smart move by the greatest Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps.

________________

More.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Anderson Cooper and Michael Phelps




Why? What was the point?

Phelps is a dramatically better swimmer than Cooper. Is this surprising?

I suppose I should be thankful Cooper got in the pool with Phelps, not Andy Rooney.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Tina Fey, Sarah Palin, and SNL

UPDATE: SNL Season Premiere NOT Palin-Friendly
_________________

On August 29, the day John McCain announced his VP running mate to the world, I made a prediction.

I wrote:

When Saturday Night Live has its season premiere on September 13, Olympian Michael Phelps will be the host.

That we know.

Here's a prediction: Tina Fey will portray Sarah Palin.

Want to bet?

The latest:
Tina Fey is "likely" to play Gov. Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live," said a person close to NBC's sketch comedy show.

Fey is "likely" to return to her former show Saturday to play the Alaskan governor and Sen. John McCain's running mate, a person close to the show told The Associated Press on Friday night. The person requested anonymity because the decision has not been announced officially. No further details were available.

Since Palin's entry onto the national political stage, speculation has been rampant over who might play Palin on the program. Many have commented that Fey resembles her.

In an interview earlier this week with The AP, "SNL" executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels said, "The whole world cast her in that role."

...On Tuesday, Michaels said that should Fey play Palin, she was unlikely to remain in the part in the long-term, which depending on the election results, could be for four years or longer.

It's not like I went out on a limb with that prediction, but it does appear I may be right.

When Tina Fey hosted SNL on February 23, 2008, the first live episode after that lengthy Writers' strike, Fey returned to her old place at the Weekend Update desk.

She did the women's news.

She did a few jokes on a few stories, and then went into her Hillary Clinton appeal. Fey made the case to elect a woman and vote for Hillary.

She talked about how far women have come. They are so empowered that they don't feel obligated to vote for a woman.

Fey said, "Women today feel perfectly free to make whatever choice Oprah tells them to.

"Which raises the question: Why are people abandoning Hillary for Obama?"

She brought up the bitch issue. Fey said that being a bitch, like Hillary, is good because "bitches get things done."

Fey said, "It's not too late, Texas and Ohio. Get on board. Bitch is the new black."

Fey's pep rally for Hillary got a lot of attention.

Of course, SNL is irreverent. It's about making people laugh. It's satirical, but I hope Palin receives some respect. I don't expect it, but it would be nice to see a Palin pep rally.

Barack Obama was scheduled to appear on the season opener, but Hurricane Ike changed that.

Michael Phelps, greatest Olympian of all-time when measured in gold medals, is hosting.