The football season has come to an end. The New England Patriots have won their fourth super bowl title under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The NHL just finished up all star week a few weeks ago and is back under way. Tiger Woods is still playing awful golf. The NBA is well under way and about to be at the half way point with the NBA All Star Weekend. The MLB is finishing up a semi-exciting offseason with players such as Giancarlo Stanton and Max Scherzer signing huge deals.
I want to put all this aside and talk about a different sport that is coming back in this upcoming 2016 year. There have been rumors surrounding the upcoming olympics that one of the all time olympic greats, Michael Phelps, may return for one last run. I have had the pleasure of meeting Michael Phelps a few times. Michael Phelps grew up one county over from me in Fallston, Maryland. When I was younger, around 11 or 12, we both swam at the annual All Star meet at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. I have met him a few times and even swam in the same cool down lane as him. Now as for the upcoming Olympics, I'm sure there are tons of people who are going to say he is washed up and he is in no shape to swim after he got his second DUI and he hasn't trained nearly as much as he had in 2008 where he made history by earning 8 gold medals or even in 2012 where he was still able to rack in 4 golds and 2 silvers. As for these people who doubt the aging Michael Phelps, they are wrong. I have seen him compete multiple times in person and on television. His recent past mistakes, the DUIs and the marijuana picture and his playing golf instead of training, are all factors that may hurt him in the upcoming Olympics should he choose to compete. No matter what he does, he is still the greatest swimmer of all time. People will still be out there competing to try and beat the great Michael Phelps. He is, was, and will always be a great competitor. He may not be able to rack in 8 gold medals like he did in his prime, but should he compete, I can guarantee he brings home a few more golds. I believe that he still has the ability to break world records and astonish people all over the world. The greatest olympian of all time is not done yet.
Cole, great blog as usual! I had no idea you met Michael Phelps, much less swam with him. I agree that he is a competitor. I also think he should swim again at the Olympics one last time. As to the other sports you mentioned I am particularly excited about the beginning of the MLB season!
ReplyDelete