Just finished reading a few wrap ups of the Olympic swimming. Most of the editorials were pretty Phelps-centric, as they should have been. The greatest swimmer in history just put the finishing touches on his glorious career. But the tone was just a tad overly reverential for my taste.
After reading them, my only question is, what will Saint Michael do next?
Just a reminder: he's a great athlete, not a hero. A hero is someone who risks his life for other people. Every single one of those guys who used himself as a body shield for someone else in that movie theater in Colorado three weeks ago is a hero. Every soldier who goes to war is a hero.
Michael Phelps is just a guy who swims incredibly fast.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Search Box
Followers
Posts
Blog Archive
-
▼
2012
(226)
-
▼
August
(25)
- At least he's not a gold digger
- "A Look Back at the Olympics"
- Lauren Holly
- The Armstrongs
- "Let's Tweak the Olympic schedule"
- Junk sport
- Che
- Whoa....
- Pinheaded excuse
- More evidence for the sweet spot
- The anti-McCain, anti-Palin ticket
- How not to pose
- Spartan
- The bodies
- The NBC coverage
- Michael and Usain
- Usain, again
- Usain
- Heroes
- The endorsement Romney was waiting for
- Investing vs. gambling
- The women's 800 freestyle
- Thursday's finals
- The Hubris Games
- The other sports
-
▼
August
(25)
About Me
- John Craig
- Virtually everyone who knows John finds him completely tactless and insufferably opinionated. He sees himself as refreshingly honest. That said, this blog is still an excellent way to kill time while putting off work. If you're a newcomer, you might find browsing through the older posts an amusing waste of time as well. John is the author of "Holy Bible Part II: Heaven" under the pseudonym John Morgan.
3 comments:
John--Truth being stranger than fiction, just minutes ago I was having a similar type of conversation with my wife. I was saying that, OK, he just made history and will be on the A list forever, but now what is he supposed to do? Talk about the good old days? I really don't know whether to envy him or feel sorry for him in the sense that he will certainly never create anything better than what's behind him. Like, what's next? His past will be a tough act to follow, I would think, at least professionally. And yes, he's certainly not a hero in the classic meaning. He did not risk his life like those who go off to war. Excellent and important distinction you made. Brian
Thank you Brian.
I completely agree, his life has obviously peaked. But I still envy him. How many people come anywhere close to that sort of peak, in anything, ever, in their lives? Almost none.
Absoulutely--don't get me wrong, that part I also envy as well. I just wish I had only won the US Open in Tennis!
Post a Comment