I (finally) caught up on Friday's late night Olympics coverage of DVR today. One of the best parts was the interview with Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz. Why Spitz isn't at the Olympics is beyond me. He's only one of the two greatest male Olympic swimmers in our history.
Some record holders who lose their crowns are nonplussed while others are pricks about it. Spitz could not have been more gracious in the interview. He didn't damn Phelps with faint praise, nor did he diminish his own accomplishments or patronize Phelps with insincere self-deprecation. I don't know if the interview is being streamed on the NBC Sports website (I'd go there now, but it would spoil tonight's events for me since it's all on 3 hour delay here in LA), but you can read a transcript here.
It's hard to lose something that you value with grace. When we have something we like or treasure we think that we are going to have it forever. Maybe we will, maybe we won't. After tonight, Michael Phelps may take away a record from Mark Spitz. But, last night, Spitz showed displayed character that can never be taken away.
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1 comment:
ilu, mark spitz. i know him mostly from the 1972 games when he had to be removed quickly when the Israeli team was kidnapped and butchered by those motherfuckers. shame that he retired after that at around phelps' age.
bless!
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