Our Chinese Take Out (Olympics)

Unless you are severely hydrophobic or spent most of 2004 hiding in a Pakistani cave, you have heard of Michael Phelps.

Heck, if we weren’t tuned in to one of his races, we were listening to Bob Costas and the rest of the NBC crew drool over his pterodactyl-like wingspan or sitting through a myriad of commercials featuring Baltimore’s gangly hero.

Be prepared for more of the same this year as Phelps tries to become the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.

But what interests me about the 2008 Games is the phenomenal U.S. team surrounding Phelps.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Phelps finds his toughest competition staying at the same Omaha hotel at this week’s Olympic Trials.

One up-and-comer is Ryan Lochte. He does not have the outward intensity of Phelps. For instance, at the FINA World Championships in 2007, the former Florida Gator wore a diamond- crusted, Ocho-Cinco style grill on the podium.

Other than Phelps, Lochte may be the world’s most versatile swimmer. Talk about bad timing.

Lochte is entered in 6 events this week. Unfortunately for him, Phelps is in every one of them.

I am not saying Phelps has it locked up. Recently, Lochte has been giving swimming’s wonder boy a run for his money.

In what I think will be the most exciting race of the Trials, the 200 meter backstroke, Lochte and Phelps, as well as the defending Olympic champion Aaron Piersol, will square off to decide which two competitors will swim the event in Beijing.

Piersol had a seven year winning streak in the event until Lochte claimed the title at the World Championships earlier this year.

Another event which should garner some publicity is the 50 meter freestyle.

Swimming’s “bad boy,” Gary Hall Jr. looks to repeat his gold medal performance of 2004 and represent America (possibly wearing his trademark American flag boxing robe) against a field of young guns, namely Cullen Jones and Ben Wildman-Tobriner.

If all goes well, Jones will surely be a hot topic at the Olympic Games as he is the first black swimmer to ever hold an American long-course swimming record.

On the women’s side, 41-year-old Dara Torres competes against girls literally half her age to become the first athlete to participate in five Olympic Games. Try to tell me she’s not going to be tested for the juice.

Inevitably, much of the talk of the Trials will be Michael Phelps (and rightfully so), but this week also provides viewers with great insight into how the battle for the gold medal will unfold come August.

–Gordy Jenkins, RED Editorial Staff.