Can Michael Phelps go the distance outside the pool?

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August 19, 2:58 PM

by Leslie Seppinni, Mental Health Examiner

 

 

Michael Phelps as Visa spokesman. Photo: AP file photo

Leslie Seppinni, Mental Health Examiner and Paula Duffy, Sports Examiner got together to think about Michael Phelps. Here is what they have to say:

Michael Phelps has done it, won the 8 gold medals he had set his sights on in an almost magical way. They say the great ones not only come through in the clutch but also tend to do it all in dramatic fashion.

Examples: Tiger at the U.S. Open on a knee that now will keep him sidelined for up to 10 months after surgery; Jordan shooting for 38 points during the 1997 Finals against the Jazz while suffering from the flu and Lance Armstrong’s French mountain climbs after his well documented recovery from cancer come to mind as well.

How does he do it despite the level of expectation by the public, his sponsors and of course his new partner in business, NBC? Pressure? What pressure? Phelps’ performance was seemingly unaffected by the need to win it all,  but also the pressure to be a good teammate, a good corporate spokesman for Visa, Speedo, Rice Krispies, Omega Watches and many others to come.  He’s only 23 and already has a team of accountants, lawyers, advisors, agents, media advisors and of course his life-long coach, Bob Bowman.

We have learned about his loving relationship with his mother and sisters with whom he graciously honors and includes in all his successes.  His mother has laid a foundation to be sure Phelps was not spoiled and had humility.  And she seems to have struck a balance between knowing when to tell him he’s great and how to ground him with all that is being thrown his way at the moment.

But what does it take to be a winner outside of the pool and in life?  Does he have any meaningful spiritual, political or coaching agenda or the potential to become a winner when he’s not wearing goggles and a Speedo?

The new question for Michael Phelps is, after swimming will it be enough to be remembered as an athlete such as Mark Spitz or is he expected, does he have the desire and motivation like Tiger and Lance to also cross other barriers.  In other words will he use his unique position as a “Winner” to not only better himself, but use his determination to win as a role model for a more spiritual calling? Is Beijing his defining moment?  Some will ask why this 2 week span isn’t enough, give the kid a break.  But, we Americans always want more. 

Thus, Phelps, like Lance Armstrong, will eventually be asked does he have a call to arms.  Unfortunately for Armstrong and fortunately for us, his call to arms came to him through cancer.  Where will Phelps’ passion outside of swimming lie? The weight of the crown of being the “Greatest Athlete” is laden with jewels but it is a heavy one, Phelps’ Olympic personal characteristics will need to cross over to dry land.  To be Phelps one must have natural talent (he has the arm span of 6ft. 7in.) and be fiercely competitive.  His coach Bowman has stated, “Michael was so competitive in everything he did whether playing in the playground or whether swimming in a meet”, and also to have the patience to achieve “a lot of little steps”.  

And where will the team of Phelps and Bowman go?  Will it continue to have the longevity and match the team of Michael Jordan and his father or Tiger and his coach father or will it break apart as a result of the rock star status he has achieved and his potential unwillingness to put with the rigors of living to be an Olympian?

The Bowman/Phelps team has said it will carry on to London in 2012 but only after a 6 month vacation from training. One thinks that if he has no outside drive to be anyone other than who he is right now, like Brett Favre he will be drawn back into the pool for more Olympic glory. We can only hope that Phelps’ competiveness, charisma, sportsmanship, ability to be a team player and humility carry him through his ever expanding wings to fly.

Make it an Excuse Free life and always remember “It’s not the size of the problem, but the size of the feeling.”

Until tomorrow,

Dr. Leslie

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