Michael Phelps Goes to Disney World

[yjgirl32]

WDWrox wow do you have a bad attitude. It was a great accomplishment. Yes he is a hero- he broke a record which is a very very hard thing to accomplish. Swimming is not about just jumping in a pool and swimming around catching a football. I personally would much rather hear about the good things that people do instead of all the bad things that goes on in this world. I would have loved to have been there to show my respect for to him. He showed great dedication and drive in accomplishing his goal.

[MickeysEars]

[Natazu]

I wonder if he's going to hit the water parks and try to hustle tourists in swim races.

[Jasper]

How is what he does worthwhile to anyone but himself, when you think about it? There's no real meaning to the stupid Olympic games,

Actually, someone like Michael Phelps is VERY important to each and everyone of as human beings because we all need examples of what can be accomplished if we continue to work and strive to improve ourselves. And those people who show us what we can truly be are called "heroes."

Granted, we all have our own ideas of who is and is not a hero but we all have and need them. You may consider a scientist like Albert Einstein to be a hero. I may consider a musician like Yitzach Pearlman(sp?) to be a hero and others may consider Michael Phelps to be a hero. But the point is that without having someone that we can consider to be a "hero" in the world we would all despair of the ability to grow and achieve more than we think we can.

And finally, I think sports is probably the one activity that takes place in the world that the largest majority of people can most easily understand. To go back to the examples I used earlier, even if Albert Einstein were alive today the kind of work he did is not something that is exciting to sit around and watch so we would not watch a television program based on his research, not to mention that most of us would never understand it. And even though we all like music to one degree or another since Yitzach Pearlman(sp?) is a classical musician many of us wouldn't tune in to see him perform. But with Michael Phelps, we can all understand what it means to beat 7 other people in a race and we can also understand what it takes to beat a world record. As a result sport personalities end up being "heroes" more often than others and there is nothing really wrong with that as long as they are decent human beings as Michael Phelps appears to be.

And by the way, I am not much of a sports fan but even I tuned in to see if Phelps could do what he set out to do.

Oh, I forgot one more thing. I agree that the Olympics in and of themselves are a joke because there are so many rules violations that are ignored by the powers that be. However, without the Olympics there is no other chance for sports like swimming and gymnastics to get prime time coverage. Does that make it right, no, but at this time they are the best that we have.

[MickeysEars]

I wonder if he's going to hit the water parks and try to hustle tourists in swim races.

That is so funny. I would race him, just to say i did!

[pixiesmimi]

Michael was presented $1 million yesterday from Speedo. They promised it to him if he won the 8 gold medals. He said the money will go to start a foundation to help kids around the world who want to learn to swim, etc. and he will be traveling around the country starting these programs. He hasn't even been home to sleep in his own bed yet after the Olympics. Boy! That would be the first place I would want to go after China just to rest a little. I'm sure he has got to be getting tired by now of being up front and center on the world stage.

[BrerGnat]

You know, I just wanted to point out that the Olympics stopped being about "Sports" quite a long time ago. If you really want to get technical, it stopped being about sports after, like, the first one.

The Olympics are not about sports. The Olympics are a chance for the countries of the world to come together. They are an demonstration of friendship, cooperation, and unity in the world. This is why the Olympics being held in CHINA was such a monumental thing this year. This is why CHINA spent like 40 BILLION dollars to make the Olympics happen. Politically, the Olympics are a BIG deal. The sports are secondary. The sports are why we WATCH the Olympics, but the sports are NOT the reason why the Olympics are so important.

President Bush and the rest of the world leaders (including Russia's president) did not sit around watching sports while Russia invaded Georgia because they felt like seeing a basketball game/swim meet/gymnastics competition that day. Think about it...

Just wanted to point that out.

[Grace]

I must agree with Maryanne. He's an inspiration and a hero to anyone who has to fight hard to overcome. When he won the last medal he sought out his mother in the stands. He didn't say "I'm the Best in the World!". He focused on his mom and said: Look what I did.

What a guy.

[MickeysEars]

You know, I just wanted to point out that the Olympics stopped being about "Sports" quite a long time ago. If you really want to get technical, it stopped being about sports after, like, the first one.

The Olympics are not about sports. The Olympics are a chance for the countries of the world to come together. They are an demonstration of friendship, cooperation, and unity in the world. This is why the Olympics being held in CHINA was such a monumental thing this year. This is why CHINA spent like 40 BILLION dollars to make the Olympics happen. Politically, the Olympics are a BIG deal. The sports are secondary. The sports are why we WATCH the Olympics, but the sports are NOT the reason why the Olympics are so important.

President Bush and the rest of the world leaders (including Russia's president) did not sit around watching sports while Russia invaded Georgia because they felt like seeing a basketball game/swim meet/gymnastics competition that day. Think about it...

Just wanted to point that out.

You are absolutly correct. Buuuut. When someone does something outstanding...WOW. Look at Bolt from Jamaica, man is he fast, a little arrogant, but he is FAST.

[Aurora]

Jasper you said that beautifully.

My 12yo daughter is a typically celebrity obsessed pre-teen, and also a swimmer. She BEGGED me to go to the Oprah taping today, just so she could catch a glimpse of her new hero. (BTW, she liked him as an 8yo, too. )

Our celebrity culture is crammed down our kids' throats on a minute-to-minute basis. I would much rather she have a "nice guy" athlete as a media role model than the hordes of trashy music video stars that are our kids' culture icons.

Phelps set himself an "unreachable" goal and achieved it. Parents can point to him and say, "there's nothing you can't do," because he's proof.

[WDWRox]

WDWrox wow do you have a bad attitude. It was a great accomplishment. Yes he is a hero- he broke a record which is a very very hard thing to accomplish. Swimming is not about just jumping in a pool and swimming around catching a football. I personally would much rather hear about the good things that people do instead of all the bad things that goes on in this world. I would have loved to have been there to show my respect for to him. He showed great dedication and drive in accomplishing his goal.

First, I do not have a bad attitude. Second, I have to disagree with his being a "hero" because he happened to beat some swimming records. What he accomplished brought benefit to noone but himself. He broke a record or two....good for him, but how does that benefit anyone else other than him? If his accomplishment did anything for anyone else, then possibly the "hero" title could apply.....but it didn't and so it doesn't. Ultimately it was a meaningless goal.

[IamBelle]

We Were There!!!! It Was So Much Fun!! We Got Pics And Everything!! That Was My 1st "celebrity" Sighting In The Parks. I Heard From A Guy On One Of The Buses That He Saw Michel Phelps In The Espn Club At The Boardwalk The Day Before!!

[PirateLover]

First, I do not have a bad attitude. Second, I have to disagree with his being a "hero" because he happened to beat some swimming records. What he accomplished brought benefit to noone but himself. He broke a record or two....good for him, but how does that benefit anyone else other than him? If his accomplishment did anything for anyone else, then possibly the "hero" title could apply.....but it didn't and so it doesn't. Ultimately it was a meaningless goal.

You know... I really do try to stay away from getting into disagreements with people on boards... at the end of the day everyone in entitled to their own opinion... but did you even read anyone else's posts? I think there were a few good examples about how his solo accomplishment DID mean something for others. There are heroes in the traditional sense (policemen, firefighters, people who put their life on the line to save others) and then there are heroes whose accomplishments serve to inspire others. As a pre-teen my hero was Kerri Strug after I watched her stick a dismount on a broken ankle to propel the US women's gymnastics to their first team gold medal ever. It was an example of perseverance- never give up, always give all you can. I think you are looking at the situation through a very narrow scope.

[jpH/keD]

You GO Michael! I loved watching him during the Olympics! He is just an ordinary kid who got to follow his dream! It is very appropriate that he should go to WDW where Walt would have been proud! Congrats to a good kid! Keep up the great work!

[CandleontheWater]

I don't mind seeing him everywhere because I think he's cute!

I wish I had been there, it looks like was a really unique WDW experience!

[AlliMo]

He was at citrico's when I ate dinner there a week ago
By the way, the dinner was amazing!!!!