okay

[fox]

Wouldn't it just be easier (and less embarrassing for all of us) if Mark Spitz just went to China and blew Michael Phelps right now?  This "conversation" is making my skin crawl.  (Yes, I have turned it off.)  Bob Costas manages to be appropriately impressed by the people he's talking to and still maintain a professional distance.  Spitz is gushing, in what I have no doubt will shortly be every sense of the word, and somehow that kind of sycophancy -- always sure to disgust -- is grosser than usual when the gusher is so senior to the gushee.

The kid's handling it well, though.  (Or he was, before I turned off the television.)  Phelps was using words like "pleased" and "proud" and "honored" (and "lucky").  Good for him.  Spitz was using words like "greatness" and "achievement" and, what made it worst of all, "we".


I have finished the fourth inch on my sock, so I'm going to go to bed now.  [nods decisively]

Comments

[sociofemme.livejournal.com]

I read it more as creepy 'I'm totally a part of your victory because I'm totally still relevant, yay me \o/!' than creepy 'omg you're so awesome and amazing on your own merits!'. Either way, Mark Spitz skeeves me out so bad. *goes and has a shower just to feel clean again*

[abka.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank you. That was the only part of the coverage where I muted. It felt like Spitz was quoting (and reading) one of his own inspirational talks about Phelps to Phelps. Maintain some fannish distance dude.

Costas-of-the-awesome-plastic-surgeon did a very nice job being impressed but professionally distant with the gymnasts (in my house we're calling them "flippy girls").

[insptr-penguin.livejournal.com]

I've been cringing at the gushing. It's just embarrassing.