| Beijing 2008 Olympics are over, but they'll | | | | get the most out of their investment back. Hold |
| resonate in people's minds for a long time. The | | | | on - Omega is one of Michael Phelps sponsors? |
| opening and closing ceremonies put together by | | | | Weren't they the official providers of time |
| host country of China count as the most | | | | keeping for the Olympics in Beijing? I see... now it's |
| spectacular performance ever created by | | | | starting to make way more sense. |
| humans. 958 medals were handed out to athletes, | | | | Beijing needed to be the host of biggest Olympic |
| which is the most in Olympic history, but this is | | | | achievement: |
| not the only reason why Beijing Olympics is | | | | Beijing invested obscene manpower, energy and |
| forever going to get shiny highlights in sports | | | | money into creation of the most spectacular |
| books. American swimmer Michael Phelps achieved | | | | event ever conceived by mankind. They needed |
| what no other Olympian in history had. He was | | | | to make sure their Olympics are talked about for |
| decorated with 8 gold medals from a single | | | | decades over decades after wards. They |
| Olympics. Michael Phelps made history in Beijing. Or | | | | desperately needed to immortalize everything |
| so it would seem. But was it really so? Is Michael | | | | they've worked so hard for and invested so |
| Phelps really as good as we're force-fed to | | | | much money into. And what better way to |
| believe? | | | | secure that Beijing will always be remembered |
| During a very controversial race in the men's | | | | then by having an athlete who achieves impossible |
| 100-meter butterfly on August 16, 2008 Michael | | | | during their games. Each time someone mentions |
| Phelps was pronounced a winner beating | | | | the best Olympian, name Beijing will be attached |
| Serbian-American swimmer Milorad Cavic by 0.01 | | | | to it, because that is where Michael Phelps |
| second. Despite initial evidence proving that Milorad | | | | collected 8 gold medals. This record will be hard |
| Cavic touched the board with both hands first, | | | | (almost impossible) to match, hence Beijing will |
| somehow the evidence was altered ensuring | | | | remain at the forefront of Olympic Games hosts |
| Michael Phelps comes out of the race as winner. It | | | | for a very long time just on this premise alone. |
| takes a closer look at Olympics behind the scenes | | | | Could Chinese officials miss on this opportunity? |
| as it takes a closer look at what's between the | | | | Well, have you seen how much money they put |
| lines to understand why it was so important to | | | | into their games? |
| make Michael Phelps immortal. | | | | Conclusion: |
| Americans needed a hero: | | | | I have no doubt Milorad Cavic beat Michael Phelps. |
| The picture of the United States on international | | | | Milorad Cavic is without doubt a better swimmer, |
| level is crumbling as it has for years. Whether you | | | | but awarding him with gold would not benefit |
| look at War on Terror fiasco, a fairytale of WMA | | | | anyone. Awarding Michael Phelps with gold would |
| and subsequent invasion of Iraq fiasco, or any | | | | benefit many, including all those who matter - |
| other of countless fiascos the USA has been | | | | sponsors and two of the most powerful countries |
| involved in, the way other countries see the most | | | | that control more than who the best athlete is. |
| powerful nation in the world is not very flattering. | | | | Michael Phelps is a product of corporate madness. |
| Add to it worsening economy, spike in | | | | He's an investment, a marionette that gets the |
| foreclosures, crush of real estate market, growing | | | | spotlight for playing the corporate game. There |
| national debt... you get the picture. Americans | | | | was way too much in stake to spoil it all by giving |
| needed a hero. They needed someone to reunite | | | | gold to Milorad Cavic. |
| them, to show them that they are not only in the | | | | 36 year old record held by Mark Spitz who won |
| game, but on top of it. They desperately needed | | | | seven gold medals in a single Olympics has been |
| someone to boost their crushing self confidence | | | | broken. Back then the Olympics were about |
| and Michael Phelps - an American becoming the | | | | sportsmanship and Mark Spitz won his seven |
| best athlete of all time would be an adequate | | | | golds because he was good. He also broke the |
| solution. | | | | world record in all of those seven swimming |
| Sponsors needed a high profile spokesperson: | | | | events he won. There's a new record now and it |
| It's got to count for something when Kellogg Co. | | | | belongs to Michael Phelps. How he got to it is |
| is able to tell that the best athlete of all time is on | | | | disputable, but that's not what he will be |
| the box of their cornflakes. It definitely has a | | | | remembered as. He's now the most praised |
| better marketing impact than having a mere | | | | athlete and will remain one for a very long time. |
| great athlete on the box. Being able to tell that | | | | I'm not gonna say I hope he could live with |
| your Speedos are worn by the best swimmer in | | | | himself knowing how he got to the status he has, |
| the world has a better ring than saying that one | | | | because there are people out there who are on a |
| of the best swimmers wore Speedos. The same | | | | much lower scale of humanity and not only do |
| goes for Omega watches, Visa credit cards, Hilton | | | | they live with themselves, they live happily and |
| Hotels Corp., PowerBars by Nestle, AT&T | | | | enjoy themselves. |
| Inc., Rosetta Stone Ltd., PureSport beverages, | | | | Life's not fair. We all know that. Congrats to |
| SwimRoom.com, and whoever else invested their | | | | Michael Phelps, the biggest joke of an athlete. |
| money into Michael Phelps. They're all looking to | | | | |