The great Ryan Lochte Rio robbery caper

August 17, 2016

So which is it? Were 12-time Olympic swimming champion Ryan Lochte and three fellow swimmers robbed at gunpoint as they returned to the Olympic Village during the Rio Games? Or did they invent the story to cover up a drunken night on the town? Or are Rio officials trying to cover up an unsavory aspect of these summer games, the lawlessness of the host city?

It’s hard to know in a twisting tale that now has a Brazilian judge now seeking to detain Lochte, who has already left the country, and James Feigen. Often, though, the truth in a mystery lies between two viewpoints. ...

The greatest

August 17, 2016

When you title a blog post, you’re supposed to make it as specific as possible – unlike necessarily a print headline – to draw attention to it. But I figure few titles are more intriguing than “the greatest.” Who is “the greatest”? The title is associated with Muhammad Ali, but really fans in every sport like to argue over who is the GOAT (greatest of all time) in their discipline.

You could say Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer of all time and the greatest Olympian of all time with 28 medals, 23 gold – six of them (five gold, one silver) in Rio alone. You could say the New York Yankees are the greatest baseball team of all time with 18 division titles, 40 American League pennants and 27 World Series titles. Both Phelps and the Yankees are so far ahead of their competitors that it’s hard to imagine anyone catching up. ...

Phelpte draws to a close at the Rio Games

August 12, 2016

You take the true measure of yourself in a rival, Aristophanes said. If that’s the case, then Ryan Lochte must be the most self-aware man in the world.

For years, he’s been card partners, roommates, friends and, yes, rivals, with the man who owns 22 gold medals – Michael Phelps.

Last night, Lochte finished fifth in the 200 IM to Phelps’ first. I won’t say I’m not disappointed. I would’ve liked to see them finish 1-2, or better, for Lochte to have best him. But it is perhaps fatuous as a fan to be disappointed. Who is more disappointed than the losing athlete? Indeed, disappointment dripped from Lochte like so many beads of water in his nonetheless gracious post-race interview. ...