GOLD MEDAL MEL

Michael Phelps v Milorad Cavic

Below, a commercial for the 2009 FINA World Championships:

Phelps is THE STAR, and yes, Alain Bernard is a star in his own right, but the real showdown at the World Championships in Rome will be Phelps v Cavic. 

Globally,  non-swimming fans know Phelps, they know that there is a swimsuit controversy (though they don't understand it), and they know that a guy from Serbia almost halted Phelps historic 8 medal haul at the Olympics in Beijing.

The Serbian's name: Milorad Cavic.  

The race: 100 meter Butterfly.

In Beijing it was Phelps' 7th of 8 races, his 7th Olympic gold medal, tying him with Mark Spitz's performance in 1972. Phelps won by a fingernail with a karate chop, half stroke at the wall. Many believed, and still do, that Cavic actually touched the wall first, but that Phelps hit the electronic touch-pad harder, netting him the win.  

There will be many great match-ups in Rome. Most fans are eagerly awaiting the men's 4x100 free relay, anticipating a French payback after Jason Lezak's stunning defeat of Alain Bernard on the anchor leg of that Olympic race. But the teeth have been taken out of that fight. Lezak has opted-out of World Champs to compete at the Maccabiah Games in July.

The 100 meter fly is it, especially after Phelps' performance in Montreal less than 3 weeks ago, where he missed the 100 fly world record by less than 8 one-hundredths of a second.  

For "suit wars" watchers: 

Phelps should wear the Speedo LZR, despite rumors that Speedo will let him wear another of the new hi-tech brands.

Cavic should wear the Arena X-glide.

Here's Cavic in an interview I did with him right after Olympic 100 butterfly final:  

And here's my latest GOLD MEDAL MINUTE with Peter Carlisle (managing director of Olympic and action sports at Octagon), Michael Phelps' sports agent:

 Heading to US Nationals next week, aka the World Championship Select Meet. Look for my coverage, the inside stuff, on GMM.

Pellegrini Breaks 400m Free World Record

4:00.41.... She's dipping under the 4 minute limit at Worlds.

Ous Mellouli, Olympic 1500m Free gold medalist, went a 3:42.71 in the men's 400s Free at the same meet. 

For more details go see SWM.

FINA: Suit Wars

FINA, swimming's international governing body, is waffling, drifting along, making one mistake after the next. The swimming world's terribly upset, but, in truth, we've never had so much rich entertainment.

'09 World Championships in Rome will be one week-long drama. The old guard traditionalist will moan each technology-aided world record, while the swimwear companies rush to further brand themselves. 

Seen Britta Steffen's new World Record in the women's 100 meter free? She popped a 52.85 in an Adidas Hydro-foil. Check her out. At the end she barely looked out of breath. 

  

Network Slick? I Don't Buy It!

Do I need to say it? Is it necessary? This guy's a star! USA Swimming has real Hollywood stock in Ryan Lochte. 

Michael was the magnet. He pulled in the audience. Ryan Lochte is the glue. Legions of women, non-swimmers, are sticking around to see whatever he will do.

Fortunately, this opportunity to bring in more fans has an extended shelf-life. Phelps and Lochte are swimming through 2012, perhaps even 2016. They intend to stick around. I just wish network TV would help us introduce our other fantastic athletes.

I love it when Olympic sports gets the network treatment!  It's an honor to be covered by the TV pros in the network business.... 

However, I've grown a little bored by their vanilla presentation. I don't blame them. I understand. Olympic sports must be G-rated, a production middle-American moms can watch with their kids.

Does it really have to be that way, though? I've been thinking long and hard about it, and I've been thinking: NO!

I feel a change coming on.  I can't say when it'll happen--I don't know the date--but the day of the old network coverage is about to die. And I can't wait. 

The web's leveled the playing field. It's shown Olympic fans there's a whole lot more to see. I think the networks have caught on, but have they enough? Not really. 

Networks go for the money. They shoot the stars. I know they must. They need as many eyeballs as possible to offset their production costs. 

In Olympic sports, the community as a whole, we should have a different goals. We should be figuring out how to promote our other great personalities, the ones who aren't the stars right now--those who don't always win gold.  

We need entertaining vehicles, weekly or even monthly content that'll showcase all the interesting stories... I have ideas, but I don't have the power to execute this grand dream. The time it takes is a killer. No matter how hard I work, unfortunately I'm only scratching the surface. 

Checkout these interviews.  Some athletes are coming on fast. Others are struggling. Anyway you look at though, they're people you'll want to know. 

Checkout Nathan Adrian, a relatively private guy who should see 2 or even 3 more Olympic Games.

Checkout Margaret Hoelzer, one of  my favorite female Olympic medalist on the USA Team.

Checkout Matt Grevers, aka Matty-G. 

And Checkout Ariana Kukors, who is coming on hard right now after barely missing the 2008 Olympic Team.  

 

Phelps & Lochte Draw Huge Crowd!!!

Before Phelps and Lochte, I had only witnessed the bedlam of swimming one time in my life. At the '88 Olympics Matt Biondi had to flee from the media in Seoul, Korea.  Thousands chased him from the plane carrying the 88 Team, and didn't stopping chasing him until he left the country.

Times sure have changed. Take a peek at what I witnessed yesterday at the Santa Clara Grand Prix.

I also caught up with Mary DeScenza, one of the most versatile swimmers on the USA National Team. Mary proved her star-power this past season, snatching the overall Grand Prix Prize, the $20,000 purse!

Check my interview with Mary out here!

Mike Unger, USA Swimming's Assistant Executive Director, steps up and gives some perspective on the talent swimming and the talent behind the camera.