Michael Phelps Named ‘Sportsman Of The Year’
Michael Phelps is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Sports Illustrated magazine which named the famed Olympic athlete as their Sportsman of the Year for 2008. This is the first time the mag has ever named a swimmer as their Sportsman of the Year. While I find this to be a great honor, I am very surprised at the coverphoto that was chosen for this special issue:
Michael Phelps achieved another unprecedented feat: the first swimmer honored as Sports Illustrated’s sportsman of the year. Phelps broke Mark Spitz’s iconic record with eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in August and became the winningest Olympian ever with his 14 career victories. Olympians in other sports have earned the award before in its 54-year history, but never a swimmer. In 1972, the year Spitz won his medals, UCLA basketball coach John Wooden and tennis great Billie Jean King were honored by the magazine. “Honestly, I feel like the same person I’ve been my whole life,” Phelps told The Associated Press at a recent photo session where he posed for the Sports Illustrated cover. “I’m doing what I love. I was able to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish this year. It’s been a dream come true of a year, and I definitely couldn’t ask to change anything.” The 23-year-old Phelps follows a more traditional winner, NFL quarterback Brett Favre. Sports Illustrated Group editor Terry McDonell called the selection of Phelps “the easiest choice I have made.” “It is so obvious that he changed not only swimming, but the entire Olympic landscape,” McDonell said. Phelps captivated Americans during his record chase, driving up NBC’s television ratings and inspiring conversations about swimming among people who had never followed the sport before. He returned to the U.S. to the ultimate validation of pop culture relevance: He hosted the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.” “The football players and basketball players and baseball players have it a little bit different. Everybody sees their faces more often,” Phelps said. “Just being able to have the attention of the American public is something I’ve always wanted for our sport. I’ve been able — not only myself but my teammates — have been able to work together to allow that to happen.”
Much kudos and congrats go out to Phelpsie on this latest achievement but WTF? is up with this coverphoto? I’m sorry … this photo is NOT cute. It’s almost not even human. The wet shirt doesn’t even do the trick … the whole think just looks ridiculous. Whoever approved this covershot for publication should be fired … and then beaten with a stick. What do y’all think … do any of y’all like this photo?
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Tags: 'Sportsman of the Year', Michael Phelps, Sports Illustrated Magazine
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December 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
That cover photo looks like they pasted one face on another one, used the smudge too to erase his nose, the d*cked around with the rest of his face to make him ‘cuter.’ They should have left well enough alone.
Also? The wet shirt is stupid. Can’t even see the man-nips! Grrrr.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:10 am
this is a bizarre picture. you’re right. it looks like someone photoshopped his head from his high school graduation picture onto a male models body. ick.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:10 am
cover photo…..NOT cute.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:12 am
When does Micheal Phelps look human, my hubby and I always said he looks like a dinosaur
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
Beggars can’t be choosers but really. Year? That’s it? Michael Phelps should be Sportsman of the Decade. For realz.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
LOL!!! @ “It’s almost not even human.”
It’s a wet tux-wearing chupacabra.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:34 am
That photo is awful and if I were Michael I would be pissed off.
Team Phelpsie!
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 am
It looks like the different parts of his face aren’t even actually from the same picture. It’s a bit terrifying.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 am
Seriously, how many MORE pictures can we see of him in just his bikini bottoms? I guess they were going for a different spin and giving him clothes on this photo shoot. I guess we can only see his awkward-dinosaur-ness when he’s fully clothed.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
Look, I have total respect for his ability and athletic prowess. He kicks serious ass and deserved his Olympic wins. That said, jesus god, he’s fugly.
December 3rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
That is the worst cover i have ever seen.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:01 pm
is that chest hair i see??
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
From the neck down I like it….and thats not meant to be one of the usual knocks at his appearances. His head looks uber-plastic and photo-shopped. He has some wonky left eye action going on. It looks like whoever photoshopped Britney’s head for her album cover attacked this pic as well. And I agree with Kari…theres only so many ways to pose in a speedo. Phelps has a great body and looks good in suits. Plus, I read an article where he was saying he hoped they wouldn’t make him pose in a bathing suit. He hasn’t been in the pool (to practice) since Beijing so he says he “is getting fat” and complained about losing his six pack. So even though he still looks pretty cut to me, comparatively he isn’t in the shape he is used to and didn’t want a bathing suit shot anyway. I think the wet shirt was a good way of bringing the pool into it though.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:12 pm
In theory, the photo is cool - but yeah, it just looks weird.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
[...] Vote Michael Phelps Named ‘Sportsman Of The Year’ [...]
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
totally agree. i was going to write something about it but then saw your comment - it looks terrible!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
That picture is horrendous. It looks like they photoshopped his face from another photo. The features look out of proportion, off center and misaligned, and the color doesn’t match. His pic for People’s sexiest men was WAY better.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
He’s crying inside because he’s overcome so much, but he knows he’s broken too many mirrors. I can honestly say I have no sexual attraction to him at all..but that’s just my opinion. All I see is Lurch in a Speedo.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
what the hell lol…worst SI cover…ever.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
not to be mean, but its his face…
like i fine the wet look is nice, and makes sense cuz he’s a swimmer but…
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
obvs. photoshopped.
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I love Michael Phelps but… oh my - total “Butter Face” in this pic!! I 2nd Avi - looks like Lurch in a bad wet shirt here!!!!
The person that ok’d this hot mess of a pic needs to be drowned, along w/the pic
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
His body is the best looking thing on him, and they’ve covered it! ;-P
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
He kind of looks like he has Downs..
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Wow, whoever photoshopped that picture should be fired.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Alll y’all are going to hell. OMG…Wow.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
should be fired- and then be beaten with a stick- lol!!!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
His body is amazing, if you are into that. I myself don’t like his body or torso. He’s too tall for my liking..and not hairy enough. But what swimmers are? I like a guy with some meat on the bones and plenty of fur. If MP was not a star, no one would even look at him. He’s just not attractive. You can say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but he’s unfortunately been given a face that is not something you want to wake up to! Gross.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
He really is unfortunate looking, which wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t see him EVERYWHERE and he didn’t act like he was hot shit. Yes he accomplished a huge feat, however I am saddened that other athletes that don’t have the ability to compete in 9 events (ex. the horseback riders, they have the indiv. and team events) get ignored in the process
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
photoshop ftw lol.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
omg wtfs wrong with his face it looks like its cut off some other photo and stuck on.
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Is it just me or does it look like he has Down Syndrome?? I’m just sayin’…
December 3rd, 2008 at 2:54 pm
This is the worst cover photo ever!!! What’s up w/ the overly groomed thick eyebrows and his smile looks soooo fake. Why would anyone cover up the best part of him? His lean muscular swimmers body.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
The water on his chin doesn’t look like water….
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Worst. Pic. Ever. How unflattering for my Phelpsie…oh, well…I still heart him!
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
uh, nothing can be done to make him look cute or hot. nekked or not, the guy is a complete nerd. great athlete, but he lacks in most other areas. i don’t think it would really matter what picture they put on the cover, he still would look like a complete nerd.
December 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
hes such a BUTTER FACE!!
December 3rd, 2008 at 6:09 pm
hahaha his lips look pasted on. they look out of place… he’s never been the least bit attractive to me anyway.
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Thank you pooneck; Michael Phelps is soooo not cute. He’s quite unattractive and no photoshop in the world can change that. This pic is the real deal.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Wow…..that is some BAAAAD photoshop work. The guy is not even remotely attractive to me to begin with. I’m not even impressed with his body, but they somehow managed to make him look worse. Yikes.
December 4th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Only BOND can pull off the wet suit look!!
December 4th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Poor guy, how unfortunate. Phelps is ‘better’ looking when he has scruff to hide his chin and keeps his mouth shut! When he smiles is when things go to pieces. I, for one, am sick of seeing celebrities Photoshopped to death. Erasing a zit, bags, dark circles is one thing, but turning them into aliens is another.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Maybe if he didn’t have that geeky smily on his face it would have been kinda sexy.
December 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
OH NOOO that face. blech.
December 4th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Its looks like they super-imposed his face (FROM ANOTHER PICTURE) to this one. It looks really …odd
December 5th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Looks unhappily soggy to me, but trying to be a good sport
December 25th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
HEHEHE HUGE EYEBROWS!!! RAWRRRR!!! (MICHAEL PHELPS) “RAWR RAWR!! IMMA BIG,MEAN,SWIMMING MACHINE!….. AND I HAVE HUGE TESTICLES!” :]