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865 Comments
- andyb747, on 08/19/2008, -160/+1488No. and when you win 11 ***** olympic gold medals you too will be able to wear whatever you like
- DavidtheMavin, on 11/11/2008, -64/+618Goofy looking, Yes. Future gazillionaire, yes. Douche, no.
- dagnabbit, on 08/19/2008, -30/+511He's got 14 golds total (plus 2 bronze). Yeah, I'd say he gets a pass for wearing slightly crooked hats on his off days.
- inactive, on 08/19/2008, -25/+453No clue. Never met him.
- hotlatte, on 08/19/2008, -28/+444I wouldn't use the term "douche" to describe a fashion-challenged person, but I might use it to describe someone trying to put down an olympic champion who has broken every previous record in his sport.
- kiensoy, on 08/19/2008, -12/+413Wow... that magazine cover looks so weird. It looks like he's wearing a red dress.
- fluidfoundation, on 08/19/2008, -16/+300That may explain his affinity to an aqueous environment.
- Rentinu, on 08/19/2008, -57/+328Behh. He has a more or less constant style, I wouldn't say 'douche' nah.
- shadowman99, on 08/19/2008, -23/+278TO: Micheal Phelps
From: Shadowman99
Dear Sir,
I would like to take this occasion to offer you my sincere friendship. It will only cost you a few hundred thousand dollars, but I've noticed money is not an issue for you now that you will generate an estimated $100 million this coming year. That's a lot of scratch!
I exchange for the conditions of my friendship you can wear whatever stupid t-shirt you buy off snorgtees and I won't give you any *****.
PS to Kevin Rose. I mentioned one of your sponsors in my post. I'll be expecting a check. - ZeeZee2k, on 08/19/2008, -8/+225No popped collars
No spiky hair(or excessive hair gel)
No flashing gang signs
Michael Phelps is indeed not a douche. - inactive, on 08/19/2008, -25/+233God this sh*t is so stupid. Let him wear what he wants to wear. And showing his abs was obviously asked for, he didn't just walk on set with them out.
And god damn I'm not even american - slappy83, on 08/19/2008, -24/+218I actually know someone who swam with him and said you're gay.
- airwalkery2k, on 08/19/2008, -43/+222But, hell, he's OUR douchebag! USA! USA!
- nobody98, on 08/19/2008, -28/+204I think you're a douche.
- shadowman99, on 08/19/2008, -2/+127Send it to anyone who has 100 million dollars. Thanks.
- heyimcamcook, on 09/10/2008, -5/+126do you mind if I send this to Michael Phelps instead of Micheal Phelps?
- BillyMcEvoy20, on 08/19/2008, -46/+139He is. Yes.
- nikothefinn, on 08/19/2008, -36/+119Well. I was definitely a "no." And then I gave the author the benefit of the doubt, and actually reviewed the exhibits. And though wearing a cocked baseball cap and liking the Pistons on a "normal" human being would be considered douchy, for someone who eats 11,000 calories a day and still has washboard abs, it is not. However, Exhibit E almost pushes him over the edge. I'm sitting on the fence on this one.
- inactive, on 08/19/2008, -5/+86When people in Baltimore call you a douche, you know you've got problems.
- WrldsWrstDigger, on 08/19/2008, -0/+74i digg your comment in the hopes you are female.
- megamod, on 08/19/2008, -8/+78He's goofy looking sometimes, not a douche. It just looks like he is forgetting how to walk from spending so much time in the water.
- damntourists, on 08/19/2008, -5/+75@knitewulf: if you were in amazingly good shape and beautiful women wanted to see your abs, you'd be an idiot not to show them. so what if he's self confident, good for him. at least he's not OVERLY self confident like this article is TRYING to depict.
- jayrok, on 08/19/2008, -2/+69as much... then I do...
*brain explodes* - mhensley1288, on 08/19/2008, -1/+68this guy calls him a douche for wearing jeans and a nice jacket. then calls him a douche for wearing a t-shirt and cargo shorts. what does this author wear that makes him not a douche?
- cheap2, on 08/19/2008, -58/+120That's pure envy talking. I say no, he's not a douche
- paulisnotdead, on 08/19/2008, -12/+73I've heard from some friends in Baltimore, that everybody who went to school with him thought he was an *****.
- Anewman87, on 08/19/2008, -38/+97He's not a douche people are just jealous.
- phike, on 08/19/2008, -14/+72A douche? Definitely possesses some qualities, but let's look at the other facts: he was a class act for the media when interviewed before, during, and after the Olympic competitions, while is primary competitors (The French team in his first relay, and Cavic in the 100m butterfly) acted like complete and utter *****, douches, ignorant, cocky bastards. And Phelps made them stfu with his actions, not words.
Also remember, the sport of swimming is filled with douchebags, so it's not that surprising that his inner circle of friends happen to consist of THAT guy, among other typical scrotes. - Kohaxx, on 08/19/2008, -3/+60Nah he looks like any other teenage male athlete, he needs the spray tan, spikey cartoon like hair, and popped polo shirts in order to be an official douche. He's just a young dude with bad taste in clothing who likes showing off his abs.
If we start labeling anyone who shops at Ambercrombie a douche the term will lose meaning. - radiofrequency, on 08/19/2008, -5/+61Phelps works too hard to be a douche, he's earned my respect.
- cliffzdude, on 08/20/2008, -4/+59Q: "What does being an Olympic Champion have to do with it?"
A: Everything.
The point of douchedom is douche bags are posers. Bratty little ***** who put on fake tan, wear fake expensive clothes, exist in debt to appear as if they were rich. THAT'S a douche bag.
Michael Phelps *is* a bad ass. He doesn't wear fake tan, he has a tan in the summer like normal people He doesn't wear expensive clothes, although he could outspend most NBA talent without breaking out his black card. He doesn't need debt to appear rich, he is rich.
The real bottom line is most who watched his career before the Olympics, or just the past week and a half see Phelps as a genuinely gifted, talented, and (here's the kicker) nice guy. He was an admitted dork as a kid, and is a bit of a geek today. But he's cool with himself, he just buries his head and drives to perform. Michael Phelps is the anti Douche Bag if there ever was one. - aptanalogy, on 08/19/2008, -8/+62Exactly. Most of us obviously haven't, and that's the entire reason that this article is BS.
- russ3, on 08/19/2008, -4/+53Does he buy those hats crooked?
- Nemisys, on 08/19/2008, -13/+57Correct me if i'm wrong. But isn't a douche something girls put inside their goodie chambers? IF thats the case, i'm pretty sure Michael Phelps is their Indiana Jones right now.
- adventflux, on 08/19/2008, -0/+45Wrong hole.
- defectDS, on 08/19/2008, -20/+63If there is anyone who has the right to be a douche in this country, it's Phelps.
- inactive, on 08/19/2008, -4/+46He looks kinda half retarded. I think it's his teeth and his ears.
- ps3udov3ctor, on 08/19/2008, -13/+53No. He's not a polished celebrity with stylists and an entourage to make sure he looks good at all times when out and about. Looks like he makes the same fashion faux pas that every normal person does.
- kidjay, on 08/19/2008, -8/+49he's a ***** 23 year old kid. they make ***** decisions all the time.
he's also one of the greatest athletes on the planet. less astonishing athletes are dbags all the time - i guarantee that kobe bryant is 10 times the douche. - DaClamp, on 08/19/2008, -10/+49he's also a mouth breather.
- lsumed, on 08/19/2008, -91/+131I vote yes. (Waits to be buried.)
- DreKor, on 08/19/2008, -2/+39What's the female analog to "fap fap fap"? "buz buz buz"?
- pastranar0x, on 08/19/2008, -26/+62Travis Pastrana and Michael Phelps in the same photo? Where the hell is my vibrator?!?!?!
- Rivfader, on 08/19/2008, -38/+74Yes and I am tired of hearing about him on digg.
- aralls, on 08/19/2008, -0/+34you're thinking of an enema
- CrossCanyon, on 08/19/2008, -5/+39You heard from a friend that he refused to sign autographs. Well, I heard from a friend that Michael Phelps is a shy guy and he would have felt weird signing autographs.
Let's address these one photo at a time, since everybody here seems to like lists.
Exhibit A: Plain white T, designer cap, and an awkward smile that we are supposed to interpret as a "general aura of doucheyness."
He probably wears caps out of shyness, and they are hardly cocked. If designers send you free stuff, you probably look at it and say, "Well, I probably can't wear my old crap to a red carpet function."
Exhibit B: "Happily appearing on TRL; lifting shirt to display abs."
Again, an awkward smile. I have a question: When a hot TRL anchor demands to see your abs, what are you going to? Laugh and hide? When athletes appear on TRL, the host always, always demands a show of muscle. And since anything like this is a chance to promote swimming in the U.S., Phelps is willing to do it.
Exhibit C: "cocked baseball cap . . . track jacket; beginning to look like a character from The Sopranos."
Of course, he couldn't be under any kind of contract with Speedo that would require him to wear their merchandise. Instead he pays for the coaching and travel expenses out-of-pocket, and buys cool sports gear for the express purpose of looking like a douchebag.
Secondly - what American under 30 years old has not posed for a photo this way? Seriously, who?
Exhibit D: "Some kind of terrible Urban Outfitters shirt."
He looks like my brother at his first HS dance. He didn't pick out the clothes, and he didn't want to bother whoever did.
Exhibit E: "Hanging out with that guy."
Don't call him "that guy." It's Travis Pastrana, of motocross, dressing up for laughs, which I've heard is legal in most states.
Exhibit F: "Again with the cocked hat; misguided facial hair; liking the Pistons."
The 'stache is hilarious, not douche-y. The Pistons are his hometown team. And how many people wear hats to basketball games?
Exhibit G: Please, he's sitting next to Anna Wintour wearing CARGO SHORTS. And you're trying to make him out to be some cocky Justin Timberlake.
Exhibit H: "Everyone knows that bling is for rappers and douchey white people."
What do you do when the hugest sports magazine in America wants you on the cover with your medals? Say, "Sorry, Time Warner, I wanna pose with my dog instead" ? No. You do it, you wear your hard-earned medals, and hope some 7-year-old boy destined for greatness sees it on the newsstands and asks his dad for swim lessons.
Exhibit H again (apparently they missed that I comes after H): Phelps wearing a silly yellow sweatshirt.
So what? Really, I don't get it - SO WHAT?
Why isn't everyone here looking at Usain Bolt? Bolt started celebrating and chest-thumping *before* he crossed the line in the 100 meter final. He slowed down at the end. There is no comparison. Phelps gave his all in every race. Phelps showed true sportsmanship. He shook his competitors' hands and never, ever belittled the major accomplishments of his teammates.
So, it's okay for the traditional rock stars of the Olympics to show off, but what if a swimmer (a sport most of us never cared about up until a month ago) makes it big? Do we look for little details that we might hope to construe as character flaws? His accomplishments have catapulted him onto the world stage. The more famous one gets, the less we know about their true character. Debating his douchiness on the comment boards of Digg (a website not famous for its share of athletes) is a waste of everyone's time. As an NCAA track athlete, I dream to achieve a hundredth of what Phelps has achieved, and that the only meaningful comment I can make on this subject. - DonCreech, on 08/19/2008, -14/+46I've heard from people that used to drink with him at the University of Maryland that he's a great guy until he has a few too many. That's when he starts with the arrogance. At this point, however, I guess he's sort of entitled to be pompous.
- shutaro, on 08/19/2008, -1/+33Now that's a scoop!
- gandhii, on 08/19/2008, -1/+31I'd show my abs too for whatever amount of cash they paid him to be on that show.
He's a professional swimmer. Other than swimming and kicking ass, the other part of his job is marketing himself and in relation, the products and companies that sponsor him. He's just a geek who made good and found he needed to suddenly worry about his public appearance without having any knowledge or experience in the subject. -
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