Michael Phelps' Gold Medal Spitz Take On "Sports Illustrated" Cover

Olympic hero Michael Phelps graces the cover of Sports Illustrated on newsstands Thursday. On it, he mimics and one-ups the iconic image of Mark Spitz wearing 7 gold medals that was on posters sold for $2 back in 1972.

With 8 gold medals from Beijing around his neck, Phelps smiles from beneath the label "The Alltime Olympian" The photo was taken inside an ancient temple in Beijing on Sunday night

"This one being the first [photo] of him with all eight medals, we hope that our cover will stick in everyone's mind," SI's managing editor Terry McDonell said.

Phelps also tops Spitz on the number of SI covers on which he's featured: 5-3.

Also today, Phelps addressed reports he is dating fellow swimmer Amanda Beard.

Comments

[catmudd]

I think he looks great. He seems like a delightful person. What more could you want? I'm very happy for him and his family.

[clearthinker2008]

He's the greatest swimmer and Olympian that has ever lived, and really seems like a nice guy. I'm really happy for him. He is not a looker, and so his flame of fame might quickly burn out. CASH IN NOW Phelps.

[RealCalGal]

I thought the winner of the decathlon was the Olympian of the games.

Phelps may be the best swimmer ever, but Olympian? I don't think so. Let's see him do something OTHER than swim.

I agree with the previous poster that athletes in other sports don't have the opportunity to win multiple medals.

BTW, why ARE there so many swimming events? It really got boring to watch after a couple of days.

[rcrush]

Wow who would have thought that this talkback section would be full of people hatin cause this guy won a bunch of gold medals and you guys just sit here and jerk off on the internet all day.

[JennyJay]

My, my, how times have changed. . . . Mark Spitz's metals were actually made of GOLD, and poor
Mike Phelps - his are made of lead. . . . Sadly, that's what you get if - it's made in China.

[Philippa]

The International Olympic Committee has strict guidelines on the medals. They made sure it won't be made of lead. Information on the medal materials, size, weight, etc. are in this site:

http://en.beijing2008.cn/67/83/article214028367.shtml

[NeverRepublican]

Then why does the majority of our crap we import COME FROM CHINA???

I'd say China is the new power house of the world.

[FantaPants]

It is a rubbish photo, though. The TIME cover from August 2004 was miles better, and even that paled into comparison to the TIME cover of Spitz from September 1972.

[Amennyc]

Must be nice to be rich and able to train and swim all day. Sadly the poor kids have to go fight the rich man's wars.

[jwatso7]

This comment makes you look totally uniformed. Michael Phelps is rich only because he had the ability to develop his talent. He did not grow up rich and privileged. His father is out of the picture - I believe he abandoned his family, which meant his mom - a school teacher who later worked her own rear off to get a graduate degree and become a principal - had to sacrifice to raise her 3 kids. How is that any different from a single mom who works hard so her son can have a chance to get rich in the NBA? If poor kids had his talent, they'd no longer be poor either. But to imply he's only accomplished this because he's rich is completely off base and utterly unfair. He's lucky to have had the chance to better himself and rise above what most of us would arguably consider an unenviable childhood.

[bujeeboo]

Gee, I'm sorry your life sucks so much that you can't be happy for someone who trained and worked hard all his life for something that mattered to him.

I hate the war too, but I haven't lost my charitable nature over it.

[Muffy7]

I don't believe Michael is rich, his mother worked hard as a single mom. He is a product of a very loving family. He has worked hard for years I am thrilled that he won the eight medals. I never had any sons, but he is the son I always wish I had.

Many more wonderful years for a terrific athletic and a wonderful son and brother.

God bless you Michael.

SI should be ashamed of the picture, other publications will do much better.

[Amennyc]

Phelps is ok. He can swim fast ok. But lets see him do hurdles, a floor exercise, synchronized dives.....

[Muffy7]

that is just a dumb statement, he is a swimmer.

[firelord5000]

YA I gota agree with the previous posters, while he is an amazing swimmer/athlete, his speaking ability is pretty terrible at the moment. However he is quite young, and now that his value is at like 30million / year +, that they will def work on improving his media appeal.

[RasAlula]

His speaking ability is better than your writing ability.

[Muffy7]

TOUCHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[woundedduck]

Think how much faster Spitz could've been without the 'stache? Mind boggling.

[MourningDude]

Just think if Phelps shaved off those eyebrows!!

Yowza!

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

I think he's very cute... I would have just liked to see him do his own pose...sort of be your own man..but it was nice to give kudos to Spitz...sort of like the old superman and the new movie... Either way what he has done is just amazing and I'm so proud of him!!!! I think we should stop putting others down who are heros... that is all!

[BaxterJ]

I think he can have a career as a commentator or even motivational speaker if he works on his public speaking skills. He's not that great yet, although to be fair, he's also exhausted: http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2197/Michael-Phelps

[geodude]

You people making fun of his looks are really warped. And shallow. Clueless and apparently mirror-less; Michael Phelps is undoubtedly cuter and more successful than the whole lot of you jealous twerps.

[defdes]

This is the same kind of group that would vote for a President because they would like to have a beer with him. Fatuous.

[David]

MIchael Phelp's achievements at the Olympics and his appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated are two seperate issues. He's a champion, plain and simple. I could care less about how he looks. If SI chose the way he posed as a way of upstaging Spitz, shame on them. If it were a compliment then I hope that the person who breaks Phelps record is offered to do the same in the future

[audiodomer]

What is going on here? When did we start bashing American athletes in the Olympics? Have we become THAT cynical as a nation that we can't be proud of what he accomplished representing our country?
To me, this is akin to troop bashing. These guys have literally given their lives to their craft and are on the world stage representing this country. Phelps' accomplishments are utterly amazing and he deserves all the attention he is getting. I never saw this kind of backlash against Tiger (except maybe his opponants who got sick of being destroyed). I saw an earlier post mentioning he trained for 3 or 4 hours a day...NO. He trained ALL DAY, EVERY DAY since he was 12 for this. Have ANY of us on this post put even half that level of devotion into our lives?
Congrats Michael. On behalf of ALL Americans, even these cynical jerks, congrats.
Thanks for inspiring us to the highest ideal of hard work.

[chi54]

Well said! I couldn't agree more. What has happened to us anyway. Congrats Michael!!!

[Buddhabman]

The pose makes him look like he is wearing a halter top. I think it's the ribbons, but it looks weird. He deserves a picture that doesn't make him look feminine.

[NotaBeliever]

Ohmygoodnessgraciousme! You think this pic of Michael Phelps makes him look feminine? Those arms, that smile, that long lean torso ... he is absolutely yummy, hunky, and masculine.

[Trilby]

Are you male or female?

[Amennyc]

GAY, Gay Gay.... He might not be. Sadly nothing is original any more. He looks like a twink with a halter top.

[kilgary]

I had the exact same reaction. It doesn't help that the background color is the same as the ribbons. This is how SI celebrates the greatest Olympian of all time??

[pencilpusher]

Same here. I thought, "What's with the halter top?" Not a well thought-out cover design.

[Forester]

You must be too young to remember Mark Spitz' poster, but the point is that he broke Spitz' record and so now the marketeers must re-created the poster with one more medal. This picture had to be made. Any serious athlete would gladly look like a "twink in a halter top" if they were wearing 40lbs of gold medals. jeez kids, lets hope you are just ignorant and not stupid.
To achieve what Phelps did required a lot of natural talent and lucky anatomy, but it also took a great deal of heart, dedication and just plain work in ratty pools at ungodly hours for most of his lifetime. That is what makes him a champion and worthy of the respect of the ignorant masses. On top of all that, like a true champion, he got it done 8 TIMES when the pressure was the greatest. Great job Michael Phelps.