Michael Phelps' Dad Fred: Found And Talking

Phelps' dad, Fred, admitted to The Post that he has not had a single conversation with his Olympian son since Michael left for Beijing.

And eight medals later, Michael still has nothing to say.

"He's so busy, I'm sure not even his agent can get a hold of him," Fred told The Post yesterday outside his home in the Baltimore suburb of Linthicum Heights, when asked why he had not yet made any attempt to congratulate his record-setting son...

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"I'm very proud of him and all he's done," Fred said as he aimed to deflect attention away from the severed relationship. "This is not about me, it's about him."...

Although he didn't hop a plane for Beijing to see his son compete, the elder Phelps said he "watched [Michael] every night on TV" last week...

Michael has never publicly acknowledged his father as having any role in his success.

"The person I love the most is sitting in the front row - my mom - for everything she's done," Michael told reporters Monday in Beijing.

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Read an article from the Baltimore Sun on Michael Phelps Dad, a policeman in the Baltimore area who divorced Phelps' mom Debbie when Michael was 9:

Childs Walker, spoke with Fred Phelps this week to request an interview. Fred thought about it, and I think he probably handled the request as well as he could. He declined, saying he didn't want to take away from his son's accomplishments by delving into the family story.

"This is just about Michael," he said. "This is his glory, his time to shine, and I want him to get everything he wants."

Rest assured, while Phelps is in the Beijing pool, his father is paying close attention, cheering from back in Maryland.

"I'm just on pins and needles every time he hits the water," Fred Phelps said.

Comments

[formerprosecutor]

Who cares? 50% of American families have similiar situations; a divorced couple is not newworthy. The sons accomplishments are the newsworthy.

[firelord5000]

Its the Michael Phelps show, not Phelps Dad show!

[McFlipFlop]

Michael will hopefully mature and forgive his Dad rather than eschewing him.

[Mark99]

Perhaps Michael will forgive his dad, but he has no obligation whatever to do so, and it's crass to suggest he's acting immaturely. Dad didn't seem to care much about his son during his childhood and adolescence, so there's no reason for him to receive any special consideration now. Some burnt bridges are best left burnt. Leave them both alone.

[Law35]

Another dead beat dad story. Press on. Go Michael Phelps!!! Great job!!!

[Diogenis]

Law35, it is apparent you have much to learn about people and law.

[fromafar]

Don't make accusations when you don't know the whole story. I bet you didn't know that after the parents seperation, Michael's father worked two jobs to pay for swimming expenses for three kids and officiated swim meets to be with his kids. So get all of your facts before you bash someone.

[nicholasclaxton]

http://www.myamericanprayer.com/

:)

[edwarvir]

thank you

[kentay305]

wow a white baby's daddy....

who would have thought!?

lol

[chinationreport]

Here is a mother story: Phelps China endorsement
http://www.chinationreport.com/phelpsfirstendorsement.html

And Phelps China connection
http://www.chinationreport.com/phelpschinaconnection.html

[Tulka2]

Here's how i see it... His mother is this fabulous, supportive person whose story of raising this child has not been an easy one. So...? Let's get a story about the father who wasn't there. It's all drama, all the time with you guys, isn't it?

[obgynobgyn]

Not that it matters but Phelps dad is alleged to be part white part black, I guess that why Phelps hair and features are the way they are. Phelps is a great swimmer and does not mind being a mama's boy
As his father said, this is not about him it's about his son.
As a Jewish person, if I saw reporting about my people as I see with the blacks, I would call the media reporting the olympics anti-semetic, (play the anti-semetic card) so I sort of understand the poster who viewed the story differently from us.
All of us are humans who make mistakes and bleed red blood..

[ARH]

Racist, victim, race card. Oh my the intellectuals...have spoken. I suppose being in denial about real media bias comes easy when virtually everything that's reported is from your own world view.

[sunzen]

It was his coach that created an olympian...with support from his mom...while she gave the most support she could not have done this without Michaels willpower, genetics, and great luck/hard work/timing/location.

[SpencerCat]

Don't know why anyone would care what Michael Phelps parents are doing. Pointless story. Yawn.

[ARH]

I'm amazed reading these comments. They clearly show white folks refuse to acknowledge the double standard of the media. If Phelps were black you would have seen the media swarming to find the "MISSING" daddy FORCING an uneasy response from all involved. The media would have gone out if it's way to make the "MSSING" daddy as much of a story as the medals. On second thought, they would have made the "daddy" story bigger than the medals. Wake up folks! Phelps is awesome and his Mom did a great job of raising him. In a fair and just world that is all we need to know. Unfortunately, this is not the standard across the board from our esteemed media.

[andvoodoo2]

The media DID "swarm" to find Phelps' missing father.
How do you "force" a response from someone?
It seems to me Phelps' father didn't get treated with kid gloves on this. He's obviously been an absent father and everyone is impressed with Phelps' mother.
Everything isn't about race. People who try to make everything about race are almost always racist.

[yvgeny]

That's rich. If you call someone or something racist, you're a racist. That's a new one. I like it. A lot.

[DEl19713]

Did you drink your hater-aid this morning?

[sunzen]

Hey...why is huffington or other corporate media not telling the story about Baracks brother in Kenya??? Anyway cant you wait to play the race card until after the olympics??? I am sure that half of the track team does not have good relationships with their father...quit creating drama...quit being a victim!

[edwarvir]

This thread is not about Senator O why do you haters always have
to mention him.

[who38]

they are going to run it side by side with a story about Cindy and her half sisters.

[chinationreport]

Debbie Phelps is a great negotiator. She is probably loving and also self aware! She will be featured in an ad for JNJ baby powder and the ad will show on closing ceromony of the Olympics.

Here is a nice story about her in Beijing:

Phelps first endorsement in China.
http://www.chinationreport.com/phelpsfirstendorsement.html

[PurplePhase]

Leave it up to the NY Post to dig up dirt behind someone's glory.

[andvoodoo2]

Phelps' absent father is not "dirt" on Phelps - it's dirt on the father. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who watched the Olympics and wondered where this kid's father was.

[chickenpieeggs]

This whole story is stupid. Leave the guy's personal life out of this. He's not running for president!!! He's a swimmer!! It's nobody's business where his dad is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bljKRGZwNPQ

[JohnnyRivers]

Yeah... I'm guessing there were other twisted nutbags watching too. Whats it like being so FUBAR?