View From the Stands: Swimgasm

                                                      
                              Greased up and ready to go:  Swimgasm 

Swimgasm:  From the Greek term, "Holy ****."  The peak phase of swimfandom causing an intense sensation of pleasure that creates changes in brainwave patterns in the brain's limbic region, involuntary muscle contractions and metabolic changes in the swimfan.  (Actually, I think Gustafson said it first unless he stole it from someone.)

Fans, tomorrow at 6am EST we will have our first collective group swimgasm of this 2011 FINA World Championships.  Michael Fred Phelps and Ryan Steven Lochte in the men's 200 free.  The Baltimore Bullet vs. Reezy.  The golfer vs. the surfer.  The World's Greatest vs. The Little Train That Could.  For years Ryan Lochte has swam behind Michael Phelps.....that is until Nationals last year.  I was there.  In the shining California sun I forgot about my sore ass for 2 minutes and let my Coffee Bean Iced Blended melt as I watched Ryan pull away from Michael during the breast of the 200 IM.  The place went nuts and I think that was the moment Ryan Lochte fired the warning shot and shouted out loud, "NO MORE!" His showing at Pan Pacs was another warning shot and tomorrow morning is the first offense in the battle before the full-on assault in London next year.  Swimgasm.

For the swimfan, it doesn't get any better than this.  I'm old enough to remember when Spitz won his 7 gold medals.  It was exciting and historic.  My grandmother couldn't believe a nice Jewish boy could swim that fast.  This is the era of Michael Phelps, the greatest swimmer of all time, and one of the greatest athletes of any sport ever.  We are a part of it and it's a privilege.  I'm excited he's still swimming.  If it was me after '08 I would have taken my millions and retired to my waterfront condo with the hot tub and the hotties to never be seen or heard from again.  Okay, so he hasn't been the most dedicated of all swimmers and maybe it'll matter and maybe it won't.  I can still see him coming off the wall in the last turn and winning every event  he's entered in this week.  Swimgasm.

But I do think this is Lochte's time.  The keg-throwing, the Gatorade ads, the banana hammocks, the Martian shoes, the multiple injuries, the closet full of silver medals, all of it....the entire story culminates tomorrow morning with the 200 free.  Phelps proving it's not over and Lochte proving it's just the beginning.  Swimgasm.