2008 Summer Olympics

August 14th, 2009 | 10:55 am by Liz Black

Phelps Uninjured After Car Accident

Michael-Phelps

Olympic record-holder Michael Phelps‘ 2009 is not quite as good as his 2008, the guy can’t seem to catch a break this year. First he was busted for pot, then he was stripped of endorsements, and last night the swimming champ was involved in a three-car accident in Baltimore. Phelps’ Cadillac Escalade crashed into a Honda Accord at 9pm last night. Police questioned Phelps and confirmed alcohol was not a factor. The two cars collided and hit a third car that was parked.

Though Phelps’ car was severely damaged he walked away unscathed (the man is solid muscle, nothing scathes him). The female driver of the Accord was treated for minor injuries. This isn’t Phelps first driving violation, in 2004 he was pulled over for running a stop sign and driving while impaired. [Photo: GettyImages]

February 2nd, 2009 | 10:55 am by Libby Keatinge

IOC Accepts Michael Phelps’ Apology For Smoking The Devil’s Lettuce

It had been such a great 2008 for Michael Phelps, and then, 2009 got off to a rough start when that photo of him smoking the hippie lettuce regrettably surfaced in News of the World on Sunday.

What’s an eight-time Olympic champion to do when they get caught red-handed hitting the bong? Issue an apology, of course, which, luckily the International Olympic Committee accepted today.

“Michael Phelps is a great Olympic champion,” the IOC said in a statement on Monday. “He apologized for his inappropriate behavior. We have no reason to doubt his sincerity and his commitment to continue to act as a role model.”

On Sunday, the U.S. Olympic committee expressed their disappointment in Michael. “We are disappointed in the behavior recently exhibited by Michael Phelps. Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people.

“In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities. Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologized for his actions. We are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion.”

This was not Michael’s first time getting in trouble with the law. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to a drunk driving charge.

As if he wasn’t getting enough ass already, now the honeys will surely be all up on him. Such a bad boy! [Source: KSL.com ; Photo: Getty Images]

August 25th, 2008 | 10:15 am by Liz Black

Olympic Athletes Are ‘Shagging Like Crazy’

For two weeks, our attention was turned to the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest to watch the best athletes in the world compete in the Olympics. Each night, it was a couple hours of swimming or volleyball and then off to bed we went. It never dawned on us though what the Olympians themselves do after hours. Turns out, they do each other.

This information comes courtesy of Matthew Syed, a one-time Olympian-turned-commentator who regales those of us unable to be at the games with tales of medal-worthy horndoggery among the athletes. Syed tells the New York Post:

“Olympic athletes have to display an unnatural – and, it has to be said, wholly unhealthy – level of self-discipline in the build-up to big competitions. How else is this going to manifest itself than with a volcanic release of pent-up hedonism?. . .[It was] a common sight to see recently knocked-out athletes gorging on Magnums and McDonald’s, swilling alcohol and, of course, shagging like crazy.”

Basically, it sounds a lot like college, but with a lower percentage of body fat and no hacky-sackers. The romance du jour is between Michael Phelps and Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice, who were spotted sucking face last week after apparently false rumors circulated that he was getting it on with swimmer Amanda Beard and/or model Lily Donaldson.

Michael Phelps Shouldn’t Sell Frosted Flakes, Whiny Whiners Whine

Maybe Michael Phelps should stick to promoting beer pong. “Experts” are complaining that Michael Phelps’ endorsement of Frosted Flakes sends the wrong message to children. According to nutritionist Rebecca Solomon, “I would not consider Frosted Flakes the food of an Olympian. I would rather see him promoting Fiber One. I would rather see him promoting oatmeal. I would even rather see him promoting Cheerios.” Tell you what, Ms. Solomon. Why don’t you win yourself eight gold medals in one year and then tell Michael Phelps what you consider the food of an Olympian. Michael Phelps isn’t going to tell the obese children of America to eat their Fiber One. He’s going to eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes, swim a lap before you can say “three times the sugar than in Wheaties,” and give Tony The Tiger a high-five! Vitamin packed Frosted Flakes bring out the tiger in Michael Phelps! And you! [NY Daily News]

[Photo: Getty Images, Kellogg's]

August 20th, 2008 | 12:25 pm by Lauren Olson (Deiman)

Last Night’s Top 10 Haphazard Beam Moments

Last night, the Olympics reminded us that gymnasts are as close to superhuman as athletes get. Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, Koko Tsurumi (Japan), Gabriela Dragoi (Romania), and Anna Pavlova (Russia) continuously defied both gravity and mortality as their heads came within inches of smacking the beam. While you’d assume the images after the jump precede a crash, nine out of 10 (the exception being when Tsurumi fell) were seconds before a solid landing. Prepare to be awed. [Photos: Getty Images]

World Obsesses Over Failed Javelin Thrower

When Leryn Franco glided into the Beijing National Stadium during the Olympic Opening Ceremony, the world’s collective head turned and its collective jaw dropped. No one knew the identity of the phenomenally beautiful athlete, and so the media went into overdrive to find out. Turns out that Leryn Franco is a 26-year-old Paraguayan javelin thrower, and (no duh!) a model. A runner-up in the 2006 Miss Paraguay competition, Leryn supposedly uses modeling to help subsidize her althletic endeavors. She was also in the 2004 Olympics.

Yesterday, Leryn finished second-to-last in the javelin qualifying round with a throw that was 12 meters short of her personal best. This makes her the Most Talked About Olympic Athlete Who Failed To Qualify For An Event.

P.S. As evidenced by the photos below, we clearly messed up by not including Leryn in our Top 10 Hottest Hotties of the 2008 Olympics.

[Top photo: Splash News Online and Getty Images]

August 19th, 2008 | 6:04 pm by Liz Black

Nastia Liukin’s Too Classy To Point Fingers, So We Will

American viewers of the women’s Olympic uneven bar finals yesterday were treated to some great performances. All-around gold medal winner Nastia Liukin (pictured far left) turned in a first-place routine that stunned the crowd and, numerically, should have won her the gold – she and Chinese gymnast He Kexin (center) both scored 16.725.

But due to an Olympic rule that took effect after the Athens games, ultimately Liukin was denied the gold because one judge, Australia’s Helen Colagiuri, scored her routine three-tenths of a point lower than He’s. Liukin has remained gracious despite the disappointment, saying: “Scoring is scoring, and that’s our sport. … That’s what we’ve been going through our whole lives and we just have to accept that.”

But after watching her near-flawless routine, it leaves us wondering, what gives, Helen Colagiuri? [Photo: Getty Images]

August 19th, 2008 | 12:13 pm by Danielle Cook

J.Lo: Shhh! I’m More Althletic Than Michael Phelps!

Jennifer Lopez either has a great sense of humor or a completely diluted view of the world. According to a source from Good Morning American, it’s the latter. J.Lo, who talked about training for the 22nd Annual Malibu Triathlon during an appearance on the morning show yesterday, supposedly felt her athletic triumph was more newsworthy than “that swimmer,” eight-time gold medalist Michael Phelps.

The on-set source said, “She couldn’t come up with Phelps’ name, and then she yammered on about how she was the one training for a triathlon just six months after giving birth, and how that was the big story right now, not ‘the swimmer.’”

Michael Phelps Knows How To Bang

Talk about bringing home the gold! Beijing’s eight-time gold medalist, Michael Phelps, is rumored to be seeing two golden ladies: U.S. Swimmer Amanda Beard and British Fashion model Lily Donaldson. Donaldson is a top model and replaced Kate Moss as one of the faces for Burberry. He really can’t lose with either lady. In addition to being a world-class swimmer, Amanda has appeared on the sexy pages of Playboy. Before the 2004 Olympics, the charismatic 23-year-old said, “I haven’t got a girlfriend and I can’t do the kind of things all my friends are doing as college students.”

If the rumors are true (when would he have fit them both in?), then Phelps is making up for lost time. [Photos: Getty Images]

Related Content: Top 10 Hotties Of The 2008 Olympics

August 15th, 2008 | 4:27 pm by Kate Spencer (@katespencer)