6:23 am - 07/22/2012
Before becoming an MMA fighter and the Strikeforce bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey made her name by winning a bronze medal in judo at the Beijing Olympics. In a recent interview with Elie Seckbach, she talked about how great it was for all Olympians, no matter the stature, to get together and have fun.
Well, almost all Olympians. There was one Olympian who didn't want to mingle: Michael Phelps.
Rousey said while at a party for all American Olympians, the athletes happily mingled together. NBA players hung with the rest of the group, but Phelps had his own area that was just for his group.
"These NBA players are a bigger deal than this guy, and they're hanging out with us. We're teammates. We're not a bunch of groupies. Come hang out with us," Rousey said.
She said it was a similar set-up when Team USA visited "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which rubbed her the wrong way.
"I don't like being somebody's teammate and being treated like I'm a groupie. I didn't even want to go out of my way to say hello to that guy. Get over yourself. All you do is swim. If someone slapped you every time you jumped in the pool, I might have a little respect, but I was a swimmer before I did this stuff, and you can't tell me that swimming is OH MY GOD, because it's not."
Rousey isn't the first athlete to criticize Phelps, who can break Larissa Latynina's all-time medal record with three medals in London. Fellow swimmer Tyler Clary questioned Phelps' work ethic after the Olympic Trials.
SOURCE
Olympian and fighter Ronda Rousey calls out Michael Phelps’ behavior in Beijing
Before becoming an MMA fighter and the Strikeforce bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey made her name by winning a bronze medal in judo at the Beijing Olympics. In a recent interview with Elie Seckbach, she talked about how great it was for all Olympians, no matter the stature, to get together and have fun.
Well, almost all Olympians. There was one Olympian who didn't want to mingle: Michael Phelps.
Rousey said while at a party for all American Olympians, the athletes happily mingled together. NBA players hung with the rest of the group, but Phelps had his own area that was just for his group.
"These NBA players are a bigger deal than this guy, and they're hanging out with us. We're teammates. We're not a bunch of groupies. Come hang out with us," Rousey said.
She said it was a similar set-up when Team USA visited "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which rubbed her the wrong way.
"I don't like being somebody's teammate and being treated like I'm a groupie. I didn't even want to go out of my way to say hello to that guy. Get over yourself. All you do is swim. If someone slapped you every time you jumped in the pool, I might have a little respect, but I was a swimmer before I did this stuff, and you can't tell me that swimming is OH MY GOD, because it's not."
Rousey isn't the first athlete to criticize Phelps, who can break Larissa Latynina's all-time medal record with three medals in London. Fellow swimmer Tyler Clary questioned Phelps' work ethic after the Olympic Trials.
SOURCE
Get over yourself. All you do is swim.
Like what he does is fucking easy and anyone can do it. Like I'm sorry, he's still an athlete and that requires a lot of fucking skill. My cousin was on the USA Swim Team in Beijing and she busted her ass to get there and to get her medal. It's not like any asshole can jump in a pool and be an Olympian.
I might have a little respect, but I was a swimmer before I did this stuff, and you can't tell me that swimming is OH MY GOD, because it's not.
Edited at 2012-07-22 10:37 am (UTC)
I can't at these basic ass individuals trying to come for the Olympic King's throat. Sorry if Bert, Tom & Betty don't matter, but you obviously aren't the end all be all of your sport. I'm sure she's a great fighter but.....again, WHO?
Edited at 2012-07-22 01:21 pm (UTC)
i feel like she comes off being a bitter high school teenager with maybe a secret crush or something
for him to do what he did required focus, not partying with the olympic athletes. if we're talking after his events completely finished, he's still got handlers keeping his party-ways in check.
sorry but i think she needs to get over herself and i'm not even a phelps stan
if all he does is swim, then good on him.
I can't swim like him. I highly doubt most people can.
Lawdt. Just have more fun than he does and let him stew in his snobbery. n a b d
also rme at her swimming comments, once she can beat him in a race ill buy what shes saying but until then hes seriously gifted at what he does
i hate when people try to call other people out on being douches by being douchey themselves wtf
total girl crush rn
DIS BITCH IS SO BADASS
Also, this made me stan for her:
https://twitter.com/RondaRousey/sta
The more common range for a swimmer is 3 races and the relays. What Michael did is unbelievable in terms of range of strokes and distances, it is the most impressive thing a swimmer could do.
And I think if I were at the Olympics as an athlete I wouldn't mingle too much either. I don't like mingling all that much to begin with, and I'd rather be with people I know really well when overseas during a highly stressful time I've been preparing for for awhile, ya know? Shit people are introverts or have things like social anxiety and stuff too.
i'm not a mingler i actually have a lot of anxiety over having to force myself to do group events like after work networking blah blah that isn't required but is implied required
i think she's butthurt over whatever reason
so much shade against a flawless athlete
this kinda gossip shouldn't be happening at all she needs to grow up, it all seems so school-girl-ish not grown up champion athletes
I'm not saying he's not a douche in other things, but I'll cut him some slack on this one. I'd probably be locked in my room refusing to speak to anyone.