11/05/24
August 14, 2008
I could beat Michael Phelps: Ocho Cinco says he could beat Michael Phelps in the pool.
I get his point that success really depends on opportunities, and a lot of poor folks don't get them. However, he is completely nuts if he believes he knows people who can beat Phelps. I would like for him to go get a video camera and a stop watch and show me.
posted by bperk at 03:14 PM on August 14, 2008
Kind of like how you sprinted past that horse, Chad?
posted by curlyelk at 04:12 PM on August 14, 2008
If they gave out Olympic medals for running your mouth or making ridiculous statements, Chad Johnson would be in definite medal-contention. And I refuse to call him that nickname because it is embarrassing. Players on teams who are destined to be also-rans should be forbidden from having nicknames.
posted by dyams at 04:15 PM on August 14, 2008
There's a lot of times when I wish Chad Johnson would just shut the hell up. Come to think of it, that's just about every time he opens his mouth, and this one is no exception. Yeah sure, the underlying point that there are children in less fortunate neighborhoods with undiscovered talents is a valid one, but beyond that, he just heads into ridiculous territory.
But I don't get the negativity I'm reading in some of the other comments in regards to his playing. Just to pick one out, "Ocho no-show" from LBB. Over the last five years, Johnson has put together numbers comparable to any other receiver considered at the top of todays game. He plays the game well, regardless of his ever-spewing piehole, and the numbers back that up, whether you like him as a person or not.
posted by tahoemoj at 07:37 PM on August 14, 2008
I can see where Chad Johnson is coming from. There are probably a great deal of athletes who grow up in situations where they do not recieve the opportunity to fully recognize their potential. I think that can be true across all sports.
However, his saying that he could beat Phelps in the pool is just ridiculous.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:42 PM on August 14, 2008
There's some truth to what he's saying: if you were to take every single person on the planet, and train them in swimming 4-6 hours a day, for a few years, I doubt Michael Phelps is still the "best swimmer in the world". That's always been a point I make when doing the "previous generation" comparisons in sports like baseball, et al, where you note that the broader amount of amateur/child playing will lead to greater levels of play, as talent is discovered in new places.
But "I could beat him right now"? You're a fucking tool, Chad Johnson.
However, are we really sure it's not a put-on? The PTI guys were laughing, and CJ was asked the leading question, without prompting "Could you beat Michael Phelps in swimming". This might just be a PTI version of a running gag like Matt Damon/Jimmy Kimmel.
posted by hincandenza at 09:11 PM on August 14, 2008
I'm sure it is a put-on, Hal. Regardless though of whether or not Johnson has a point, it's just a lack of class to basically shit on Phelps during the Olympics, an event the guy has worked his ass off for and is now reaping the rewards. Because Phelps didn't grow up on the mean streets means he hasn't strived to be the best swimmer in the world, as proven at these games? Johnson is a gifted player, no doubt, but he should talk less and focus on being more than the second-best receiver on the Cincinnati Bengals.
posted by dyams at 10:37 PM on August 14, 2008
I just wish Johnson would leave football and go start training for a big swim-off.
Terrific numbers or not, when you have a decent team with a number of athletic miscreants on the roster and you consistently underachieve, you don't have to look hard to find the correlation.
I'd rather have a roster that was less athletic and more behaviorally professional. I'd take a Troy Brown or Wayne Chrebet (in their primes) over a Chris Henry or a Chad Johnson. Even if it took the deep ball out of my game planning.
Henry or Johnson will make some plays and create the winning edge in a game for you once in a while, but the rest of the time, you're living with hot lava fresh from the hole in the middle of the mountain.
posted by beaverboard at 10:53 PM on August 14, 2008
You'd really take Wayne Chrebet or Troy Brown over Chad Johnson? Wayne Chrebet? Who's career year was around 1080 yards? Troy Brown who's career high was around 1200 yards? Troy and Wayne who both only went for over 1,000 yards ONCE in their whole career? Wow, that's just silly. Chad's average is around 1340 yards since he's became a starter, in his second year.
I understand people wishing he would just shut up and play but I can't comprehend people insinuating that he's not a great receiver.
I also don't follow the logic that only players on great teams are allowed to have nicknames. WTF?
posted by tselson at 11:29 PM on August 14, 2008
If this was the seventies CJ and Phelps would be meeting up next Spring on an ABC Saturday afternoon in a flooded Astrodome, with How-ard Co-sell presiding.
posted by bobfoot at 11:43 PM on August 14, 2008
I'd also like to point out that Chad Johnson and Chris Henry are vastly different people in situations that are not at all alike. Johnson is a hell of a player who has incurred some fines for silly antics after touchdowns who also likes to run his mouth. Henry is a troubled young man with a rap sheet a mile long who, despite repeated chances to clean up his act, keeps getting arrested (and is no longer a Bengal.) The difference between a loudmouth showboat and a criminal should not be overlooked. Whether you love or hate Ocho Cinco (great players on losing teams can have nicknames, IMO) don't belittle the fact that he is an upstanding citizen of the NFL who does as much good for his community (both Miami and Cincinnati)as any player in the league.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:09 AM on August 15, 2008
I'd also like to point out that Chad Johnson and Chris Henry are vastly different people in situations that are not at all alike. Johnson is a hell of a player who has incurred some fines for silly antics after touchdowns who also likes to run his mouth. Henry is a troubled young man with a rap sheet a mile long who, despite repeated chances to clean up his act, keeps getting arrested (and is no longer a Bengal.) The difference between a loudmouth showboat and a criminal should not be overlooked. Whether you love or hate Ocho Cinco (great players on losing teams can have nicknames, IMO) don't belittle the fact that he is an upstanding citizen of the NFL who does as much good for his community (both Miami and Cincinnati)as any player in the league.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:09 AM on August 15, 2008
I am African American..take it from me most blacks don't even deal with the water. This man is dillusional, do you know how many years this man has trained. Big mouth probably has no idea of all the nuiances that it takes to race in water from entering to turning around. I hate when someone runs their mouth out of ignorance. It is one thing to talk "shit" and another to look stupid.
posted by HarryPeeples at 02:04 AM on August 15, 2008
It makes me sad that the BS that comes out of OC's mouth provides for much more commentary than actually important athletic events. Many of you need to analyze your priorities. Get a grip.
posted by knowsalittle at 02:07 AM on August 15, 2008
Oh please. Do any of you actually know anything about football or Chad Johnson? This guy has been a 1000 yards reciever for 6 years now with his best year being just last year with 1440. The only reason why people are hating on Chad now is because of the way he was acting during the off season proclaiming that he wanted out of Cincy. He wasn't taking this much flak in the past for his mouth but suddenly since he made it known that he was unhappy with the way the team has played the last few years, he's now a bad guy?
Chad Johnson is one of the most confident athletes that I've ever seen and for him to say that he could beat Michael Phelps in a swimming competition, maybe he was joking or maybe he wasn't. I saw this episode of PTI and he did say to Mike and Tony not to laugh when he made that statement but I don't take everything he says so seriously. Phelps is a World and Olympic record breaker in swimming and is on pace to win 8 gold medals. The guys is a freakin' fish for all we know. Chad just needs to concentrate on football and let all the doubters keep on hating.
posted by BornIcon at 08:17 AM on August 15, 2008
I can't believe you guys get worked up over what Ocho Cinco says. Just laugh at what he says and keep going. What is unfortunate is if some people in the "inner city" or with no opportunities take Chad seriously and use his words as excuses.
I for one think that Phelps is even more great because he has the opportunities, is expected to win, AND STILL WINS, even with all that pressure! Now that's clutch. He is clearly the Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods of swimming.
posted by habitz at 10:03 AM on August 15, 2008
This is beautiful. Let's see.. the Olympics are at center stage right now in the world of sports, and Michael Phelps is the star of that stage, so what does the attention whore Chad Johnson do? He makes the outrageous and ridiculous statement that he can beat Michael Phelps right now and knows other who also can, I wonder why? Just to get a little of the attention back on Ocho Cinco. Isn't it obvious that this guy is starved for the attention he didn't get as a child. Even when he scores a touchdown and all the cameras are on him, he needs to put on some additional show to remind the world it ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME. Keep the cameras on ME ME ME ME ME ME ME for a few seconds longer. PLEASE.
NOTE to CHAD : Please notice how when Michael Phelps wins every race, in world record time against the best athletes in the sport the world can produce, and completes a feat not likely to ever be duplicated in the world of sports, he is humble, gives credit to those who helped him, and basically takes it in stride while trying to avoid the praise which almost embarasses him. Try to remember his success is not about YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU! Try to remember when the other teem is in a huddle they are not talking about YOU YOU YOU.
posted by Atheist at 10:44 AM on August 15, 2008
Just to pick one out, "Ocho no-show" from LBB. Over the last five years, Johnson has put together numbers comparable to any other receiver considered at the top of todays game.
Does he have good numbers? Sure. He still doesn't live up to his talk, tahoe. When you stack his performance against his claims, he's an underperformer. All he has to do to change that is stop claiming to be Superman all the time.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:26 PM on August 15, 2008
Gee last year CJ finished third in receiving yards in his own sport and did not finish in the top three in all receiving categories. Third is good but he isn't dominating in his own sport yet he thinks he can beat someone who is clearly dominating the world in their sport. How dilusional is that. Phelps is not only dominating the world in swimming but doing it against other athletes with new world records. Even when the guys finishing behind him are breaking the previous world record he rises to the occaision to break the record by a larger margin.
The interesting thing about Phelps achievement is that not only is he the fastest in the world but the competition is so good that in order to win these Olympic races he is having to swim faster than his own personal best to do it. That not only makes him a great athlete but proves aside from his natural abilities, he is one of the greatest competitors under presure...ever!
posted by Atheist at 03:27 PM on August 15, 2008
Just to get a little of the attention back on Ocho Cinco.
If a blowhard blows hard in a forest...?
One thing about the Olympics: it does remind us how damn parochial and up its own arse US sport can be. (Though the NBA stars on the US team in Beijing, for the most part, are proving themselves an exception to that.)
posted by etagloh at 08:23 AM on August 16, 2008
Excellent point from atheist, it is ironic that Johnson says he can beat Phelps who is the best swimmer in the world when his own stats don't support any claim that he is the best reciever in the NFL. One of the best definitely, but the best? I think not.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 06:49 PM on August 16, 2008
I propose a showdown between TO and OC in the 'non-athlete' heptathalon. Bowling Ping Pong Pocket Pool (not real billards) Tri-card Poker (put up or shut up.....never mind) GoCart Racing Hot Dog Eating (my comment on this will only serve to offend many) AND Media baiting....Oh wait. OC has already won the last event just from the amount of coverage from his most recent BS.
posted by knowsalittle at 04:31 AM on August 17, 2008
...it is ironic that Johnson says he can beat Phelps who is the best swimmer in the world when his own stats don't support any claim that he is the best reciever in the NFL
He may not be the best reciever in the NFL but he's for damn sure one of the best recievers in the NFL. What people need to stop doing is comparing swimming to the life of an NLF wide reciever. Swimming is more of an individual sport than anything so unless they start tackling one another in the deep end, you really can't compare the two sports.
Why are people taking this so seriously? If anything, you can't take what Ocho Cinco says and believe everything that comes out his mouth. I'm pretty sure that he said it with tongue in cheek firmly planted.
posted by BornIcon at 08:14 AM on August 19, 2008
Is it fall already? Ocho No-Show is running his mouth again!