Phelps soaks in the memories

BEIJING — Before any gold medals were won, before any records were set, and before he leaped from any starting blocks in China, Michael Phelps first had to learn a lesson.

Phelps and the rest of the men on the U.S. team were huddling to discuss their game plan for the Beijing Olympics. No coaches were allowed. What struck Phelps wasn't so much what his teammates said, but what they were unable to say, while reminiscing about the Athens Olympics. The memories were so foggy, they may as well have been talking about the 1896 Athens Games, not the ones in 2004.

"When I heard some of the guys talk about Athens, they didn't take every moment in to its fullest," Phelps said. "When someone would ask them a question about a medal stand or a race, they didn't really remember it clearly."

About a week and a half later, everybody knows better.

Where were you on Aug. 17, 2008? If you're a sports fan, and even if you're not, there's a good chance you were watching Phelps win his eighth gold medal of the Beijing Olympics, surpassing Mark Spitz's record of seven set in 1972. You watched if you were home, in a restaurant, or in one of the scores of stadiums that put it up on a JumboTron.

Watching history is pretty special that way.

Living it, as Phelps did, is even better.

And if you want to know what had gotten into this 23-year-old from Baltimore, why his fists seemed to be jabbing the air harder and why that wasn't chlorinated water in his eyes, it's because Phelps never wants to forget the unforgettable, either.

"I wanted to make sure I took every single moment in, every single swim in, and every moment I had with my teammates in," Phelps said. "So I would remember them. I think with getting emotional like I was at the awards stand, those are moments and experiences that will live with me forever."

Mental snapshots are great, but Phelps also will leave China with a few reminders of his Beijing blitz in case he should need a mental jolt in his rocking-chair days.

"Every suit, every cap that I wore here, every pair of goggles, my award sweats — I have everything," Phelps said, words that either depress or delight the folks at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, who'd love to pry some of that from his hands.

Phelps is an extraordinary athlete (news flash!) and an ordinary person.

Australia's Grant Hackett called him a "good bloke" who hasn't changed since he's known him. If you're expecting Phelps to regale a crowd with raucous tales from these Games, don't hold your breath. Away from the pool, simple pleasures are what he's about.

"There are a lot of rookies on the men's team and some guys I didn't know as well as others," he said. "But it's fun getting to know those other guys. It's being a part of Team USA. That's one of the greatest memories I'll have from this."

Phelps fans, fear not, because he's not planning to become a memory himself.

He is planning to swim in the 2012 London Games. The problem is, with seemingly every goal accomplished and every world record smashed, he has run out of goals. He said he'll probably try some new events. Why not? He has zero gold medals in team sabre fencing and Laser class sailing. How else could he top this?

On Sunday, Phelps didn't want to think much about such matters. Who could blame him? His coach, Bob Bowman, inspires Phelps through difficult workouts by telling him it's like putting money in the bank.

"I guess I put all the money in the bank over the last four years and we withdrew pretty much every penny," Phelps said.

He cashed them in for seven world records. Rivals said it was an honor to be in the same pool with him. Relay teammates were thankful they could share the podium with him.

"What he accomplished today, I'll always remember it," teammate Aaron Peirsol said Sunday. "It was an incredible feat. A Phelpsian feat, if you will."

Although Peirsol and his teammates insisted it was a "one for all" mentality, they acknowledged one stands above all.

"When someone wins eight gold medals, he deserves due respect," Peirsol said. "There's no question about any of us being overshadowed — and if we are, it's well-deserved."

Phelps said he was looking forward to a vacation in which he'd spend as much time as possible doing as little as possible.

"I want to sort of lay in my own bed for five minutes, at least," he said.

Of course, during these Games, his mother, Debbie, has become a star herself. Phelps said he had spent "about 30 seconds" with her since arriving in China and was looking forward to giving her a big hug. But he also said something about her that offered an idea where his drive originates.

Asked if he planned to compete at the next swimming World Championships in Rome, he said, "My mom said I better make the team because she wants to go to Rome. So I have the pressure from my mom."

Phelps also has his eye on the bigger picture, the one that revolves not around him, but his sport.

"I want to raise the bar for the sport of swimming more," he said. "It's come a long way. I heard about 70,000 at Ravens Stadium staying after a pre-season game to watch on a big screen, to the 100 fly being on the JumboTron at a Reds game. Four years ago, there's no way that would ever happen. The sport of swimming has come a long way so far, but I think it can go even farther. That's where I hope to take it."

Just what he needs. More work. More meets. More memories.

"Every moment that I've had so far, in and out of the pool, will be with me forever," Phelps said. "It's been one of the greatest weeks of my life, if not the greatest. Probably the most fun. From the Trials until now, it's just been absolutely incredible."

Hal Habib writes for The Palm Beach Post.