The cost of being the "best-ever": A cautionary tale for Michael Phelps.

By now we've all heard about the legendary Olympics by 23-year old Michael Phelps, with his record eight gold medals (it's not coincidental that both his record and the one he broke, Mark Spitz, were both in swimming) this month and seven world record performances. It's an Olympics for the ages. 

There are three questions that I would like to ask the man only a couple years my elder:

1. Now what?

2. Was it worth the sacrifice?

3. When you retire, can you?

Starting with question one: Now what?

You've accomplished everything you've ever dreamed of, and you are 23 years old. What does one do after reaching the pinnacle, especially in a sport when the pinnacle is probably in the first-third of one's life? Sure, you might win a few more gold medals in 2012 in London, but that will only be gravy on the sundae (or potatoes, or steak, whatever). Unfortunately, if you lose, it will be a bigger deal than any more wins you have, and as Louis Johnson mentioned about Usain Bolt after his 200 meter performance, the only thing that's allowed anymore is 1st place. It's almost a no-win position to be in, outside of the "best swimmer ever" side out of it.

Mark Spitz, has spent the last 35 years raking in on a good year, giving speeches about his own awesomeness and made a good living, but that's all he will ever be remembered for in the general public, and now that he's been overtaken, he'll be remembered even less now.

Question two: Was it worth the sacrifice?

Why this may seem like an obvious answer, dig a little bit deeper. Most highly successful or celebritized people tend to have to give a little, either on the professional side or the personal side. Perhaps Phelps is a bit immune to this since he is only 23, but whenever someone trains as hard and long as someone like Phelps has done, there's going to be a drop off in what he can do personally. Maybe he will be able to help recover that some now, but it can be difficult.

Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all-time, has struggled some, and his off-court exploits, though pretty hush-hush (since he is Michael Jordan), are noteworthy and not too uncommon. More about him in question three. Lance Armstrong, a great champion and cancer survivor, divorced soon after retiring and became a celeb-type, being one of those linked with whatever celebs (along with hanging out with Jake Gyllenhaal and Matthew McConaughey) of the moment. And when the sacrifice pays off (like it did for Phelps and the aforementioned Jordan and Armstrong) it can be satisfying, but maybe could make them pretentious. You can argue whether they have the right to be or not.

Question three: When you retire, can you?

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