Will Michael Phelps Be Able To Say Goodbye

By Shane Thomas

Back in 2003, I remember sitting in the cinema to watch the final film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I remember watching the climax to one of Western cinema's landmark achievements. I remember my chest swelling as I was about to exhale a fulfilled sigh as the film ended.

And then I remember the film not ending.

It's a common joke among movie fans that the film had multiple endings. It was as if the director, Peter Jackson couldn't bear to let go, adding numerous postscripts to a story that had already reached its natural and satisfying conclusion.

After winning a record 18th gold medal at London 2012, Michael Phelps had reached the end. A fitting valediction for the most gilded Olympic career there's ever been. But like The Return of the King, the story didn't end. In the grandmother of all postscripts, Phelps came back to swimming to compete at the Rio Olympics.

The notion of an athlete coming out of retirement is nothing new. The list includes Michael Schumacher, Evander Holyfield, Kim Clijsters, and Michael Jordan, among others, which compels us to take a look at why this is such a common leitmotif....

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