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[Ed's note: This story has been expanded with online bonus content.]
Did Michael hook you up with any of that $1 million he got for breaking your record?
That’s not the question. The question is, Did Jason Lezak get any? [Laughs]
Was that the most exciting race you’ve ever seen? Or, I guess, been a part of?
You know, it was definitely exciting, because as Rowdy Gaines said for television, he was going backwards and forwards and no matter how he tried to pencil it, there was no way he was supposed to do that.
America is mad versatile at swimming. What do you attribute that to?
Well, the race is comprised of the 100 meters in each of the four strokes. The guy that won the 100-meter back was an American, and the guy that won the 100-meter butterfly was an American, and the 100-meter freestyler was the third fastest, and the breaststroker at one time was the world-record holder. When you add all of that up, you have a lot of horsepower there. That’s usually the way it is.
Better training methods?
You know, I wish I had an answer for you, because I don’t know. I think it has to do a little bit with luck. There are different kinds of coaches around the world. At one time, if you wanted to be an individual medley swimmer, it seemed like you had to go to Hungary, because all of the world-record holders were coming out of there. Of course, now that’s not the case because Michael Phelps is the world-record holder in that event. It just ebbs and flows, where the talent is for coaching.
If Michael Phelps had to wear a mustache like the one you sported in ’72, do you think he would’ve still broken your records?
Hey, listen, I think that guy had a pretty wild Fu Manchu thing working in Beijing. I thought for a moment there that he was going to swim with it. But that seems to be a popular question these days. There is a common thread of people that attain a certain level of success, like both of us have. We would obviously know how to compete against our competitors and maintain a competitive edge. Facial hair aside, theoretically, we would have tied.
What do you do now that you’re not swimming?
I’m in New York with a program for Hyatt Resort called Three for Free, and when you book your stay at a Hyatt Resort from September 1 through December 19, you’ll get one free night’s stay, you’ll get one free room upgrade, and you’ll also get breakfast for two for the length of your stay. And if you use an American Express card, you’ll get rewards and food and beverage. So it’s pretty interesting. People should take advantage of that situation. And I know that I do a lot of traveling, and I wish someone had offered me an opportunity to stay one extra night for free. I would’ve loved to have been able to do that. It’s a great opportunity for people to travel during the holiday.
Uh huh. So it beats staying in the Olympic Village?
Let me tell you something. If you want to be an Olympian, it’s an honor and a privilege to stay in the Olympic Village. Because that’s exclusive to only people who are Olympians. From that point of view, it’s the experience of a lifetime. But I bet you that Michael Phelps is now going to be taking a lot of vacation time, so we extend that opportunity for him to take advantage of that as well. Even with all that money he has, it’s a free night, so what the heck? Why not? People can go to 1-800-55-Hyatt to find out more information about that program, or Hyatt3forfree.com. There has been a tremendous response to this. It’s kind of cool. I love self-indulgence and things that make me happy. And vacation time or business time, to stay in a nice place since I’ve done so much traveling over the last six months, it’s a great thing.
Okay. You retired from swimming after the ’72 Olympics, correct?
Yes, that’s right.
Do you have any advice on how I would go about retiring early, say, from writing?
[Laughs] Seven Pulitzer prizes? You know something, I love questions that I’ve never had before, and that was a stumper.
You’re going to love this one then: Mark Spitz versus a great white shark. Who wins?
I don’t like those guys in the great white suits with the fins and shark teeth. Depends on how much equipment I have and how big the cage is, I guess. That’s not really my forte, ocean swimming.
