What do you think of Mark Spitz's comments that the Olympics is snubbing him? Fact or sour grapes?

Question

To me it just makes him sound bitter .......But what do you think?

Spitz says, no one bothered to invite him - "I never got invited. You don't go to the Olympics just to say, I am going to go. Especially because of who I am," he told AFP in Hong Kong.

http://www.america.gov/st/health-english/2008/July/20080724175631abretnuh0.9819757.html

Answer 1

I think the Olympic Committee should have invited Spitz.  It is awesome to watch the passing of the torch.  I don't think it is bitterness......it may be acknowledgment of the advancement of the sport and the development of an athlete in modern times.

Answer 2

he won 7 gold in one olympics and a few more after................Most ever.

he should be there

Answer 3

Spitz should have been invited.  I hope the USCO doesn't snub Phelps if another American challeges his record.  

Answer 4

It would be an honor for Phelps for him to be there.  I would feel a little snubbed too had I not been invited, particularly when they were expecting Phelps to break his record.  They are assuming he would not be proud of a fellow American?

I would need to know more about why he thinks he is being snubbed and what the Olympics officials have to say.

Answer 5

Well he did say that others got invited and he didn't get invited. I think he has a right to his opinion especially if he was a fan of the other swimmer. I think Mark Spitz should have gotten an invitation like the rest of the old Olympians. He has a right to be hurt. If I were Mark, I would have bought a ticket and gone to China on my own and made my way to the cameras letting them know that I am here to watch the swimmers.  

Answer 6

Mark Spitz's is a clown. My High School ask him to appear at a fund raiser for our swim team and he snubbed us.He's a no good bum.The Olympics are better off without him.

Answer 7

"No one bothered to invite me" isn't exactly sour grapes..it is what it is.  I think it was a major faux pas.  Personally, I assumed he'd be one of the presenters considering all the buzz around Phelps and the fact that it's Spitz' record [stood since 72] he's breaking.  Would have made for good TV.  

Spitz wasn't a natural with a microphone in his day, but maybe he's gotten better.

I'd be calling NBC to see how they could have overlooked such an opportunity.

Answer 8

Mark Spitz has an ego the size of a house, always had and always will.  So let's not worry about yesterday's news.

Answer 9

sour grapes.

Answer 10

we are unwelcome to some people too because dogs don't lie

Answer 11

Considering a lot of former Olympians do get invited, he should have been invited, before the others, since it is his record they are talking

about.

Would have been really cool, if the invitation came directly from Michael Phelps.