RIO DE JANEIRO -- On the eve of arguably the most anticipated race of the swimming program at these Olympics, there was no need for words. No need for soft and cuddly clichés about respect or admiration. Instead, one 10-second television clip told you everything you needed to know about the relationship between Michael Phelps and South Africas Chad le Clos.It was four years ago in London when le Clos, who grew up idolizing Phelps, handed the American his first loss at a major international meet in a decade by out-touching him in the 200-meter butterfly final. Afterward, a gracious Phelps offered medal stand pointers to the then-20-year-old le Clos and there was talk that Phelps would someday visit South Africa to go shark diving with le Clos.Now that possibility couldnt be any further from happening.On Monday night, in the call room before the second semifinal heat of the 200-meter fly, le Clos began shadowboxing directly in front of Phelps. The most decorated Olympian of all time glared over, under and pretty much right through the South African. The moment was picked up by NBCs cameras, prompting commentator Rowdy Gaines to say Ive never seen this before. Lets just leave these cameras right here. Before the night was through, Phelps glare of death would become the latest sports-driven meme.Everybody has their own race strategy of what they do, Phelps said afterward. If thats his, then thats his. I tried to not really pay attention.When told after the session that cameras had picked up his moves, le Clos seemed surprised.Phelps stare down of Chad le Clos is much better with the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song: https://t.co/Bpy94Wbb3c https://t.co/q12NPhnP4r- NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2016Did they catch that? he asked. Dammit. I dont know. I just do what I need to do. The call room is what it is. Its a difficult place. A lot of tension, especially before a final. We will see tomorrow.Tomorrow refers to the 200 fly final that has been circled on the calendars of both men for about a year now. It was August of 2015 when the flames in this rivalry first began to burn from opposite ends of the globe. With some 6,500 miles and eight time zones between them, le Clos, competing at world championships in Kazan, Russia, took offense to Phelps comments that the worlds top times in the butterfly events werent all that impressive. Phelps was unable to compete at worlds as part of his punishment for his DUI arrest in September 2014 and was instead at U.S. nationals in San Antonio at the time.Le Clos responded with a 50.56-second 100 fly, telling reporters afterward, I just did a time that he hasnt done in four years. So he can keep quiet now.Those words caught the eye of Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman. Phelps was on his way to the Northside Aquatics Center that night when Bowman made a comment how everyone in the van needed to keep quiet now. Phelps picked up on it immediately.He was like, Did you read that? Bowman said. And I was like, Yeah. I knew there was no way he wasnt going to see that.Phelps responded with a 50.45, the fastest time in the world in 2015 and the fifth-fastest ever. Afterward, Phelps refused to name le Clos specifically but said he thrived on opponents trash-talking him. He begged more of them to do it. Bowman took it a step further, pointing out that the time le Clos beat Phelps head-to-head in London, Phelps was at a point where he despised the sport of swimming and had been ditching training sessions.I dont know why you would say something like that, Bowman suggested that night in San Antonio. He beat Michael in a race where Michael was completely unprepared. Other than that ... its like ... just shut up.From that moment on, a rivalry was born. That fall, le Clos told the website Sport360 he felt his quotes had been taken out of context. He said the same Monday night. But in that Sport360 interview he took another shot at Phelps, questioning his status as a global role model.Hes my idol. Maybe not ... I look up to him in swimming terms, thats it, le Clos said. But if I was as great as he was, I would conduct myself in a way children would be proud of. Thats what defines a champion. It doesnt matter how much money you have, how many gold medals you have, you must be a true champion and I pride myself on being that.In Mondays semifinal, Phelps time of 1:54.12 was the third-fastest in the world this year and good enough to beat le Clos by nearly a full second. But le Clos was coming off a challenging double after becoming the first South African to medal (bronze) in the 200 freestyle. He vowed that Tuesday nights final would be different.Im in the best shape Ive ever been in, le Clos said. Like I always say, I race to win. I want to beat Michael and he wants to beat me.Le Clos said he will be dedicating Tuesday nights final and all of his races to his parents, who are both battling cancer. Le Clos put out a statement this summer that doctors found a tumor in his fathers prostate that required surgery and his mother had to undergo a double mastectomy after a second bout with breast cancer.He said this week that both of his parents as well as his brother and sister are in Brazil cheering for him.Its been difficult. Its been hard. Its been an emotional week, he said. I was on the blocks and I heard my dad shout for me, and thats important for me. I want to do him proud.That would involve beating the most decorated Olympian of all time at a second straight Games in one of his marquee events.All I can say is I will race my heart out, le Clos said. Ill keep coming back at you. Im sure everyone else will be thinking of that those last 50 meters.Added Phelps: [This] race I would expect is going to get a lot of hype. Its going to be exciting.The mens 200-meter butterfly is scheduled to start on Tuesday, at 9:28 p.m. ET. Jace Sternberger Super Bowl Jersey . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Montravius Adams Super Bowl Jersey . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. http://www.officialgreenbaypackerspro.com/Dave-robinson-packers-jersey/ . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Marcedes Lewis Super Bowl Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Clay Matthews Super Bowl Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter suggested last week maybe it was nerves, or even the wind, that caused kicker Roberto Aguayo to miss what should have been an easy extra point. This week, following a miss on a 32-yard field goal in the first quarter Saturday night, Koetter didnt provide any excuses for his second-round draft pick.Weve got to make the damn field goal, Koetter said.When asked how worried he was about Aguayo, Koetter responded with, Ummm ... I wouldnt say worried. But this is the NFL, man. Theyre paid to make kicks. He knows it and I know it -- everybody knows it. I mean, it is what it is.Aguayo went 2-for-4 on field goals Saturday night, missing from 32 and 49 yards in the Bucs 27-21 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. On the 32-yard attempt, the ball sailed wide right. On the second miss, it saailed wide right again.dddddddddddd. He did manage to make field goals from 28 and 34 yards and made all three extra points, but the mistakes have been uncharacteristic of the typically clutch kicker.I had more misses tonight than him, quarterback Jameis Winston said in his postgame press conference. I dont think these really count. I just think hes teasing people right now. I know hes gonna produce during the season.So how does the most accurate kicker in college football history miss three kicks in the first two NFL preseason games? One reason for his inconsistency may be that he hasnt had the same holder for each attempt. The team has alternated between punters Jacob Schum and Bryan Anger. ' ' '
