Ryan Lochte Dominates Field to Win 400 IM Gold Medal

US swimmer Ryan Lochte proudly displays his first gold medal and patriotic dental work. (Fabrice Coffrini)

Very few Olympic swimmers marched in the Opening Ceremony. The long standing duration during the parade would be too much for many of them who began competition today. One of those races today was the men's 400 IM. What made this race an even bigger deal is that it was the first of the much anticipated head-to-head battles between Americans Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

Phelps, of course, is an Olympic legend. In his final Olympics, he looks to go out in golden glory. In the four years since Beijing, Lochte has become the greatest swimmer in the world. Phelps claimed none of that mattered until Lochte proved it on an Olympic stage. Their first opportunity came tonight.

Lochte got a great start right out of the starting blocks. As the race wore on, he seemed to get stronger. Phelps stayed in contention through the first 200 meters, but then started to lose pace the rest of the way. After Lochte led the butterfly leg, Phelps' best stroke, it seemed certain that it was all but over. The only question that remained going into the final leg was whether or not Lochte could beat Phelps' world record.

As it turned out, Lochte (4:05.18) didn't quite have enough left in the tank to capture the record, but he still won the gold by a wide margin. Brazil's Thiago Pereira (4:08.86) and Japan's Kosuke Hagino won the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Meanwhile, Phelps (4:09.28) finished off the medal podium at a disappointing fourth.

For Lochte, the gold medal has to be rewarding. Even though he is the greatest swimmer in the world, he continues to be overshadowed by Phelps. At this point in their careers, Lochte is simply the superior athlete. The main advantages Phelps had coming into the Olympics were experience and confidence. His experience clearly didn't matter in this race. It is uncertain how this will affect Phelps' confidence. He's never really experienced failure, so it will be interesting to see how he bounces back. Round One goes to Ryan Lochte in convincing fashion, but there's still much more swimming to come.

Opening Ceremony in London Begins 2012 Summer Olympics

Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle lit up the night sky in London at the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics. (Morry Gash)

As the crowd eagerly awaited, the countdown for the 2012 Summer Olympics began. Children popped balloons from ten to one. Then, one of the nation's biggest sports heroes, Bradley Wiggins, walked across the stage. As the first Brit to win the Tour de France, he sported the yellow winner's jersey as he rang a 23-ton Olympic Bell that was produced from the same foundry that made Big Ben and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Thus, began the Opening Ceremony to give tribute to the British Isles.

The ceremony was to be the masterwork of Danny Boyle. Boyle is one of Britain's most successful filmmakers. He began to dream big and got many people involved. He organized 15,000 volunteers to take part in the show. He also convinced Queen Elizabeth II to partake in a scene with James Bond, where it appeared as though the two skydived into the stadium. Mr. Bean brought some humor to the show. The rest of the show highlighted the decade-by-decade history of the British Isles in a cultural, technological, and musical journey.

Seven teenage athletes were chosen for the illustrious honor of igniting the Olympic cauldron. The flames rose and fireworks shot off. The crowd joined in singing "Hey Jude" as the long night came to the close. Lasting about three hours and forty-five minutes, the ceremony had finally came to fruition. Most of the 10,500 athletes had marched representing 204 countries. This is just the beginning of a special 17 days for these athletes, the city of London, and people around the world, longing to cheer their country to victory. It is exciting to think that we are just getting under way.

Brewers Plan on Trading Ace Zack Greinke

The Milwaukee Brewers have announced that they plan on trading their ace starting pitcher Zack Greinke. (Eric Hartline)

The Milwaukee Brewers brought in starting pitcher Zack Greinke to be their ace for a push for the postseason. Now that they appear to be in rebuilding mode, they plan on trading Greinke to another team for the exact same purpose. With teams looking for the key piece to put them over the top, many scouts have been busy observing and reporting on Greinke's work on the mound.

So far this season, Greinke boasts a 9-3 record with a 3.44 ERA. He has a great strike-to-walk ratio with a 144 strikeouts compared to only 28 walks. With Cole Hamels signing an extension with the Philadelphia Phillies and other pitchers getting injured and pulled off the trading block, Greinke has emerged as the top pitching target likely available.

As I already mentioned, many teams have sent scouts to observe Greinke, but there have been four ball clubs that have emerged as the frontrunners. The first two are the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels. While the rivals battle for the AL West lead, they are both looking for a piece to put them ahead of the other and the charging Oakland Athletics. Even though both the Rangers and Angles are certainly interested, they might be concerned that Greinke is in the last year of his contract.

The third team is the Chicago White Sox. They have been the surprise team in the AL Central. After surprisingly leading the division for much of the season, they have been passed by the division favorite Detroit Tigers. If the White Sox are going to keep pace, they need a difference maker. While a stud pitcher like Greinke could provide just that, they need to consider Greinke's anxiety issues. He prefers to shy away from the spotlight and pressure of pitching in a big city.

The fourth and final team is the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are pursuing the Washington Nationals for the lead in the NL East. With a young rotation, Greinke could provide the consistency that they need. Many believe that Atlanta is the preferred destination by Greinke himself. The Braves concern might be whether or not they have the money to resign him long term.

The Zack Greinke sweepstakes are well underway. Phones are ringing and GMs are losing sleep. With so many contenders looking for that key piece, anything is possible. Pitching always seems to be at a premium at the trade deadline. This year is no exception. With Greinke emerging as the ace of the available pitchers, the asking price will be high. It will be interesting to see which team is able to pull the trigger and bring him into their rotation.