#PhelpsFace is all the rage (literally) on the Internet this morning. It all started when the cameras turned to Phelps and South Africa’s Chad Le Clos in a waiting area before the 200 meter butterfly semifinals in Rio. The two Olympic Swimmers certainly aren’t strangers, either: Chad Le Clos narrowly beat Michael Phelps at the 2012 London Olympics. So in the video that’s taken the Internet by storm, Le Clos appears to be dancing around right in front of Phelps who appears to be glaring daggers at his opponent. For more on the Phelps/Le Clos rivalry, check out this article.
But you know who’s not really impressed with #PhelpsFace?
The thing about the Olympics in the social media age is that it doesn’t take long before these faces and reactions — faces we all make and reactions we all have — are amplified and meme-ified. Just ask McKayla Maroney. Though she was the favorite to win gold in the vault final at the London Olympics in 2012, she did not. In a move that shocked her teammates (because it was something they’d never seen her do before), she fell. And instead of winning gold, she won silver. On the stand, she was emotional and made a face that almost instantly became the “McKayla Maroney is Not Impressed” meme.
So ultimately, who had the better meme face: Michael Phelps or McKayla Maroney?
Glad that Michael Phelps stepped up and delivered a meme-worthy disgruntled athlete face since McKayla Maroney isn't in Rio.
— Austin Gilkeson (@osutein) August 9, 2016
Michael Phelps is ripping off McKayla Maroney
— Ashley Spurgeon (@AshSpurge) August 9, 2016
Michael Phelps' death stare of the Rio Olympics is the McKayla Maroney not impressed face of London
— Cassandra McNulty (@casslatsios) August 9, 2016
We've gone from "Mckayla Maroney is not impressed" to "Michael Phelps will straight cut you". pic.twitter.com/fcXshydEnC
— William Pitts (@william_pitts) August 9, 2016
Just realized something awful…Phelps is going to be the 2016 version of Mckayla Maroney and Obama is going to do it in the Oval Office.
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) August 9, 2016
I think #Phelps has a better "not impressed" face than Mckayla Maroney pic.twitter.com/V8jakXsbGo
— Carolinareader (@carolinareader) August 9, 2016
Michael Phelps just became the McKayla Maroney of Rio.
— Nicole Eclectic (@Nic_Leigh) August 9, 2016
Did Michael Phelps just outdo Mckayla Maroney’s unimpressed face in 2012?
— Loni Polk (@loni_polk) August 9, 2016
Michael Phelps stink eye might be better than the Mckayla Maroney stink eye.
— Catherine (@reallycatherine) August 9, 2016
2012 we had the Mckayla Maroney disappointed face, 2016 we get the Michael Phelps stone cold killer face #swimming #Rio2016 #teamusa
— Sisu | Jon Viveros (@TheRealSisu) August 9, 2016
And Michael Phelps is trying to out-McKayla McKayla Maroney.
— Jonathan Hess (@jonhessofficial) August 9, 2016
Holy crap the Ready Room is my favorite thing about Rio right now. Phelps has the best mean-mug since McKayla Maroney#MichaelIsNotImpressed
— Meredith (@mere_callison) August 9, 2016
McKayla Maroney was not impressed but Michael Phelps is straight up pissed
— Kyle Yost (@kye_ill) August 9, 2016
Verdict: Slightly Phelps
But don’t argue about it, kids. Lilly King and her finger-wag-seen-round-the-world are not having any that.
