Written by Andrew Joseph at FTW.com
Michael Phelps’ much-anticipated race against a shark was never going to be against a real great white shark. It was against a computer-generated simulation of a shark.
The fake shark won, beating the the 23-time Olympic gold medalist by two seconds in Sunday’s Phelps vs. Shark on Discovery.
Advantage: shark pic.twitter.com/mwaPRGFhHH
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 24, 2017
But given an hour of buildup, studies and special wetsuits, fans actually hoped to see Phelps race a shark — a real shark — as he would against a human competitor.
That didn’t happen, and fans were not pleased.
Michael Phelps not racing a real shark is like being sold Kanye tickets and then watching a Kanye hologram perform
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) July 24, 2017
When you find out Phelps not racing a real shark. #SharkWeek pic.twitter.com/COeF8G7ZL7
— DKT (@darleneturner53) July 24, 2017
Me pretending to be ok with Michael Phelps not racing a real shark pic.twitter.com/QnCF98NfBB
— Gabi Palamone (@Yo_Gabi_Gabi__) July 24, 2017
WE WANTED TO SEE PHELPS RACING NEXT TO A REAL SHARK. WE WERE ALL TRICKED. #SharkWeek pic.twitter.com/CrNKk0x49I
— Brittany (@KickinitwithB) July 24, 2017
Me after finding out that Phelps is racing a cgi shark instead of a real one pic.twitter.com/KGo0D1TN9u
— danny phantom (@teainmyeye) July 24, 2017
The entire world thought it was going to be a real shark. I feel robbed. #SharkWeek pic.twitter.com/iwtSGCBybd
— Dana Cat (@DanaCatM) July 24, 2017
Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.
So Michael Phelps didn’t actually even race a real shark. He raced a simulated one. One hour of life gone just like that.
— Jamie McCracken (@jamieamccracken) July 24, 2017
Michael phelps ain’t even racin a real shark? I feel… betrayed @Discovery #SharkWeek2017 pic.twitter.com/3e0w4zmCsN
— maggie (@imschmags) July 24, 2017
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