To Kevin, et al.

Subject: That headline was a dirty, dirty trick and I apologize

How you meet Phelps: Just lead a multi-gabillion dollar company and be willing to flash that corporate cash. Swimming eight races in nine days was nothing compared to Michael Phelps' busy schedule in the days since. It's certainly been a whirlwind, and because Phelps himself can't quite keep it straight, please forgive me if I've left out any corporate appearances here.

In the last few days, Phelps has made appearances on behalf of: Visa, Speedo, Hilton, McDonald's and Omega. The latest was the Hilton stop Wednesday morning, but this one actually was for a good cause. Plus, it'll most likely end up being Phelps' last time in a Beijing swimming pool.

Here's from Hilton's release:

The 16-time Olympic medalist took to the pool at the Hilton Beijing to swim the 6,250th and final lap of the "Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay," a multi-city charitable event contributing $100,000 to the USA Swimming Foundation to fund swim education programs across the United States.

In celebration of the 2008 Olympic Games, Hilton Hotels & Resorts partnered with the USA Swimming Foundation and embarked on an ambitious relay of 6,250 laps – each lap symbolizing one of the miles between Los Angeles, the relay’s starting point, and Beijing. The "Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay" began with a splash at the Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles where Phelps swam the initial lap in November 2007. After making its way through five U.S. cities, the "Hilton Swim to Beijing Relay" concluded with a ceremonial final lap by Phelps in the pool of the Hilton Beijing following his final competition of the 2008 Olympic Games.

You can bet there will be plenty more of these appearances in the coming weeks back in the United States. As Phelps’ endorsement contracts expire, new deals – much more lucrative – will be struck. It will be interesting to see whether he’s lured away to any competing brands. Another thing to watch for: book deals are about to rain from the sky. If they’re attached to Michael, I suspect you might be able to read their story in book form by Christmas.

(Photos: Associated Press; Courtesy of Hilton)