10 Things Social Media Tells Us About Ryan Lochte
A quick look at Twittercounter.com shows just how enamored the world has become with Mr. Lochte since the Games began. Last Friday, the day of the Opening Ceremony, he had about 140,000 Twitter followers. This Friday, his 28th birthday, he's at about 650,000. For those scoring at home that's an increase of well over half a million Twitter followers. Jeah, as the saying the goes.
Lochte and Phelps have maintained a cordial and upbeat public Twitter correspondence during the Olympics before and after going head to head in high stakes races. That's not surprising, considering the two are teammates for the U.S. swim team, but still kind of nice given that Lochte came to London looking to supplant Phelps as America's swimming idol.
Jeah! Not sure what that means? Lochte stars in this handy YouTube video, which teaches you how to use the phrase to express a range of emotions including extreme, casual and moderate approval.
Lochte gets a lot of credit for being engaging on Twitter, and his mother set the social network ablaze this week when she told NBC's "Today" about his tendency toward "one night stands." But a moderately close look at Lochte's Twitter profile further reveals his appreciation of the fairer sex -- he's got a particular propensity for retweeting compliments and shout-outs from attractive female followers, of which he has plenty.
You know how Gary Busey always says stuff that doesn't make any sense at all, but then it actually kind of does? That's how Lochte is with motivational sayings. Check the example at left for proof.
If the swimming thing, you know, doesn't work out Lochte might want to consider a career in online media. He has ninja-like skill when it comes to skirting image copyright issues. His secret? Take photos of TVs. It's brilliant. The image at left is one example, as is his Twitter profile pic.
Among Lochte's arsenal of taglines is the unity-inspiring hashtag #LochteNation. It's populated by "Lochtenators," in case you were wondering.
Ten days or so before the Olympics started, Lochte used his Facebook Page to share with fans a photo of him and "best friend/teammate Cullen Jones having an authentic French lunch today!" Lochte's review? French cuisine is "definitely different and not exactly 'training' food," but nonetheless they had a good time.
Lochte's popularity isn't limited just to American- based social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. On the Chinese service Sina Weibo, he has nearly 70,000 followers.
Among the 14 brands Lochte Likes on Facebook is Mutual of Omaha insurance, proving that he knows the concept of better safe than sorry. What's that, you say...Mutual of Omaha is one of his sponsors. Well, yeah, but still.
Before the 2012 Olympics, Ryan Lochte said this year’s Games were “his time.” While he hasn’t dominated at a historic level, he has done quite well for himself and will bring five medals home from London. He’s also been one of the most buzzed about competitors, capturing the fascination of fans, broadcasters and social media users alike over the past week.
Whether it’s his extreme talent, rhinestone grill, competitive drive or infectious #jeah catchphrase, Lochte has emerged as one of 2012′s brightest stars. In the past week alone, he’s gained more than half a millionTwitter followers. But he’s a hard man to snag for an interview. So, in honor of Lochte’s 28th birthday on Friday, we decided to see what we could learn about him the old-fashioned way — through some good, honest Internet lurking.
We scanned his social media presence and emerged with 10 main takeaways about his character and personality. Scroll through gallery above to see what we learned.
But Lochte is far from the only Olympic athlete for whom social media has played an central role this year. The incredible growth of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms since the 2008 Games in Beijing has changed the flow of information for Olympians and fans alike. With the 2012 Olympics not even halfway through, we’ve already seen two competitors — a Greek triple jumper and a Swiss soccer player— booted from competition by their respective countries’ Olympic committees after posting racist tweets. Two British athletes, meanwhile — diver Tom Daley and women’s weightlifter Zoe Smith — have taken to social media to stand up against vicious Twitter trolls.
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