Apolo Ohno's first Olympics as a broadcaster wasn't a Winter Games. It was London in 2012.
"I remember watching Michael Phelps swimming and I went to the press conference," Ohno says. "I have been to that press conference so many times, but now sitting in the chair, looking up at the podium where the other athletes are sitting, waving my hand, asking a question, it was weird. It gave me a lot of perspective as to what Michael and the other athletes are seeing, but also, what we were seeing as reporters and broadcasters. The reason why it was so weird in London is because I actually considered coming out of retirement after talking to Michael and seeing where his head was at, a guy who was longer into his career than most people would have anticipated. That being said, coming back to the States after those games, I think I made the right decision."
Ohno was on Dancing with the Stars for the second time that fall. He took on a few acting gigs and he returned to the 2014 Winter Olympics as a broadcaster. The eight-time Olympic medalist, who competed in 2002, 2006 and 2010, is back at NBC this year as the network's short-track speedskating analyst in PyeongChang.
But for another famous Olympian and a good friend of Ohno, racing in another Olympics is possible.
"I think so, it's just my personal opinion," Ohno says when asked if Phelps will swim in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. "He's had the most incredible career, and whether he comes back or not, as a friend, I'll support him regardless. I know his love and passion for swimming. He's had his ups and downs like any human being, but he's handled them in a way that I think he's grateful. And that shows that no one is perfect, but it's how you respond and how you react and how you come back from those defeats, failures, or mistakes that really is the defining part of him. I'm proud of Michael. I hope to see him swimming again because he's beautiful to watch in the water and I think he can still win."
Appearing on Today in April 2016 before the Rio Olympics -- where Phelps would win medals No. 23-28 -- he said of his looming retirement, "This time, I mean it."
But then in April 2017, Phleps said, "We'll see if I get that itch again."
Maybe Ohno is onto something. After all, he is a sports analyst now. And he has a good source in Phelps, who he's known for more than a decade now.
"Our sheer nature of being the most-watched athletes of our respective Olympic games, at least from a NBC viewership perspective, allowed us to create a camaraderie," Ohno says. "We had done events for so many years together, we had engagements, sponsorship-related things that we had done. We have a lot of the same friends. Although we have this 'summer guy' and this 'winter guy,' we actually share a lot. Michael is one of those very special human beings who has an enormous gift and talent combined with his hard work, which has allowed him to become the greatest of all time. So, this mutual respect and understanding, it’s kind of like, 'Okay, this guy gets it.' We don't have to explain ourselves. We know the mindset. We know what we've gone through: Up, down, left, right, angry, happy, sad. We know what that looks like and feels like, so I think that we share those similarities without even having to talk about them."
Maybe Ohno can telepathically tell Phelps is planning a comeback? We'll see. For now, Ohno has to focus on the short track in South Korea.
Ohno spoke to ThePostGame before the Olympics on behalf of Hershey's Gold. Ohno is part of a series of "Taste the Gold" videos involving the flavor. Hershey's is an official partner of the USOC.
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