At age 31, last week Michael Phelps punched his ticket to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games. He is now the first American male swimmer to make it to 5 Olympics, let alone 5 straight. The last swimmer we saw do this was Dara Torres who made it in '84, '88, '92, '00, and '08. During the in-between years, she gave birth to her only daughter. Michael Phelps recently had a child, Boomer, with his fiancé Nicole Johnson, but there was no stopping him even though he did say that the London Olympics in 2012 would be his last. But, we all knew he'd be back for more because once you free up the 30-40 hours a week he spent swimming, he inevitably missed the sport that he found comfort in for over 12 years.

At just age 16, Michael Phelps stepped on the blocks at the Olympic Trials and qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. He swam in his signature event, the 200-meter butterfly, arguably one of the harder races on the human body. And just last night, 16 years later, he blew the pack away in that same race.

I know there has been a lot of controversy about Michael Phelps through the years. But, if you look at it from another perspective, he was just like every other teenager who was hit with instant fame. His mistakes and troublesome behavior were highlighted all over social media platforms. The stellar athlete could not catch a break. Those 22 Olympic medals obviously come at a price.

In November of 2004, Phelps pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and was sentenced to serve 18 months' probation, fined $250, ordered to speak to high school students about drinking and driving and to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) meeting. In February 2009, publication of a photograph of Phelps using a water pipe, a device used for smoking tobacco or marijuana, resulted in the loss of the Kellogg Company as a sponsor, as well as a three-month suspension by USA Swimming. Finally, in September 2014, he was arrested again for driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding charges in Baltimore. As a result, USA Swimming suspended him from all competitions for six months. This short saga just shows that not all athletic heroes are great role models. He stated over and over again how he knew that he "disappointed the entire World with his actions." He was and never will be a captivating speaker, but we could tell that he was truly sorry for what he had done. We also note that his actions they were not scooted under the rug because of his fame. A scenario that occurs too often.

Phelps has transformed over the years while his outstanding swimming capabilities have not wavered. He's now a father. He will always be known as one of the greatest Olympians of all time, and hopefully he'll be able to teach little Boomer a lesson or two on how to handle fame. However, I'm sure more lessons will come while soaked in chlorine when Phelps teaches his son the ways of the water. One thing is for sure, an outsider might think Michael Phelps is the same person he was 16 years ago and that just isn't true. The swimming community has watched him grown up and couldn't be happier for what he did and is doing for the sport as a whole. In true Olympic Spirit, here are some Olympians that Michael Phelps is ranked among: (Michael Phelps graces the top of every poll)

Jesse Owens (USA)- Track and Field

Larisa Latynina (Soviet Union)- Gymnastics

Usain Bolt (Jamaica)- Track and Field

Carl Lewis (USA)- Track and Field

Mark Spitz (USA)- Swimming

Nadia Comaneci (Romania)- Gymnastics

Phelps is in good company when he heads to retirement after the 2016 Games. Or do we think he'll give it one more go? Is age 35 doable for a male swimmer? Only time will tell. Until then, I think there's a gold medal or two that he would like to add to his collection.