**Olympic Spoiler*** What is on his teeth?

[nadine_mn]

I know some have already wrecked the swimming with spoilers but in case people know who won the gold medal in swimming can you answer me this? What is on his teeth? Is that a US glittery flag grill? He looks like a James Bond villian.


here is a link to huffpo's front page
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/


also ... could someone post a pic of the winner's smile for me...I broke my hand and I am struggling on the laptop, since I know the pic won't be on huffpo forever
thanks

[hlthe2b]

1. braces, I think

[Tx4obama]

14. They are DIAMONDS

LONDON -- Ryan Lochte strolled the deck of the Olympic Aquatics Centre wearing diamonds in his mouth and lime-green sneakers on the feet that powered him through the water faster than anyone else. Beaming, he chomped playfully on his gold medal while Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared throughout the massive arena.

-snip-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/28/michael-phelps-400-im-ryan-lochte-gold-olympics_n_1714253.html?ref=topbar

[hlthe2b]

20. Eww... Well damn. THAT just turned me into a Michael Phelps defender/supporter.

I find it low rent when rappers do it. When Olympic competitors do it, uggh. Talk about the antithesis of what Olympic participation is supposed to be about

[Firebrand Gary]

2. I don't know what that is??? It's reminiscent of the fashion grill...

[Warpy]

3. He's a kid. They're braces.

[nadine_mn]

5. That's what I thought at first but then it looks

like a flag too?

Just looks too sparkly to be braces...but what do I know?

[Mojorabbit]

6. I zoomed in and it does look like a flag. nt

[Tx4obama]

16. Yep. It's a diamond FLAG grill - here's a close up photo from CNN

Caption says: U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte flashes his U.S. flag grill and the gold medal he won in the men's 400-meter individual medley.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/28/sport/olympics-day-wrap/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[Tx4obama]

15. They are DIAMONDS. See comment #14. n/t

[Duer 157099]

4. photo

[mia]

8. looks like there are olympic circles in the middle n/t

[Ilsa]

7. Retainers are available with all kinds of designs.

I bet braces are as varied.

[elehhhhna]

9. it's a grill, he has questionable taste. From the article:

"This is my year," said Lochte, who popped in his grillz – diamond-studded mouth jewelry – for the victory ceremony. "I know it and I feel it, because I've put in hard work. I've trained my butt off for four years ... and there's no better way to start this Olympics off than getting gold."

[nadine_mn]

10. ahhh thank you

Missed that part of the article....

[smirkymonkey]

11. Why on earth would he mar such a beautiful face with something so stupid looking?

Kind of takes major points off his attractiveness quotient.

[grantcart]

13. He's young. Have you seen a big percentage of a generation of beautiful natural looking women

on ugly tats and freaky bosoms.

We produced the best looking generation in history, straightened their teeth, cleaned up their complextion and fixed all the things that needed fixing and then they ended up taking fashion tips from the Three Stooges. Go figure.

[cali]

22. He's 28 not 18

OK, he'll be 28 on August 3. Yes, he's young but he's not a kid. Hell, my son is 25 and he's definitely an adult.

[Liberal Veteran]

12. It looks like a QR code. Maybe someone should scan it?

[roamer65]

17. IMHO...disrespectful.

Stand on the podium in your natural state, be respectful and be HUMBLE.

[Tx4obama]

18. Here's a link to a different grill he wore in Rome in 2009

http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/olympics-ryan-lochte-s-grill-of-victory-slideshow/gold-medallist-lochte-of-the-u-s-poses-on-the-podium-after-setting-a-world-record-in-the-men-s-200m-photo-1343530537.html

[Tx4obama]

19. Ryan Lochte was barred from wearing his red, white and blue grill on the medal stand

Ryan Lochte was barred from wearing his red, white and blue grill on the medal stand

American swimmer Ryan Lochte wanted to wear a custom-made red, white and blue grill on the podium after winning the 400 IM -- presumably to honor the ancient Olympians who also used to ice out with tooth jewelry. His plan hit a snag when a humorless IOC official informed him that wearing the grill would result in a failure to receive the most precious bling of all.

Wayne Drehs of ESPN tweeted that Lochte said "he tried to wear his grill on the podium only to have an Olympics official tell him if he did so he wouldn't get his gold."

-snip-

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/ryan-lochte-barred-wearing-red-white-blue-grill-011218264--oly.html

[forthemiddle]

21. What is his background?

A little off topic, but what exactly is his financial background? My husband and I were shocked last night when they did the "home story" on him and showed his closet. That thing was not the product of a middle class upbringing.

Not that there is anything wrong with it, but when most of the Olympics are filled with inspirational background stories families sacrificing to get these kids through competition, then eventually on to the Olympics, and even having companies pride themselves with claims that they give these Olympian hopefuls jobs (Home Depot), this story was a little different, and I wanted to know if anyone else latched on to it.

Now to see the mouthful of bling, it just makes me more curious.