RIO DE JANEIRO -- Forget about Ryan Lochtes blueish-gray hair. Katie Ledeckys secrets to success. Or Missy Franklins admission that she was emotionally overwhelmed at Olympic trials last month. The biggest news to come out of USA Swimmings pre-competition news conference Wednesday afternoon was a single word uttered by Michael Phelps.Potential.As in potential last Olympics.Throughout Phelps comeback for Rio -- he retired after the 2012 London Games and returned to competition in early 2014 -- he has insisted emphatically that the 2016 Games would be the last competition of his career. He has talked about focusing on raising his three-month-old son, Boomer, and helping his longtime coach, Bob Bowman, at Arizona State University.But in a room packed with more than 250 reporters from all over the globe Wednesday, Phelps left open the possibility of competing after Rio. And he did so without anyone even asking the question. He instead paused midway through an answer about what it will be like to compete in Rio with Boomer in the stands and said, Ill say this just in case of a comeback ... my potential last Olympics, Phelps said. Just so you guys dont beat me to death if I comeback. No, Im not. But Ill just say that.It was the first time that Phelps, 31, has even hinted Rio might not be the end.Lochte, who turned 32 on Wednesday, said later that he understood where Phelps was coming from. Lochte, who is rooming with Phelps in the Olympic Village, said he felt like Phelps would be back after London and he has that same hunch now.When you have that passion and that thrill of competition and then it goes away, you miss it, Lochte said. I think hes gonna come back.Phelps is scheduled to swim three events in Rio -- the 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter individual medley -- but could swim as many as six if coaches elect to put him on the 4x100- and 4x200-meter freestyle relay and the 4x100-meter medley relay. Hes currently ranked No. 2 in the world in the 100 fly and 200 IM and sixth in the 200 fly. Should Phelps win gold in any of those events he would become the oldest gold medalist in Olympic swimming history. Lochte could also make the same history in the 200 IM and a potential relay.In Rio, Phelps is not only captain for the United States team but also the flag-bearer for the entire American delegation. Its a complete change from a year earlier, when Phelps was not allowed to compete at world championships as part of his suspension from USA Swimming for his September 2014 DUI arrest.Phelps competed at the U.S. Nationals in San Antonio instead last summer, where his times were faster than the world championship gold medalists in the 100 and 200 fly and the 200 IM. After that meet, Bowman suggested that maybe Rio shouldnt be the end. If hes swimming like he is now, why the hell should he quit? Bowman said at the time. Hes not like Tiger [Woods], a shell of himself. Hes his real self.Bowman said he suggested as much to Phelps during lunch one day in San Antonio and the swimmer told him no way.The coach concluded that interview last summer by saying Rio was setting up for the perfect ending to the greatest Olympic career of all time. Id like him to go there, kick the s--- out of everybody and leave at the top of his game, Bowman said then. Go be [Michael] Jordan against the Jazz. Dont go play for the Wizards.For the better part of two years, that seemed like the plan. But now its anyones guess.Phelps is as media savvy as athletes come. He wouldnt suggest even the slightest possibility of competing in Tokyo in 2020 without something behind it -- especially after spending the past two years closing and locking that door at every potential opportunity. And as unrealistic as it seems, there are those who dont even think Tokyo would be the end. Former Olympian Tyler Clary said at the U.S. Olympic Media Summit in March that if Los Angeles ends up winning the right to host the 2024 games, he predicted both Phelps and Lochte would try to make the team at 39 and 40 years old, respectively.Im not joking, Clary said. Even if its just a 50 -- I could totally see those guys doing whatever they could to compete in those Games. Tony Gonzalez Falcons Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. 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Josh Dugan has thrown his support behind Paul McGregor amid rumours of a rift between the embattled St George Illawarra coach and Benji Marshall.McGregor and playmaker Marshall were alleged to have had heated war of words during a video session in the wake of last weeks defeat to Brisbane, their fifth NRL loss in a row.While fullback Dugan played down the incident, he said it was vital McGregor continue to challenge his players as they try to dig their way out of their form slump and reignite their flickering finals hopes.Its been speculated McGregor is fighting to save his job in the final four weeks of the regular season, however Dugan backed him as the man to take the club forward.Hes contracted next year and as far as Im concerned Ive backed him all the way, Dugan said.Ill continue to do so.He challenges players on whether theyre up to their standards or not and he is one person to tell you the way it is.Thats why I think Marys so good - if you dont have your best game, hes going to tell you.Dugan, who returns from a broken jaw in Saturdays derby clash against Cronulla, played down speculation of a breakdown in the relationship between veteran playmaker Marshall and McGregor.Marshall, whho is off-contract at the end of the year, is also playing for his future after his woeful outing against the Broncos in which he made four errors - as many as the rest of his side combined.ddddddddddddThe former New Zealand Test half on Tuesday played down the incident as a disagreement after he was singled out during a video session before having a private meeting with McGregor for an assurance he wasnt about to be dropped.Theyre rumours, Dugan said.Theres always a little bit of conflict and were being challenged, were professional sports people. If you do make errors, youre challenged on them.Thats not to say thats what happened but I know in the past Ive been challenged about making errors and it goes part and parcel with our job.I dont think there was anything to it.Dugan has made just two appearances in Dragons colours since round 11 because of an elbow injury and broken jaw.He refused to take aim at Queensland and South Sydney star Greg Inglis, who broke his jaw in a high tackle in State of Origin III, saying he was satisfied with his three-week suspension. ' ' '