Amanda Beard Defends Michael Phelps

Remember those rumors about Michael Phelps seeing Amanda Beard naked earlier this year, when everyone was wondering who he was dating?

No? Was that just us?

Well, they weren't true in case. The two Olympians were never an item. But Amanda Beard is quick to defend her friend Phelps just the same as he's gotten criticized for becoming a fixture in Las Vegas and dating Caroline Pal.

Beard admits that it's "definitely weird" to see Michael Phelps becoming a celebrity gossip mainstay, but she thinks he should be cut some slack.

Pre-Caz, Michael Phelps did some platonic palling around with Amanda Beard.

"A swimmer's life is extremely boring," Beard lamented to E! Online at yesterday evening's opening of the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills.

"We swim and we're in the pool all day long. I know he trains his butt off, so I know it feels good for him to let loose and have a drink - and to have ladies underneath his arms. It's good for him."

Watch out, Caz Pal. She said ladies - plural!

Amanda Beard is confident Michael will rein it in once he starts training again: "He has a really, really, really intense coach who's very strict."

Hopefully not too strict. We need him to win eight more golds in 2012, but right now, we need him to generate gossip! He's almost as prolific at this as he is in the pool. Check out our gallery of Michael Phelps pictures and see!