Twitter; Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesThe new Team USA clothing restrictions? Let's just say Michael Phelps isn't exactly taking to them like a duck to water.
The London-bound Olympian and reigning gold medalist was so riled up about his new wardrobe (and particularly, it's lack of star-spangled saturation) that he took to Twitter this morning and expressed his frustration.
With some handy visual accompaniments.
"Front and back of our caps...We used to be able to have front and back side with flags but for some reason there are rules that tell us we cant do that anymore?" he wrote. "Smh gotta love an organizing committee telling us we can't do that anymore..."
To better prove his point, Phelps also included a link to a photo of the swimcap he'll be using in the summer games which features America's rather sizable red, white and blue insignia on only one side.
Sheesh, you throw a few tea bags into a harbor, and this is the response? Actually, no.
The London organizing committee behind the 2012 Olympics isn't actually behind the new restrictions, that flag-averse honor goes to the IOC, which introduced the new rules earlier this year.
Of course, it's not the first fashion faux pas to rile up Team USA, as just last week it was revealed that the athletes' all-American Ralph Lauren uniforms were actually being manufactured in China. Talk about your false starts.
It may hardly seem like a big deal, but with nations trying to recognize their own in the various events, every extra piece of recognition helps, including multiple flags. Of course, as Phelps is an athlete (and what an athlete, at that), perhaps his reticence could be down to superstitions?
After all, he wore the now fabled double-flagged swimcap back in 2008 when he took a record eight golds in Beijing. Time will tell if it was his lucky charm. But we have a feeling he'll do just fine without it.