Coach Summitt reflects on her gold-medal experience

Many Americans are glued to their televisions to watch Michael Phelps swim his way to Olympic glory, and that includes one famous East Tennessean with gold medal ties.

Lady Vols Head Coach Pat Summitt has been watching the swimmer nab medal after medal, and she reflected on her own winning experience.

"To be able to win in Los Angeles, I've never, ever felt as much pressure in coaching as I did trying to bring home the gold in Los Angeles," Summitt said of the win.

The players got their gold medals, but the coach missed out on the bling.

"Coaches do not get gold medals, that hardly seemed fair," Summitt said.

However, she has a pretty good imitation that someone had made for her. Plus, she's got the real thing in silver.

Back in 1976, she played on the American team that won the Olympic silver medal.

This year, she's watching from the sidelines, tuning into women's basketball -- three former Lady Vols are on the team -- and swimming star Michael Phelps.

She recalled when she and her son, Tyler, met Phelps after the 2007 ESPY Awards. Summitt says the swimming phenom was the only sports star her son wanted to meet that night, but when it came time to capture the moment on camera, she had to try six times before the picture worked.

She now laughs at her son's embarrassment back then, but she says her persistence paid off, and now her son has a priceless memento from the most decorated Olympian.

"He's Superman, Michael Phelps is Superman," Summitt said. "I was sweating, I was worried about it. I was like, oh, he's got to make it, and I think everyone's pulling for him. I know all the USA team's gotta be pulling hard."

She says that's what the Games are all about -- the guts and the glory.

"It was incredible just being there, you know, it's exciting watching it, but having been there, I think I've got a better feel, you know, just for the energy, the intensity, the competitiveness of the Olympic Games. It's incredible, unlike any other sporting event you will see when you get that many people competing for gold medals."