The MPC, to remind everyone, is the Main Press Center, where the non-TV journalists work.

Michael “Eight Is Enough” Phelps was just in here, in the big conference room. He not only had some energy left, he actually had some interesting things to say — fairly amazing, considering he’s probably been interviewed as much as any human being ever who isn’t running for the presidency of the United States.

Among them:

–His career isn’t over. It might seem like a perfect time to quit a sport as grueling and demanding as swimming, but Phelps committed to 2009, at the least. Specifically, to the U.S. nationals in Indianapolis and the world championships in Rome. “I have to make the world team,” he said, “because my mother wants to go to Rome.” He didn’t commit to the 2012 Olympics, however. He would be 27 then.

Also, his coach, Tom Bowman, said Phelps is hinting about doing more sprint racing “because he thinks it might be less work.” Bowman suggested Phelps was operating under a misapprehension.

–Phelps feels he can give more to swimming. Still. “There are some things I still want to do,” he said. “I want to raise the bar in the sport of swimming some more.” He mentioned a big crowd in Baltimore staying at the football stadium to see one of his races, and a baseball crowd at Cincinnati doing the same thing. “Four years ago, there’s no way that would happen,” he said. “The sport has come a long way and I want to take it even farther.”

(If he believes he can make swimming a major U.S. spectator sport, that’s cute but unrealistic. It will continue to be a niche sport aside from its week in the sun every four years. He might inspire a bunch more 10-year-olds, but no one will sit around and watch swimming until 2012.)

–Asked what he would do, if he weren’t a swimmer, he said, “I’d probably be in the real world, having a job.”

–His immediate plans include leaving for the U.S. on Aug. 21 “for some obligations” that presumably include sponsors not on the Olympic lineup and, thus, unmentionable at an Olympic event. Generally, he wants to rest and relax. “I’m going to take a vacation where I won’t do anything. I’ll sit and not have to be anywhere or be on any schedule.” He also said he is keen to get home. “I want to lay in my own bed for five minutes, at least.”

–On how he made it through eight events. “I did nothing else. I sat on my bed and watched movies or slept,” he said. “Ice bags, massages, eating properly …”

–The moment when his energy was at a low ebb. “After the semifinals of the 200 fly. That was a really tough day.”

–On whether he had any regrets. “The thing I would change is the 200 fly. I could have gone faster. I guess it was a wardrobe malfunction. Everything else was perfect.” (In the 200 butterfly, Phelps’ goggles slipped and impeded him in a way.

–On how often he was drug-tested. “Probably before every finals swim, a few prelim sessions. The I got here. In Singapore. In Palo Alto, at Indianapolis, at the trials …roughly estimate, maybe 40? It’s been a bunch. It’s part of the sport, and a good thing.”

–What he will remember of Beijing 2008. “Every moment I’ve had so far, in and out of the pool, will be with me forever.”  He added that non-competitive moments will be among those he remembers. “Some of the best moments are away from the pool. … Whether it’s us playing spades or talking or playing Risk, five or six of us sitting around the table and laughing the whole time.”

–On how the number eight is considered lucky in China, and what eight will mean to him, from now on. “It’s a lucky number for me, now, too. Eight, eight, oh-eight, Opening Ceremonies starting at eight-oh-eight. Maybe it was meant to be.”

–On the legacy of Mark Spitz, previously the only Olympian to win seven medals at a single Games. “I wanted to be the first Michael Phelps, not the second Mark Spitz.”

–On the overall experience: “It was something I was shooting for and wanted to get. It was a lot of hard work. I’m thankful everything turned out pretty much perfect.”