Michael Phelps

[Youngblood]

In my opinion, one the of the best athletes in the history of ever.

I'm not swimmer, in fact, I start to panick when I can't feel bottom. I'm also not a golfer, but appreciate what it is that Tiger Woods is and does. I suck at basketball, but yet, when I watch Jordan highlights...I am amazed.

So here is this athelete, Michael Phelps, destroying records, not in just swimming, but in the entire history of the Olympics. I am in awe. I am a person who appreciates greatness. And greatness is what I am witnessing.

Discuss?

[amat]

Yeah, it's impressive. I'm not sure how much the overall medal count means, because most of the guys on that list were swimmers and runners who each have multiple events in which they can compete. Some incorporate the others.

I know literally nothing about swimming. My knowledge of the sport goes like Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe and then Mark Spitz. Obviously it's good to watch though. At first I thought it was a bit cheapened because they do have all those different categories for the strokes, but to beat people who maybe only qualify for the backstroke and spend all their time preparing for the backstroke while another guy is splitting time between 7 or 8 different events with 17 races in all makes it possibly more impressive. Also, given my knowledge of the sport, I have no idea how it compares to golf which has tremendous, tremendous depth but just no one anywhere close to Tiger. I saw the US team smash that world record in the 4x100 (I think) relay and that just seemed weird. Like not even possible weird.

It's been good to watch. I can't squeeze enough excitement out of it to call it one of the greatest things ever since I just know nothing about what he's doing but obviously it is going down as one of the greatest accomplishments ever.

I don't think him winning 6,7 or 8 golds should automatically make him the best Olympian ever though because others in other sports simply don't have the opportunity to compete for that many golds.

[Youngblood]

Gymastics I think has the possibility for that many golds. I am guessing.

I think what is difficult for us to separate the difference from our so called icons of sports, is the difference between professional and amateur. One sport is driven by talent and dollars, the other by pure talent alone.

I am not suggesting Phelps does not have a healthy endorsement package waiting for him, as he is likely set for life....as I believe he should be. But what I suggest is that it wasn't born from the ideal when he first swam some ridiculously fast lap that..."you're going to make $$$$$$ one day!" But was inspired more from what the Olympics are and should be based on, that this is a special talent, not to be exploited, but to be nurtured and to blossom. That is what I am seeing. That some coach noticed and said or thought....."this may be the greatest swimmer ever." without necessarily seeing those same dollar signs that basketball and other professional sports do.

In a way, I think he may be slighted for it. We are driven by what we see on tv, the ads, the hype, as a society. For now he is a shining star and IMHO more then worthy of it. I bet it soon will fade though into our collective consumer driven consciousness.

[Spicoli]

Whats up with Phelps teeth....

[Youngblood]

Whats up with Phelps teeth....

LOL. I am hoping an endorsement can fix that. For they iz fooked up!

[donnydarkoIRL]

Phelps' legs are 30 inches long wtf

[Dizaster]

All this, and he can pick up free satelite tv with his ears.. what a life

[Memphis]

I hate people who can swim properly.

I swim pretty muhc every fookin day at lunch and Im sick to death of being overtaken by OAP's and people with missing limbs.

I secretly compete with Mrs Memphis. She potters up and down and Im strugling to keep up, I have to really put in some effort to 'win'

She says "you dont have to go slow for me, swim fast if you want to" I fucking am trying to swim fast godamit!"!!!!

I console myself in the knowledge that I could beat any one of them in a fight.....if it came down to it like.

Sulk over