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Phelps: Greatest Olympian or just Greatest Swimmer?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by DanOregon, Aug 13, 2008.

  1. friend of the friendless

    friend of the friendless Active Member

    Mr macg,

    Maybe Eric Heiden?

    YD&OHS, etc
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  2. Baltimoreguy

    Baltimoreguy Member

    Since everyone is setting a record in every event, the impact of Phelps's setting 5 world records in winning 5 gold medals has been diminished a little. But that's still pretty incredible. Most of us watch swimming once every four years, so I don't know if we're all that qualified to say who is the greatest swimmer ever.

    But I do know that Phelps won 7 golds and set 5 world records at last year's world championships. If he does go 8-for-8 at the Olympics, he will almost certainly end up with 2 more world records. If that's the case, I would say that setting 12 world records while winning 8 Olympic gold medals and 7 world championships is a two-year stretch that's pretty hard to top for any athlete, in or out of the pool.

    Plus, he grew up around the corner from me, so I'm biased.
     
  3. Huggy

    Huggy Well-Known Member

    Wow, good call, forgot about him.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  4. spnited

    spnited Active Member


    You are correct, jg. Spitz was done swimming before the Sept. 5 attacks. And, as Mizzou said, went home before the closing ceremony out of safety concerns.
     
  5. jgmacg

    jgmacg Guest

    I don't disagree. Was merely trying to point Mr. Sonner toward an argument for Spitz. I think any discussion about "Greatest Olympic Athlete" has to include Heiden. The numerologists and beancounters among us, though, will say that 5 is 5 and 7 is 7.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  6. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Skating, United States Bicycling Hall of Fame member and now he is an orthopedic surgeon.

    It won't win this thread, but I'm guessing his folks are pretty proud.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  7. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    I think we should wait until Phelps is done with his Olympic career before we try to paint where he stands among the pantheon of athletes.

    Is he one of the greatest? No question. Is he THE greatest? He hasn't finished answering that question.

    Though he definitely seems to be having something akin to a Tiger effect. I've seen people come in and ask if he's swum yet the way people who don't follow golf pay close attention when Tiger's on TV.
     
  8. RossLT

    RossLT Guest

    There it is, Lewis is the man as far as T&F goes.
     
  9. Dessens71

    Dessens71 Member

    Should Jordan and Ali be in this discussion? They were Olympians.
     
  10. Dickens Cider

    Dickens Cider New Member

    No.
     
  11. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    Um, that would be NO.
     
  12. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Maybe as the greatest athletes who were Olympians but NOT as the greatest Olympians.
     
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