Is Michael Phelps the Greatest Olympic Athlete of all Time?
Maybe it’s just the media saturated times we live in, but I can’t get away from Michael Phelps. He’s everywhere. On every channel, newspaper, website, everywhere. Even on my own homepage of Facebook there is a banner right across the top congratulating Michael Phelps “and all of the U.S. Athletes.” There is also a link to Michael Phelps’ Facebook page. Guess how many friends? 1,266,910 at 11:06 am on Thursday, August 21, 2008.
But amidst all the media hype and the swooning masses, what is Michael Phelps besides a great swimmer with double-jointed knees? Is he the greatest Olympian of all time? Or is he just lucky?
whereIstand.com is asking this . And the responses it has elicited are strange and interesting. The public figure debate is relatively split down the middle, with 8 who believe he is the greatest and 10 who believe he is not*. Also interesting is that the athletes, more so than the writers, think Phelps is not the best. Jealousy? A superior understanding of sports?
The list of public figures taking a stand on the issue is made up of sportswriters and athletes. Two of the three athletes, Chad Johnson, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, and Bruce Jenner, former Olympic track star, both say Phelps is not the greatest athlete. The third athlete, Mark Spitz, who coincidentally is the man whose record Phelps broke after winning 8 gold medals, says he is the best, “right now.”
Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, George Vecsey of The New York Times and Michael Rosenberg of FOX Sports agree with the athletes in saying Phelps is not the best Olympic athlete of all time.
But why is he the best?
John Powers of The Boston Globe says it’s because he swims all four strokes. The Baltimore Sun says it’s because he breaks world records.
Phelps has won more gold medals than anyone else at the Olympics, ever. It seems pretty clear to me.
*ed note: four opinions are pending approval