Greatest Olympians

[lawrocket 3]

With the Michael Phelps thing going on, many members of the American press are suggesting that Phelps may be the greatest Olympian ever.

My take is that he certainly deserves to be on the short list. Hey, 11 gold medals and counting ain't no joke. He's alone in that regard. The world records are amazing, too.

But there are also some arguments against it. He's trying to beat Spitz's record for golds in an Olympics. Spitz was simply phenomenal - and like it or not, Phelps isn't racing the 100m free - kinda considered the benchmark for the "fastest swimmer." And - Spitz did not have the 50m free - he'd have won it. That's at least another medal for the guy.

Then again, Phelps is king of the IM - the all-around champ.

But, on to other topics, others I believe to be worthy of consideration are:

1) Eric Heiden: a speed skater who won 5 golds at the 1980 Lake Placid winter games in speed skating. EVERY EVENT. Sprints and distance, he won them. Despite the USSR boycott, I don't think anyone would have challenged him.

2) Birgit Fischer - German canoe racer. 8 golds in 6 different Olympics - and would have had two or three more had she gone to LA in 1984.

3) Carl Lewis - track and field. A sprinter and long jumper with a 12-year Olympic career. The guy was simply amazing.

4) Al Oerter - the dominant discus thrower, winning golds in 1956, 60, 64 and 68.

5) Dara Torres - 41 and won a medal in a sport where being 25 is considered old. 10 medals she has won. Amazing.

6) Ole Einar Bjorndalen - 5 gold medals, 3 silvers and a bronze in biathlon. I don't think there is a more difficult and grueling sport in the world than biathlon. Cross-country ski, and then shoot while your heart is pumping like that? Fuck. The guy was amazing.

7) Nadia Comaneci - she stole the hearts of the world.

8) Ian Thorpe - the Thorpedo was the fastest person on water. No question about it.

9) Stephen Redgrave - gold medal in rowing in five straight Olympics?

10) Jesse Owens - Nuff said.

Any other suggestions?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Taylor610 0]

Any other suggestions?
***

Mary Lou Rettin...
Then again, she was doing those commercials, "I'll have a double double burger burger with cheese cheese please please...

Come on, how much "cuteness" can America stand!!!???!!!

Screw screw you you Mary Mary Lou Lou

[Nightingale 0]

Mary Lou Retton: First American gymnast to win gold in gymnastics.

[BillyVance 35]

I don't know if Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest Olympians, but he did win the Pentathlon AND Decathlon, and enjoyed pro careers in football, baseball and basketball.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[skymama 37]

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But there are also some arguments against it. He's trying to beat Spitz's record for golds in an Olympics. Spitz was simply phenomenal - and like it or not, Phelps isn't racing the 100m free - kinda considered the benchmark for the "fastest swimmer." And - Spitz did not have the 50m free - he'd have won it. That's at least another medal for the guy.

I would bet that Michael is swimming for his own goals, it's the media putting him up against Spitz. Did you see his face after the 200 fly last night? He won gold and got the World Record, but he didn't even smile. His goggles had filled up with water and he couldn't see, making it harder for him on his turns. It's my guess that he didn't achieve the time he was shooting for. That to me shows that he is swimming against himself, not Spitz, although I'm sure the record will be sweet for him too.

Additionally, I'm wondering if you have ever swum the 200 fly or the IM? I was a competitive swimmer for 11 years. I can tell you that those events are so much harder than the 50 or 100 free. "Fastest" in short events doesn't equate to being the best, in my opinion.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[livendive 8]

Milo of Kroton

Wrestler
Six-time Olympic victor:
Won once in boys' wrestling, 60th Olympiad, 540 BCE
five-time wrestling champion from 62nd to 66th Olympiad, 532 to 516 BCE

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[porpoishead 8]

Quote

Milo of Kroton

Wrestler
Six-time Olympic victor:
Won once in boys' wrestling, 60th Olympiad, 540 BCE
five-time wrestling champion from 62nd to 66th Olympiad, 532 to 516 BCE

Blues,
Dave

fucking A, twardo is still pist off about that

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[lawrocket 3]

Oh, I have zero doubt that he is swimming for himself. I don't think Jim Thorpe told King Gustav V of Sweden to call him the greatest athlete in the world. (Yeah, Thorpe should also be on the list).

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I'm wondering if you have ever swum the 200 fly or the IM? I was a competitive swimmer for 11 years. I can tell you that those events are so much harder than the 50 or 100 free. "Fastest" in short events doesn't equate to being the best, in my opinion.

Answer - no. It smacked of effort. I wasn't a competitive swimmer.

But that's what I stated above - Phelps is king of the IM - which I believe is a much bigger challenge. The IM is like the all-around gymnast. Spitz was king of free and fly and didn't even bother with breast and back. That's what makes Phelps so impressive. He can do them all.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[grimmie 186]

Bob Beamon, amazing leap.

Olga Korbut, put women's gymnastics on the map and warmed the Cold War.

Jim Craig, once in a lifetime tourney for a goalie.

Eddie the Eagle, name one other '88 winter olympian.

Valeri Borzov, crushed the 100m and 200m sprints in '72

Alberto Juantoreno, crushed the 400, 800m.

Teofilo Stevenson, the best heavyweight boxer of all time olympic history.

[BillyVance 35]

Jackie Joyner Kersee

Great heptathlete.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[skydiver30960 0]

I'm a little bothered by the whole "medal counting" system and the idea of how it correlates to "greatest olympian". There are disciplines like swimming and track and field that allow one athlete to compete multiple times in competitions that are marginally different but very similar as well. This allows these athletes the opportunity to win multiple medals in one olympics, while other athletes compete in match after match in elimination processes (tennis, soccer, hockey, most of the team sports) to compete for one medal only.

I honestly don't have any research to pick somebody, but if I was choosing "greatest olympian" I would look at who had been to the most olympics, but would include times they'd come as an athlete and as a coach, would consider volunteer work at home, and administrative work they may have done whenever the games were in their home country.

Elvisio "I need to get out more" Rodriguez

[shropshire 0]

I agree and expressed a similar opinion in an SC thread earlier.......

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He is no doubt an excellent athlete but to label anyone the Greatest Olympian on medal count alone is a shallow accolade.

We do have this tendency to need to pigeon hole folks and raise them on pedestals and for what?

The ethics of the games have a wider remit than to raise a single person to such a postion. They set out to embrace a wider audiance, to recognise each individuals commitment and pursuit of excellence in them selves. To cherish and applaud a high degree of sportmanship and gamesmanship. Not to concentrate of medal counts alone but to appreciate the sum total of all of the effort and skills involved. To cheer on rivals not belittle them, to be defiant in defeat and magnanimous in victory. To raise standards and encourage the next generation and support them in the spirit of games. It's not just the taking part, it's how you take part that counts.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[porpoishead 8]

agreed.

most decorated olympian would be a better choice of words, rather than greatest olympian.


the guy is a fucking beast though... referring to mikey P

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell