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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > August > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGreatest Olympian ever? It’s a deep pool
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Beijing — It speaks to an athlete’s dominance when people cease comparing him to others in his era. It speaks to Michael Phelps’ rare dominance that the debate has left the pool. And the century.
Is he better than Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in Berlin with Adolf Hitler watching?
Has he surpassed Carl Lewis, who equaled Owens’ four golds in Los Angeles, then won five more in the next three Olympics?
Do we reach back to a Soviet gymnast, Larissa Latynina, from the 1950s? A Finnish distance runner, Paavo Nurmi, from the ’20s? Nadia Comaneci, who was so otherworldly in Montreal that gymnastics scoreboards in ‘76 weren’t even equipped to post her perfect 10s, leaving fans perplexed over judges giving her only a “1.0” on floor exercise?
If Michael Phelps isn’t the greatest Olympian of all-time, he is at least in the argument.
If bling is the determining factor, it’s no contest. Phelps swam to his eighth gold medal in as many events Sunday morning in Beijing, breaking the 36-year-old record of Mark Spitz. His leg of the men’s 4x100 medley relay, the butterfly, gave the U.S. the lead. He then stood on the deck, slapping the diving block with his hand to urge on teammate Jason Lezak, who held onto first, as the Americans won in a record time of 3:29.34, ahead of second-place Australia.
Phelps swam in his first Olympics as a 15-year-old in Sydney. Since then, he merely has made everybody else look like a kid. His two-Games resume since: at 16 medals (14 gold), nine individual golds and nine world records.
There is dominance. Then there is mind-numbing.
It’s like watching somebody open a laptop computer during the Stone Age.
“I’m lost for words,” Phelps said. “The whole thing, every race, one after the other, from winning by one one-hundredth of a second to finishing it off with a world record. … It has been nothing but an upwards rollercoaster. It has been nothing but fun.”
These Olympics have been a race for second. FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu summed it up nicely. “The problem is we have an extra-terrestrial,” he said.
We will forever remember Phelps not merely for his medals but how he got there. He swam the 200-meter butterfly in world record time despite being partially blinded most of the race, his goggles filled with water. He won his seventh gold in the 100 butterfly, despite making the turn at 50 meters in seventh place. Serbia’s Milorad Cavic appeared to get to the wall first. But Phelps reached out with one of those long limbs and touched first.
Elite athletes find ways to motivate themselves, even when sheer ability is good enough. Before the 100 butterfly, Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, told him of a Cavic quote in which the Serb declared: “It would be good for the sport if he loses. It would be good for him if he loses.” That’s all Phelps needed to hear.
Cavic swam a great race. He’s just not terribly bright. What could be better for a sport than having a superstar? What could be better for Phelps?
“I don’t even know what to feel right now. So many emotions,” he said. “I just want to see my mom.”
That should be good for a soup commercial.
He wanted to change swimming. Done. A friend sent him text messages after the 100 butterfly about seeing the race live — on a JumboTron at a baseball game.
He wanted to change a sport. Instead he changed the argument.
Phelps vs. Spitz? It’s over.
Phelps vs. Owens? Phelps has the numbers. But Owens faced pressures we can’t possible imagine. He won events in two disciples, running and long jump, whereas Phelps only swims.
Phelps vs. Lewis? Phelps surpassed him in gold medals. (Lewis won nine). But Lewis ran and jumped and competed in four Games. Then again, he didn’t take a daily sledgehammer to the record books. Phelps has done that.
Phelps vs. anybody from decades long ago? There are more competing nations today. But isn’t that true in every sport? Do we throw Willie Mays and Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth out of baseball arguments because Barry Bonds faces more and better pitchers?
Nobody has ever dominated his sport like Phelps. But the talent pool is deeper in track than swimming. More athletes from more places.
He is fast — faster than we’ve ever seen and possibly ever will see. But sprints and jumps and long-distance running is so much harder on the body than swimming. Consider: Swimming is used to help rehab runners from injuries, not the other way around.
Greatest Olympian ever? The argument can’t be won. At least not yet.
“I’m sure,” Phelps said, “Bob and I can think of some other goals in the next four years.”
Permalink | Comments (20) | Post your comment | Categories: Beijing Olympics
Comments
By Parker
August 16, 2008 7:00 PM | Link to this
I thought Cavic had won and was flabbergasted when they showed Phelps.
Something smells fishy perhaps?
http://www.001ofasecond.com/
By Ryan
August 16, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this
I always knew Phelps was going to win. I have complete faith in him and his talent. He is the best and I mean best at swimming! No one can ever beat him… not for another 50 years atleast. He has proven all his enemies and critics wrong. He’s got the talent as well as the determination. In my opinion, Cavic was a negative, snobby fool who was over-confident! All the reports, videos and pictures have proven a dozen times that Michael Phelps is truly the winner! and that, I think, is the end of it. But of course, haters and loosers will never let this end. You rock Phelps!!
By Eric
August 16, 2008 9:34 PM | Link to this
Why do we always have to ask who is the best?
Why don’t we ask…Why is he the best?
By Whopper Dawg
August 17, 2008 1:28 AM | Link to this
Jeff,
Anoint him please. No doubt about it, the best ever.
The Whopper
By ajcbrutus
August 17, 2008 1:39 AM | Link to this
Please Schultz, don’t quit your day job as a full time ignoramus.
From your article: “He (Owens) won events in two disciples, running and long jump, whereas Phelps only swims”
First of all, it’s discipline, not disciples.
Secondly, most swimmers focus on one or two disciplines. Spitz swam freestyle and butterfly, for example. Phelps swims in all FOUR swimming disciplines; Breaststroke, Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly . “Only Swims” ??? Please! I bet your goofy, bald caricature would drown if required to swim the Butterfly for one length of an Olympic pool.
Logically, this means Phelps competed in twice Owens’ disciplines. Owens, by your confusion, only competed in one discipline: Track and Field.
No one has endured the mental and physical pressure, not to mention unsurpassed scrutiny of the IOC or worldwide media that Phelps saw in Beijing. His Olympic achievement is without a doubt the greatest in history. And he is not finished….
You sir, are clearly a buffoon.
By Stoned Mountain
August 17, 2008 8:48 AM | Link to this
Phelps is super, but let’s not forget the eight medals were most of all a tribute to the depth and organization of the fine US swim team. I’d like to see a picture with all of them in it, maybe at the White House.
By H2O
August 17, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
Consider: Swimming is used to help rehab runners from injuries, not the other way around.
What a ridiculous comment. Yea, I see all those injured runners doing 200m butterfly sets at my local pool. They get in and something similar to the water aerobics that the geriatric blue hair set does. Showering is closer to swimming tnan that. Mr. Shultz has no clue as to the training invovled for a competitive swimmer.
By Paula
August 17, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
A great column tarnished with the Barry Bonds comparison. Bonds does NOT face better pitchers than did Aaron, Mays or anyone else from the Golden Age. Getting to the bigs was tough 50 or 60 years ago, now its as easy as pie.
By crabapplejoe
August 17, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
Comparing Phelps’ 8 gold medals to Jesse Owens over-hyped 4 gold medals is ridiculous. The whole Jesse Owens thing is much ado about nothing. It is a little known fact that the Germans actually won the medal count in Berlin in 1936 (33 golds to 24 for the U.S.; 89 overall to 56 for the U.S.). Hitler was not paying much attention to Jesse Owens and his measly 4 medals.
By Gman
August 17, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
The little known fact about the Berlin ‘36 Olympics is that Heetler stormed out of the arena after his wife, Teetler, mentioned what a muscle-man Jesse Owens was. Of course, Mussolini, along with his wife Pussolini stormed out soon after in support of der Heetler. It’s like today in Beijing, when Bush made a fool of himself with the volley ballers and his wife Bush had to make excuses.
Just like that. That’s how history keeps repeating itself. And why things change but stay the same.
By Supes
August 17, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
He is the greatest Olympian ever…and Jeff, he’s not finished! That is the scary part for everyone who is making this argument agaist him.
He has yet to conquer what in swimming is known as the “sprinters” distances…the 100 free and 50 free.
I wouldn’t put it past Phelphs if he comes back in 2012 in London, in those races, wins them both, and lead the US men’s team to victory in 2 more relay races as well.
We could be looking at someone who could end up with 20 Olympic Medals.
If there is a slight doubt now…in 4 years that argument will be erased (if Michael stays healthy and wants to compete, which he said he will do)
We just witnessed history. I never watch swimming (except for Olympics and Worlds) and he can bring in the casual swimming fan (like me) to get to care about swimming.
Phelphs has made swimming relevant in the US. Sure we will probably not tune in to the worlds (of swimming), but what he did will be known to even the casual sports fan forever.
By Jack
August 17, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Nobody is putting this in to context. You can’t compare all these athletes from different sports. Its apples and oranges. In my opinion track & field is a more difficult sport than swimming. There is more competition. It is more physically demanding. Phelps is great, but there were alot more opportunities for him to win all those medals than there is for a track athlete. In track you can only do 3 or 4 events at most, including relays. Track and field is an international sport. Swimming isn’t. There are only a handful of countries that particpate in swimming. Phelps is definitely ONE OF the greatest olympians ever but he is not the best olympian ever. I give that distinction to Carl Lewis.
By Owner
August 17, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
Parker
Since you seem to believe in conspiracy theories (laughing), I suggest you check out these two videos that completely debunk any theory out there.
Phelps wins
Phelps still wins
By Not even close
August 17, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
sorry folks mike phelps is not even close to being the greatest ever.
It is Carl Lewis without a doubt. All you have to do is analyze.
Carl was the first to repeat as a 100 meter champ. That is how tough that event is.
no one has ever repeated as long jump champ. Carl won four straight golds
Carl lewis had a streak of about 10 years without losing a long jump.
Because of how difficult track and field is, you only see very few elite athletes compete in more than one event.
You only have 10 seconds in the 100m there is no room for error. You cannot have a bad start or a bad day and recover.
more countries participate in track than swimming.
mike phelp’s events are mostly long distance events when compared to sprints.
His events are akin to track events from 1,500 to 10,000.
There are more dumb swimming events than track events. Imagine if there was a 50 m sprint and a 75 m sprint and a 150 m sprint, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000.
How about running a sprint backwards.
Once again America proves that it is a country of cluless people no wonder our educational system is ranked 19th.
GD
By crabapplejoe
August 17, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
To GMAN: I think you have your facts a little wrong regarding Hitler and Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. “Hitler didn’t snub me—it was [FDR] who snubbed me. The president didn’t even send me a telegram.” - quoted in Triumph, a book about the 1936 Olympics by Jeremy Schaap
By JSS
August 17, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
Ha ha ha ha!!!
Only Jeff Schultz could find a way to make the feel good story of the last quarter century into a divisive issue!!! It speaks volumes about his inadequacies as a human being let alone as a “journalist.”
By ThedisciplePeter
August 17, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this
Disciples? Wow, what’s next? The editing at my once-favorite newspaper has gotten so bad under Ramos, it’s impossible to read. And the guy who decides what goes where in the section, Wheley, I think his name is, has the news judgement of a Creative Loafing mailroom attendant. They’ve lost so many good people there — including my favorite, Jack Wilkinson, it just isn’t the same. And it’s about to get worse, with Mr. Barnhart and many others leaving. A real shame.
By LiasMom
August 18, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
What an absurd column, followed by more silly statements. Anyone can swim? Anyone can run, too. In fact, most athletes run for conditioning, no matter what their sport.
“Track is more physically demanding. Phelps is great, but there were alot more opportunities for him to win all those medals than there is for a track athlete. In track you can only do 3 or 4 events at most, including relays.” “Because of how difficult track and field is, you only see very few elite athletes compete in more than one event.”
Did you watch the swimming? Most swimmers do one type of stroke - back stroke, breast stroke, butterfly, freestyle. There may be multiple events (100M, 200M, and then the leg in relays), but they are specialists in a particular stroke.
Phelps chooses to swim multiple strokes, which is why he has the opportunity to win so many events. He could have told his coaches he was tired, wanted to focus on only his individual races, etc., but he didn’t. He did the individual races, he did the relays.
Some of his events, he hasn’t lost in any competion he has been in for the last 2 years. That’s pretty dominant.
Swimming isn’t physically demanding — have you tried to swim a 50M butterfly slowly, much less a 100M or 200M at world record paces, or to do it multiple times in a few days?
And, he didn’t only win, he set world records in 7 of the 8 races. He didn’t wear the “super suit” when the majority of his competitors were doing so, and he still won and broke records. At one point last week, I read a stat that 42 of the 48 gold medals won in swimming were won by swimmers using the suit. The other 6? They were won by Phelps.
Give him a chance to compete in 4 Olympics, to get to Carl Lewis’ age when he stopped competing, and then see where he stands. The man is good, and he’s still young enough to get even better.
By Dan
August 18, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
I ran track for many years. It is NOT easier than swimming. Breathing is a little harder in the water. I was not even on the same planet as an olympian, but I could run a 48 sec 400. I can barely swim a couple of laps in a pool. Some of you need to get some perspective. I am a football guy myself, but I don’t understand why you have to try to bring the man down. He is kind of like Lance Armstrong. He was made to swim, just like Lance was made to bike. Let him have his day and take pride he is American.
By GT90
August 20, 2008 1:08 AM | Link to this
For anyone who still isn’t sure that Phelps beat Cavic, see this frame-by-frame of the 100-meter butterfly finish, frames 5 and 6…and the comments for frame 7:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0808/oly.phelps.sequence/content.1.html
Phelps fingers are bending as they press the touch pad (frame 5), and at that same instant, Cavic still isn’t touching it yet (frame 6, a closeup of that same picture).
Case closed.