Anyone as unimpressed

[Peter R]

as I am by Phelps' record of gold medals? I am a "hater" ! LOL

[Jangle]

He's very good and he deserves the praises. I have a problem though with just how easily and frequently these swimming records are broken.

[Islandman]

I thought the same thing. Its not even like a track that you can say the surface is quicker as the technology improves. The speedos can't improve that much can they?

[HL]

Give credit where credit is due......imo

[Islandman]

He is a great athlete, no doubt about that.

[Peter R]

Gents (and ladies),

I don't know why, but I just can't like the guy. His record though speaks for itself...

but I wonder if Bolt were a swimmer, how many (gold) medals he would have ?!?... this hype about Phelps (if he were a country) would be tied 39th (with Ethiopia I believe) is just that...pure hype!

Between unuh and me, give me Bolt's six golds, or even Carl Lewis' 9 (gold) as being more remarkable achievements.

[Islandman]

I can't agree that what he has done is pure hype. His medal haul is unmatched in the history of swimming so it must be seen as something special.

Clearly no track athlete could win that many medals but you can't take away what Phelps has done because of that. Both Bolt and Lewis are among the greatest ever Olympians so even if you rank him after them its still quite special.

[Peter R]

I-man, I didn't say what "he has done is pure hype". I in fact recognized his accomplishments saying: "his record speaks for itself " .

What I called "hype" was comparing him to a country etc. one commentator even said to the effect, give him an island blah blah blah

And my opinion still stands that his accomplishments, while outstanding, are not as impressive as say Carl Lewis' or Bolt's given the nature of the disciplines.

[Islandman]

Ok sorry, I get you now. I hadn't heard that comparison. Well I would agree that such talk is typical over-the-top American yapping.

[HL]

The media cannot get enough of Phelps and the swimming team. They account for most the mega hype.

[Willi]

In America...not in Brazil!

[Mosiah]

In the 1996 Atlanta Games, Michelle Smith of Ireland couldn't get a break because she was 26 years old and having her best year.

Forget Phelps' 31 years.

"Anthony Ervin stands here now, 16 years after tying to win gold in the 50-meter freestyle in Sydney, a 50 free Olympic champion again. He’s 35, a different man than he was last time he stood atop that same podium in 2000."

If that doesn't look suspicious, I don't know what does.

I can only imagine what they would be saying if Ervin was from any other country.

[Reggaedoc]

He's very good and he deserves the praises. I have a problem though with just how easily and frequently these swimming records are broken.

He's great but not the greatest Olympian ever. Bolt will be after these games.
Look, it's simple. Swimming is a low impact sport but that's not the prob. Supposed they had introduced several editions of the 100m sprint. Say you ran the conventional way, the one you ran backwards, then one you ran sideways, then one you ran with one hand tied behind the back etc etc, Bolt would most like win all those variations and set world records. So I am not too big on the Phelps thing. Bolt is the real big man. Full stop.

[HL]

He's great but not the greatest Olympian ever. Bolt will be after these games.
Look, it's simple. Swimming is a low impact sport but that's not the prob. Supposed they had introduced several editions of the 100m sprint. Say you ran the conventional way, the one you ran backwards, then one you ran sideways, then one you ran with one hand tied behind the back etc etc, Bolt would most like win all those variations and set world records. So I am not too big on the Phelps thing. Bolt is the real big man. Full stop.

....putting it comprehensively....

[Peter R]

HL, I'm giving credit!
https://theundefeated.com/features/t...ck-barbershop/