Could everyone please stop hyperventilating about Michael Phelps?
Yes, he now has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history.
No, that does not make him the greatest Olympic athlete in history.
In fact, he doesn’t even make my top five.
Read it all. All I can say is I am really enjoying the olympics!
Yawn….
My only wish during sporting events is to eliminate ALL the inane commentary and relieve the pressure on global warming. I truly believe that the network execs think the viewer is a complete idiot. For this reason I’m finding other worthwhile activities.
I am not a sports fan: If I watch, I watch more for the comraderie of my fellow spectators than for the pleasure of the sport itself.
However, I disagree with Leighton C. Watching people like Phelps (and Carl Lewis, and Jessie Owens, and Lance Armstrong) is inspiring. In these athletes, we can see the beauty of God’s creation, and we can marvel at the wonder of it.
I’m not normally a sports fan either, but I get hooked in to some of the events — stayed up [i] way [/i] too late last night, and now I find out that women’s gymnastics doesn’t start until 11:10 ET tonight — aargh!
Hersh writes, “It is easy to win multiple medals in swimming”
Yeah, that’s why Phelps only has to practice 5 hours a day in the pool. And apparently it’s not too easy for those swimming against Phelps to win any medals.
The flaw in the list is that it focuses on number of medals. I do not see how the “best Olympic athlete” could be other than an all-around gymnast or decathalete. Those events require the greatest overall conditioning and athleticism.
Uh, Mr Hersh where are your gold medals if it is so easy? I think by now you would have at least two!
One more note. Ali was considered the greatest athlete of all times. Babe Didrikson was rate only number ten, yet she excelled in track and field, tennis, golf, basketball, you name it. I think some of this stuff is interesting and good for discussion but really lacks relevance. There is always some one always to disparage others achievements.
I agree with Leighton re: commentators. Especially with the narratives on the gymnastics. They are downright nasty! Sure point out flaws, but to do so gleefully and go over them repeatedly?
What I’d like to hear is “competing now is [i](insert name)[/i] for [i](insert country)[/i].” silence while the program is underway …. “Good program, there were a few flaws here [i](show replay)[/i] and now here are the scores. Next up is …..”
That’s all I want. Maybe a little background on the athlete while between performances. I don’t want to mute it because there is always the audience reactions that I like to hear as well as the comments by the coaches and team-mates.
Jim E.
He does have a point in that if you’re a really good swimmer, you can easily come home with half a dozen medals because there are so many different swimming events; whereas if you’re a really good, say, judoka, you’ll only get one medal. Differences between the way different sports structure the events make comparing medal counts between sports largely meaningless.
And if you ask me, trying to figure out who is the “greatest Olympic athlete of all time” is equally meaningless. Enjoy the competition and let everyone admire their own favorites, Mr. Hersh; there’s no need to grouse over who other people choose to extoll.
If getting that many medals in swimming is like falling off a log, why has it taken from 1972 til now to see someone do it? Recall that in 72 athletes were *amateurs*, not getting paid a dime for their efforts.
Can everybody at least admit that Michael Phelps is the GREATEST OLYMPIC SWIMMER of all time? (Mark Spitz keeps trying to belittle him. )
The rector at my church on Sunday gave a wonderful sermon on looking at the Olympics with “spiritual eyes†and relating it to perseverance in the Christian faith.
The way people are going sports crazy is very sickening. The world is at the brink of WWIII or WWIV (if you count the Cold War as WIII). The Georgians attacked Russia and then the Russians retaliated. The USA, Israel and various European countries could get dragged into the conflict. Yet, I don’t hear anyone talking about Georgia. It’s all about the Olympics. It’s great that Phelps is winning all the medals, but if we want to live to see the next Olympics, we need to pay attention to far more important matters.
-Vincent
Vincent,
Might I point out that the 1936 Olympics were held under similar conditions in the world? And then the Munich Olympics?
The events are one way to allieviate the stress that builds up in such times.
Jim Elliott <><
Agreed, Libraryjim. With all the bad news on the international front, the Olympics are a welcome diversion, not to mention an example of nations coming together for friendly (or at least civil) competition.
Jim, do you really want to use Berlin as an example, when the ultimate conflagration did come as early as three years later (depending on one’s timeline)? And do you really want to use Munich, in light of the tragedy there? The Olympics probably do have an effect, in giving the people of the world a warm fuzzy of peace to hold onto for a bit. Seeing the world stand as one, and compete in peace and comradeship, is always inspiring. It is possible that, over time, this builds up public sentiment around the globe for peace. But just as everyone disapproves of Congress, but still votes for their incumbent, people want world peace but still care a great deal about their own interests (as we do in Iraq and Afghanistan, as the Indians and Pakistanis do in Kashmir, as Russia and Georgia do in the disputed regions, etc…). So, ultimately, I’m not sure things like the Olympics have any great effect on world affairs.
As for master Phelps, what he has done has been remarkable, inspiring, and just plain fun to watch, especially at a time when bad news and partisan sniping seem to prevail. Society in general and newspeople in particular are always prone to hyperbole at such times (I know, I have had to live with overzealous Giants fans calling Barry Bonds the “Greatest American Athlete of All Time” for years now — yeah, he can hit a ball like few other folks, even when he’s not on the juice, but puhleeze!). But just as inevitable as hyperbole, is some grouch like Hersh feeling the need to pour icy water on everyone else’s enthusiasm. If I want to read a curmudgeon, I’ll read the Anglican Curmudgeon, thank you.
AC – We overzealous Giants fans have to balance out the undisguised hate for Barry coming from other quarters, such as those who think that their heroes are guys who only care about “the team” and their “loyal fans”, instead of their individual accomplishments. Dodger fans are peculiarly addicted. They alwyas think their players are such good
Boy Scouts.
Alta,
Did I say the Olympics have ‘any great effect on world affairs”? I don’t think so.
What I was doing was answering Vincent’s criticism of those of us who are watching the olympics in light of current events.
I still say my answer is justified.
Peace
Jim E. <><
Jim, I misunderstood you. You were saying they alleviate stress in us viewers. I thought you meant they alleviate the stress between nations. My apologies.
Apology accepted 🙂