2008 Summer Olympics

[timothy1997 0]

Phelps is easily the best athlete ever!

I was reading the USAToday today and some writer mentioned Michael Jordan because he was a two-sport athlete. That's not a strong argument, because Jordan sucked at baseball. SUCKED!

Seriously he shouldn't even have been in AA ball.

If people want to use two-sport athletes use Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders, but please leave Jordan out of it.

I agree. Brian Jordan was a better 2 sport athlete than Michael Jordan.

[Izzy24 44]

The idea that athletes are athletes. You think he wouldn't be a pretty good runner or basketball player? Olympic champion, no. Superior to mere mortals? Absolutely. For example, I bet he'd run better than a 5-minute mile.

Big deal. I went to high school with kids who ran under 5-minute miles.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

00.01.

MICHAEL. PHUCKING. PHELPS.

Serious mancrush going on here, complete with avatar change. All aboard the destiny train, your conductor is the greatest athlete in world history, Michael Phelps.

The lesson: Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever talk trash before any event you will be swimming against Michael Phelps.

The 2008 Olympic swimming events were awe inspiring. Makes one proud to be an American. Beating the French after the trash talking = priceless.

Wish the ladies would have picked up a few more golds - but let's not get too picky...

Phelps is just inspiring with his passion to win. Plus he seems like a nice guy too - not too full of himself - yet at least.

Dara Torres is inspiring for me 'cause she's my age and I still swim year round for excercise.

As far as best athlete - I'll definitely put him up there. You have to factor in he's competing against the best in his sport from around the world - he kicked but at the Worlds and 8 times in one Olympics in this day and age is just sick. You have to factor in the domination, and he's up there. Plus if he comes back and picks up more in London - put him up there higher.

Interesting discussion though on what makes a great athlete. Watching the Olympics makes me think of how fat and out of shape many of our pro athletes are in the US - ie football and baseball.

[timothy1997 0]

The 2008 Olympic swimming events were awe inspiring. Makes one proud to be an American. Beating the French after the trash talking = priceless.

Wish the ladies would have picked up a few more golds - but let's not get too picky...

Phelps is just inspiring with his passion to win. Plus he seems like a nice guy too - not too full of himself - yet at least.

Dara Torres is inspiring for me 'cause she's my age and I still swim year round for excercise.

As far as best athlete - I'll definitely put him up there. You have to factor in he's competing against the best in his sport from around the world - he kicked but at the Worlds and 8 times in one Olympics in this day and age is just sick. You have to factor in the domination, and he's up there. Plus if he comes back and picks up more in London - put him up there higher.

Interesting discussion though on what makes a great athlete. Watching the Olympics makes me think of how fat and out of shape many of our pro athletes are in the US - ie football and baseball.

Kinda sad that Natalie Coughlin won 6 medals in these games, and gets almost no attention due to Phelps.

I too was inspired by Torres and still amazed that she didnt win gold in the 50 free.

As far as your opinion on how fat our pro athletes are is kinda offensive. Have you checked out the shot put or hammer throw in track. Have you checked out some of the weightlifting athletes. They are wayyy overweight and still are considered "in shape" athletes.

With football, yes...our lineman are generally fat and thats by design for that position. No one wants a 6 ft 150 lb offensive lineman. With baseball tho, be careful. David Ortiz for example is not American.

[auxlepli 17]

I agree. Brian Jordan was a better 2 sport athlete than Michael Jordan.

ZING!

[betterREDthandead 58]

Big deal. I went to high school with kids who ran under 5-minute miles.

And Phelps would kick all their asses, so what's your point? My apparently poor grasp of track times notwithstanding, Phelps would still be able to run whatever is considered a terrific mile time.

[zata40 3]

Double take: Same score, 2 different medals

stupid.

[Doggy 130]

And Phelps would kick all their asses, so what's your point? My apparently poor grasp of track times notwithstanding, Phelps would still be able to run whatever is considered a terrific mile time.

My dad would beat your dad in a fight.

[Izzy24 44]

And Phelps would kick all their asses, so what's your point? My apparently poor grasp of track times notwithstanding, Phelps would still be able to run whatever is considered a terrific mile time.

My point is simply that a sub 5-minute mile hardly puts one in the upper echelons of athletic achievement.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Phelps is easily the best athlete ever!

I was reading the USAToday today and some writer mentioned Michael Jordan because he was a two-sport athlete. That's not a strong argument, because Jordan sucked at baseball. SUCKED!

Seriously he shouldn't even have been in AA ball.

If people want to use two-sport athletes use Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders, but please leave Jordan out of it.

I'm waiting for someone to say that he's a better athlete than Superman. This Phelps-crush has gone too far.

[betterREDthandead 58]

My point is simply that a sub 5-minute mile hardly puts one in the upper echelons of athletic achievement.

And my point is simply that whatever mile time does put one in the upper echelon of athletic achievement, Phelps could do it. If 4:30 is what I should have said, then fine: 4:30.

Let's put it this way: Put Michael Phelps on the 1500-km track with the rest of the Olympians, and I would bet on him finishing no worse than 10 or 12 seconds behind the rest of the field. That's without having trained as a runner.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

And my point is simply that whatever mile time does put one in the upper echelon of athletic achievement, Phelps could do it. If 4:30 is what I should have said, then fine: 4:30.

Let's put it this way: Put Michael Phelps on the 1500-km track with the rest of the Olympians, and I would bet on him finishing no worse than 10 or 12 seconds behind the rest of the field. That's without having trained as a runner.

How would he do in a boxing ring or on the ice?

You have no foundation for thinking that he'd run a certain time in the mile or in the 1500 meters. Nor do you know how he'd do in other sports. You're just saying these things to justify your position that Phelps is the greatest athlete ever. Take that statement back, and just say that you think he's the best current athlete. That at least sounds more plausible, and not as an overreaction.

[Lidstromrules16 7]

I am very proud of Micheal "Midas" Phelps and all, and recognize that he is a phenomenal athlete and swimmer, but I wouldnt be surprised if he COULDNT run a mile in under 5 minutes. The guy is a swimmer, I doubt he runs much and I am pretty sure during all his interview madness after the 8th gold, he said something to the effect of not being a great runner (he was responding to Chad Johnsons wanting to race him in the pool, and said he would swim against him, but not run against him)

Oh, and how bout them beach volleyball chicks. They are freaking dominant.

Edited August 20, 2008 by Lidstromrules16

[betterREDthandead 58]

How would he do in a boxing ring or on the ice?

You have no foundation for thinking that he'd run a certain time in the mile or in the 1500 meters. Nor do you know how he'd do in other sports. You're just saying these things to justify your position that Phelps is the greatest athlete ever. Take that statement back, and just say that you think he's the best current athlete. That at least sounds more plausible, and not as an overreaction.

Funny, I thought I was saying them to justify that he's the King of Siam.

Of course I'm saying them to justify my position, why else would I?

For the record, I think he'd do much better in the boxing ring or on the ice than a champion boxer or hockey player would do in the pool.

I am very proud of Micheal "Midas" Phelps and all, and recognize that he is a phenomenal athlete and swimmer, but I wouldnt be surprised if he COULDNT run a mile in under 5 minutes. The guy is a swimmer, I doubt he runs much

Wouldn't need to run much. The mile would take about as long, or shorter, than that 400 IM, which is a far more grueling race. His lung capacity as a swimmer would be just as good if not better than most of these runners.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

Kinda sad that Natalie Coughlin won 6 medals in these games, and gets almost no attention due to Phelps.

I too was inspired by Torres and still amazed that she didnt win gold in the 50 free.

As far as your opinion on how fat our pro athletes are is kinda offensive. Have you checked out the shot put or hammer throw in track. Have you checked out some of the weightlifting athletes. They are wayyy overweight and still are considered "in shape" athletes.

With football, yes...our lineman are generally fat and thats by design for that position. No one wants a 6 ft 150 lb offensive lineman. With baseball tho, be careful. David Ortiz for example is not American.

The women's heavyweight was just bizarre to watch - yes HUGE girls - but they could lift something unbelievable..

Maybe I should qualify with "some" of our pro athletes are fat and out of shape. Watching these NFL camps and preseaon games - it's still my opinion that many of those guys are fat and out of shape - sorry if that's offensive - if those guys ran the 100 meter dash they'd drop dead.....I suppose it's a matter of opinion what constitutes an "athlete" but I'll take the swimmers and runners over the 300 lb lineman....

[Doggy 130]

Funny, I thought I was saying them to justify that he's the King of Siam.

Of course I'm saying them to justify my position, why else would I?

For the record, I think he'd do much better in the boxing ring or on the ice than a champion boxer or hockey player would do in the pool.

Wouldn't need to run much. The mile would take about as long, or shorter, than that 400 IM, which is a far more grueling race. His lung capacity as a swimmer would be just as good if not better than most of these runners.

He would seriously get knocked out within seconds by any top ten heavyweight, middleweight or featherweight, it doesn't matter. He wouldn't come close to lasting a minute in the ring. Anyone who says otherwise has never been in a ring with even an amateur boxer for a spar. At least a boxer can swim 100m.

A boxer, now THAT is an all-round athlete. They are MACHINES!

Edited August 20, 2008 by Doggy

[Lidstromrules16 7]

The women's heavyweight was just bizarre to watch - yes HUGE girls - but they could lift something unbelievable..

Maybe I should qualify with "some" of our pro athletes are fat and out of shape. Watching these NFL camps and preseaon games - it's still my opinion that many of those guys are fat and out of shape - sorry if that's offensive - if those guys ran the 100 meter dash they'd drop dead.....I suppose it's a matter of opinion what constitutes an "athlete" but I'll take the swimmers and runners over the 300 lb lineman....

Whats kinda funny is I am pretty sure some of the fat pro athletes CAN in fact run a 100 meter dash. Its my understanding that most NFL lineman have respectable 40 times, which is kinda mind boggling.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Bolt is absolutely amazing. Broke Johnson's 200m record. WOW!

[timothy1997 0]

Bolt is absolutely amazing. Broke Johnson's 200m record. WOW!

I haven't seen anything. Thanks to NBC here, what your telling hasnt happened yet and will be shown in like 10 hrs from now.

Did Michael Phelps run the 200m?

[FinRedWing 172]

Bolt is absolutely amazing. Broke Johnson's 200m record. WOW!

He's the best sprinter ever. He's only 20 and he'll dominate for years to come.

Edited August 20, 2008 by FinRedWing

[betterREDthandead 58]

Whats kinda funny is I am pretty sure some of the fat pro athletes CAN in fact run a 100 meter dash. Its my understanding that most NFL lineman have respectable 40 times, which is kinda mind boggling.

Those guys are absolutely in great shape. Fat, yes. Out of shape, no. Football coaches are too demanding for that. There was a college football blogger who went to try out a workout with a football S&C coach, and was informed that every single one of his times - 40, shuttle, etc., the stuff that they measure football players on - was bested by most 300 pound linemen.

[Izzy24 44]

Poor Lolo, that was hard to watch.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

I haven't seen anything. Thanks to NBC here, what your telling hasnt happened yet and will be shown in like 10 hrs from now.

Did Michael Phelps run the 200m?

Michael Phelps might become the next Sidney Crosby or the New England Patriots as far as being disliked because he's so good.

Especially if he's given too much coverage, which he has been at the expense of more entertaining events like boxing, wrestling or weightlifting, which haven't been shown so far primetime.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I only got to see the 1st half of the U.S.-Austrailia basketball game before I had to go to work and we eventually pulled away from them in the 2nd half, but I like how the Aussies play basketball, at least from the 2 games I watched them. Far from the most talented team but they are scrappy, they play physical, and they play without fear. My VCR will be pre-recorded for the U.S.-Argentina game that will be on around Friday morning our time.

I really wish I could see the U.S.-Brazil women's soccer match tomorrow for the gold. Brazil is usually strong in women's soccer and the we have always been, and while I didn't see any of the last time when Brazil demolished us 4-0 whenever that was, I like payback/motivation games. I'll be setting my VCR for tomorrow morning as well.

Syncronized Swimming - I'm not going to rip on the sport itself, I understand you got to work together with your partner to perfect your routines and things like that, and it takes practice and some good muscle strength I think to stretch your muscles underwater in certain ways to perform the proper routines and the like. But I watched it for a few minutes earlier tonight and the people performing were wearing make up and eyeliner and eye goup. Come on, you're going underwater for crying out loud, you don't need make up (I know I know, then what about some women's gymnastics events where they wear formal attire somewhat )! Nevertheless, even though I don't really care for the sport, I'm not going to rip on it or say it is fake or whatever since I have no clue how to properly perform the sport and the routines correctly to even be remotely decent at it.

[Doggy 130]

Whats kinda funny is I am pretty sure some of the fat pro athletes CAN in fact run a 100 meter dash. Its my understanding that most NFL lineman have respectable 40 times, which is kinda mind boggling.

I dunno. Did you see Shaun Rogers' touchdown last year? I can't remember who it was against but we hammered 'em. Anyay, the point is, it took him like 10 mins to reach the end zone. Damn, that was awesome but funny.