The Thread of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

[TFoA]

Ah boooooooooooooooooo, the Serbian team is filing a protest.

But why do it if the electronic timing basically says Phelps won it? Why argue?

[Viper]

The super-slo-mo camera seemed to agree with the timing system - definitely Phelps.

But - egad! Dum-dum-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! He didn't break the world record! Oh, the horror!

[averyj]

Michael Phelps is not just the best swimmer ever, but I think you can put him with Ruth, Jordan and Gretzky as the best athletes of all time.

He is the best Olympian ever. It has been really fun watching the best swimmer ever to live perform.

I think you're drinking the NBC kool-aid. I wouldn't say he's the best Olympian ever.

There's still Jesse Owens, Richard Fosbury, Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammed Ali, Mark Spitz, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Michael Johnson, and don't for get Eric Moussambani.

However, of course, I still give Michael Phelps major credit for what he's done. That was a damn impressive finish, it shows that you always have to keep going, never settle, the Olympic spirit.

[Island_Style]

The super-slo-mo camera seemed to agree with the timing system - definitely Phelps.

But - egad! Dum-dum-daaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! He didn't break the world record! Oh, the horror!

The video, to me, looked like the Serb won. The picture makes it look like Phelps. That is how close it was. Man, what a fun Olympics.

BTW, Serbian protest was denied.

[TFoA]

FINA (the swimming federation) judged in Phelps favor. Phelps keeps the gold.

[HedleyLamarr]

The protest has been rejected. Phelps has kicked a successful extra point!

[Island_Style]

Michael Phelps is not just the best swimmer ever, but I think you can put him with Ruth, Jordan and Gretzky as the best athletes of all time.

He is the best Olympian ever. It has been really fun watching the best swimmer ever to live perform.

I think you're drinking the NBC kool-aid. I wouldn't say he's the best Olympian ever.

NBC or not, he has tied, and most likely will break, the record for most golds in a single Olympics combined with having the most golds ever by a known living being. I don't know, I think he is worth the argument. I don't think it is fair by dimissing that theory by saying "drinking the NBC Kool-Aid". It is not far fetched at all.

One more thing I want to add. 6 of his 7 golds are world records. Yeah, I think it is more than fair to say he may be the best Olympian ever. He has my vote.

[Viper]

FINA (the swimming federation) judged in Phelps favor. Phelps keeps the gold.

At least Cavic didn't then toss his silver medal into the pool, a la Abrahamian.

BTW, in case you haven't heard, the Baltimore Ravens will be showing Phelps's historic last race on the stadium screens after their home preseason game tomorrow night against the Vikings.

Edit/Update: After showing some men's 100m qualifying heats, NBC switched to the late stages of a U.S.-China men's volleyball match. Bob Costas said it was the end of the match, then said they were joining the match with the U.S. up two sets to none. Gee, thanks for not spoiling the outcome for us, Bob.

[DEAD!]

Finally, Canada is going get a medal ... in wrestling.

[footballfiji]

Michael Phelps is not just the best swimmer ever, but I think you can put him with Ruth, Jordan and Gretzky as the best athletes of all time.

He is the best Olympian ever. It has been really fun watching the best swimmer ever to live perform.

I think you're drinking the NBC kool-aid. I wouldn't say he's the best Olympian ever.

There's still Jesse Owens, Richard Fosbury, Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammed Ali, Mark Spitz, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Michael Johnson, and don't for get Eric Moussambani.

However, of course, I still give Michael Phelps major credit for what he's done. That was a damn impressive finish, it shows that you always have to keep going, never settle, the Olympic spirit.

Owens won 4 gold medals. He could have won more but decided instead to become a professional (a lot of good that did)

Richard Fosbury only won a single gold medal.

Redgrave was great. However, he was competing on a team of four or as part of a pair. He was also competing in rowing. I'm not discounting rowing, but as for international participation, popularity or even competetion, it doesn't even compare to swimming.

Comaneci isn't even the greatest gymnast of all time (medal wise). That would be Larissa Latynina.

Ali won only 1 gold medal.

You've got to be kidding about "Eric the Eel" right?

Phelps has 13 gold medals (the most all time) and he is only behind Larissa Latynina for the most medals of any kind.

[Viper]

NBC ended tonight's coverage with footage of Phelps's race tonight, accompanied by Peter Gabriel's song "In Your Eyes" - an ironic choice of background music, given Phelps's well-documented trouble earlier this week with water getting into his goggles.

[DEAD!]

Phelps is probably the best SWIMMER ever. There are so many events in swimming, just looking at how many gold medals won isn't necessarily the best indicator of "best Olympian" Let's remember Phelps did get some help with some of those relay medals, including the 4×100 m medley relay in 2004 in which, he didn't swim in the final.

[maz]

Ugh. The one night I miss a Phelps final swim, and this happens.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Michael Phelps is not just the best swimmer ever, but I think you can put him with Ruth, Jordan and Gretzky as the best athletes of all time.

He is the best Olympian ever. It has been really fun watching the best swimmer ever to live perform.

I think you're drinking the NBC kool-aid. I wouldn't say he's the best Olympian ever.

There's still Jesse Owens, Richard Fosbury, Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammed Ali, Mark Spitz, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Michael Johnson, and don't for get Eric Moussambani.

However, of course, I still give Michael Phelps major credit for what he's done. That was a damn impressive finish, it shows that you always have to keep going, never settle, the Olympic spirit.

Owens won 4 gold medals. He could have won more but decided instead to become a professional (a lot of good that did)

Depends on what you mean by Olympian. If it's athletic prowess, you can go by medals. If it's bringing the world together, then it has to be Jesse Owens. Phelps is comfortable in a way Owens couldn't have been.

It's a similar argument in MLB. Who is more important: Barry Bonds (maybe a bad example, but he's got all of the meaningful stats), or Jackie Robinson?

[habsfan1]

Funny how two weeks ago, I had no clue who Michael Phelps was.

Now he just about guarenteed himself the record of the most medals in one olympics. He currently tied it with 7. The record should be broken easily.

[Don]

Funny how two weeks ago, I had no clue who Michael Phelps was.

Now he just about guarenteed himself the record of the most medals in one olympics. He currently tied it with 7 so unless he doesn't show up on sunday, the record will be broken easily.

tomorrow its a relay, nothing is guaranteed.

[McCall]

Michael Phelps is not just the best swimmer ever, but I think you can put him with Ruth, Jordan and Gretzky as the best athletes of all time.

He is the best Olympian ever. It has been really fun watching the best swimmer ever to live perform.

I think you're drinking the NBC kool-aid. I wouldn't say he's the best Olympian ever.

There's still Jesse Owens, Richard Fosbury, Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammed Ali, Mark Spitz, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Michael Johnson, and don't for get Eric Moussambani.

However, of course, I still give Michael Phelps major credit for what he's done. That was a damn impressive finish, it shows that you always have to keep going, never settle, the Olympic spirit.

Owens won 4 gold medals. He could have won more but decided instead to become a professional (a lot of good that did)

Depends on what you mean by Olympian. If it's athletic prowess, you can go by medals. If it's bringing the world together, then it has to be Jesse Owens. Phelps is comfortable in a way Owens couldn't have been.

It's a similar argument in MLB. Who is more important: Barry Bonds (maybe a bad example, but he's got all of the meaningful stats), or Jackie Robinson?

"Greatest Olympian" is determined by performance in the Olympics. Now, "Greatest Athlete/Most Important Athlete" would be determined by their contributions to the game/sport/world combined with performance. I do think Phelps can be added to that list, but each great has been in a different period of time and done something of importance that has affected the world in a different light in each period, so it's hard to say who was the greatest/most important ever, just that they've all had a positive effect (Not Bonds though) on the world of sports and the world in general.

[Cujo]

x7

WOW, What a epic finish!

(Sorry, tape delay)

[DG_ThenNowForever]

"Greatest Olympian" is determined by performance in the Olympics. Now, "Greatest Athlete/Most Important Athlete" would be determined by their contributions to the game/sport/world combined with performance. I do think Phelps can be added to that list, but each great has been in a different period of time and done something of importance that has affected the world in a different light in each period, so it's hard to say who was the greatest/most important ever, just that they've all had a positive effect (Not Bonds though) on the world of sports and the world in general.

Sez you. For me, it's tougher to be so cut and dried, as the Olympics is one of the few sporting events to have an actual creed:

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

It's an event more about competition, access, and unity rather than winners and losers. Well, it's mostly about making money, but for purposes of argument, we'll take them at their word.

That's not to say that what Michael Phelps is doing isn't amazing, because it so clearly is. Six records in seven events with seven golds is an almost unfathomable level of dominance, especially considering how good everyone else is. But who better exemplifies struggle -- Jesse Owens, a black man who ran in the face of racism both in Germany and the US? Or Michael Phelps, an exceptional athlete given every advantage to perform at this level?

I think that world-changing component is an important part of what makes a great Olympian. It's not as glamorous as having buckets of medals, but Jesse Owens gave a giant middle finger to Adolph Hitler. After the Olympics, Michael Phelps is going to (and absolutely should) cash in. Where's the lasting impact? And whither Mark Spitz?

[BB61]

There's still Jesse Owens, Richard Fosbury, Steve Redgrave, Nadia Comaneci, Muhammed Ali, Mark Spitz, Fanny Blankers-Koen, Michael Johnson, and don't for get Eric Moussambani.

I still want to know how he didn't drown while thrashing about in the pool all by himself in Sydney. Yeesh.

And what about Al Oreter, eh? Gold medal in the discus in four straight Olympics?

And what abou Betty Cuthbert?!

AND FLO-JO?!