Michael Phelps Is The Greatest Olympian Of All Time

[in stitches]

truth

Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is a retired American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for gold medals (18, double that of the next highest record holders), gold medals in individual events (11), and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13). In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. Five of those victories were in individual events, tying the single Games record.

Maryland REPRESENT!

 

[Thomas]

stitch, that's a bit like saying you're the greatest poaster ever because you have a high poast count.

(no hate though)

 

[Thomas]

BTW: Jesse Owens.

 

[whiteslashasian]



stitch, that's a bit like saying you're the greatest poaster ever because you have a high poast count.
(no hate though)

If he had the highest number of the highest quality poasts, at 4 year intervals, this analogy might work...

 

[in stitches]



stitch, that's a bit like saying you're the greatest poaster ever because you have a high poast count.
(no hate though)

this maybe maybe what slash meant, but phelps not only has teh most medals, he pwned the field in quality time after time after time.

WINRAR IS HE!

 

[Thomas]

Oy jeez. Medal counts.

So, 9 of Phelps' 22 medals come from relays (quick glance, could be off by 1 or 2). That means that he's only responsible for 13 medals under his own power. Out of, what ,32 events (four Olympics - Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London) - that's barely a 40% medal rate. Not even 40% winning, just medaling. feh.

Jesse Owens: 1 olympics (or is that Olympic?), four events, four gold medals. Unbeaten.

 

[edmorel]

I hate this argument. Yes, he is in a class of his own when it comes to swimming but ******* swimmers have like 10 events every goddamn olympics so it would take 4 olympics for a gymnast/track and field athlete to get the gold medal chances that he gets in one olympics. That doesn't take away from his accomplishments but imagine if those two volleyball hags missy may and the other one had 4-5 volleyball events each olympics they've been to(individual, beach team, indoor team, 18 inch sand, 6 inch sand, 4x4 relay volleyball etc), they'd have like 30 medals a piece right now.

 

[gort]

Born in MD and lived there 25 years until moving to VA but I never really felt any sort of MD pride over Phelps. Not sure why, maybe it's because I used to hear stories about how much of a douche he was from Towson people I knew.

 

[lukelukeluke]



Born in MD and lived there 25 years until moving to VA but I never really felt any sort of MD pride over Phelps. Not sure why, maybe it's because I used to hear stories about how much of a douche he was from Towson people I knew.

traitor.

 

[curzon]



Oy jeez. Medal counts.
So, 9 of Phelps' 22 medals come from relays (quick glance, could be off by 1 or 2). That means that he's only responsible for 13 medals under his own power. Out of, what ,32 events (four Olympics - Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London) - that's barely a 40% medal rate. Not even 40% winning, just medaling. feh.
Jesse Owens: 1 olympics (or is that Olympic?), four events, four gold medals. Unbeaten.

If you dismiss Phelps's relay medals then you have to do likewise for Owens, too. So now it's 3. Moreover, Owens's relay gold medal came after a Jewish sprinter was removed from the lineup and Owens agreed to run in his place. Could he have taken a more principled stand by refusing to run that leg? Perhaps.

 

[Gibonius]

The swimmers certainly get a big leg up because of all the events, but it's not like Phelps is just winning golds, he's crushing the field and setting records. In Beijing, he won eight golds and set world records in seven of them. Having so many events is a huge conditioning and logistics issue too, he was winning multiple events a day back in Beijing. Being so good that you can beat the best in the world twice in a day, when they're often specializing in one event, is pretty damn impressive.

On top of that, he's been the best in the world for a very long time. He set world records and won gold in Athens in 2004 and is still the best in the world now.

 

[edmorel]

I was hoping for a gold medal on my "volleyball/hags" riff but I guess not

which brings me to the idea that maybe someone should do an olympics event type of threak for SFers. Something like having 4-5 posters in the "most useless posts" event and then handing someone the gold. Or maybe I am just really bored at work.

 

[why]



The swimmers certainly get a big leg up because of all the events, but it's not like Phelps is just winning golds, he's crushing the field and setting records. In Beijing, he won eight golds and set world records in seven of them. Having so many events is a huge conditioning and logistics issue too, he was winning multiple events a day back in Beijing. Being so good that you can beat the best in the world twice in a day, when they're often specializing in one event, is pretty damn impressive.
On top of that, he's been the best in the world for a very long time. He set world records and won gold in Athens in 2004 and is still the best in the world now.

And Usain Bolt did the same. Actually, a lot of Olympians do this. Faster pools, faster tracks, better drugs.

I think there should be three Olympics -- Summer, Winter, and Water. I'm getting so sick of seeing swimming, diving, etc. I don't think Bolt's last gold was even televised. It's just ridiculous.

 

[in stitches]

this thread is shaping up just as i hoped it would.

please continue.

MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD MD!!!

 

[StephenHero]

I know his medal count isn't equal to Phelps' but Apolo Anton Ohno had to do it eating Subway Melts.