Screw the Russian sweep, look at Phelps!

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Even NZ is beating USA in the birds nest.. lol (enjoying the moment while it lasts)

Hardly sport thread stuff taking a swipe at Russia.. Listening to Ms Rice barking orders to Russia over their intrusion into Georgia I wondered if her home address were Disneyland or a junkyard kennel? It must surely be time for the US to back off the world scene, let th ...[text shortened]... yippee for Val.

China in the ladies gym are sensational... These games are wonderful.

condajizza rice is responsible for 9/11 attacks. that makes here a terrorist in my eyes

Originally posted by vacostner
I agree, and not only did he win 8 golds, he set 7 new WR's and 1 new OR in these events as well. Track & field is the only other sport that someone could come close for the opportunity to win so many medals and that would be a rarity with athletes training towards specific disciplines. While I wouldn't classify him as the greatest athlete ever, he's definitely the best in his field.

I would not classify him as the greatest athlete ever either. But I would classify him as the greatest Olympian and greatest swimmer in history. Astromalcio, yes he does have the advantage to compete in 8 different events while others don't but you say that if other sports had as many different events for one person to compete in than many other athletes would also have 7 or 8 gold medals. I disagree with that statement because it took 36 years for 1 SWIMMER to break a fellow swimmer's record of 7 gold medals so what makes you think that other athletes could do the same in their respective sports? To win 1 gold medal is an AMAZING achievment, but to win 8 is just phenomenal.

I have seen other athletes do as well as did Phelps. Gregory Efthimios Louganis dominated two Olympics in the 10 meters Platform Diving. Louganis was awesome.

I think all we can say is that he is undoubtedly the best his sport has ever seen. Gold medals tallies accross different sports are hardly relevant (in absolute terms). The same goes for country tallies. When a gold medal in Decathlon has the same weight as a gold medal in Dressage, you know there's something wrong with it.

Didn't Tanni Grey Thompson win 11 golds (I think in one games)?

I wouldn't demonise anybody who overlooked this or said it was different but it would be very mean, credit where it's due.

Originally posted by asromacalcio
Didn't Tanni Grey Thompson win 11 golds (I think in one games)?

I wouldn't demonise anybody who overlooked this or said it was different but it would be very mean, credit where it's due.

Not in one games but over 5 Olympics - impressive bio on Wikipedia.

"Her Paralympic career began in 1998 in Seoul where she won a bronze medal in the 400m, and her last (and fifth) Paralympics was in Athens (2004) where she won 2 gold medals. In total in her Paralympic career she won 16 medals (11 gold, 4 silver and a bronze) and also 14 World Championship medals (7 Gold, 4 silver, and 3 Bronze)"

Originally posted by gambit3
Phelps is ok but what is with the jab at Russia?

Well we are currently pissed off at Russia for invading Georgia, I mean really, I have friends in Georgia, what are they going to do next, invade FLORIDA?

Originally posted by vacostner
[. Track & field is the only other sport that someone could come close for the opportunity to win so many medals ...

Not really, the best in T & A can do i about 5 100m, 200m long jump and the 2 relays.

Jess Ownes, Carl lewis and marion jones i think got 4 each.