From the Olympic Sports Desk... What seemed impossible at the beginning of the Beijing Games has become a reality. Half merman Michael Phelps went 8 for 8 in the pool and achieved the greatest feat in individual sports history.
It's an unparalleled accomplishment. We'll see Phelps on the cover of a Wheaties box and at a parade in Disney World. But we'll also see him mentioned whenever there is a discussion of the "greatest athletes ever." I cannot imagine another Olympian surpassing eight gold medals in a single Games. Tie it, maybe. Exceeding it? I really don't think we'll ever see that happen.
Hats off to Michael Phelps.
(Extra Tidbit: The first athlete to be featured on a Wheaties box? Lou Gehrig in 1934.)
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On a long enough time line, the probability of the most unlikely things happening at least once nears 1, but I don't think it will happen in our lifetimes. Maybe in the next 1000 years we'll see someone pull it off, but not the next 100.
He had one win by 1 hundredth of a second, and another at 8 hundredths. Current Olympic according to howstuffworks.com
( http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympic-timing.htm ), photo finishes for aquatic events don't have better resolution than 100 frames per second; Phelps couldn't have won by a smaller margin!
( http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympic-timing.htm )
What I think is also astounding is that he has 14 gold medals in his career, and I bet we'll see more won in four years, which is just as staggering.
I think the main reason Phelps' feat won't be broken is because an athlete would have to compete in 9 events to even have a chance. It doesn't seem possible.
Thanks for that link. Interesting stuff.
JW
of course it will happen some day, there will always be some one better and a bigger freak of nature on the future and then a better one after that per secula seculorum. i too think we will never see it in our lifetime.
Don't want to rain on your parade here, but I'm sure people were saying the same thing in 1972 when Mark Spitz won 7 golds at 1 Olympiad.
Don't get me wrong though, What Phelps has done was absolutely amazing.
He should count himself lucky that I broke a fingernail and didn't compete though.
I'm so sick of turning my TV and seeing this guy, plus he's ugly and has huge ears....no hate...just sick and tired of hearing and seeing him.
What I find truly amazing about this feat is that it has been done in a time when more and more athletes are electing to specialize in events rather than compete in multiple events. As far as swimming is concerned, it seems that the backstroke specialists stay within their specialty, butterfly within their specialty, and so on ... Under these circumstances, the most they can compete is the various distance races of their specialty and team medleys. Unless more events are added, there is no way to even enter enough events to have a chance.
In my opinion, as world records get lower and lower, the only way that athletes will have a chance to lower them further is to specialize. For this reason alone, Michael's feat will never be duplicated.
It's a very good point Tim.
Big deal. Look at Spitz - hair in the water, no goggles, a mustach to boot and he pulls it off. It's great he's trained since he was a wee lad, much like the athlete mills of other countries, but Phelps is nothing more then the result of constant training - he doesn't much of anything else . Ok so he got 8 golds, but look at the volleyball who have to win two out of three games to move foraward, or the baseball. I think it can be done, breaking it, but it's gonna be a while.
Wow, Mr Phelps doing the Mission Impossible. Good morning indeed!
Czucko - Your point about Spitz would be more valid if we were strictly talking about the World Records, but that's not the case. Even Spitz is on record as saying that what Phelps has done was far more difficult than what he himself achieved.
There are many more world-class athletes that Michael and company had to compete against in order to achieve this feat. What Spitz did was amazing, but the level of competition simply wasn't as deep as it is now. More athletes, training in more locations, with increasingly better facilities ... not to mention the latest technology being more readily available to everyone. The 'playing field' is more equal and much deeper today than in the 70's.
I'll say this much though, I believe that his world records will all be beat in time. Specialization will take care of that. But 8 gold medals? No way. The opportunity will never be there again unless that structure of the sport fundamentally changes.
Congrats to Phelp..a huge accomplishment!
Lets not forget all of the swimmers who helped him reach that goal..
Cindy-
Great point, Lets not forget all of the other swimmers that helped Phelps look good by going slow enough that Phelps could exit the pool, shower and get dressed, only to return and cheer for the guy behind him racing for second place.
Kerwin-Sorry that Phelps isn't your masturbatory material of choice. Perhaps you should let him enjoy the spotlight as the greatest olympian of all time. I know this may not be what you would like to do, but I would suggest changing the channel to VH1 so you can get your jollies off of someone more your type, like Flavor Flav.
BAD Dave! Guess we're not starting the week off mellow, eh?
#1-
I thought that was mellow?
Dave - you were a pussycat last week. I mean, you tried to ruffle the Reverend's feathers a bit, but not much more outside of that. Glad to see you back. Hopefully they'll give you a challenge this week. It'll help the campaign.
Even being ugly or whatever they told upwards, still he scored a hell of a mark in the Olympic Games.
Dave, did the security guys provided you a nice fishing weekend?
#1-I guess I was feeling a little mellow last week. I must be sick or something.
LC- Ya know the fishing didn't go down but some dude once said:
Friday was like one of those fly dreams
Didn't even see a berry flashing those high beams
No helicopter looking for a murder
Two in the morning got the fat burger
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp
And it read Big Daves a pimp
Drunk as hell but no throwing up
Half way home and my pager still blowing up
Friday I didn't even have to use my A.K.
I got to say it was a good day.
Even If I didn't go fishing.
Dave -
I had to go cause I got me a drop top
and if I hit the switch
I can make the aaaaaaaasss drop!
...which is what I did when Tito arrived this weekend. We took a little drive around town. Thanks again for the wonderful gift!
Well, at least a Friday is a Friday... And I love Fridays. Nothing but a nice weekend waiting for me in the end of the day.
First of all, I love the regulars on here--smiles and rainbows do not make for an interesting blog comments read. Sarcasm and intelligent, witty jabs do (with a touch of who pissed on your cornflakes thrown in for good measure)...
Dave you have my vote (and CLC_08, I'm happy to see a VP candidate who can hold her own w/the boys--better than Hillary any day!)...
Second, I also want to thank those who keep bringing my thoughts back to Mr Phelps. I just returned home after spending the summer w/my boyfriend and NBC and YBNBY have helped keep my spirits up--instead of missing him, I find myself being quite patriotic :)
And those ears...some people find them large...I think I could put them to good use (something to hold on to, that's all I'm going to say)
Sarc.1-
Please tell me that you are a chick...
Please tell me that you are a chick...
Please tell me that you are a chick...
Damn the world is getting confusing.
Dear Sarcastic One,
Thank you for the kind words. YBNBY is the only place where people don't judge my violent tendencies towards stupid people, Jesse Jackson, and fat people who feel sorry for themselves. Please confirm for Dave if you're an "innie" or an "outie".
All the best!!
CLC_08
I AM a chick....
was it my hold on to the ears comment?
if I recall, I said I had a crush on Phelps, not Greg Louganis....
See Dave? Nothing to worry about. No one is playing The Crying Game around here. You're safe dude.
Sarcastic One - Thank you. I hope you didn't get offended by my asking. Dave needed to make sure JW and Echowood didn't have anything on him that could ruin his bid for the presidency. Now if you turn up with ass crickets - we don't know you.
See Dave? You're safe... hahah
CLC - We just need her to be checked by the AVU. We don't need a pedophilia scandal in Dave's campaign, right? Sure, the ass-crickets check might be good too.
Sarc one- I'm sorry, it's just you had said something about rainbows, and then the ears comment. I got confused I just wanted to make sure.
My imagination has been pretty limited as of late.
Dave...
Girls like "individualized attention", too, you know....or maybe you don't know? That will hurt your vote count among the sex and the city demographic....you need to read some Cosmo or Glamour, ASAP!
And I was insulting rainbows, not waving them...(sorry about the confusion--I was thinking Rainbow Brite and CareBears when I wrote it--it was supposed to mean that this site is not saccharine sweet...)
As for age-checking...the fact that I know the name of someone who dived in the '84 Olympics in LA (way back during the Cold War, when Russia boycotted and we won stuff) should give it away (as does the cheesy 80's reference above)
Also why I don't make pop culture references in classes (I'm too old to be going to school w/the Facebook crowd, but too snobby to get my B.A. from Phoenix or Strayer)...
Not trying to ruin anyone's chances for office...just decided to post instead of lurk for a change...I still love you guys though...
in a non-threatening, glad you haven't had any scandals of the Gary Hart/John Edwards variety yet....
but something tells me that Dave isn't a pretty boy politician (that's a compliment--I promise)
and ass crickets? not going anywhere NEAR that one....
oh, now i see the sarcastic one, i like her already.
Sarcastic One-
I don't believe that I will be needing to Consult Cosmo or Glamour for any type of advise. Thank you for the advise but perhaps you should advise Cosmo and Glamour to read me.
As for the age, don't worry about that. You are a lady, that will always be beautiful.
Dave.....
okay, no Cosmo (there is a bit too much on how to please your man in there--see the excellent video on the Onion site this week re: that)--
just remember...there's a reason women like the number 69.
That knowledge will get you votes.
There's a reason that Michelle Obama smiles so much (and it seems genuine) and Cindy McCain does the "I'm faking it" smile.
Two things in life a woman should never fake...one is laughter.
Sarcastic one.
Thank you for the novice advise. Though any input is always taken into consideration, It is important to know that the information that you provided was given to me in the third grade.
I will not take your advise as an insult if you will not take my comment as one.
Love Dave
P.S.
I would argue that Mrs. McCain is probably the more satisfied of the two. Though John is up in age, let us not forget that he spent three years as a prisoner of war. That is a lot of time to think about the future.
Sarcastic One - Good point on genuine smiles. From the looks of Cindy McCain's 'smile', she definitely wears a strap-on. Looking at John's er..uhh.. smile? - they may want to consider getting a smaller, more comfortable size. I think it's too much for the Senator, and he's getti...and he's up in age and all.
So Dave, that sort of validates your point about Mrs. McCain. I only disagree with how his time was spent as a prisoner of war. No one asked, so he didn't tell. Remember, he's old school. Where he comes from, Man Love isn't something you shout from the rooftops like these crazy kids are doing today.
CLC-08 they do ask about wanted and unwanted man love at the VA hospitals and have counseling if needed. i know cause i mostly go to hear those stories.
Etantao - so the VA hospitals do care? They provide Man Love counseling too!?!? I never knew. I still don't think McCain would talk about his Man Love. I think he's too old school for that, you know he's 116 years old - and they just didn't talk about stuff like that back in his days. I believe he also has ass-crickets - it's the most logical reason for all of the facial 'blemishes'. He let it get out of hand, and it's starting to eat at his face now.
Sarcastic One - this is why it's important that you get the turtle checked out. STAT!
Wait--am I getting the turtle too??? I want no part of that gig...I won't be home when it's delivered...maybe the neighborhood hawk will get it first...(I wish I were kidding about that, but I'm not...I live on the border of the boonies, but not all the way out in Tim's family's territory)
CLC_08---I really, really hope that McCain doesn't win this November...spending the next 4 years with the image of the First Lady and her star spangled strap-on burned in my brain will not be a good thing...
although she probably wouldn't be the first (weren't there rumors about Eleanor?)(and wait--didn't Hillary claim to "talk" to her when Bill was President?)
that's why I've officially changed my vote to Dave...assuming he's old enough to run....
speaking of Dave....no, I won't take offense...but I'm still not convinced that you know that 69 is anything other than a decent golf score (that's what your dad told you in third grade when you overheard your mom tell him it's her favorite number, right?)
It's amazing how far off topic the comments can get...
Did you guys hear that a poll on TMZ between Phelps and Clooney? Phelps beat Cloony on a 'Who would you rather?".
Check:
http://www.tmz.com/2008/08/17/whod-you-rather-olympians-vs-stars-redirect/
Okay, I've been hearing all the buzz about women having a crush on this guy, and I'm sorry - I just don't see it. He looks like a distant cousin to Peyton and Eli Manning...
And please, don't mistake my opinion on his looks as a dump on him as an athlete, because the guy is incredible (I can't stress that enough). But on an intimate level? Really? Over George Clooney??? That's just amazing.
Hmmmm....Phelps over Clooney?
Ehh....I don't see it. Phelps has amazing abs but one day those will be gone...Clooney on the other hand has gotten better with age (anyone who disagrees has to look at the Facts of Life Clooney, or on his original (non-hit show) ER--a comedy)
Maybe it's because Phelps is always pictured with gold...or in a pool. It IS warm out...
A rematch---Clooney sitting poolside with an Oscar in his hand (The Academy's Oscar, not just any Oscar) against Phelps holding one of his 8 medals.
Gay rumors aside, Clooney would win in my book....we know what he looks like past the age of 50...and Matt Damon and Brad Pitt are his friends...
It would be more of an achievement if swimming wasn't one discipline subdivided into fifteen just for the sake of it. Backstroke? WTF? Where is the backwards running event to match that, or the discus throw over the shoulder? Where is the 400 meter running medley? (100 meters straight, 100 meters backwards, 100 meters hopscotch and 100 meters on one leg)
And Butterfly? Who in the world - except for competitive swimmers - uses that stroke? While Phelps' achievement is nothing to be sneered at, there is no other discipline where it would be possible, because no other sport has that many subdivisions of essentially the same thing - for better or worse.
JET - I don't see how that makes it any less of an achievement.
Because no other sport can compete with swimming for sheer number of extremely similar under-disciplines (except the ones based on body-weight). Rifle may have 10 and 30 meters distance, but doesn't have over-the-shoulder, hanging upside down, a medley and a rifle relay, for instance. Someone of Phelps' capacity in another sport could - at best - get four golds in one olympic games . Hell, in certain sports, there's only one podium to go for - like the high jump.
I'm saying that unless they do things like expand track events next time to include 100 meter short track (50 meters back and forth), 100 meters backwards and 200 meter four-man leap frog, they really should trim the swimming events by about half out of fairness to non-swimming athletes.
JET - Track and Field and Gymnastics are also one discipline subdivided into various events. Not sure I get your point.
JET - That explanation still does nothing to make Phelps' feat any less of an achievement. In fact, the point that you make about changing things like expanding track is the exact point I made earlier as the only way Phelps' achievement can ever be in jeopardy.
It seems that you are bent about swimming having so many events and, therefore, it is somehow unfair to athletes in other events. I have yet to hear any athlete complain that the sport they love doesn't have enough permeations in order to fairly compete with swimming. Most stand in awe of what he has achieved. Hell, most are probably relieved that there isn't as mush pressure to complete in that many heats/events in their sport.
Sorry man, but I think your criticism is completely misguided. The swimming events make sense. Every YMCA in the country offers swim lessons in the Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle.
Oh, by the way. I've seen many lifeguards use the Butterfly stroke when attempting to swim out in rough surf. It seems that it would be useful in certain situations.
Conserva: Track & Field is not one discipline subdivided into others. An affinity for the javelin does not make you a good hurdler by default. Gymnastics could be said to qualify, but the various disciplines there are much further from each other than the various swimming ones when it comes to the required coordination, build and training.
Tim: yes, by *tradition* "every YMCA in the country" (curiously US-centric phrase when discussing a global sports event, BTW) teaches all of the sub-disciplines of swimming. But if it were some freakish new sport, I doubt that many permutations would be an automatic thing.
I'd argue that in swimming the training/skill/talent overlap between disciplines is far, far greater than in almost any other single sport. No one's going to tap a great sprinter for the long jump or a ping-pong player for badminton. The skill focus is much narrower in most other sports, which is what makes a Spitz or Phelps practically impossible in any other setting.
It's still a tremendous achievement worthy of praise, but I think the adulation should be somewhat tempered by the fact that it comes in a discipline that by its very nature facilitates the winning of more medals per person than any other sport you care to name.
Jet, I think you are a little confused buddy.
Speaking of confused Sarcastic One, please. If you think that I'm ignorant to the number 69, they you are off in left field.
Everyone knows 69 stands for how many seconds a guy should last to truly please a lady. Don't ever question my knowledge.
I shouldn't even have to write just kidding at the end of that.
JET -
Yes, "every YMCA in the country" is a US-centric phrase. Being a US citizen, what other fucking phrase would I use? Young Men's Clubs of AMERICA. Are there YMCAs in Europe? Do I care? Should I have done research to find some reference to an International Community of Swimming standards? Would it have better proven my point?
I am an American. I reference things that I know ... which are American by nature. That doesn't make me insensitive to the rest of the world. Oh and by the way, this is SWIMMING, not world politics.
You throw out examples like 'discuss throw over the shoulder' and '100 meter hopscotch' and expect to be taken seriously enough to critique people on political correctness? C'mon, man.
I'm not going to keep rehashing the same shit, clearly you're confused. Based on your final paragraph, we seem to be saying essentially the same thing. You just have a problem accepting this sport as it is.
I left a twenty on the nightside bitch, I'm done with you.
Dave...
now we're getting into the advice your big brother gave you....sigh....
I'm just thinking that numbers aren't your strong suit....
But you still have my vote...
and did I mention that I've always wanted to be Ambassador to a Caribbean nation?
Wow, I guess I struck a nerve, Tim. Too bad that the actual argument content of your diatribe doesn't match its argumentative nature. You may also want to check your humor meter, because I suspect you're running on fumes there.
And, just because I'm curious; what is a "nightside bitch" and why would you leave money on it?
JET - Tim left the money on your nightstand (small table on the side of your bed...possibly a drawer and a lamp??...ring a bell?)
That term is used to basically validate he owns you. Has purchased you for twenty dollars. Like a cheap prostitute. Like a sack of weed. Like 40 cases of Top Ramen.
Tim - I'm just as sick as you are, so that may be why I laughed my ass off. Plus, you actually used profanity, and that's not your style man. Guess the head wasn't that good, eh?
Leo - Prop our buddy Jet in the corner.
CLC - My guys won't prop Jet in a corner. Instead they'll get they diving gear and help him in his Pearl Diving in some roadside motel swimming pool.
That's another way to straighten the things...
By the way, thanks for disturbing my lunchtime, E.
Thanks for the support, gang. I don't understand what point JET is trying to make anymore. Problem is, I don't think he/she knows what the point is either.
CLC - You're spot on with the profanity comment. I only use profanity for emphasis when I am pissed off. I have three daughters.
I'm Johnny Wright and I support Tim's message.
I second that JW.
I am Jeni Gump and I approve of this message.
That's what we stand for, Tim. You can count on us.
Damn typo again... "they'll get THEIR diving gear"
Conserva; That's not what Tim wrote. Read it again. He put the twenty on something called a "nightside bitch". It's there in black and white, clear as day. Then again, you're referring to Tim's "style man", which is another term I'm unfamiliar with and which makes little sense in context.
Hint; "eat, my friends" =/= "eat my friends".
Regular Einstein convention in here.
So, then, you're riding my ass because I forgot a comma?
Yet, judging by the 'hint' in your latest post, you clearly understood what I meant without it.
Wow. Done.
JET - Wow. I DID re-read Tim's comment, and I'm really sorry, man. That missing comma really changed the scope of Tim's message, man. I was out of line for ever getting into a grammatical ocaton fighting cage with you, man. I've been humbled, man. I've certainly learned my lesson, man. Although I am no where near deserving, please forgive me, man.
Jeni - I'll turn this one over to you. He seems to be fluent in the Douche language, so have yourself a ball!
I almost forgot about this post. WTF
Jet, buddy, you make as much sence as a solar powered flashlight.
Douche Bag.
Sarcastic One-
I know you want me. I'm not a dumbass
You keep trying to challenge my know how, I joke and you take it litterally.
I know what you are doing, it has been tried before.
I am simply not interested.
FYI, if you think that 69 is as good as it gets you are gravely mistaken and have been with too many old guys who's Viagra has lapsed.
There is better. I will provide references if needed.
Now quit calling my house and hanging up.
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner CLC_08, I have had a really weird but good weekend punctuated by a weirdly good Monday that got fucked up when I tried to re-logon and I forgot my logon shit. Anyway, I don't try to converse with douchebags, I just kinda let them do their thing because it's funny.