Michael Phelps is a great Olympian and I'm proud that he's won approximately 187 medals for us (take that Guatemala!). Having said that, there are two issues here. First, swimming has eight races and if you're the best swimmer you can win all of those races. The basketball team has a shot at one medal and one medal only. Is Michael Phelps really a "better" Olympian than Kobe Bryant because Kobe is only going to win one gold medal in this Olympics (presumably)?
Second, Phelps' body is built for swimming. So, there's a part of me that finds it hard to celebrate people who are extraordinarily gifted physically winning in their respective sports. I know there are other folks who are gifted physically who don't accomplish as much, but it's a fairly limited pool of people who can succeed in that arena (the "pool" pun was actually not intended, but now that I look back it, I like it).
This is why we root for Rocky. The little guy that isn't quite as physically gifted that does it through sheer will power. That's the heart of competition that I love. So, having said that, here is my annoying take on Michael Phelps medals that has been making people really angry when they watch it:
Understand that I am obviously saying some of this stuff tongue-in-cheek, but overall, I think this is a conversation worth having. And in the part of the show we didn't include here (you can watch the whole show here), I talked about why I respected Michael Jordan more than Shaquille O'Neal.
While Jordan was obviously extraordinarily athletic there were about 200 guys in the NBA with his skill set and he rose above all of them with his sheer will to win. Whereas there are about three guys in the whole world as big and agile as Shaq (there might actually be no one else in the world that big and that quick). Shaq still had to work hard and it was not a given that he was going to win any of his championships but I still respect Jordan more because it was harder for him.
Okay, that's my thoughts. Now, let me have it. Tell me why I don't understand athletics or appreciate swimming enough or tell me what an unpatriotic "lib" I am. But understand that I say all of this because of how I love competition. My favorite moments in sports are when you have two great evenly matched teams and they battle out to see who wants it more.
Finally, I understand that I am ironically taking credit away from Michael Phelps for being so great that he blows away the competition. But conversely, you have to admit, somehow claiming he is the greatest Olympic athlete because his sport has eight different races you can win medals in per every Olympics is a bit ridiculous.
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Does Phelps Really Deserve All This Praise for Winning His Gold Medals?
Posted Aug 13th 2008 5:00PM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Young Turks, Video, Sports
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Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 4)
46. Phelps is an outstanding "swimming athlete"...and if Bryant or Wade or James or Jordan want to win more than one medal, they can buy a HUGE pool with those HUGE NBA paychecks and start swimming laps for 6 hours a day.
But are we forgetting something here---I don't think for one minute that these athletes care which sporting category gets more medals or who competes for more medals...I think they are there to represent "US" and do their personal best to bring home some American and personal Pride...lets not take Phelps moments away---it is not like he can take his 9 medals home and pick up a multi-million dollar contract swimming in the NSA (((National Swimming Association))).
Lighten up---its the olympics.... they are games---and in four years from now we will have a whole new pool of heroes to scorn and over-analyze.
peace
tom at 3:32PM on Aug 14th 2008
47. Draft Dodger-Hmmmmm and you are so critical of others
Robert OKane at 9:56AM on Aug 14th 2008
xxx
strong words for a child sex abuser, okane.
Clif Kuplen at 5:32PM on Aug 14th 2008
48.
Cenk, it doesn't seem that your topic was a rallying cry to generate a huge number of posts.
JefFlyingV at 9:24PM on Aug 14th 2008
49. strong words for a child sex abuser, okane.
Clif Kuplen at 5:32PM on Aug 14th 2008
xxxxxx
You want to tell everyone your past with your daughter Julie too Clif?
anonymous at 9:37PM on Aug 14th 2008
50. 1) Articles like this one come across as petty, and yes, "buzzkill" is probably the most apt comment that can be made.
2) Russia is demonstrating to anyone willing to notice that it is prepared to take on 'the West' and anyone else who gets in the way of its imperial designs... and we are treated to blogs like this one. Young Turk, what's your 'take' on the situation in Georgia? Or is this, like everything else... "George Bush's Fault?"
Average White Guy at 10:43PM on Aug 14th 2008
51. strong words for a child sex abuser, okane.
Clif Kuplen at 5:32PM on Aug 14th 2008
xxxxxx
You want to tell everyone your past with your daughter Julie too Clif?
anonymous at 9:37PM on Aug 14th 2008
xxxx
You'd better explain your past with her before I contact her and the FBI. It had best be before I sign off.
If you're trying to be cute it could cost you a couple years of your freedom. Don't think this is going to go away. I can and will find you.
You just created a legally actionable situation by doing what you did, both tort and criminal.
As far as I'm concerned you're now a stalker, we're of diverse citizenship so it's a federal matter and you may be a criminal involved in her past, R.M. If you are, she will know.
And I'll tell you again - strong words for a child sex molester. You may very well belong behind bars.
Clif Kuplen at 11:20PM on Aug 14th 2008
52. Obviously the best swimmers are going to be built for swimming, the best gymnasts are going to be built for gymnastics, the best runners will be built for running, etc. Michael Phelps is an amazing swimmer, probably the best in the world, and as an American I'm proud of him. His collection of medals is proof that he dominates his sport in all areas.
Lets take the best wrestler in the world (only because I'm more familiar with the sport). Most wrestlers are really, really good at something, be it takedowns, bottom position, top position, etc., and very strong in all the other areas. The winner gets one gold medal, though. One. Even if he's by far the best in all areas, he gets one single gold medal. So I say, Michael Phelps is a dominant swimmer and possibly the best in the world, but comparing him to athletes in other events (with fewer opportunities to bring home some hardware) is taking him out of context and doing a disservice to the entire idea of the Olympic Games.
Jmurray2900 at 3:48AM on Aug 23rd 2008
53. Cenk,
It's bad enough that, as most readers have noticed, you can barely MOVE, but the real shame is that you can barely THINK or WRITE. I guess we should "root" for you since the odds are so against your having a public blog. Yet you have one! AND you are SO pleased with your own mediocrity that you point out your own stupid puns!
The Pundit(get it?!!)Olympics must be very "special" indeed.
As for who's physically "gifted," I think Kobe has it all over Phelps in that category. Phelps TRAINED to have that body. He got no natural advantage from height, not to take anything away from any over-celebrated & well-remunerated professional athletes whom we hear about constantly.
Also, if winning 8's so easy, why has no one ever done it before Phelps? You're on the same diet yet you fail repeatedly.
BTW, Michael Jordan called to say you SUCK!!!!
LS at 4:56AM on Aug 17th 2008
54. Yes, of course Phelps is built for swimming, but did he get that way through genetics or hard work? Probably more of the later.
I seriously doubt there were anywhere near 200 guys in the NBA as talented as Jordan. Maybe 5 guys at most. Blogger #10's Claims that Jordan "had the most unique skill set in NBA history" seem a bit overstated, if we're purely talking about physical skills here.
Lots of NBA players have been able to run, shoot, defend, handle the ball and easily dunk. Jordan was way more than the sum total of all those skills.
His greatness was a result of a combination of athleticism, basketball skills, intelligence and competitiveness. If all those things constitute a "skill set", yes Jordan was quite unique. The only guy I can think of who's exceeded him in all those categories and thus led his team to more championships in NBA history is Bill Russell.
And yes, Shaq is probably the most athletic big (7 foot, 300+ lbs.) man who's ever lived. Not much question there.
Dave at 11:22PM on Aug 17th 2008
55. If your logic was correct Phelps would not be breaking anyones record...the best guy would be winning all the records every single Olympics! Give the man credit for what he has done, which is surpass every other person for the number of Gold medal won.
falling at 8:31AM on Aug 20th 2008