Who thinks the media is overhyping Micheal Phelps by calling him the greatest athlete of all-times?

Question

I'm not trying to discredit him, what he has accomplished is amazing and most likely will never be duplicated, but I think calling him the greatest athlete of all time is a bit much.

Answer 1

Me too, brother. They throw away medals in swimming. The competition in the sport is weak too, when you consider how many great athletes (a lot in the inner cities) never had the resources to even try swimming. I'd take Carl Lewis, Jessie Owens and a few others as better Olympians over Phelps. They competed in sports that don't just throw away medals like swimming and they didn't have special Speedos, which are solely responsible for all these records falling.  

Answer 2

I don't think it is. Nobody has dominated any sport like he is dominating swimming. He already has more olympic gold medals than any other olympic athlete. He is not just beating the competition, he is dominating it. Nobody is even on the sam plane as him. He is competing in eight events and could possibly break eight world records. No athlete has ever done that.

GO PHELPS!!!

Answer 3

I think in terms of Olympics he is, because he won the most medals during one Olympic event.

but yet again, that's just for the Olympics.

One can never know how many hidden talents there are all over the world.  

Answer 4

I dont think so...I really think he's great...

Answer 5

I agree.  If they insist on ranking athletes, one could argue perhaps more effectively that Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete of all time.  He won both the decathalon and pentathalon events.  He excelled in all types of sports: tennis, golf, billiards, rowing, gymnastics and bowling.  He was a 3 sport pro athlete in football, baseball, and basketball.

He formed the entire track team at his school on several occasions, could play nearly every position in football, and even kicked a 95-yard punt.

If anyone could potentially lay claim to the greatest athlete moniker, it would be Jim Thorpe.

Answer 6

Watch Michael Phelps videos at Beijing 2008 Olympic swmming finals below

http://www.freakncool.com

Complete collection of 8 Gold Medals Videos

http://www.freakncool.com

Answer 7

I think you're a little too caught up in the semantics.  Perhaps he's not the "greatest" Olympic athlete ever; but he is clearly the "winningest" Olympic athlete ever.  

When you have the success that Phelps has had, you are going to be scrutinized against the all-time greatest athletes.  

It all depends on your definition of "great" athlete.  

Answer 8

They said the same thing about Ian Thorpe in Sydney.

Truth is, they are both great swimmers.  But, they are no Daley Thompson who is the greatest athlete ever.

Answer 9

not I, Phelps is a great American and on his return we should build statues to the god-like creature of the water