You forgot about the 800, which is one of the most exciting track events to watch, precisely because they're not stuck in lanes, but it's still short of fast enough to be exciting. You can win it by frontrunning and you can win on a late kick.
You forgot about the 800, which is one of the most exciting track events to watch, precisely because they're not stuck in lanes, but it's still short of fast enough to be exciting. You can win it by frontrunning and you can win on a late kick.
Running is the basis for all sports. Everyone able bodied has the opportunity to run. Less than half the world has the opportunity to swim.
I don't want to bash swimming, I just agree that its completely false to call the greatest ever.
More people in the world can walk than run. Walking is the sport of all sports.
Very dense
boomsauce wrote:
Running is the basis for all sports. Everyone able bodied has the opportunity to run. Less than half the world has the opportunity to swim.
I don't want to bash swimming, I just agree that its completely false to call the greatest ever.
Let's just say that is true, who cares? Just because many people have access to running, most people don't enjoy it - including many, many people who could be great at it.
Many people just don't enjoy the monotony of running. So, while they include some running to train for their "real" sport, they don't want it to be their sole focus. They might enjoy a sport that requires more than just a singular focus, for example, soccer requires running, agility, learning how to control a ball using only your feet, etc.
Since the only objective measure of success in the Olympics is medal count, Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympican ever.
By your same twisted logic I can count all the people that swim but don't like competiting in it. Now we have a depth of talent that is next to non existent. If numbers are your marker where do we rate usain bolt, seb coe, micheal Johnson, alberto juantorena, geb, el g, bekele et al. All these athletes have less medals than numerous swimmers, gymnasts, kayakers, shooters... The numbers game is not subjective its only relevant to the sport they compete in. You really can't argue with fact.
Citius, Altius, Fortius
The greatest Olympian needs to represent the Olympic motto, at the least.
Michael Wilbon wrote an article on this topic today for ESPN. I agree with his sentiment... Phelps is the greatest swimmer, and he is in the top 5 for sure. See the article:(http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/swimming/story/_/id/8222710/2012-olympics-phelps-greatest-ever-debate)....
It is basically a more civilized version of the discusion taking place here. None of the, "you don't agree with me, you must be an inbred commie-moron" flavor that discussions here seem to generate.
The greatest Olympian of all time is Dezső Gyarmati
5 medals as an athlete (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) over 5 seperate Olympiads
3 medals as a coach (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) over 3 more Olympiads.
He did this in a real sport where you only get 1 chance at a medal each time. 1 chance! Not all these variations of the same sport.
Not only this but his sport is a real sport where you have to be a real athlete.
Out bitches!
Track events have a much greater genetic bias toward success then any sport other than perhaps womens gymnastics.
So while most of the world knows how to move one foot in front of the other, results are way to skewed based on genetics to consider any track athlete the greatest Olympian.
Lol you must be trolling because that is the most aburd thing I have ever read on letsrun.
Jasari22 wrote:
Lol you must be trolling because that is the most aburd thing I have ever read on letsrun.
Let me know the next time you have a white guy seeded first going into the 100m.
Is he the greatest now?
Another Gold. Three in a row in the same event.
Leaves no doubt - GOAT.
5th in the 400IM. Good thing swimming gives you a good 5 chances for individual gold.
He dominates a weak sport. Other people are far more impressive.Fact.
Fittest on Earth wrote:
Another Gold. Three in a row in the same event.
Leaves no doubt - GOAT.
All races compete in track. Virtually 99% whites compete in swimming. Come back to me when you avoid contradicting yourself.
Got my vote now. What a race.
G.O.A.T.
Even with Carl Lewis in my book. Any more medals and he'll pass him.
Here's some more ammunition.
Boris shakhlin
Sawao kato
Nikolai adrianov
Mark spitz
Larisa latynina
Vera castavska
Krisztina egerszegi
Vitality scherbo
Nadia comeneci
All these athletes have won a minimum of 5 gold medals.
More than bolt,seb coe, bekele, juantorena, mike Powell, daley Thompson, Jessie Owens and the list goes on.
What do the athletes at the top have in common... yep they are all gumnasys and swimmers. Sports which have multiple chances at medals in similar events and less worldwide competition.
But of course the second group of athletes are obviously inferior olympians to the first group because they don't have the same skewed medal tally.