Phelps is not overrated.. he is the best swimming right now, side by side with Thorpe.
The problem is that the press put on him an mission that is completely non sense and impossible to acomplish right now.

1st of all it didnt depend ONLY on him, because of the 4x100, 4x200 etce tc.
2nd, he would have to beat hoogenband and thorpe in 200m

I would pretty much say he's getting 5 gold medal, which is PRETTY FUCKIN impressive.

raidern_br

Brazil620 Posts

August 17 2004 22:21 GMT

#88

other thing, the 'peak' of a swimmer is arround 25 years.
and besides that, if you dont know, Popov won both 50m and 100m freestyle last year in the world championship.

Renots

Zimbabwe12 Posts

August 18 2004 02:25 GMT

#89

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mensrea

Canada5062 Posts

August 18 2004 14:40 GMT

#90

"Overrated" is a relative term. By "overrated" I meant the American media's hyper-obnoxious expectation that Phelps somehow had a "good" chance at equaling or even beating Mark Spitz's 7 Gold record set in '72 Munich. Although hype is an inevitable part of television (it's all about the ratings), I personally felt it was unfair to foist on Phelps such unreasonable expectations. I mean, people should be hailing this guy as a phenomenal swimmer just for getting 3-4 Golds - at a single Olympics - at the age of 19! But, the way the hype's been set up, people might actually be disappointed that Phelps comes away with "only" 6 Golds! What the hell.

Anyway, Phelps is probably the best all-around swimmer in the world today. In that sense, he's certainly not overrated. He's also definitely exceeding my original expectations - at least, so far.

PuertoRican

United States5709 Posts

August 18 2004 14:44 GMT

#91

my favorite swimmers were Beard, Phelps, and that Japanese guy who won 2 golds was it? the one who they were saying he dolphin kicked.

i was sad to see Hansen or however you spell it, didnt win his race vs. the japanese guy, he was just too good.

Renots

Zimbabwe12 Posts

August 18 2004 19:02 GMT

#92

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KOFgokuon

United States14912 Posts

August 18 2004 20:48 GMT

#93

On August 19 2004 04:02 Renots wrote:
yes and the hungarian little guy was awesome too, what a comeback at the end of the race.
oh and it was sad for Brendan Hansen not to get a gold.. he broke both 100-200m breastroke WR in Olympic trials just a while ago so t.t
anyway, tonight phelps gets another gold and peirsol too. I want to see Phelps performance of tomorrow in the 100 fly very badly. If he wins that event then he gets 6 golds 2 bronze. If he gets second to crocker then he's kinda "fucked up". And yes Mensrea, to be fucked up with 4 golds and 3 more medals is just too much. But i think Phelps is also responsible (not only the american media) for creating all this hype of breaking Spitz's record (he said he was capable and that he accepted the challenge). Just a way for Speedo to get attention on swimming and on Phelps, who is getting lots of money.

is he responsible? yes. but he did make a legitimate run at it. it's not like he's some low-talent guy who just decided to go for spitz's record. by the end of the olympics he's going to be VERY close.

KOFgokuon

United States14912 Posts

August 19 2004 02:12 GMT

#94

#4 is over and done with
the real challenge comes tomorrow in the 100 fly
regardless he'll get the gold in the medley cause he'll swim in the prelims if he doesn't win the gold in the fly, but i bet he would vastly prefer winning the gold in the finals and setting another medley relay world record gogo america -_-

Hot_Bid

Braavos36402 Posts

August 19 2004 02:16 GMT

#95

anyone else find it very ironic that the American guy who whined and accused that japanese guy that won the breaststroke of an illegal dolphin kick (judges ruled his kick was legal) got disqualified for an illegal turn (the American would've set a record and won the gold)

talk about your karma haha

exalted

United States3612 Posts

August 19 2004 02:20 GMT

#96

Just a slightly offtopic question;

I heard about that swimmer that was 15 years old (and he looked huge), but how can you compete with people who are larger and stuff like that? I think it's amazing that at that age they have the technique and speed to be able to compete at such a high level. ARe they at a disadvantage/advantage due their size?

KOFgokuon

United States14912 Posts

August 19 2004 09:35 GMT

#97

ehh in breaststroke height isn't nearly as important as say in freestyle or backstroke or fly. some people mature fast like michael phelps, competeing in the olympics at 15 (even tho he *only* got 5th in teh 200 fly). some people are just prodigies like that. way more common in girls tho

homoerectus_

149 Posts

August 19 2004 10:42 GMT

#98

are you kidding? that 15 year old looked tiny. and he is amazing.

thorpe > phelps (& the rest) at his events (freestyle, 200, 400)

phelps > thorpe (& the rest) in his events (medley)

seriously, i'd like phelps more if he wasn't a big mouth and be more like thorpe. i don't like thorpe for being perhaps the gayest straight guy there is, but that's just a personal opinion.

and the americans do have this thing about always being the best of all time. they always want someone to dethrone mark spitz (which i don't think will ever happen) while australians and other countries hold their old atheletes in high regard you guys just seem to want to put them down.