Sound off: How Impressive is Phelps record breaking medal count?

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  • RaychelSnr
    Executive Editor
    • Jan 2007
    • 4845

    #1

    Sound off: How Impressive is Phelps record breaking medal count?



    Michael Phelps is a record holder: he has the most medals out of any Olympian ever in history. Some are wanting to call Phelps the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, but it's worth noting that he happens to be great in a sport with numerous events. I'm not sure you can call him the best Olympic Athlete ever just based on his medal count -- as making a case for dominance in a sport long term could be made for many others.

    However, winning 18 medals total (I'm avoiding Olympic results so this could have easily changed) is no small feat. It's one worthy of celebration.

    So what about you? Is Michael Phelps the best ever? How impressed are you by his medal count?
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  • Retropyro
    Pro
    • Jul 2010
    • 796

    #2
    He is a great swimmer & a great Olympian. But he is not the best Olympic athlete of all time. Especially when there are athletes who have competed and won medals in both the winter and summer Olympics.
    Now should he show up in 2014 and compete & medal in say Speed skating, well then he moves to the top of the list.
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    • Hooe
      Hall Of Fame
      • Aug 2002
      • 21554

      #3
      Michael Phelps is one of the most impressive athletes of all time in any sport. Ever.

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      • bosoxfan1
        Rookie
        • Mar 2003
        • 161

        #4
        c'mon 15 of those are GOLD medals, he's been that good! I don't ever care for swimming but he's up there. Yes, there's numerous events but they compete more than once in a single day... don't think that's easy to do.

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        • elgreazy1
          MVP
          • Apr 2007
          • 2996

          #5
          Great athlete who put in the work and dedication. But I have never viewed swimming on the same level of athleticism as, say, those competing in decathlons.
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          • Find_the_Door
            Nogueira connoisseur
            • Jan 2012
            • 4051

            #6
            Kinda disappointed in Phelps lately, he seems to have lost his competitive drive over the last four years, darn shame too.
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            • Gleebo
              Rookie
              • Jun 2003
              • 342

              #7
              You gotta love a guy who can blow bingers in the evening and win 19 Olympic Medals....He has dominated that sport for 20 years no other athlete that I can remember has been that dominant for that long...maybe Gretzky.

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              • Sovartus
                Pro
                • Mar 2007
                • 503

                #8
                Ummmmm.... jordan?
                These are my opinions based off of my perspective. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but if you disagree, we can still agree to disagree agreeably and not fight about it.

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                • Sovartus
                  Pro
                  • Mar 2007
                  • 503

                  #9
                  Ummmmm.... Russell?
                  These are my opinions based off of my perspective. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but if you disagree, we can still agree to disagree agreeably and not fight about it.

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                  • Bull_Dozer
                    Rookie
                    • Apr 2010
                    • 247

                    #10
                    Good for him. But... it's still just swimming, sport I put on the level of table tennis or shot putting.

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                    • jmik58
                      Staff Writer
                      • Jan 2008
                      • 2401

                      #11
                      I've always played down his accomplishments due to the fact there are so many variations of swimming events.

                      There are no other Olympic sports with the same opportunity for that sport's athletes.

                      Great for him over the course of his career. He's perhaps the greatest swimmer, but I don't think you can remove the term "swimmer" from any label you give him.

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                      • bigsmallwood
                        MVP
                        • Aug 2008
                        • 1474

                        #12
                        Michael Phelps broke a record that was near impossible to do. We may never see another person come close to accomplishing what he has just done. People do not give swimmers enough credit for their sport and Phelps has been the best in the world for almost 4 Olympics straight. Regardless of his out of the pool activities, he has earned the right to be called the greatest Olympian EVER.

                        @Bull_Dozer....as an athlete myself, I would love to see you swim the 200M butterfly and we shall see if you call it "just swimming".
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                        • gigadkc
                          Rookie
                          • Oct 2008
                          • 199

                          #13
                          he did it during the steroid era, so yeah ... very "impressive" XD. tbh he may be the best swimmer of all time but I don't trust any athlete that wins a gold medal these days, let alone 15.
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                          • Yeah...THAT Guy
                            Once in a Lifetime Memory
                            • Dec 2006
                            • 17294

                            #14
                            Re: Sound off: How Impressive is Phelps record breaking medal count?

                            Originally posted by bigsmallwood
                            Michael Phelps broke a record that was near impossible to do. We may never see another person come close to accomplishing what he has just done. People do not give swimmers enough credit for their sport and Phelps has been the best in the world for almost 4 Olympics straight. Regardless of his out of the pool activities, he has earned the right to be called the greatest Olympian EVER.

                            @Bull_Dozer....as an athlete myself, I would love to see you swim the 200M butterfly and we shall see if you call it "just swimming".
                            Isn't this his 3rd Olympics? He dominated two Olympics and has been very good but not dominant in this year's.
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                            • bigsmallwood
                              MVP
                              • Aug 2008
                              • 1474

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Yeah...THAT Guy
                              Isn't this his 3rd Olympics? He dominated two Olympics and has been very good but not dominant in this year's.
                              I believe he took part in the 2000 Olympics as well. And you are right he hasn't been close to being dominant this Olympics. He still has 3 events left though.

                              I would argue there are about 5 people who could be greatest Olympian ever, but Phelps belongs in the conversation.
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