Phelps vs. Bolt?

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:25:37 GMT

Phelps competes in a niche sport. Every able bodied person who has ever lived has been in a foot race. And Bolt has dominated the foot race like no one ever has and likely no one ever will. Whoever wrote that Bolt is a flash on the pan couldn't be more wrong. He will be the measuring stick for track and field when there are 20 billion people living on earth and swimming is no longer competed because of a lack of water. Shakespeare to, I don't know, John Irving. The question, who is the better Olympian? Bolts Olympic career isn't even over. I guess I would lean phelps, but we have to see what bolt does in rio.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 16:45:47 GMT

I disagree. I 2 agree to disagree. I got sick of this IOC anyway, that "God on earth's" attitude... The sad thing is that even when there are no rules, they create some on the fly (referring to the Ban of several teams during the Badminton tournament). As for this particular case, once again, I have nothing against some decent form of punishment for having violated rule #40. But stripping the athlete off his medals would be absolute non sense. Obviously, as big as the IOC think they are, they couldn't strip Phelps from his medals without triggering some of the biggest Olympic scandal ever. So fine it shall be, and I'm not worried for Phelps. The IOC should revise all these rules and remove any *stripping the athlete from his medal* mention, when not appropriate. But I guess it's not going to happen.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

That Guy — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 02:09:59 GMT

msn.foxsports.com/.../michael-phelps-leaked-photos-louis-vuitton-ad-agent-says-not-ioc-violation-rule-40-081712 Phelps' agent makes a good case that Phelps did not break the rule. For reference, here it is: www.london2012.com/.../rule-40-guidelines_Neutral.pdf

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:31:41 GMT

I think that everyone in the 200 fly Olympic final was breathing every stroke. Certainly not (to us Canadian's misfortune). For what it's worth, the choice of breathing every stroke or every other stroke is one that should come with technical modifications to the stroke, aimed at making you almost as fast inhaling twice as much o2. In other words, it ain't a matter of deciding upon a breathing pattern, as much as a matter of deciding upon the full stroke technique that allows to go for an *every stroke* breathing pattern without loosing speed. Something that our female flyer that tried to move up to the semi-finals didn't seem to understand. What I mean here is that all too often, we hear swimmers saying I prefer breathing every two strokes because I'm faster this way. One of Phelps' legacy I believe is to invite you to go back to drilling / relearning until you change this. That's my take, for what it's worth. Again, same for Bolt. If I'm a 100m specialst, knowing how strong he is in the final 30-40meters, not sure if I would feel comfortable preparing to compete against him, without seriously tackling on the 200m as well.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:06:16 GMT

I bet bolt regards himself as the greatest entity in the universe And that's one of his strength. He should not change anything in that attitude. Sleeping is one important key during important meets. When you're absolutely convinced you're God on earth, you do sleep as if it was just a normal day. Another angle under which it's fun to compare these two giants is about their contribution, what they brought to their sport. And I think in this regard they're head to head. Bolt is clearly demonstrating that you can have success over 100m without growing mega muscle masses. I can not wait to see if the first one that will beat him over 100m will have chosen to take this path. Let's wait and see. Will it take yet another 100/200 specialist to beat him? I can not recall anyone prior Phelps, swimming the fly like he taught us it can (or should?) be swam. His particular arm entry (shoulder then upper arm then forearm then hand), produces such a low splash level, I think it's still unmatched today. His breathing mechanics could (or should?) also be considered as *tha* way to go; which brought me to question systematic breathing patterns (every 2 stroke) displayed by a few swimmers over the 200m in London 2012. Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, Phelps got beaten over the 200m Fly by a 5'10 young rooster that basically showed very similar characteristics (systematic breathing every stroke, clean arm entry though not as clean as Phelps).

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

tjrpatt — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:26:16 GMT

And that's one of his strength. He should not change anything in that attitude. Sleeping is one important key during important meets. When you're absolutely convinced you're God on earth, you do sleep as if it was just a normal day. Another angle under which it's fun to compare these two giants is about their contribution, what they brought to their sport. And I think in this regard they're head to head. Bolt is clearly demonstrating that you can have success over 100m without growing mega muscle masses. I can not wait to see if the first one that will beat him over 100m will have chosen to take this path. Let's wait and see. Will it take yet another 100/200 specialist to beat him? I can not recall anyone prior Phelps, swimming the fly like he taught us it can (or should?) be swam. His particular arm entry (shoulder then upper arm then forearm then hand), produces such a low splash level, I think it's still unmatched today. His breathing mechanics could (or should?) also be considered as *tha* way to go; which brought me to question systematic breathing patterns (every 2 stroke) displayed by a few swimmers over the 200m in London 2012. So many flyers use Phelps's breathing pattern. Chad Lo Clos saw Phelps's breathing pattern in Athens. In London, it was used to beat Phelps. I used Phelps's butterfly breathing for a while but, for me, I felt that I was getting too vertical at the end of a 200 fly. I went back to breathing 2 up, 1 down and 3 up, 1 down on the fly leg of the 400 IM. If I can remember properly, I think that everyone in the 200 fly Olympic final was breathing every stroke.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:53:15 GMT

They should have taken my picture when I fell asleep in a bathtub in London after a party at Guild Hall London in 1958. I was bagged no price ticket attached..

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:25:35 GMT

Rules are rules ridiculous or not.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

knelson — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:28:50 GMT

Rules are rules ridiculous or not. I disagree. This is simply a money grab by the IOC. You see these athletes everywhere in ads during the Olympics. Apparently that's OK as long as they are Olympic sponsors. How is that fair? And, for the record, I don't think Michael should have that LV bag so close to the tub. What's the retail price on it? A couple grand or so? :)

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

knelson — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 05:13:33 GMT

Don't know how this reflects on him poorly. It's doesn't. If anything it just highlights a ridiculous rule.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

gobears — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 04:47:39 GMT

One more strike against Phelps in the news: sports.yahoo.com/.../michael-phelps-could-trouble-louis-vuitton-photos-141804124--oly.html Phelps probably didn't have anything to do with the leak of these photos. Don't know how this reflects on him poorly.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

jaadams1 — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 04:33:34 GMT

One more strike against Phelps in the news: sports.yahoo.com/.../michael-phelps-could-trouble-louis-vuitton-photos-141804124--oly.html

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

JoeBob — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 01:38:55 GMT

Carl Lewis ??? Has the drug controversy ever been settled. The second of Carl Lewis' four consecutive Olympic long jump victories, in 1988 didn't become controversial for another fifteen years. In 2003, the U.S. Olympic Committee's former director for drug control, Dr. Wade Exum, revealed that Lewis had tested positive for small amounts of three banned stimulants at the 1988 Olympic Trials. The U.S. Olympic Committee neither banned Lewis nor released the test results publicly, ruling that his drug use was inadvertent and that the low levels discovered were not performance-enhancing. The levels of stimulants found in his test were less than 10 micrograms per milliliter. Yes, he got busted for not declaring his cold medications. They probably should have banned him from competing at Seoul. However, his absence from those Games would not change the fact that Ben Johnson tested positive for stanozolol, a potent steroid commonly used in horse racing.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:26:28 GMT

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Former Member — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:00:59 GMT

I heard he is pretty diversified, Basketball teams and football teams are showing interest in Bolt.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

__steve__ — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:57:09 GMT

I bet bolt regards himself as the greatest entity in the universe

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

knelson — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:25:02 GMT

Ah, He didn't win the Jamaican Trials and fail stated at Worlds last Year. Yes, but the discussion is about the greatest Olympian, is it not? Anything outside the Olympics shouldn't matter. It's sort of interesting that Phelps is only 14 months older than Bolt yet he's already been to four Olympics and Bolt has only been to two. Actually, I take that back. He did run the 200 meter in 2004, but didn't make it past prelims, so Bolt has NOT been perfect at the Olympics and he's competed in three Olympics. en.wikipedia.org/.../Usain_Bolt

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

tjrpatt — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:20:16 GMT

I think where Bolt has the edge over Phelps right now is he's never shown a *** in his armor. He's been absolutely perfect at the Olympics. Of course he's also only raced six finals at the Olympics whereas Phelps has raced in something like 24 finals. Ah, He didn't win the Jamaican Trials and fail stated at Worlds last Year. It is too soon for Bolt to show any major "chinks in his armor"

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

knelson — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:51:21 GMT

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

JoeBob — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:12:26 GMT

Phelps made it to finals at his first Olympics and at 15. Track and Field Athletes can compete up to 35ish. Bolt isn't a diversified track athlete. Jackie Joyner Kearse did the long jump as well as the heptathlon. Carl Lewis did the long jump as well as the sprints. Heck yeah, Carl Lewis won the long jump at FOUR successive Olympics in addition to winning the 100 twice and the 200 once. Lewis is the far more accomplished T&F Olympic athlete. Bolt is flashy and works the crowds, so that's good for their sport.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

GregJS — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:09:01 GMT

Bolt preens, talks and has a healthy ego, but I also think he sometimes has his tongue planted firmly in cheek. Regardless, he's a lot more interesting to listen to than Phelps. Not sure how tongue-in-cheek he's being sometimes - you may be being overly-generous. But if he is trying to be, he needs to work on jamming it in there just a bit harder, IMHO. Phelps at least comes across as a real person. Not that I know (and I'm not sure why I even care) but Bolt seems like he'd be interesting for all of 5 minutes - then progressively more and more annoying.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

tjrpatt — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 08:57:24 GMT

Yes, but the discussion is about the greatest Olympian, is it not? Anything outside the Olympics shouldn't matter. It's sort of interesting that Phelps is only 14 months older than Bolt yet he's already been to four Olympics and Bolt has only been to two. Actually, I take that back. He did run the 200 meter in 2004, but didn't make it past prelims, so Bolt has NOT been perfect at the Olympics and he's competed in three Olympics. en.wikipedia.org/.../Usain_Bolt Phelps made it to finals at his first Olympics and at 15. Track and Field Athletes can compete up to 35ish. Bolt isn't a diversified track athlete. Jackie Joyner Kearse did the long jump as well as the heptathlon. Carl Lewis did the long jump as well as the sprints.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

sickfish — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 08:31:47 GMT

There's some psychology happening here: people tend to forget the impact of earlier events in favor of What Just Happened. Phelps and Bolt both did awesome things, but Bolt did his a few days after Phelps had already retired. Switch the order, do the "athletics" before the swimming, and no one would even dream of making this comparison. Bolt would have been forgotten after the 200IM.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

Chris Stevenson — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 02:42:51 GMT

Much of the strength of the argument for Bolt is how dominant he has been, the fact that his WRs represent a quantum leap beyond the competition. But he obviously lacks Phelps' versatility and longevity: in terms of medal count, Phelps was the premier Olympian for three consecutive Olympics. At his peak he was dominant in several events too but his competition has been catching him lately and none of his WRs look unassailable (before Lochte's swim in the Olympics I thought the 400 IM WR was untouchable). Who knows what another 4 years will bring? Bolt's records may not look so untouchable then either (though maybe not, T&F WRs don't seem to have the same kind of steady improvement that swimming WRs do). Bolt preens, talks and has a healthy ego, but I also think he sometimes has his tongue planted firmly in cheek. Regardless, he's a lot more interesting to listen to than Phelps.

RE: Phelps vs. Bolt?

pendaluft — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 01:51:40 GMT

I bet bolt regards himself as the greatest entity in the universe I feel that way about myself, too.