What does it mean when we look at the performance of the US men's swimming team at Beijing without Phelps....... i.e. without the man carrying the team? Is he merely the "Vince Young" of a slightly above average football Team?
We essentially lose the 400 free relay, 100 fly (Ian moves form 4th to 3rd), 200 IM and 400 IM (Lochted moves to silver), 200 free and 200 fly. That's makes 6 less golds and one extra bronze.
The US would effectively only win 2 individual events...... the 200 and 100 back.
Is Phelps a true representation of the state of US men's swimming or and exception?
www.nbcolympics.com/.../index.html
Parents
Former Member
It's a fact of sports that the best player wins and typically carries the team. I don't see it as any big deal and most of us enjoy the spectacle.
Au Contraire my friend. Take a look for example at a stellar performers in the past..... e.g. Matt Biondi. In the 1988 Games he wins the 50 and 100 free but two Americans get 2nd to him.... Jager and Jacobs respectively in each event. The relays win by fairly decent margins, enough to remove Mr. Biondi from the equation and still take these events. The team appears to survive much better with Biondi's absence than the Phelps situation we have just witnessed.
Mr. Ruiter:
Your hypotheticals are fun to imagine, but they don't examine the team situation "sans" Phelps.
John Smith
It's a fact of sports that the best player wins and typically carries the team. I don't see it as any big deal and most of us enjoy the spectacle.
Au Contraire my friend. Take a look for example at a stellar performers in the past..... e.g. Matt Biondi. In the 1988 Games he wins the 50 and 100 free but two Americans get 2nd to him.... Jager and Jacobs respectively in each event. The relays win by fairly decent margins, enough to remove Mr. Biondi from the equation and still take these events. The team appears to survive much better with Biondi's absence than the Phelps situation we have just witnessed.
Mr. Ruiter:
Your hypotheticals are fun to imagine, but they don't examine the team situation "sans" Phelps.
John Smith
