Crookbond Posted August 1, 2012 Posted August 1, 2012 How can I demean his feat? Its great whatever he has accomplished. He just isn't the greatest Olympian according to me. And the 100,200,400 relay disciplines are there in swimming as well.Atleast the variation in distance tests your endurance in different ways. But whats this back stroke,breaststroke,butterfly? You are covering the same distance but with different styles? Pick your style and swim. Here's a question - Try analyzing how many people have won gold swims on more than 1 style at the Olympics. If it's not large, IMO there is a huge variation. I am not a swimmer so in no position to answer this from a swimmer's perspective.
Yoda-esque Posted August 1, 2012 Posted August 1, 2012 Here's a question - Try analyzing how many people have won gold swims on more than 1 style at the Olympics. If it's not large' date=' IMO there is a huge variation. I am not a swimmer so in no position to answer this from a swimmer's perspective.[/quote'] Thats irrelevant,isn't it? Olympics theme is : Higher,Stronger,Faster. If a person can be the fastest in swimming performing with one style,let him/her swim that style over a distance and win.
Cricketics Posted August 1, 2012 Author Posted August 1, 2012 Well Athletics too have varieties. Some athelets have won in the past in both hurdles, track field, long jump etc together. So you can't really make that a reason.
Crookbond Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 ^ Spitz and Thorpe say hello King "Blanket" Tendulkar making snide statement as usual! Thats irrelevant,isn't it? Olympics theme is : Higher,Stronger,Faster. If a person can be the fastest in swimming performing with one style,let him/her swim that style over a distance and win. :blink: It's relevant Sire! According to you, it should be easy for a person in one style to win in another style because all styles are quite the same.
putrevus Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 He is the greatest swimmer but not greatest Olympian, swimming has too many events and he is not the best freestyle swimmer of his era either. Swimming is still an elite sport which a common man cannot get into. As far as greatest Olympian it has to be some one from Athletics.
Yoda-esque Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 King "Blanket" Tendulkar making snide statement as usual! :blink: It's relevant Sire! According to you, it should be easy for a person in one style to win in another style because all styles are quite the same. No.I didnt say that..If one can swim 100 mtrs, find the fastest way to that..the style is irrelevant
Crookbond Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 No.I didnt say that..If one can swim 100 mtrs' date= find the fastest way to that..the style is irrelevant If style is irrelevant you can swim 100m any style and you would still kick-ass wouldn't you?
Yoda-esque Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 If style is irrelevant you can swim 100m any style and you would still kick-ass wouldn't you? I dont follow what ypu are trying to say here.
yoda Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 He is the greatest ever Swimmer, for obvious reasons. He owned the field over two olympics - 2004 and 2008. Comparing sports is difficult and like others have said Swimming does offer an enormous number of medals when compared to other sport, so just medal count can't be used to declare him the greatest ever Olympian.
Crookbond Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 I dont follow what ypu are trying to say here. Different styles require different skills even if the distance is same - my hypothesis.
Yoda-esque Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 Different styles require different skills even if the distance is same - my hypothesis. Definitely. But the goal is to complete 100 meters in the fastest possible way. If one can do it using butterfly instead of free style, well and good. But whats the purpose of having different medals for that? Anyways, I don't think this argument is going anywhere.
Crookbond Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 Definitely. But the goal is to complete 100 meters in the fastest possible way. If one can do it using butterfly instead of free style, well and good. But whats the purpose of having different medals for that? Anyways, I don't think this argument is going anywhere. :idunno: Athletics can be argued in the same vein too IMO.
Zap_Brannigan Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 :idunno: Athletics can be argued in the same vein too IMO. Pretty much. This is the reason that i dont want cricket in the olympics. Imagine playing 5 to 8 games for 3.5 hours each by 11 players to win 1 gold, while swimmers and runners get to compete to multiple gold with total time they spend competing could be just a couple of minutes. Myabe we should have 1 over per team, sixes, gulli cricket, french cricket, 2 per side and 20-20 along with 1 gold count for each player. Maybe that will even things out.
The Outsider Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 Definitely. But the goal is to complete 100 meters in the fastest possible way. If one can do it using butterfly instead of free style, well and good. But whats the purpose of having different medals for that? Anyways, I don't think this argument is going anywhere. Certain swimming styles are inherently faster that others ie. swimmers of equal training and ability make the same distance faster swimming freestyle than breaststroke. So, it would essentially mean that everyone would swim freestyle in the case above. I am not saying Phleps is the greatest Olympian but just giving a rationale behind having the different strokes in the competition, though the way the competitions are designed do not really exploit the unique advantages of each stroke. For example, the body tires out quicker in butterfly than backstroke so ideally backstroke events should be of a longer distance than butterfly. Or the uniqueness of breaststroke comes from the fact that it is the only stroke in which you can swim with your head continuously above water - and is the preferred stroke in open water for rescues etc., but the way the stroke is done in competitions is like others.
King Tendulkar Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Phelps is good though, what a peformance last night, amazing
Crookbond Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Certain swimming styles are inherently faster that others ie. swimmers of equal training and ability make the same distance faster swimming freestyle than breaststroke. So, it would essentially mean that everyone would swim freestyle in the case above. I am not saying Phleps is the greatest Olympian but just giving a rationale behind having the different strokes in the competition, though the way the competitions are designed do not really exploit the unique advantages of each stroke. For example, the body tires out quicker in butterfly than backstroke so ideally backstroke events should be of a longer distance than butterfly. Or the uniqueness of breaststroke comes from the fact that it is the only stroke in which you can swim with your head continuously above water - and is the preferred stroke in open water for rescues etc., but the way the stroke is done in competitions is like others. So - It means covering the same distance in different styles is indeed not as simple as it seems.
triam Posted August 3, 2012 Posted August 3, 2012 Phelps - is the greatest swimmer of all time. Greatest olympian, I doubt it, there are people who have medalled both in summer and winter olympics. People who took a stand against society's problems and won against all odds.
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