Don Harris- Sebastian Coe is a former Olympian and the chairman of the London Organizing Committee. Tuesday, he apparently upset the world by saying he does not think Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time. How could anyone say that? After all, Phelps is now the all time leader in medals with 19 breaking, a record of a soviet gymnast that has held up since 1964. Coe was not impressed.
So is that Olympic blasphemy or fact? What about some thing in between? What does greatest even mean?
Phelps has the most medals in Olympic history, but can the greatest Olympian go to a swimmer? Surely, Phelps isn’t the athlete that Carl Lewis was. Lewis won gold in multiple games and in the 100 meters and the long jump. Have we ever seen anything like Michael Johnson, who blew us away in 1996 in both the 100 and 200 meters? What about longevity, Al Gerter won 4 gold medals in the Discuss the last 12 years after the first, but the greatest???
For me, it's Jesse Owens, who proved that Hitler's master race wasn't so masterful winning multiple golds in 1936, in Berlin, in Hitler's backyard, with Hitler watching from his box. That's the definition of great.
The point? Why argue… Michael Phelps can say he has won more Olympic medals than anyone in the modern history of the games. That should be enough no matter what anyone else thinks. That's my point, let's hear yours at woai.com.
