XXIX Olympiad (Otherwise known as the 2008 Olympic Games)

[Acidmouse]

It's virtually impossible to do more then 2 individual track events though due to the amount of qualifying you have to wade through. Unlike the swimming where you can feasibly fit alot more individual events in. It's rare an athlete does more than 100 & 200 or say 400 and 800 add a relay to that. So its impossible to compare medal collections to how great someone is.

[thetank]

I'd agree.

In some Olympic sports, you can only concievably compete for one medal though. I'd say to boldie that if Phelps' medal tally doesn't mean he's the greatest Olympian of all time then why should Lewis's?

[boldie]

I'd agree.

In some Olympic sports, you can only concievably compete for one medal though. I'd say to boldie that if Phelps' medal tally doesn't mean he's the greatest Olympian of all time then why should Lewis's?

I'm not saying Lewis' medal tally means he's the greatest of all times (young Mr Thompson has a half say in that) I do however think Lewis' medal haul is more impressive than Phelps'

[kinboshi]

I'd agree.

In some Olympic sports, you can only concievably compete for one medal though. I'd say to boldie that if Phelps' medal tally doesn't mean he's the greatest Olympian of all time then why should Lewis's?

I'm not saying Lewis' medal tally means he's the greatest of all times (young Mr Thompson has a half say in that) I do however think Lewis' medal haul is more impressive than Phelps'

Sebrle > Thompson

[Josedinho]

How has swimming got like this then?

On the track there is a distance. Get from the start to the finish as quick as possible.
In the pool it's not like that. Strokes that make you go slower have been encouraged.

Except when they put hurdles in the way.

Or a waterjump.

They still go as quick as possible. Some prat just left some obstacles out.
100m hop
100m skip
100m moonwalk
All don't exist.

[TightEnd]

that was a cock up by the women's medley coaches..leave out your two fastest swimmers including Adlington and fail to qualify for the final

[kinboshi]

that was a cock up by the women's medley coaches..leave out your two fastest swimmers including Adlington and fail to qualify for the final

Kev won't be happy...

...and neither will JP.

[thetank]

How has swimming got like this then?

On the track there is a distance. Get from the start to the finish as quick as possible.
In the pool it's not like that. Strokes that make you go slower have been encouraged.

It's a good question, and the origins of the different strokes is probably an intereting story someone can tell us. (5/1 odds that AndrewT makes a joke about Gary Coleman, whatchu talking 'bout tank)

It's not exclusive to swimming.

Competitors in Judo, Taekwondo and Boxing are all using different methods trying to defeat their opponents in unarmed combat. Which is the most effective is a whole other debate.

If we start to arm people, philisophically speaking, there's not much difference between shooting a gun and a bow. (I know which I'd rather have in a tight spot.)

Still with armed combat, and in fencing there's three different types of stick. One must surely be better at stabbing people/hacking their limbs off than the others? The sailors have half a dozen different type of boat, all but one of these will not be the fastest way to breeze from A to B.

Then of course there's the walking.

[thetank]

I'd agree.

In some Olympic sports, you can only concievably compete for one medal though. I'd say to boldie that if Phelps' medal tally doesn't mean he's the greatest Olympian of all time then why should Lewis's?

I'm not saying Lewis' medal tally means he's the greatest of all times (young Mr Thompson has a half say in that) I do however think Lewis' medal haul is more impressive than Phelps'

Are you taking into account the realtive career lengths for the different sports?

How old was Carl Lewis when he won that last long-jumping medal. What's the oldest swimmer you've ever seen compete in a 200m Butterfly final?

[boldie]

I'd agree.

In some Olympic sports, you can only concievably compete for one medal though. I'd say to boldie that if Phelps' medal tally doesn't mean he's the greatest Olympian of all time then why should Lewis's?

I'm not saying Lewis' medal tally means he's the greatest of all times (young Mr Thompson has a half say in that) I do however think Lewis' medal haul is more impressive than Phelps'

Are you taking into account the realtive career lengths for the different sports?

How old was Carl Lewis when he won that last long-jumping medal. What's the oldest swimmer you've ever seen in an compete in a 200m Butterfly final?

He was 35. (born in July 61 wno the medal in 96) Doesn't that win make it more astonishing though?

[thetank]

I dunno.

There's a competitve cyclist in the women's road race and time trial that the commentator kept reminding us was 49.

How many 49 year old gymnasts do you see coming 12th in the Olympics.

Is that astonoshing?

[Tonji]

Phelps, I think, is only in his early 20s, its quite feasible he'll add another 5 or 6 Golds in London. A Sporting Genius IMO.

[thetank]

that was a cock up by the women's medley coaches..leave out your two fastest swimmers including Adlington and fail to qualify for the final

Wait and see how Adlington gets on in the 800 free before we right off resting her as being a cock up.

It's all about bringing home the metal.



(I will concede that the medley relay is a bit of a daft event. It's like having a decathlon with a different person to do each event... wtf?)

[booder]

I dunno.

There's a competitve cyclist in the women's road race and time trial that the commentator kept reminding us was 49.

How many 49 year old gymnasts do you see coming 12th in the Olympics.

Is that astonoshing?

from Ironside no....from you,yes

[byronkincaid]

watched the film Bigger Stronger Faster the other day and they have an ex director of the US anti doping olympic commitee on there saying Carl Lewis was definitely on drugs and there have been something like 2000 positive american tests that were swept under the carpet.