Gimme A Break...

"Pure Gold". "The Golden Boy". "The 8th Wonder". And my personal favorite, "The Best Ever!".

All of these were headlines after Michael Phelps won his 8th gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. Some were from newspapers. Others were online. No matter where they were though, they all were a bit much for me, especially that last one. Why? Because Michael Phelps is NOT the greatest Olympian ever.

Now, I know I have about half the athletic ability as the worst football player at OU (and that's saying something) but I do think I am somewhat qualified to make this argument. I've watched every Olympics faithfully since I was born. Yea, that only takes me back to 1988 but hear me out. I'm a big Olympics fan and know a lot about Olympic history, especially the athletes and their achievements. So when I hear all these people gushing over Phelps, it just makes me shake my head.

Don't get me wrong. Phelps is an amazing athlete. He did what no other SWIMMER has ever done. He does have more gold medals than any other SWIMMER. But think about this Olympics fans: What other sport can you take in a haul such as 8 gold medals other than swimming?

Track? No way. The distances are too diverse. You think Phelps could win the 1600m Free? I don't think so.

Gymnastics? Well, for guys, the max you could is 8 but that means win the team competition, all-around, and all 6 individual events. Again, that's a bit much, considering how different each apparatus is. The vault is completely different than the still rings. The floor exercise is nowhere close to the pommel horse. Nuff said.

And what else comes close? Rowing? Weightlifting? Badminton? It's just fact. Phelps happens to be best swimmer in a sport that allows the athletes the best chance to rack up a ton of hardware. But does that make him the best ever?

Not at all. Think about the many athletes that came before him. Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis come to mind first. Track legends that overcame many odds. Owens competing in Berlin in the face of Adolf Hitler. Carl Lewis winning 7 gold medals in all types of track events. And beyond track, there are countless gymnasts, volleyball players, divers and more that have dominated their Olympic sport but because of the lack of medals offered, their notoriety suffered. It's a shame too because while they get two or three days of being in the news, Phelps gets a whole week and much, much more.

Oh, and how much more. How about a cool million bucks from Speedo just for winning all 8 gold medals. Oh, and add in an estimated 30 million more in endorsements he will get now that he did this feat. Not to mention at 23, the guy is still young enough to get any girl from the legal age of 18 to well...I don't even wanna think about the oldest lady that would wanna "get wet" with him. He's got it made and all just because the media and fans went crazy about a medal haul that is only possible in his sport.

He is a swimming phenom for sure but really, we're talking about swimming. It's only important every four years. The gold medal is important and by far, the greatest accomplishment any athlete could get in my opinion but when did we start shelling out millions of dollars to people for representing their country athletically? While we have Americans representing and fighting for our country overseas getting paid much, much less, we have swimmers like Mikey making tons just for going fast. Shouldn't the gold medal be enough? The countless interviews with Bob Costas? The knowledge that you are by far the best swimmer on the planet right now? Guess not. As usual, money talks.

Oh, and this whole world record thing is ridiculous. Everyone was breaking world records this Olympics. That's because of the pool and equipment. From 2004 to the 2008 Olympics alone, the pool went from 8 to 10 lanes, gutters were put at the ends of both sides and the depth went from 6 to 9 feet. All of this helped the swimmers go faster, whether it be less wave action or less density. Plus, the new Speedo equipment is just crazy. Back in the day when I was just an egg, the swimmers wore swimsuits that you could buy at K-Mart. Now, the swimmers pay $200 for these suits that shave 1 or 2 seconds off times. So of course, he was breaking world records.

Oh and finally, remember, Phelps does not achieve this feat without one person: Jason Lezak. While we all gush over Phelps, I think Lezak is the one who should be getting a cut of that Speedo Million Dollar Bonus. Without Lezak, Phelps is another "close but no cigar" case in sports that we talk about every Olympics. But because of Lezak, he's now a legend and pioneer. If I had the choice, I'd give Lezak the million in a heartbeat. What he did in that relay was better than anything I have even seen Phelps do...and that includes what he did in that butterfly race (Cavic should've timed his ending better).

And if not Lezak, how about Dara Torres? She's 41 and almost won a gold in the fastest event in the pool. She lost by one-hundredth of a second! She's solid as a rock and according to every drug test, clean as a whistle. Torres is more of an inspiration than Phelps by far. She proved age IS nothing but a number and that if you set your mind and heart to something, you can achieve it. Remember, she is 41, way past her prime, unlike Phelps. She has a 2-year old kid and skipped the '04 Games in Athens. Pretty sure Phelps hasn't had to overcome those obstacles. Torres received plenty of publicity during the Games but something tells me that people will forget just how remarkable her performance was whereas Phelps will be talked about ad nauseam. I mean, NBC is already advertising a DVD for the guy!

So in the end, I may seem like a hater of greatness but think about it for a while and you may even agree with half of my argument. Phelps is a great swimmer and deserved every medal he got. But before we crown him the King of the Olympics and Best Ever, put it in perspective. The guy competes in the sport where gold medals are a-plenty if you can be good in each stroke. He also had help from his teammates, who aren't getting nearly enough credit. He has the benefit of equipment upgrades and pool renovations. He has the perfect body frame for his sport and has gotten lucky numerous times. Kudos again Mikey. You're good. Hell, you're great. One of the best Olympians ever? Sure, why not. The best swimmer ever? I may go that far too. But THE BEST EVER? Let's not go that far yet people.