The best team in America -- the U.S. Swimming team

[RednBlue11]

what i was trying to point out is that the chinese seem to be "juicing" the olympics

the tech has been around to make pools "faster" but i just assumed it hasnt been used in this manner out of respect for precedent

im not sure why people on the board keep confusing 2 arguments...one being that the facilities in my opinion have been manipulated to enhance performance...and the other being about athletic performance, i think phelps would be dominating anyway, just not setting a WR every single time he got in the pool

[sail420s]

haha, again i have said nothing to put him down i jst think that at the elite level football players and baseball players are more athletic ...mainly because they have to be

all around, baseball players and football players are better athletes, they have to do MORE and be specialized in a larger number of coordinated talents

They have to be more athletic??? What about John Kruk, Kirby Puckett (older examples, I know, but...). They could hit a fastball, but look at them. They don't have what most would call an athletic build.

Place Kickers are skilled athletes, but have you ever seen one try to make a pass, a receiver try to punt, a quarterback tackle, a pitcher hit. They are not the best at it because it is not there job. They are specialized in what they do. That's why they are good at it. Again, I think it is a waste of time to argue which requires the most athleticism. All sports mentioned require skill and athletic ability. I just think it is foolish to discount one just because you are not as familiar with it or it is not mainstream.

Also, it is not just Phelps in the pool. All of the swimmers are using the same pool and have the same technological advantages. Phelps has broken the world record in the 200 fly 7 times. This is his first meet in this pool. He is no stranger to records.

[MrMustang1965]

everything about these Olympics is aesthetic and lacks quality and integrity to me that others past have had. from the fireworks to the pool to the miming to the gymnasts...everything so far has had a small or significant cloud (insert smog pun here) of skepticism surrounding it.

the chinese are so focused on their image that the means by which they get there are devious and shady.

some might say that it does not mater but it DOES....if you have a shred of integrity these games should bother you at least a little bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjNRXfRXnoc

[RednBlue11]

there are bad swimmers too

and notice how even the people he is leaving in his wake, very literally, are breaking WR's...doesn't add up

[RednBlue11]

everything about these Olympics is aesthetic and lacks quality and integrity to me that others past have had. from the fireworks to the pool to the miming to the gymnasts...everything so far has had a small or significant cloud (insert smog pun here) of skepticism surrounding it.

the chinese are so focused on their image that the means by which they get there are devious and shady.

some might say that it does not mater but it DOES....if you have a shred of integrity these games should bother you at least a little bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjNRXfRXnoc

the chinese have juiced our laundry!!!!

[sail420s]

I think the most important thing to know is...I just got my first colored in little horseshoe. Woohoo!!! Over 25 posts. I feel special. Next up...I need an avatar.

[RednBlue11]

I think the most important thing to know is...I just got my first colored in little horseshoe. Woohoo!!! Over 25 posts. I feel special. Next up...I need an avatar.

be creative...and congrats

[PonyPride]

Place Kickers are skilled athletes, but have you ever seen one try to make a pass, a receiver try to punt, a quarterback tackle, a pitcher hit....

Funny you should bring that up. Thomas Morstead has said on many occasions that he is not a great athlete (I think he even has said "not even close"), but says that he has mastered a specific skill, in part because he's repeating a perfected swing of his leg over and over and over, just like a golfer or a bowler.

Clearly it also depends on the definition of "athlete."

[FWMustangGirl]

OK. So, take 20 laps and do a flip turn, scissors kick, frog kick, breast stroke (TWHS),butterfly, back stroke, etc. There is a lot of different aspects involved in competitive swimming. He does them all. A football player typically concentrates on one specific position in his training. Phelps does every stroke and he does them near or in world record time.

I think swimmers and cyclists are among the best athletes out there, for the reasons you mentioned above. As far as the athleticism of baseball players, to quote John Kruk, "I'm not an athlete, I'm a baseball player."

[ThadFilms]

OK. So, take 20 laps and do a flip turn, scissors kick, frog kick, breast stroke (TWHS),butterfly, back stroke, etc. There is a lot of different aspects involved in competitive swimming. He does them all. A football player typically concentrates on one specific position in his training. Phelps does every stroke and he does them near or in world record time.

I think swimmers and cyclists are among the best athletes out there, for the reasons you mentioned above. As far as the athleticism of baseball players, to quote John Kruk, "I'm not an athlete, I'm a baseball player."

I love the full quote of that story.... a woman walks up to him, looks him over and says, "... and you call yourself an athlete?"

"Lady, I'm not an athlete, I'm a baseball player."