Comments on: The Michael Phelps – Tiger Woods Comparison http://www.greenposse.com/2008/08/the-michael-phelps-tiger-woods-comparison/ The smell of a freshly mowed fairway. Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:15:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Andy Brown http://www.greenposse.com/2008/08/the-michael-phelps-tiger-woods-comparison/comment-page-1/#comment-501 Andy Brown Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:39:18 +0000 http://www.greenposse.com/the-michael-phelps-tiger-woods-comparison/#comment-501 I think many tend to play down the achievement of Phelps because it has been in a sport which is not really considered a spectator sport. Also, the fact that you only get to hear a lot of brouhaha made about his achievement around the Olympics, once every four years, makes one think that what Michael Phelps has achieved does not amount to sustained achievement. But contrary to your line of thinking, I would like to believe, to maintain such a high standard of performance and supreme dominance even after a gap of four years at the greatest sporting stage is a phenomenal feat. After all we must not forget that he won 6 gold medals last time around in Athens. In the same breath, I would like to add that Tiger still has not achieved all that there is to achieve. He is still a few majors short of Nicklaus’ feat and although it seems likely he will overtake the golden bear nothing is set in stone in sports. If the Olympics were held last year, then everyone would have debated the greatness of Tiger, Phelps and Federer. This year no one is talking about Federer in the same breath as Phelps and Woods. A ‘few months’ is a long time in sports. Personally, Phelps will be head and shoulders above any other athlete if he can bring in a few more medals at the London Olympics. Now that would be something! I think many tend to play down the achievement of Phelps because it has been in a sport which is not really considered a spectator sport. Also, the fact that you only get to hear a lot of brouhaha made about his achievement around the Olympics, once every four years, makes one think that what Michael Phelps has achieved does not amount to sustained achievement. But contrary to your line of thinking, I would like to believe, to maintain such a high standard of performance and supreme dominance even after a gap of four years at the greatest sporting stage is a phenomenal feat. After all we must not forget that he won 6 gold medals last time around in Athens.

In the same breath, I would like to add that Tiger still has not achieved all that there is to achieve. He is still a few majors short of Nicklaus’ feat and although it seems likely he will overtake the golden bear nothing is set in stone in sports.

If the Olympics were held last year, then everyone would have debated the greatness of Tiger, Phelps and Federer. This year no one is talking about Federer in the same breath as Phelps and Woods. A ‘few months’ is a long time in sports.

Personally, Phelps will be head and shoulders above any other athlete if he can bring in a few more medals at the London Olympics. Now that would be something!

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