Athlete of the decade? Who do you think should take the title?
12-18-2009, 09:52 PM
#31
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Michael Phelps, hands down. If the following is not enough to win him athlete of the decade, there is the fact that he smokes weed lol.
Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won in single Olympics.
Overall, Phelps has won 16 Olympic medals: six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008. In doing so he has twice equaled the record eight medals of any type at a single Olympics achieved by Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. His five golds in individual events tied the single Games record set by Eric Heiden in the 1980 Winter Olympics and equaled by Vitaly Scherbo at the 1992 Summer Games. Phelps career Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina won over three Olympics, including nine gold.
Phelps's international titles and record breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and American Swimmer of the Year Award in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. He has won a total of fifty-four career medals thus far in major international competition, forty-five gold, seven silver, and two bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships.
Originally Posted by Wikipedia
Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won in single Olympics.
Overall, Phelps has won 16 Olympic medals: six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008. In doing so he has twice equaled the record eight medals of any type at a single Olympics achieved by Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. His five golds in individual events tied the single Games record set by Eric Heiden in the 1980 Winter Olympics and equaled by Vitaly Scherbo at the 1992 Summer Games. Phelps career Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina won over three Olympics, including nine gold.
Phelps's international titles and record breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and American Swimmer of the Year Award in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. He has won a total of fifty-four career medals thus far in major international competition, forty-five gold, seven silver, and two bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships.
12-19-2009, 07:42 AM
#34
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OMGz, BEYOND out of proportion... I don't smoke and I didn't think twice about it... What's the big deal? How is it worse then taking sleeping pills or something else? (well, besides the legal factor)
12-19-2009, 10:22 AM
#35
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THe funny thing is Kellogs is the only sponsor that dropped him. I wonder if Tiger Woods can say the same...
Then again, it is nice to think that this country consider taking some bong hits less important than cheating on your wife.
Then again, it is nice to think that this country consider taking some bong hits less important than cheating on your wife.
12-19-2009, 11:59 AM
#36
Lance Armstrong IMO. Tour De France is no joke and to have repeated it 7 times and come out on top is nuts in the explanation itself!
Still can't believe Tiger Woods won Athlete of the Decade. Yea he won some majors, but that isn't as nearly taxing physically and mentally as pushing your endurance over hundreds of miles.
Still can't believe Tiger Woods won Athlete of the Decade. Yea he won some majors, but that isn't as nearly taxing physically and mentally as pushing your endurance over hundreds of miles.
12-19-2009, 12:12 PM
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It doesn't matter if he took "a couple bong rips", nor does it matter that Tiger Woods cheated on his wife, nor does it matter that Ray Lewis likely killed someone. The question is not about morality, it's about who's the better athlete. If all this other stuff matter they'd add strokes onto Tigers play for mistresses, make Ray Lewis walk through a metal detector before games and have Phelps doing whatever potheads do or don't like to do to some how bring person activities into the sport. Everyone has their skeletons in the closet. There are athletes right now saying "Thank God they don't know about my "incident X" yet". Which there no doubt are.
12-19-2009, 06:08 PM
#42
12-20-2009, 01:12 AM
#43
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I think Lance Armstrong should have gotten the title.
What is so "athletic" about golf? Old guys play the game all the time - so it can't be THAT athletic - unlike cycling. How many 50+ guys or gals are riding in the Tour de France? How many are golfing? You whack a little white ball, then walk up to it and hit it again, aiming to put it in a cup in the ground.
Race car driving? Yes, that can be physically and mentally draining - if you're talking about road course racing (NASCRAP isn't REAL racing), but it's for a few hours a couple of days a week.
Bicycling? Yeah, it's far more physically demanding than those other sports.
What is so "athletic" about golf? Old guys play the game all the time - so it can't be THAT athletic - unlike cycling. How many 50+ guys or gals are riding in the Tour de France? How many are golfing? You whack a little white ball, then walk up to it and hit it again, aiming to put it in a cup in the ground.
Race car driving? Yes, that can be physically and mentally draining - if you're talking about road course racing (NASCRAP isn't REAL racing), but it's for a few hours a couple of days a week.
Bicycling? Yeah, it's far more physically demanding than those other sports.
12-20-2009, 01:40 AM
#44
Chris Cole - 2005 and 2009 Skater of the Year.
and check this out..... super fast drop in to one of the longest stair sets.... amazing.
and check this out..... super fast drop in to one of the longest stair sets.... amazing.
Last edited by subie OCD; 12-20-2009 at 01:44 AM.
12-20-2009, 01:54 AM
#45
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Id have to say Tiger Woods. Lance did win 7, but 2 of those were not in this decade so they really wouldnt count. He would be a close second. Micheal Phelps would be 3rd as he dominated only the recent Olympics, but nothing before or since. Not that he has not accomplished a whole hell of alot.
Can anyone really say they new the name Manny Pacquiaou(?SP?) a few years ago? nope. Just saying.
Schumaker is a great athlete, but we are in the US and really, the fans for F1 are not here. He could claim richest, but when is the last time that you saw F1 highlights on ESPN?
suprised no one said Tom Brady. Only QB to lead his team to a 16-0 season and almost a perfect season. Plus 3 Super Bowl titles is pretty good also.
The reason Tiger Woods wins, is that he completely changed golf for everyone. He brought it out to the spotlight and made a lot of people watch it. He dominated all but about 8 months of the entire decade. He had one incident occur and everyone wants to bash him. He may suck personally, but what he did as an athlete, was well above anyone else.
Can anyone really say they new the name Manny Pacquiaou(?SP?) a few years ago? nope. Just saying.
Schumaker is a great athlete, but we are in the US and really, the fans for F1 are not here. He could claim richest, but when is the last time that you saw F1 highlights on ESPN?
suprised no one said Tom Brady. Only QB to lead his team to a 16-0 season and almost a perfect season. Plus 3 Super Bowl titles is pretty good also.
The reason Tiger Woods wins, is that he completely changed golf for everyone. He brought it out to the spotlight and made a lot of people watch it. He dominated all but about 8 months of the entire decade. He had one incident occur and everyone wants to bash him. He may suck personally, but what he did as an athlete, was well above anyone else.