Phelps is fabulous, but greatest ever?

How is what Michael Phelps is doing more impressive than what Michael Jordan did? Jordan led his team to six championships — and yes, I realize six is fewer than eight — and each time he did so by slogging through a preseason, an 82-game regular season and a postseason. In the process, he dominated a sport in which his efforts were often contested by two or more defenders.

Even in an Olympic context, Phelps might not be the greatest Olympian ever. Certainly he’s the greatest swimmer. But traditionally the “greatest athlete” tag in the Olympics goes to the winner of the decathlon. A decathlete has to compete in 10 events, which means his skill set needs to be far more varied than that of Phelps. The only reason the decathlete won’t be celebrated as enthusiastically as Phelps during this Olympiad is because there isn’t a perfect American specimen who has been embraced by Reebok or Nike or Adidas.

Many people tend to overreact to the moment and bestow grand proclamations upon what they just witnessed because they are rightfully awed and impressed and need to place a rating on it. Phelps is being gushed over because he’s incredible. He deserves the attention. He deserves the glory.

But let’s hold off on the “greatest athlete ever” ceremonies. Relatives of athletes who have wowed civilization over the past several thousand years or so — not to mention many of the current competitors in Beijing — might object.

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