tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post7849584257918382832..comments2024-01-13T18:57:18.243-05:00Comments on Information Processing: Phelps, shmelps -- Bolt is the manSteve Hsuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02428333897272913660noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-84319866846708326222008-08-23T19:11:00.000-04:002008-08-23T19:11:00.000-04:00fair pointfair pointAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-25679005853109101782008-08-17T17:31:00.000-04:002008-08-17T17:31:00.000-04:00>>Bolt was amazing but showed a level of imm...>>Bolt was amazing but showed a level of immaturity that is incredible. He could have done more but lost focus. He could have done more but didn't. <<<BR/><BR/>Don't be so hard on Bolt. Remember, he stll has several more races to do. He was simply saving himself for the latter races. As anyoe who has done the 100m will tell you, it drains your muscles and you risk injury if Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-87747573610938991272008-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:002008-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:00Steve,The pool of talent is obviously bigger, but ...Steve,<BR/><BR/>The pool of talent is obviously bigger, but as you say in a lot of countries there is a significant draw away from athletics to other sports where sprinting speed gives you an advantage. In the UK the draw is massive, everyone wants to be a footballer and its not hard to understand why - get to be a top 4 in the country sprinter you'll have a comfortable living until age ~30, getAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-76775576105704583952008-08-17T15:09:00.000-04:002008-08-17T15:09:00.000-04:00To put it succinctly: I'm familiar with the type o...To put it succinctly: I'm familiar with the type of athlete that Phelps beat to accomplish what he did, and I'm familiar with the type of athlete that Bolt had to compete with. There is no comparison. Bottom line: I am more impressed by Bolt.<BR/><BR/>One disturbing thing, though: the previous events that impressed me as much as Bolt's 9.69 were Michael Johnson's 200m record in Atlanta and (gulp)Steve Hsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02428333897272913660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-85658161653969301912008-08-17T14:29:00.000-04:002008-08-17T14:29:00.000-04:00Phelps is simply amazing. I do not undersatnd you...Phelps is simply amazing. I do not undersatnd your point at all. <BR/><BR/>Swimmers are great athletes and Phelps deserves recognition for his achievment. <BR/><BR/>As for other athletes they are well compensated and recognized by our society. <BR/><BR/>Bolt was amazing but showed a level of immaturity that is incredible. He could have done more but lost focus. He could have done more but Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-28613090619628854772008-08-17T11:52:00.000-04:002008-08-17T11:52:00.000-04:00I don't regard using performance enhancers as chea...I don't regard using performance enhancers as cheating. If everyone uses them, then the playing field is level, and you are pretty much back at talent and dedication as the thing that makes the difference. <BR/><BR/>It used to be that drugs and the knowhow to use them was information for a privileged few. Nowadays, between the internet and pharmacies, anybody could supplement their training Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-44106801062544774152008-08-17T05:59:00.000-04:002008-08-17T05:59:00.000-04:00even if he is doping you might still consider him ...even if he is doping you might still consider him the GOAT. I think nearly all of the other top sprinters are also on drugs. they just never have been caught.<BR/><BR/>take american sprinters alone. off the top of my head, these are the top US sprinters who have been caught.<BR/><BR/>Tim Montgomery, Kelli White, Justin Gatlin, Antonio Pettigrew, Marion Jones, Dennis Mitchel, Tori Edwards. MauriceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-47952989202816161852008-08-17T04:00:00.000-04:002008-08-17T04:00:00.000-04:00He seemed both happy and actually scared to be run...He seemed both happy and actually scared to be running so fast. I don't blame him - I was scared, and I was at home in front of a TV ...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-54560379414776945692008-08-16T19:34:00.000-04:002008-08-16T19:34:00.000-04:00Swimming is very technical. If you don't start ver...Swimming is very technical. If you don't start very early your chances of being world class are reduced significantly. That is not true of track sprinting. <BR/><BR/>Also, almost every kid knows whether they are fast -- in American football and probably in soccer too kids run sprints as part of their training. I think Bolt is really the best out of a gigantic pool of potential 100m champions, Steve Hsuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02428333897272913660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-36799315929634446842008-08-16T19:22:00.000-04:002008-08-16T19:22:00.000-04:00I think athletics and swimming have similarly low ...I think athletics and swimming have similarly low participation rates in most countries (they certainly do in the UK). So Bolt and Phelps are in the same boat in my book. In any case I've always found it strange that people rank Spitz's/Phelp's achievements so highly - with all the different strokes in swimming its like having the 100m sprint running (a) normally (b) with your arms tied behind Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5880610.post-79936939562666415642008-08-16T13:28:00.000-04:002008-08-16T13:28:00.000-04:00I understand your guilt in rooting for Phelps, sin...I understand your guilt in rooting for Phelps, since he was given every opportunity by a wealthy and scientifically advanced Olympic program, but I disagree with trivializing his accomplishments to serve that guilt. However, I do agree with the statement that there is no comparison of atheletes ability in fringe olympic sports to big money sports like football/basketball/soccer etc. It is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com