Mark Spitz with 7 gold medals in 1972
As Michael Phelps motors onward and shoots for an unprecedented 8 gold medals at one Olympic games, the name of Mark Spitz is bandied about more and more. When Phelps won his third gold on Day 4, he tied Spitz and 2 others for the total number of gold medals won by one person.
Spitz has spoken to numerous journalists about his snub by the IOC and its sponsors and networks partners. He has not been invited to attend for this potential historic occasion. Why?
He doesn't know and neither does his agent. He was at the US trials to hand out medals and at this point he won't use his own money to get over there. Not that he is short on cash. The man is a successful business man and public speaker.
If you were the US Olympic committee or even Michael Phelps, would you want to have Spitz in attendance? The upside is to show the country's dominance in the sport and to have the torch passed to a new generation.
The down side is that Spitz becomes the story rather than Phelps. Michael sounds like a cool customer and seemingly blocks out all the hype when he's in the pool, But I guess it might be more pressure for him and who needs that..
What do you think? Vote on it right here.
Comments
Upon reflection, I think all of us (of a certain age) looked better in 1972 than we do now. How many young men of today can claim a "three star rating"?
When Spitz won his gold medals was it a controversy that older Olympians were or were not there? Let Phelps have his own days in the sun.
Kevin: you as a baseball person knows that it has just become a custom in the last decade or so for the former great one to be there to pass the torch. And if you read stuff about Phelps you'll see that Spitz was just as big and just as famous. But that having been said, they must have thought it was best for him to stay home
I know that Spitz was bigger and far more famous.
I understand the passing the torch concept but at best it's a nostalgic distraction and at worst it could distract the current athlete away from the moment at hand and possibly intimidate them from doing their best and pushing themselves above and beyond.
I will say that I don't have as big of a problem with it in other sports. But in the Olympics they've trained all of their lives for these tenths of a second. Whereas in baseball and other sports the respected elder can follow the guy until the record is broken. It isn't as much of a NOW NOW NOW situation if that makes since.
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