It's official: Sports Illustrated has named Michael Phelps its Sportsman of the Year.
The announcement just came through on the Today show, concluding perhaps the most anticlimactic campaign in the 55-year history of the honor. Phelps put an effective stranglehold on Sportsman back on Aug. 17, after winning his record eighth gold medal in Beijing.
It's the sixth time the magazine's most prestigious honor has gone to an Olympian, after Bonnie Blair and Johann Olav Koss (1994), Edwin Moses and Mary Lou Retton (1984), the "Miracle on Ice" team (1980) and Bobby Joe Morrow (1956). American decathlete Rafer Johnson, the '58 honoree, won in a non-Olympic year.
Looking down the list of past Sportsman winners, Phelps' resplendent year ranks favorably against just about any other. Many previous Sportsman winners were "body of work" picks, like Arthur Ashe in '92, Cal Ripken, Jr. in '95, Dean Smith in '97.
But when it comes to accomplishments in a single year, can anybody's resume compare to Phelps? Maybe Wayne Gretzky in '82, Orel Hershiser in '88 or Tiger Woods in '00 -- but even those are debatable.
What do you think? Where does Phelps stack up all-time among Sportsman of the Year winners?
Sportsman of the Year: Michael Phelps [Sports Illustrated]
Former Sportsman of the Year winners [SI.com]
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Comments (32) Add A Comment
Phelps is a great pick for sportsman of the year. How can you compare anyone to Phelps in terms of accomplishments? Who else would win it...Roger Clemens?
RockiesfanTN
New Market , TN
Total Comments (28)
Well deserved. michael phelps won EIGHT gold medals, he did it in the sport that works your body more than any other. i dont think people understand how much work and time he spent in the pool. and to keep a good heart and donate money how he does, well deserved.
Haiti
Corpus Christi, TX
Total Comments (632)
Is swimming a sport? Anyway, a true sportsman/woman not only excels in their field, but also uses their prowess to better those around them and society in general. Based on this criterion, Phelps does well and I believe ranks up there among SI's "of the Year" recipients. Hard to beat someone like Muhammad Ali, but kudos to the kid for all he is doing outside the pool.
How
Saint Petersburg , FL
Total Comments (1)
The Sportsman of the Year award lost alot of credibility over the past few years, especially by picking Favre last year. However Phelps is a great pick, and definitely the best choice this year. He definitely ranks among the best Sportsmen all-time for his 8 gold medals and 7 world records, all within less than 10 days. Top five at very least.
pantherpunk17
State College , PA
Total Comments (6)
He deserved it. His accomplishment may never be repeated in the history of his sport. That makes it superlative. He has transcended the sport and made his name a household word. This is his year. He is one of the best picks ever as far as single season accomplishments.
Petey024
New York , NY
Total Comments (2146)
Phelps is a good pick I don't think anyone can argue about that. However what did SI do with his face on the cover? The colors on his face make him look like a joke....
Hador
Total Comments (138)
The correct pick for this award. Phelp's accomplishments are a hard act to follow.
R.A. Shoe
Culver City , CA
Total Comments (45)
One of the top picks ever, but just a notch below Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa for the magical summer of 1998.
Heetak
New York , NY
Total Comments (1)
I don't know about swimming being a sport...
Rob12
Total Comments (36)
How can you possibly not call swimming a sport? I'd like you to try and do what any swimmer does for 2 weeks and then see how you feel about it... 2 a day practices for 2-3 hours each swimming between 4-6 miles each time before and after a full school or work day...
GoNavy91
Spotsylvania, VA
Total Comments (1)
Put a football player, baseball player, basketball player (except maybe Kiki Vandeweghe), NASCAR driver or any other "athlete" in the water and you'll find swimming is indeed a sport.
Swimmer Bill
Portland , OR
Total Comments (1)
"A notch below McGwire & Sosa" Heetak??? Swimming "not a sport" Rob 12??? Wow, that is funny. You two are special and really know sports.
MS71
Point Roberts , WA
Total Comments (1)
The only other Sportsman of the Year whose resume rivals Michael Phelps' would be Roger Federer. Oh wait, Federer never won Sportsman of the Year. Good job SI!
http://twowhiteboys.com/2008/
Bananafish
Huntington Beach , CA
Total Comments (22)
How can you call McGwire's feat great when it is widely accepted that he used steroids? Phelps is deserving, but I personally believe that Usain Bolt was even better.
PrideOfLondon4Ever
Louisville , KY
Total Comments (60)
I'm sayin Usain. Could MP hot dog it up the last 20% of a race toying with his competition? He won a gold by 0.01 seconds. Bolt was a man among boys. Too bad they made his movie about a stupid dog.
DoghouseRiley
Boston , MA
Total Comments (1)
Personally, as a swimmer, I can imagine the time and dedication that Michael Phelps had to put in to achieving what he did. Despite being gifted with a perfect swimming body, he still must change hard each day to get to the next level. Swimming is a sport, a extremely hard sport at that. Through the Olympic Highlights, you can see the things that Michael Phelps does to what he does best. This was an excellent choice for Sportsman of the Year and he definitely stands at the top of SI Sportsman of the Year.
SundayLover
Glendale , CA
Total Comments (2)
Swimming not a sport?? What is it exactly then? You don't get bodies like those men and women and not play a sport. If golf is a sport, no way in hell swimming is not. The only acceptable choice in sport this year (with Rafa Nadal's brilliant Wimbledon/French back to back begin a possible second) Kudos to Michael
TML
Total Comments (2)
Not to say Phelps is not a fantastic athlete it is naive to think that it will never be accomplished again, there will continue to be once in a generation amazing athletes in sports which Phelps is in his field, but as technology gets better records will keep being shattered.
Iggyzillious
Total Comments (222)
He's in the top echelon of yearly performances- 8 gold medals is Eight Gold Medals*
Every single performance in the pool & every single multi-competition athlete in any Olympic sport will forever be linked to what Phelps did in Beijing. Period.
Just as every athlete from every Olympic sport (summer or winter) has been compared to Mark Spitz for all these long years.
The fact that Beijing 08 was one of the most memorable Olympics in history doesn't hurt
TorFan
Total Comments (976)
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