Sunday, February 20, 2011

Greatest Olympian Ever?

I was contemplating to myself earlier and I told my brother about the idea that I had that Dan Gable is the greatest olympian ever.  Some would say Jesse Owens, the man to overcome Hitler's idea of an Aryan society.  Some would say Jim Thorpe, the man who was able to win the pentathon and decathalon.  Some would even say Michael Phelps, the man who holds the record for the most gold medals in a single olympic event.  I say that Dan Gable is the greatest olympian ever.  Sure all of these men are phenomenal athletes and can do outstanding achievements, but I believe Dan Gable is the greatest because of the fact that he was a brick wall in that no one could budge him.  He wrestled who knows how many matches and never lost a point.  Its not enough ever losing a match, but for no one to be able to take him down, escape his moves or reverse anything he did is remarkable.  He was even able to press the action and not give up a single stalling point.  I believe that even though Jesse Owens showed what an African-American can do against insurmountable odds and Jim Thorpe was able to prove he could run for a while and throw things far and Michael Phelps was able to swim faster than anyone, because of my wrestling background and believing that there is no greater physically demanding sport than wrestling, I believe that Dan Gable, who had to press the action and defeat every olympic wrestler that stepped in front of him, is the greatest olympian ever.