After a week off, we're back with our regular Monday Morning debate. Today we'll talk Michael Phelps, the Louisville-Kentucky football pointspread and whether the Reds really are the best team in baseball, or merely play the role on TV . . .
1. Is Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian of all time?
RICK: I'm going to steal a line that I read in the overflow of Olympics' coverage: Michael Phelps changed swimming. Jesse Owens changed the world in the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin.
Phelps has more gold than a Swiss jeweler. But what Owens achieved goes well beyond medals, even though he did win four that year. Those games were scheduled as a showcase for Adolf Hitler and his dreams of Aryan world dominance. As an African-American, Owens was a second-class citizen in his own country.
Owens delivered -- setting the stage for Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell, Jim Brown and all the great African-American athletes who have followed him.
ERIC: I think Jesse Owens is the most important Olympian. But to me, the phrase "greatest" Olympian implies that the bulk of the accomplishment should take place between the lines. For Phelps, that is not a difficult case to make -- and I don't think number of medals enters into it. His dominance in a variety of events in his sport is unparalleled. His dominance over three Olympics outpaces what Owens accomplished. Owens, in fact, wound up having to go to work after U.S. athletic officials stripped his amateur status and, thereby, his outlet for commercial endorsement. He wound up running a dry cleaning business and working at a gas station. With today's climate and commercial culture, maybe Owens would've been able to do what Carl Lewis did over a period of multiple Games.
In my mind, from the sheer athletic standpoint, Lewis stands at the top as greatest Olympian. He had a chance to be on a medal-winning relay team in the 1980 Games, but the U.S. boycott cost him that chance. He matched Owens' feat of four gold medals in the same four events in 1984, then won gold again in the 100 meters and long jump in Seoul in 1988, took two golds at Barcelona in 1992 and in 1996 won the long jump gold -- his fourth straight in the event -- in Atlanta. Twelve years, four golds in the same event. If Phelps were to come back again in four years and win gold, I might give it to him. For now, my vote is with Lewis.
2. You now have to give 14 1/2 points if you take Louisville against Kentucky at some "For Entertainment Only" establishments. Are you taking the points or giving them?
RICK: That's a lot of points for a season opener. A lot of points. Give them to me.
Louisville deserves to be favored. The Cards have earned the optimistic chatter that has been kicked up around Charlie Strong's program. But check the record: Four of the last five games in this series have been decided by a touchdown or less. Three of the last five games have been won by the underdog.
Kentucky finished its season with a win against Tennessee. U of L finished its season with a loss to North Carolina State.
I like Louisville. But not by 14 1/2.
ERIC: Only four teams in the nation had a more anemic home-field offense than U of L last season. Only two teams had a more anemic road offense than UK. The number is 14 1/2. Can I take that as the over?
There's no numeric reason to give that many points. But I'm going to give them, based on a hunch. U of L needs to assert itself offensively. It needs to make a statement that it is turning over a new leaf at home. It needs an emphatic first game. UK is a notoriously slow starting team.
UK has hung what seems like ten billboards in Louisville in the past several months. It's just a hunch, but I think U of L may retaliate on the scoreboard, and could have the offensive weapons to do it. I'll give you the points for the sake of today's argument. With real money? I'm not so sure.
3. The Cincinnati Reds have the best record in baseball. Are they the best team in baseball?
RICK: The Reds have been the best team in baseball since the All-Star break and done it without Joey Votto. I don't get it. But it's true. They're catching the ball, hitting the ball and pitching well enough. If they can make it to the ninth inning with a lead, Aroldis Chapman turns out the lights.
But ... check who Cincinnati has played since the All-Star break. St. Louis. Arizona. Milwaukee. Houston. Colorado. San Diego. Pittsburgh. The Padres, Rockies and Astros are three of the worst teams in baseball. The Reds will cool off. Baseball teams always do. Johnny Cueto can win a playoff game. Don Gullett's not walking through that door after Cueto.
ERIC: The Reds had the franchise's best July since the Big Red Machine. This group has been the Quiet Red Machine. Sure they're going to cool off. They're also going to get Votto back. There's a lot of quality on this team, as anyone who has followed the Louisville Bats the past five years knows. No, they haven't played the best schedule. And they won't play the best schedule down the stretch. But unlike two years ago, when I thought they were fortunate to make the playoffs and would fold against better teams, I think they're more experienced and better able to handle the big stage and the big competition. They have the best player in the National League in Votto. Cueto is now in the National League Cy Young conversation. Aroldis Chapman, aside from one bad stretch, has been the most dominant closer in the game. Are they the best team in baseball? If they're not, somebody needs to tell them, because they're playing like it. And I'm not going to call them otherwise until they stop.
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