Countdown to Phelps (and his Abs) Hosting SNL

This Saturday night the Greatest Athlete of Our Time, Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps will host Saturday Night Live. He joins the ranks of many other athletes who have hosted the show before him, but will he be a fish out of water on the stage? (Sorry.) Since he's America's favorite son now, he'll be adored no matter what, and castmember Kristen Wiig is so excited for him to host that she told People: "He's gonna be naked in all the sketches I write, for sure." Maybe he won't be naked, but you know there will be some gratuitous ab shots in there.

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on September 9, 2008 3:36 PM

Comments [rss]

gttim

You could argue about the greatest athlete, but you can clearly state that Phelps is the most dominant athlete in a sport right now. The only other athlete I can think that was as dominant as Phelps is Eddie Merckx. In any swim race Phelps trained for- sprint, middle distance, distance, and most strokes- Phelps would be one of the best in the world. Merckx could win any type of bike race- 3 week tour, one day classic, sprints, climbs and time trials. I cannot think of other athletes that were as dominant as these two, and only Phelps competes now.

As far as Bolt, he is a great sprinter but would not fair well in longer races, nor field events. A decathlete is fairly good in 10 events, but could not compete at the top level in them, and most can not compete at the top level in even one of those 10 events. No good baseball pitchers are competing for the batting or stolen base title.

Spirit of 76

spiritross has a point. He's the greatest swimmer of our time, maybe even all time, but greatest athlete? I don't think so. Put him in any event other than swimming and I have a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't do very well. All the experts say he has a unique anatomy that makes him almost perfectly suited for swimming (among humans), but nothing else.

famdoc

Musical guest: Sarah Palin

Jen S

I think I'm over this slut.

NannyState

They should put his adorable mom on instead. She's right out of the cast of Hairspray.

RevWaldo

They're gonna put him in a dress.

They *always* put male non-actors in a dress.

(Case in point: http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/0/0/2/rudy_snl_dress_sm.jpg)

TimSPC

Greatest Athlete of Our Time

Usain Bolt is going to be on SNL?

KiljoyWasHere

wow spiritross.

bitter from getting picked last for dodgeball much?

rhonda718

SpiritRoss talks about different strokes and distances as if they are simply minor variations of the same thing.

If that's the case, why hasn't one athlete won the 100k, 200k, 400k, 800k, 1600k, hurdles and the race walk? They are all minor variations of bipedal motion, no?

Oh, that's right. That's because some are sprints, some are distance runs, some require different training/strengths and some have specialists that just concentrate on those single events.

You have to have some serious hate/envy to say, "he's the fastest swimmer.. we got it, let's move on".

spiritross

"Greatest Athlete of Our Time"

What are you talking about

The dude swims fast

Thats it

Thats why I hate the olympics they spend 30 or so different versions of the same thing to prove a point

I got it after the 3rd medal

He's the fastest swimmer okay we got it, let's move on