Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Michael Phelps - The Greatest Olympic Swimmer Ever?
This week your editing group selected articles from around the world covering Michael Phelps' record setting performance at the Beijing Olympics. Please view the YouTube video link below and then comment on how language and image are used to elicit reactions in readers/viewers.
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One of the most predominant thing that stuck out to me was the belittling language towards the rest of the relay team and the women swimmers. Don't get me wrong I think Phelps' accomplishments are something that everyone in the world should be proud of, but without the rest of the relay team he wouldn't be where he is standing today. In one point of the video they said, "a little help from the relay team". Lezak the anchor leg of the relay team for his second gold medal swam a 46.06, which is the fastest split in world history. I'm pretty sure this is a bit more than a little help from his relay teams. Also all of the pictures of Phelps were some how positive, if it was from his scream of victory after beating the trash talking french relay team by one one hundredth of a second, or him standing on the gold podium receiving his medal. I ask why, as im told to do in my book, would AP do this. I came up with that this is a way of creating a sense of glorification. When i come up with this i think why would AP do this. Since Phelps is being ranked up there with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods two of the best athletes in the world, we need to recognize him as one of them. This is probably nothing what Mrs. Evans wanted so if anyone has a feed back on how to fix it, that would be nice. Then ill write another one just for fun.
When the narrator begins by indicating how difficult it has been for Michael Phelps to break the record of 7 Olympic Gold Medals, one can assume that the AP video will use positive language to influence the readers’ perception of Michael Phelps’ swimming. But despite their intentions, the AP belittles the work behind Phelps’ run, and claims that he “cruised past” Mark Spitz’s record. Perhaps this word use is intended to make Phelps’ accomplishment seem easy, despite that they just commented on the difficulty of his feats. The interview that follows the opening remarks legitimizes the AP’s claims that Phelps worked very hard, and provides evidence that Phelps does indeed work hard. All of this makes him seem very appealing to the audience. Further evidence comes from the subsequent selected comments from Phelps’ teammate Jason Lezak, which are praising comments about Phelps’ swimming, and seemingly reliable information from a close and experienced source. One must consider the fact that Lezak is unlikely to make negative comments about Phelps, because he is Phelps’ teammate. One can see very well that the video is pro-Phelps, when, in describing Dara Torres’ swim, the narrator drops Phelps’ name into the mix, comparing Torres’ finish with one of Phelps’ butterfly attempts. In the last segment of the video, it mentions the accumulated accomplishments of the men’s and women’s Olympic swim teams, but then begins again to highlight Phelps’ contributions, and even states that he will change the sport of swimming altogether. After the short segment explaining Torres’ situation, there is no mention of her accomplishments at an advanced age changing the sport or swimmers of the future, but instead ramblings about Phelps’ journey from a Baltimore swimming club to “best in the world.” The AP seems as though it is much more impressed with the undertakings of Phelps rather than any of the other swimmers.
In response to "jakob":
I am not entirely sure that any of the language used in the AP video was intended to belittle the accomplishments of Phelps or any of the U.S. swimmers. Specifically, you mentioned the video's quote: "With a little help from his friends." This was a clear reference to the Beatles song, and was probably included for a little bit of humor, or just as appealing language. While to some it may seem as though AP is putting down the rest of the team, it seems merely coincidental, and simply a cost of the pun that the narrator makes. Furthermore, it would be difficult to find pictures that did not portray Phelps' glory in the Beijing Olympics. Most moments in the Olympics were positive for Phelps. He never lost, so one might say that the images shown were indicative of his showing in 2008. With that having been said, the comments about Lezak were underwhelming, and mentions of Phelps' undertakings overshadowed those of his teammates. I also think that Phelps is recognized as a forerunner in sports. Maybe he is unknown because swimming is less publicized than many other sports (especially those you mention, like Golf and Basketball), but within his sport and to people who understand the rigors of his sport, he is certainly a hero and a tremendous athlete.
Overall it seems like AP focuses solely on Phelps and his personal achievements. Yes, I understand it is a video about Phelps and his accomplishments but it seems to diminish the value of his teammates, as well as portray him as some greater being. In particular, when talking about “the little help from his friends” the AP casts a greater appeal and praise towards Phelps and loses sight of his teammates’ efforts. Without his teammates, who played a major role in two of the events he swam this Olympics, his career total for Olympic gold medals would not be where it is today. He has his teammates and many others to thank for where he is today, which he has overly expressed gratitude towards, yet the presses comments seem to take away from this. Additionally, I believe Phelps deserves all the praise and admiration he has been receiving for achieving such a miraculous thing, yet I feel the press has been a major role in some viewer’s disapproval of him. When people watch something like the video we viewed and hear the comments commending Phelps and disregarding others, people react negatively and therefore form an opinion about the subject, which may not always be valid.
In response to Brad I agree with what you are saying. If someone has never had the opportunity to competitively swim before this opinion may easily come about. Swimming is a very difficult sport on the mind and the body. Along the lines of the comment about "cruised past" Spitz's record I believe could go either way. One scenario could be that Phelps has trained and prepared on extreme ends to beat the seven gold medal record. Besides two races, Phelps dominated everyone in the pool beating other olympic swimmers by body lengths. This could impress the opinion that Phelps in a sense made swimming, at that high of a level, look easy. Also another scenario could be presented as how Brad put it; that Spitz's record was not that big of a feat and in a sense undermining Phelp's hard work.
This article, obviously, is used to let the readers/viewers see Michael Phelps in a positive manner. It shows Michael Phelps when he's happy and cheery. I'm sure that if they, the people who made this video, showed him while he was training and stressed out or if they found him after a huge loss, then the video would have been different. He is still a human who has ups and downs. Then, I think about how difficult it would be to portray a person, who has accomplish so much, in a negative manner, but then I may feel this way because I have been subject to "judgment reflex". The guy speaking calls him "the best in the world" at the end. That’s an extremely opinionated, biased statement to make. In this video they show him speaking and giving positive advice. Also, his holding the American flag invokes feelings from those people who are nationalistic, which I assume most people have a little bit of. They didn’t say one thing that was negative about Phelps.
In response to the things people were saying about his teammates, I completely agree. I do not really keep up with swimming or the Olympics in general and Phelps is the person I have heard about most. I, honestly, did not even think about the fact that he had teammates that have helped him until I read comments about how they aren't recognized as much. They worked hard I'm sure just as much, but like Brad said, I do not think the language used was to belittle Phelp’s teammates. It was just to put Phelps on a pedestal, also, when someone does as well in the Olympics as Phelps, it’s kind of hard not to. He really is as amazing as they (the media) say he is.
so, the only way I could blog was with my AIM....Izatrini2debone. I'm not sure if you (Mrs. Evans) would be able to tell it was me (Stephanie Granderson), but this is me.
My first initial reaction about the video was that I thought the reporter did a good job of balancing his overall coverage of the 2008 Olympic swimming team. Today in the media if we hear coverage about swimming we automatically associate that sport with Michael Phelps. However, in this report many swimmers were mentioned and many were given the proper credit they deserve for assisting Phelps in his aspiration to win eight gold medals. Overall, the language used was encouraging, optimistic, and inspiring. Phelps was definitely depicted in a positive light and he was portrayed as a role model for others to follow. The image that the report revealed of Phelps and the other swimmers was one of inspiration and encouragement. The swimmers are shown as ordinary and average people that have worked hard and accomplished a great deal, and as a result people are able to connect with them on a personal level. The language and images used in the video allow people to realize that if they put the effort into achieving their goals maybe one day they could be the next “Michael Phelps.”
In response to Jakob’s comment I do somewhat agree with your opinion that most of the report was focused on Michael Phelps. However, I believe that there was an adequate amount of coverage focused on the other swimmers on the team. I am not sure if I would call the language belittling towards the other swimmers, I believe that the language used to describe the swimmers accomplishments was upbeat and optimistic. I think that Phelps’s teammates were also given proper credit for helping him achieve his goal to win eight gold medals. I agree with you that the images of Phelps help to portray him in a positive light and show him as an inspiration for others to follow.
Erica Ellermeyer
It is obvious that the video clip is portraying Phelps in a positive way based on the images and use of language. For example, the clip starts out talking about how Phelps accomplished such an amazing feat, then uses words such as "cruised by" and "easy" making it seem that surpassing Mark Spitz's seven gold medals wasn't such an impossible mission afterall. This sets the tone for the rest of the clip because the viewer now has a heroic image of Phelps in their mind. Next the clip discusses how Phelps got "a little help from his friends". It seems that this is belittling his teammates who help contributed to his success, but at least they were even mentioned in the clip. Most media don't even mention his teammates who helped Phelps on his way to success; however, I do agree that his teammates need more recognition. When discussing the relays, the focus was brought back to Phelps and how HE helped the team win because he took the lead in his leg of the races. One thing in the video clip that bothered me was when they mentioned Torres and the race in which she won a silver, but then AP slips in a comparison to Phelps. I think Phelps is an amazing athlete and he is definitely a hero and a good role model, but I think Torres is just as good, if not better of a role model and hero because she is a mom who is in her forties and she is still competing at the international stage and winning awards.
In response to the other posts, I also agree that Phelps deserves the recognitioning that he is receiving since he accomplished such a tremendous feat. AP uses every aspect of the clip to glorify Phelps. The interviews of Phelps show that he is hard working, motivated, and even humble. This portrayal of Phelps and his continued success can only further propel the sport of swimming into the spotlight.
I thought the video clip overall was extremely positive, but Phelps accomplishments were not hyperbolically expressed. Even though the clip focused mainly on Michael Phelps, it did briefly touch on other USA Olympic male swimmers, such as Jason Lezak, and USA Olympic female swimmer Dara Torres. Not completely disregarding the USA’s teamwork, the clip, put together by AP, was focused on Phelp’s personal, much deserved, accomplishments. There seems to be so much talk surrounding Michael Phelps and not enough on his team, but he did break world records. His hard work has paid off, and celebrating him and his achievements is only fair. His interview is very down to earth. Not once did he act better than his teammates. In fact, he used “we,” when discussing the relay race with Jason Lezak, but AP, unfortunately, gives Phelps full credit; falsely portraying Lezak as simply the anchor. When Lezak’s edited interview is shown, for maybe eight seconds, the only part displayed is Lezak discussing what an inspiration Phelps is to the team. It show’s the support Phelps has from his teammates, but once again is putting the other teammates in the backlight. Although Phelps is shown in the highest regard, the team could get a little more praise here and there. They did take home 31 medals for the United States.
Jakob, I can see why you may think the rest of the USA team was belittled. AP said Phelps won the 8th gold medal with a little help from his team. If it is a relay race that was won, it is as much his team as it is Phelps himself. When discussing that specific race, Phelps uses “we”not “I”. He never takes full credit for it, and discusses it as team victory and feat. AP tends to speak more highly of Michael Phelps than Phelps himself. I do not think the other players were intentionally belittled, but I get where you are coming from. They are barely mentioned. Granted, it is a clip about Phelps.
Although I am not too familiar with the swimmers and events in this year’s Olympic games, I think that the video clip from the AP placed too much emphasis on Michael Phelps while the accomplishments of the women’s swim team and Dara Torres were not praised with much enthusiasm. I was disappointed by this and I think that the image or message that was created is that men are more exciting to watch in sporting competitions than women and that men have a bigger impact than women. This is supported at the end when the reporter says that the U.S swim teams “have won 31 medals but it will be Phelps and his accomplishments that will change the world of swimming.” By popular opinion he is an amazing athlete and his accomplishments at the Olympics have indeed set the bar extremely high for other swimmers but I don’t think that the other swimmers should have to hide in his shadow.
In Response to Erica: I don’t think that this video clip gave his teammates the proper credit they deserved. I think that the AP portrayed Phelps as the leading man “with just a little help from his friends” and that it was Phelps who “powered the U.S team to the lead.” I agree with Ashley that he is very thankful for his teammates. I also think his teammates see him as an inspiration and appreciate him but it’s true that the language that the AP used does not portray Phelps as a member of a team but rather as this great individual who stands alone as a hero. I also wanted to agree with Stephanie that this reporter has a bias and calling Phelps the “best in the world” shows that. Don’t get me wrong, Michael Phelps is an outstanding athlete and he deserves all the praise but I think that the audience has to see this slight bias and has to realize that there have been other great athletes in the past and there will be more to come. I think that saying Phelps is the best in swimming would have been a better way to put it.
This is Amadi I could only use my AIM as well.
So I guess this is my initial response to the video
I went into watching this video expecting for it to be all about how he was a hero to the American people. I was actually pleasantly surprised to see the newscast did not contain too many evaluative words up until the very end. I personally do not look at Phelps like a hero but I do think that he has undoubtedly accomplished something truly profound. That is why when the newscaster said Phelps had changed the competition of swimming forever I had no choice but to agree with him. I also admired how Phelps seemed to have great humility. He's just like everyone else and had to overcome those days of exhaustion and discouragement.
In response to Alex:
I completely agree the title of the clip is Michael Phelps wins
8th. He undoubtedly would not have achieved this without the hard work of his teammates but the clip is about Phelps. A lot of you guys feel like the rest of his team does not receive the credit they deserve and I agree with that as well. His team should have received just as much attention as he did. However I'm having a hard time grasping Yesnia's point about Phelps being the best in the world. I agree that the author def uses evaluative words by calling Phelps the best. But isn't he? He may not be the best athlete but I do think he is the best swimmer his gold medals support that claim in my opinion.
In a sports dominated world, there is no stage bigger than the Olympics, and there is no athlete more renowned than Michael Phelps. The AP video resonates with aesthetically pleasing images, which paint Michael Phelps as an American Hero and more importantly a swimming hero. They show him in all his glory and the AP also shows him being humble. In response to a question Michael replies, “If we had to do this again, I don’t know if it would happen the way we wanted it to”. This comment shows that Michael knows what he did was next to impossible and that he is very grateful for the way it worked out. What is essential to the quote is that when answering the question Michael uses the word “we” instead of “I”. He is subtlety acknowledging his teammates and their contribution to his great achievement. While Phelps clearly appreciates his teammates and their help, the AP does put them in his shadow with lines like, “Phelps got number eight with a little help from his friends”. This quote glorifies Phelps and demeans his teammates. It is clear that it is the intention of the AP to make Phelps into an even greater superstar than he already is. The last line of the video dramatically calls Phelps the “Best in the world”.
In response to Brad and in agreement with Jacob, I think the meaning of the phrase "cruised past" is quite ambiguous. I know the word “cruise” tends to imply ease, yet I do not believe the AP is suggesting that Phelps accomplishments were in any way easy. Rather I interpreted the comments in a positive manner. What Phelps did was so incredible that he was able to pass one of the greatest Olympic records of all time.
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In response to Brad I did not pick up on the Beatles referenece when they were discussing Phelps teammates. This added humor lessens the initial feelings I had towards the press. Now knowing that humor was involved lessens some of the negative claims made by the AP, but makes me wonder if they were trying to make fun of the matter or simply add a humorous appeal. After considering your viewpoints as well as others I am realzing other opinions. In response to others comments I belive they were trying to portray Phelps in a positive manner by including numerous visuals of him along with inspiring language. I believe they accomplished this to an extent, yet could have given more attention to his teammates, as he clearly would have wanted it to be broadcasted.
The language used in the video was very positive towards Phelps and was obviously made by a large fan of his accomplishments. Not to belittle what he did in anyway, but the narrator implied that Phelps won 8 gold medals effortlessly. Stating how tough the races and challenges he faced were but how he just cruised right through them. The AP barely mentions the contributions of his relay teammates who were so crucial in two of his toughest golds and the women’s team who also performed very impressively. The AP paints Phelps as an individual who had to pull his teammates up in his relays. In reality it was his teammates who came through in the clutch at the end of both relays. Overall I agree with the positive language and connotations towards Phelps but feel other racers should have received more praise for their accomplishments. It’s hard not to use positive language though when talking about Phelps. If he were a country he would be in seventh for number of gold medals.
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