Apparently their sports writers are extremely jealous of Michael Phelps and his 18 medals. In the Telegraph today, two separtate columns were downplaying Phelps’ achievement as the greatest Olympian (based on medals today) and quoting from, and contrasting him to some little known (outside of the UK) crew rower named Sir Marty Redgrave, who won 5 medals (Redgrave may be known by all of 200 people in the United States, Phelps and his remarkable sporting achievements are probably recognized by 200 million in hte US and billions worldwide). In their jealous putdowns of Phelps, they relied on the usual ptoshots at the US and its people — touted how badly Jesse Owens was treated in the US (he received a ticker tape parade in NYC upon his return to the States) and how John Carlos and Tommie Smith might instead of Phelps be the greatest Olympians — they were kicked out of the Mexico City Olympics by the American Organizing Committee in 1968 for hanging their heads down and raising their fists while the National Anthem was played. Its jealous, condescending attitudes in Brits like this toward Phelps and his fellow Americans that leave little room for doubt that the Rev War was spot on.
Sir Steve Redgrave.
Five olympics, five gold medals. The first in 84, the last aged nearly 40 in 2004.
BTW, Phelps is greatly admired here. Dont take one newspaper to mean the whole UK or even the UK media. The BBC and Sky Sports never stop talking about him for example.