ATLANTA, Georgia - I seem to have started something this week. 

Well, I don't think I started it - someone on our international desk did. Or that's my version and I'm sticking with it.

Anyway, it all began with the daily "International Outlook" e-mail from our international desk. It outlines what's coming up the next day, so producers, et al can plan their shows and have a rough idea what to expect.

The other day, it contained the statement "Michael Phelps has become the greatest Olympian ever."

OK, so I admit in between newscasts and the occasional war, I'm a bit of a sports nut. All sports. Too much sport is never enough. That kind of thing.

So I had to respond to the writer of that e-mail and say I thought we should be careful making a "Phelps greatest ever" statement.

Most decorated?  Indisputably. Most successful?  Sure, why not.  Greatest?  Um...big statement.

I underestimated the response! Apparently my e-mail set off a discussion "upstairs" that culminated in someone (hopefully kidding!) calling me  a "Phelps hater." Which I'm not; the guy has done amazing, extraordinary things. I think the kindest comment that filtered down to me was "Well, I guess he's entitled to his opinion..." 

I've got a thing about the Olympics and actually remember a lot of stuff I should long ago have deleted from my brain to make room for things like, oh, news facts, or my children's birthdays.

Stuff like remembering the American discus thrower, Al Oerter. He only won four gold medals - but he did it over four consecutive Games - '56, '60, '64 and '68 – in a sport where there was only one gold medal available. Now there's some durability and talent! Imagine if there'd been 100-meter, 200-meter, 250-meter discus events!  OK, don't. That'd be as boring as synchronized swimming.

Carl Lewis did the same thing as Al with the long jump ... golds in four straight Olympics! His indoor world record long jump set in 1984 still stands. Oh, and he won five other golds (and a silver) during his Olympic career.

And let's not forget the former great Soviet gymnast, Larysa Latynina  (OK, I did forget her, but a mate reminded me), who still holds the record for the most Olympic medals of any color: 18 of 'em, over three Olympics.

I'm still chest-swellingly proud of the Aussie runner Betty Cuthbert, who may have won a mere four golds, but how she did it was remarkable: The 100-meter and 200-meter in the '56 games, then coming out of retirement years later to win gold in the 400-meter at the '64 games. She remains the only person - male or female - to win Olympic gold in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

And do you have to have a fistful (chestful?) of medals to be the "greatest"?  I'm thinking Berlin 1936 and a guy named Jesse Owens.

Again, Phelps is a phenom ... what a performance!  Absolutely riveting to watch. But let's face it; he also has a bunch more races in which to win gold than even swimmers of years past, let alone other athletes. 

I hope Michael Phelps shows up in London in 2012 and goes for gold again.  Maybe even 2016. Then he could be the greatest ever - although such a title would doubtlessly still be debated in pubs and newsrooms. But for now?  "Greatest Olympian ever"?   Don't get me started. ...