Dynasty. The single word turns sports fans faster than DUIs, betting, manslaughter, or steroids. The sports fans around the world, particularly American ones, hate dynasties.

Why do we always seem to hate the overachiever?

Is it the reason why in a Yankees/Rays series, most baseball fans choose Tampa Bay? Is it the reason why everyone wanted to see Shaq and Kobe just go at it one day on the court? Is it the reason why everyone EXCEPT the Patriots and their fans seemed to be cheering for the NY Football Giants?

Probably.

So how about a dynasty in another sport? A sport that, to be brutally honest, only sees national attention once every four years. A sport that has seen the likes of greats such as Mark Spitz and Ian Thorpe recently.

Does the world view Michael Phelps as a dynasty? Almost unquestionably he will leave Beijing in August with more medals than any other Olympian in history.

So where does that leave him? The greatest Olympian?  That's a hard title to put on one man in one year. Certainly one of the best swimmers the world has ever seen, but the best Olympian?

With the likes of Olympic greats Carl Lewis and sponsors such as Speedo and Visa in his wake, has there ever been a bigger story than Michael Phelps? No, there hasn't.

Many people argue that Phelps' attention is self-induced. Many in the sport will admit that Phelps thrives off the attention. However, is all of this attention bad? It puts swimming back on a center stage.

For a sport that four out of five Americans couldn't name more than three national swimmers outside of the Olympics, this sport gets tremendous ratings. There is no question in any of the networks', sponsors', or Olympic staff members' minds that Phelps brings the eyes of the world upon the pool, and that can be nothing but positive.

Another voice, particularly in the media, seems to paint Michael Phelps as someone who has everything handed to him on a plate and then wastes it, particularly regarding his DUI in 2004.

But it would be one of the most naive statements in the history of sports writing to argue that any athlete is perfect or above drama. Almost every athlete who has garned the attention, prestige, and expectations of Michael Phelps has slipped up.

Athletes such as Josh Hamilton have garnered much of their fame and respect in their sports by being those who have risen above the trials and tribulations of their personal lives. They have made the sport bigger by making it not about themselves anymore, but about success.

The final, and easily most difficult aspect of the Phelps saga, is that of the expectations placed on himself.

Yes, Michael Phelps brought much of the pressure on himself, telling the world he could achieve this. But with the bonuses from Speedo, NBC putting all coverage on him during his races, and the disbelief on the world stage in his ability, Phelps was going to be thrust into this light whether he embraced it or fought it.

While he didn't qualify for his Speedo bonus, falling just short with a bronze (pff, a bronze medal?), Phelps still took a step back on the world stage to let his teammate Ian Crocker swim instead. That was a move that seemed to really take the media by surprise and show that while Phelps was a gold-hunter, he also understood the importance of the American team.

Finally, in the Olympic spirit, Phelps gave the country another reason to watch. The Olympic trials used to be as big as the World Series, as watched as the Super Bowl. People loved the Olympics. Now, nobody even follows the Olympic trials, except when there is nothing else on TV on Saturday nights.

Phelps brought many skeptics and Olympic dreamers alike back to the games.

His story of high expectations and success is something the American people love. Is he an Olympic, one man dynasty? Not yet.

However, through his over 30 miles of race swimming in Beijing, the debate he always brings into the broadcast booth with each time he steps on the blocks, and the precious medals he brings back to the US of A, can anyone in the Olympics be viewed as a bigger and more consistent source of interest?

Stories do not have to have a picture perfect result. Nor do they have to always have a happy ending. We just hope they do.

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