Phelps photo on A1
We had a spirited debate in the newsroom yesterday whether to put yet another Michael Phelps photo on today’s front page.
But night photo editor Elie Gardner and page designer Norma Klingsick thought that could be accomplished by using multiple Olympic photos, including Phelps. Klingsick felt strongly that omitting Phelps would be missing the biggest plot line of these Olympics.
Your comments to yesterday’s Editors’ Desk question mostly shared that point of view.
So, we ran three faces — Phelps, James Blake and Carmelo Anthony.
A compromise, wimping out, or the right thing to do?
Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
I know Michael Phelps is considered for this week at least “the story”, but there have been many others who deserved and have yet to receive their share of “fame”.
The thing I object to is the Phelps “medal count”. Swimmers have more events in which they can compete. Track and field do not have as many. Comparing the number of gold medals won by a swimmer to Paavo Nurmi and Carl Lewis, does not do those two gentlemen justice. In order for a track person to do the same, they would have to win gold in the 100M, 200M, both 4x relays, then the 5,000M, 10,000M, long jump, hurdles, and they might as well throw in the marathon.
So stop these silly medal count comparisons. If you must, compare Phelps to Spitz and other swimmers of the past. Compare the gymnasts to gymnasts. Compare the runners to runners.
If U.S. astronauts landed on the moon again, would you instead go with a Page One picture of, say, right now, John Richards?
I’d say you wimped out…
That should be John “Edwards,” BTW. That’s the problem with these normal given names that masquerade as surnames.