Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Michael Phelps/archive1

The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was not promoted by SandyGeorgia 22:08, 7 June 2010 [1].

Michael Phelps

Nominator(s): Philipmj24 (talk) 17:11, 5 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I am nominating this for featured article because I feel it meets the high standards of a featured article. This article is highly sourced with good sources and the article is very detailed with his swimming career. Michael Phelps made history in 2008 by winning eight gold medals in one Olympics and is considered the best swimmer in history.Philipmj24 (talk) 17:11, 5 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Philip: You have not yet transcluded this onto the main FAC page, Wikipedia:Featured article candidates, and therefore are not receiving any reviews. I suggest you not do so yet, however, as the article needs some work. Looking at the references, you will see some dead links and bare urls, inconsistency in citation formats, missing information, and some sources which likely are open to challenge (Buzzle.com?). I suggest you withdraw this until those matters can be resolved-- with a shortage of reviewers, you are more likely to obtain reviews if the article appears ready to go on all technical matters. Regards, Kablammo (talk) 15:07, 6 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Strong oppose - I agree completely with the concerns noted above by Kablammo. The article falls short of many of the FA criteria, specifically those related to MoS, prose, and sourcing (I did not check comprehensiveness or images). I would recommend to the nominator that he pursue WP:GA or WP:PR before renominating. Nikkimaria (talk) 16:09, 6 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose and suggest withdraw (by an odd name) as well. Sorry if it seems like a pile-on (or a pylon, as it were) but the lack of publishers in some cites, ref date formats all over the place (2008-08-11, July 30, 2009, 2/13/2007, 16 August 2008, ...), and general inconsistency ("Retrieved [date]"? "Retrieved on [date]"? Pick one) are deal-breakers. In at least one place, "NBC" is even in italics, as though it were a work instead of a publisher or broadcaster.

The sections actually seem decently arranged to me; however, instead of starting Michael Phelps#Honors and awards with "Sources", how about starting that section with the last six points (minus the SI Sportsmen one) as a starting paragraph? Something like

Phelps was a USA Olympic Team Member in 2000, 2004, and 2008, and holds the records for most Olympic gold-medals (14), most such medals in individual events (9), and most such medals at a single games (8, in Beijing 2008).^[cites] A street in his hometown of Baltimore was re-named The Michael Phelps Way in 2004.^{[more cites]} He has also received the following awards:^{[even more cites]}

with the list after that. That's minor, though, and the article should be cleaned up and cited to stronger sources before re-nominating (and it will need to be withdrawn and re-nominated). --an odd name 19:16, 6 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Media I am not convinced on the origin of File:Phelps_and_busch.jpg, can we get this on WP:OTRS. I dont like the use of flags without explanation in the succession boxes per MOS:FLAG, otherwise fine Fasach Nua (talk) 19:29, 6 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry, but Object. A lot of work needs to be done. Aside from the inconsistencies in presentation style already mentioned
- Sometimes there is a hyphen in the names of the events
- More importantly, comprehensiveness
  - There is no coverage at all of the US Championships. You have to win there to get to represent the country, and due to the great depth in US swimming, it is not easy to come in the top two in the event and get selected.
  - No coverage of 2002 Pan Pacs, he won quite a few there, and nothing of the 2006 (he was world swimmer of the year that year as well)
  - Nothing about him quitting 400IM after Beijing, apparently changing to sprints
  - Nothing about selection controversy in 2004 when he was given a 4x1 free relay spot without having to qualify
  - Crocker did not make a mistake in the 4x1 free, he was sick and swum 50s instead of 48s.
  - No discussion of various rivalries, eg failed attempt to beat Peirsol in backstroke, fighting off Cseh and Lochte in some tough challenges in IM, rancourous stuff and war of words with Cavic
  - There are full-length books on him and only six sentences about him up to age 15.
- Contractions used
- Bit about him watching the 2010 Winter Olympics is nn. He gets invited to many events.
- apart from that, there is a lot of redundant language everywhere
- While "the Person’s Republic of Michael would have ranked fourth in gold medals [after China, the United States, and Germany] and been ahead of all but 14 countries in the medal count" is a quote, it's stupid and should be struck off, as it treats MP as an individual, but then credits the PRM with 8 golds even though 3 of them were achieved by a team of more than 4 people (reserves in the heats) YellowMonkey (vote in the Southern Stars and White Ferns supermodel photo poll) 01:31, 7 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.