A very Spitz-ian SI tribute to Phelps

The cover of the upcoming Sports Illustrated, which should arrive to subscribes by Wednesday or Thursday, and on newsstands by the end of the week, pays homage to Mark Spitz by having Michael Phelps pose with each of his eight gold swimming medals around his neck.
The photo was taken on Sunday by SI's Simon Bruty before Phelps left home back to Baltimore. The New York Post reported that it was taken inside an ancient temple in Beijing, and quoted SI Group Editor Terry McDonell: "This one being the first (photo) of him with all eight medals, we hope that our cover will stick in everyone's mind." SI did not pay Phelps for the picture.
Thankfully, it was shot from the waist up.
Phelps will now have made an SI cover five times -- the most by any swimmer. Spitz is second, again, with three.
In the "Point After" back page column, writer S.L. Price asks the question: Is Michael Phelps the best athlete ever?
"Fact is, Phelps has ruled his sport for six years, breaking more than 30 world records in various disciplines against the deepest competition in history, thriving as much in a team construct as he has alone .... Give Phelps four more years, and then we can have another conversation. If he stays healthy and clean and continues to break records through the 2012 London Games' end. It won't matter in which category - Olympian or athlete - you place him. There will be nothing left to discuss"