Phelps Bong Hit

[ualtim]

Would any of you feel differently about this if it were Tiger instead of Phelps?

Tiger learned long ago that anything he says or does will end up in the media. If he is puffing the chiba, it will be behind closed doors with no one else around.

Personally, it doesn't really bother me what Phelps did. His life, his decision. If he thinks he will not take a hit in public opinion, he is in for a big surprise. You can't have it both ways, if you live the life of fame and fortune anything you do will eventually show up in the media. If you want to keep your private life private, stop doing stupid things in public.

 

[Dave Ireland]

You've only to look at John Daly to get a true value of how lost endorsements can hit the pocket ... off the top off my head .. he lost Wilson, Callaway, Reebok, Adidas & Hooters(?)

On the other side of the coin .. Mr Woods earned something like 110 million last year

 

[xamilo]

Unfortunately, when you become a public figure your personal life disappears. When you are a sports public figure, you become a raw model for little kids, since the idea behind "sports" has always been the most positive of them all: sports are healthy, they keep you out of alcohol, drugs, smoking, promote friendship, team game etc, etc, etc you could go on with the list. When a gigantic ports figure like Phelps appears doing stuff like that it shocks everyone. The news would never highlight Tommy Lee smoking in an ally or getting drunk in a bar, but they would always highlight sport's figures doing so.

In my opinion if you take the path of playing a sport as a way of life, you immediately have the duty to become a better person for the example you give others, specially, youngsters. Yes, its pretty to think you can explain this situation to little kids, but the truth is kids DO FOLLOW what their idols do, and its a shame such a star an be found in such situation...

 

[Bakemono36]

Its somewhat of a sad commentary on society when we look up to someone as a role model simply because they have athletic ability.
Like I said, just because you are a world-class athlete, the does not make you a world-class person and doesnt mean you are a good role model.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Its somewhat of a sad commentary on society when we look up to someone as a role model simply because they have athletic ability.
Like I said, just because you are a world-class athlete, the does not make you a world-class person and doesnt mean you are a good role model.

Good parents stress this with their children. A very fine point.

 

[LeftyHoges]

I've been uninterested in this so far but a thought just occurred to me:

If anyone, even a teenager, smokes a bong and does it purely for the fact that Michael Phelps did it, obviously isn't great at making their life decisions as it is.

Yes it's obviously a stupid thing for Phelps to do for his endorsement companies, but for a person to decide to do drugs and think its OK just because Phelps did it, is going to be in trouble in life anyway.

And if the kid is young enough that they are still swayed by "whats cool" where the hell are they getting access to drugs? What the hell are the parents doing?

Maybe the US is different than Aus in this respect, maybe its just the way I was brought up???

 

[Dave Ireland]

Latest news .... seems that he has been suspended for 3 months .. Courtesy of USA Swimming

"USA Swimming has reprimanded Michael Phelps under its Code of Conduct by withdrawing financial support and the eligibility to compete for a period of three months effective today, Feb. 5, 2009.

This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero."

Well that's that sorted then so .... excluded from swimming comps in the middle of Winter .. he must be heartbroken ..

 

[JEFF4i]

Seems like a fair punishment. Bottom line is that he broke the law, and should be punished accordingly.

 

[Dave Ireland]

Seems like a fair punishment. Bottom line is that he broke the law, and should be punished accordingly.

Yeah he was made go stand in the bold boy's corner ....

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Well that's that sorted then so .... excluded from swimming comps in the middle of Winter .. he must be heartbroken ..

Yeah, I have images of the Phone Conversation.
USA Swimming:
"Hey, what do you think we should do with what happened to Mike."
Mike's Agent:
"Well, the US Championship is in July, why not suspend him for 3 months so we can start repairing his credibility"
USA Swimming:
"Sounds Good, should we mention that it was not really a violation of our rules just so we look like big meanies and it sounds like he did nothing wrong?"
Mike Agent:
"Sure, why not"
:laugh:

 

[Dave Ireland]

:biglol: PA .. an absolute pearler

 

[Adam Pettman]

If I respected people for their ability to swim, I'd be idolising a tuna.

 

[bryank]

Seems like a fair punishment. Bottom line is that he broke the law, and should be punished accordingly.

Crazy world we are in, punish people for a natural drug while half of the world is strung out on pharmaceuticals and booze nice and legal like.

 

[JEFF4i]

Crazy world we are in, punish people for a natural drug while half of the world is strung out on pharmaceuticals and booze nice and legal like.

Its illegal, that's the bottom line to me.

I'm not saying it isn't perverse, but gdamn, have some respect for the law.

 

[DouginGA]

Its illegal, that's the bottom line to me.

I'm not saying it isn't perverse, but gdamn, have some respect for the law.

I would not put too much faith in the law jeff. although not even in the same league as putting someone in a cage only because they smoked something thing the government didn't like, remember that rosa parks was arrested for where she sat on the bus. same attitude still, it was illegal and she showed no respect for the law?