Michael Phelps

[Adam]

I feel bad for him.

Swimming is one of my sports, I was once excellent at it and very close to olympic UK trial pace about 14 years ago (800m). But I was no where near good enough to make those few extra seconds up.

Anyway, I hate how he is made to look such a bad guy just because after the olympics he was caught relaxing and suspected of taking illegal drugs that are the opposite of 'enhancing'. He is early 20s, just achieved the biggest thing of his life, probably hasn't had a week off in 10 years. He gets some time to kick back and there is a fucking reporter watching him to make him a bad guy. If it was pot - then its not even on the IOC ban list I hear. And nothing was ever proved anyway, but he sucked it up and apologised for his supposed actions straight away.

Ok, he is a roll model. But the people handing these criticisms down on him are the ones who are snorting coke in the toilet after they get the scoop. They are the ones who want to see everyone fail and look for the negative in all. They will never work as hard in their entire life that MP already has.

Kelloggs have dropped him as a sponsor - I hope they feel a backlash because of it. And now he gets a 3 month suspension in the USA. Thus, now he thinking of backing out of the 2012 London olympics because how he has been treated. I can't blame him and I really hopes he doesn't, but if he does it'll be a lesson to all involved to have a little more respect because the money, spin and rep he can generate for any sponsor/event is priceless.

I think even our most admired individuals of the world deserve AT LEAST one second chance. He is not one of life's constant fuck ups.

[camo]

Gives us a chance of winning something in the water. Well unless the aussies bring on another Thorpedo.

[gbsuey]

As the next olympics are here, can we not push for bombing or petting to be in the water bit.

[Adam]

Gives us a chance of winning something in the water. Well unless the aussies bring on another Thorpedo.

Good point, but he still inspires people over here in the UK to swim. It'd be pretty low that we would have take out the competition of other countries to give ourselves 'a sporting chance'.

Pretty typical it was a UK newspaper that did the dirty on him though.

We have good swimmers coming through anyway. Because of Rebecca Adlington et al we will continue to give Aussies and Americans a run for their money. Unless we start to treat them all like shit so they all think fudge it and go to the pub instead.

[Otis Driftwood]

If he had fucked a million people over on Wall Street and caused real harm to people, he'd already be forgiven by now. But getting high, it's the ultimate sin. People have a problem with not being able to look down upon a person smoking ganja. The current ad campaign shows what a pothead must look like in the eye of the public, the career remote control operator. Being a world class athlete doesn't fit that prejudice so now they do what they can to bring him down.

[camo]

Good point, but he still inspires people over here in the UK to swim.

He's inspiring me to smoke a bong.

[rirv]

I read a good point about drug abuse and alcoholism.

All the anti-drug campaigns show washed out hobos living in a squat shooting up through a broken milk bottle or whatever other scummy tableau they want to show. But that's not the effect of the drug abuse. That's drug abuse combined with poverty. When the well-to-do middle class business man starts to shoot up he still goes to work, wears a tie, looks vaguely respectable. Same with alcoholism. You think of a wino and it's the tramp on the park bench swiggin Special Brew and pissing his trousers. But this guy has no money and probably has some mental health issues that got him there in the first place. Contrast it with your uncle or cousin or colleague who likes a drink. They still go to work, maybe they're a bit unreliable, but they don't smell, they wear clean clothes and they function fairly close to normality, only they're drunk half the time. There are millions of functioning addicts in the world and what gives them away is not their drug abuse but their social status.

I realise it is not as black and white as that and being a heroin addict is no good thing but it's the representation of drug abuse as something that only goes on in fetid surroundings that means Michael Phelps getting mashed at some college party becomes such a big fucking deal. A couple of hits off a bong and he has "let everyone down."

[na§tee]

oh ffs. can't we all just take a few hits from the bong and chillllaaaaaxxx, man?

[gbsuey]

If he had fucked a million people over on Wall Street and caused real harm to people, he'd already be forgiven by now. But getting high, it's the ultimate sin. People have a problem with not being able to look down upon a person smoking ganja. The current ad campaign shows what a pothead must look like in the eye of the public, the career remote control operator. Being a world class athlete doesn't fit that prejudice so now they do what they can to bring him down.

i read a while back that someone could do time for rape, murder, armed robbery or whatever and once they're out be free to collect welfare-do time or get a conviction for drug offences,be it weed or whatever, and you're out of the welfare system for life. Is that still how things stand nowadays??

I was actually surprised by this story-only because i'd have thought he'd be a high-profile figure in the States and would be more careful! Hope he doesn't drop out of 2012-or any other event- that would be the biggest fuck-up he could do, not smoking a bit of dope for fjytki758o98ps sake.

[Schmeltz]

Otis has it exactly right. It's fucking disgusting to imagine that a consummate athlete can be so demonized for such a minor transgression when the people who are causing transhistoric damage to the global economy are skipping out with massive bonuses and kickbacks tacked onto their enormous salaries. IT'S FUCKING WEED. IT'S NOTHING.

:mad:

[YoungRemy]

I think even our most admired individuals of the world deserve AT LEAST one second chance. He is not one of life's constant fuck ups.

I agree with everything you are saying, but he did have a DUI at age 19 after his 2004 Olympic run.


"Last week, I made a mistake," Phelps said Monday night, as quoted by The Washington Post. "Getting in a car with anything to drink is wrong, dangerous and unacceptable. I'm 19 but was taught no matter how old you are, you should always take responsibility for your actions, which I will do."

He added: "I'm extremely sorry for this. ... That's all I can say right now."

I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."

[funk63]

Has anyone seen the Ganja Queen? Now thats some fucked up shit.

[Rock]

Was the Ganja queen the one with all the weed in the surf board bag or something? If so, yes..shit is waaay fucked up. Its like that movie with kate beckinsale and claire daines.

[yeahwho]

If he had fucked a million people over on Wall Street and caused real harm to people, he'd already be forgiven by now. But getting high, it's the ultimate sin. People have a problem with not being able to look down upon a person smoking ganja. The current ad campaign shows what a pothead must look like in the eye of the public, the career remote control operator. Being a world class athlete doesn't fit that prejudice so now they do what they can to bring him down.

Otis has it exactly right. It's fucking disgusting to imagine that a consummate athlete can be so demonized for such a minor transgression when the people who are causing transhistoric damage to the global economy are skipping out with massive bonuses and kickbacks tacked onto their enormous salaries. IT'S FUCKING WEED. IT'S NOTHING.

:mad:

nice (y)

[Lyman Zerga]

people are idiots

ALL people you see on tv take drugs, so stop whining or ill give you a reason to cry

[fucktopgirl]

So, will he have some punishment for that?

[funk63]

So, will he have some punishment for that?

Whenever I see your name I immediately think of that song Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. But the lyrics are changed to fucktop girl, She's been living in her fucktown world. GOD make it stop!!!

[Nygel]

his punishment is only being good at swimming. a skill that doesn't help anyone. unless you're a lifeguard.


he is not.

[Dorothy Wood]

I think the whole thing is hilarious. that dude needed to get knocked down a peg anyway. swimming is a boring sport to watch, the only reason people even watched it was because of the mythology surrounding him. he's not a God, there's no reason that kid needs to be getting piles of cash thrown at him for swimming a half a second faster than the other guy.

I might feel differently if swimming were more entertaining.


dude loves lil' wayne, obviously he smokes weed. he just should've done it out of camera range. and the fact that he didn't means he's a dumb ass. or he was super drunk or something, which would also be totally normal and expected of a 23 year old who's knee deep in vaginas and just became a millionare. or of any average backwards cap-wearing douchebag 23 year old.


edit: I meant to add that I think he'll be fine and keep swimming. I don't think any of his other sponsors will drop him. kellog's pretty much had to, because they sell cereal to families that hate drugs.

[TimDoolan]

I think it's all bullshit. NASCAR drivers drown in beer and champagne and the end of their victories and we all know booze and driving go together well.

[russhie]

Was the Ganja queen the one with all the weed in the surf board bag or something? If so, yes..shit is waaay fucked up. Its like that movie with kate beckinsale and claire daines.

That Corby chick? With the weed in the boogieboard bag?

Anyway. I don't think he should be crucified for it, but he's a public figure, and he gets paid alot of money to stay out of trouble, or at least be smarter about stuff like drugs and cameras. It seems kind of like people who crack the shits when they get a speeding fine - you broke the law, dickhead, and there are penalties involved, so get on with it. Doesn't matter if he's pulling a bong or shooting up heroin, shit is still illegal and companies generally don't want to publicly back people who participate in illegal activities. It's their perogative because it's their money and image on the line.

[Audio.]

Drugs are baayyyd. M'kay.

[Audio.]

Lets see. If smoke a bag of herbs, blow smoke on TMZ cameras, and flipped them off with a hairy knuckle finger up to their faces - all while I'm just a average joe in the streets - nothing would come about. Just a little, "Who the fuck is this douche?". But if I'm a stand-up comedian doing the same old shit, I end up getting rabid pricks up on my ass forcing me to apologize. For what? WHAT do I have to apologize? TMZ Put it out in the open. I didnt. TMZ should apologize for making it public and offending people in that way.

So, fuck YOU, CELEBRITY NEWS MEDIA COVERAGE.

[YoungRemy]

what does tmz have to do with the Phelps story?

or weed smoking stand-up comedians?

[Audio.]

all i'm saying is the one who should be apologizing are the ones responsible for making it public as it has provoked some people to disrespect Phelps and possibly offend viewers. Obviously, it was for front page attention, but that is some morally fucked up shit to do on a person who is abiding in his own personal business.

[YoungRemy]

all i'm saying is the one who should be apologizing are the ones responsible for making it public as it has provoked some people to disrespect Phelps and possibly offend viewers. Obviously, it was for front page attention, but that is some morally fucked up shit to do on a person who is abiding in his own personal business.

again, I don't disagree with you. but if I were a world famous athlete who tried to keep up my golden boy image, the last thing I would do would be to walk into a frat party and take a huge bong rip in front of American college students .

it was some kid who sold the photo to British tabloids, and then Phelps' handlers essentially bribed News Of the world not to run the picture...

[Audio.]

again, I don't disagree with you. but if I were a world famous athlete who tried to keep up my golden boy image, the last thing I would do would be to walk into a frat party and take a huge bong rip in front of American college students .

it was some kid who sold the photo to British tabloids, and then Phelps' handlers essentially bribed News Of the world not to run the picture...

then let me add, 'Boys will be boys.'

[funk63]

I imagine that hanging out with a stoned Michael phelps would be quite annoying, like hanging out with one of those preppy jocks who like to listen to lil wayne and sing "because I got high" at the top of their lungs intermixed with a lot of gay touching. Being that Phelps probably has a high lung capacity it would go on for a while and get quite annoying.

[-T-]

I have a friend who was at a party with him and a friend who served him at starbucks. I dont feel like telling stories so pretty much the guy has a mammoth ego and is a huge ass in real life. lol

[scotty]

I cared about this, but then I smoked a massive cone and now I don't.

[yeahwho]

Oh Really? (http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps)

[Dorothy Wood]

I imagine that hanging out with a stoned Michael phelps would be quite annoying, like hanging out with one of those preppy jocks who like to listen to lil wayne and sing "because I got high" at the top of their lungs intermixed with a lot of gay touching. Being that Phelps probably has a high lung capacity it would go on for a while and get quite annoying.

haaaaa! that's exactly what it would be like!

Oh Really? (http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps)

(y)

[Otis Driftwood]

The decision to suspend him and make him sit on his couch bored to death, instead of having to swim around in some pool will doubtlessly keep him from smoking more weed. :D

[Adam]

I didn't know about his past. I've thought about it and I suppose in his contracts from sponsorship deals outside the official swimming associations, then he has pledged to not to fuck up in public. I suppose if he is caught doing such stuff then its his fault.

However, he didn't break any of the rules of the swimming associations as far as I can tell. He may of broken the law but no charges was pressed. So the ban still stinks quite a bit.

I can't see the Oh Really link because the racist website only lets americans view it and I can't be arsed to re-route the IP.

[yeahwho]

I didn't know about his past. I've thought about it and I suppose in his contracts from sponsorship deals outside the official swimming associations, then he has pledged to not to fuck up in public. I suppose if he is caught doing such stuff then its his fault.

However, he didn't break any of the rules of the swimming associations as far as I can tell. He may of broken the law but no charges was pressed. So the ban still stinks quite a bit.

I can't see the Oh Really link because the racist website only lets americans view it and I can't be arsed to re-route the IP.

try it again with youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2KxXZzoczc) before nbc does it's obligatory takedown

[Adam]

try it again with youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2KxXZzoczc) before nbc does it's obligatory takedown

thanks (y)

you know what Britain needs? Satirical commentators looking at world views like that. We don't have any. Closest we have Jonathon Ross who is just a massive douche.

UK used to be brilliant at comedy. Not any more!