Commentary on Phelps and Pot...

[TooFarTampa]

I don't know your story in your 20's but this guy has way less sense than the average bear. He took one class at Michigan and quit because it was too hard. Now he's hitting the bubbler with the USC swim team because he thinks he's a rock star and he has the intellect of a bag of rocks. Stop taking up for a guy who deserves every bit of scorn and ridicule coming his way. I know (more than you can possibly know) that a lot of people in the swim world think he's an idiot for his current predicament. Wake up and quit taking up for the guy like he's some kind of hero and future spokeman for the pot smokers of America. If anything, he's the poster boy for why they call it "dope".

You could sense the undercurrents when USA Swimming suspended him even after the IOC gave him a pass. Swimmers have a hard enough time getting attention during the off years; it makes sense that they would be ticked off that he squandered this opportunity for himself and for the sport. I wonder what Mark Spitz, motivational speaker, thinks? It's pretty clear by the way that Phelps won't usurp him in that arena.

 

[DD]

I love that word..usurp

 

[Geo]

I don't know your story in your 20's but this guy has way less sense than the average bear. He took one class at Michigan and quit because it was too hard. Now he's hitting the bubbler with the USC swim team because he thinks he's a rock star and he has the intellect of a bag of rocks. Stop taking up for a guy who deserves every bit of scorn and ridicule coming his way. I know (more than you can possibly know) that a lot of people in the swim world think he's an idiot for his current predicament. Wake up and quit taking up for the guy like he's some kind of hero and future spokeman for the pot smokers of America. If anything, he's the poster boy for why they call it "dope".

FT,

You are responding to my posts but I get the impression that you aren't really reading them first. I'm not "taking up" for Phelps. My original commentary and my follow up posts on this thread are intended to be more about society than Phelps.

You post about Phelps as if you really believe you know him. You know how much sense and intellect he lacks, details about his academic background and what he thinks of himself. This all seems silly to me.

 

[LuciferSam]

This victimization of Phelps is pathetic. The guy gave a green light to every kid struggling against the pressures of drug use. Apparently, 8 golds will buy you an ounce of sens but not sense.

The attitude of many of Phelp's supporters is one of defiance, not sympathy. You're the one who is victimizing the children who have the free will to stay away from drugs given a good parental role model. Alright, well maybe in your case now I see what the problem is.

 

[full time]

The attitude of many of Phelp's supporters is one of defiance, not sympathy. You're the one who is victimizing the children who have the free will to stay away from drugs given a good parental role model. Alright, well maybe in your case now I see what the problem is.

Parenting 101 from a pot smokin atheist. Perfect

 

[LuciferSam]

Parenting 101 from a pot smokin atheist. Perfect

No I don't use it at all, but if I had kids you'd better believe I would teach them there's no invisible cloud being. You got that right.

 

[Santiago]

He always struck me as being not so bright. I guess this proves it. What's really amazing is the money that so many companies throw at athletes to sell their products when they can't seem to form a coherent sentence.

 

[Geo]

He always struck me as being not so bright. I guess this proves it.

Right. Because if one smokes pot it proves they are not so bright?
I can assure you that many, if not most, of the people you believe are very smart have smoked pot in their 20's (or beyond)...

What's really amazing is the money that so many companies throw at athletes to sell their products when they can't seem to form a coherent sentence.

Chess players and software tycoons don't help companies sell cereal or shoes. The guys who swim the fastest and hit the shot at the buzzer do (whether or not they form coherent sentences).

 

[Rudyjohn]

geo, I think santiago's comment on the "not so bright" is apropos now that phelps is who he is, he should have thought before lighting up for all to see. I agree. Not too bright. Yes he is the fastest swimmer and best athlete.

Also, why have schools been hammering home the "no tolerance" for drugs the last 15 years? There's a reason. And if we teach our kids this in school for 12 years, then it should be the same for phelps as a role model.

It seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[Geo]

geo, I think santiago's comment on the "not so bright" is apropos now that phelps is who he is, he should have thought before lighting up for all to see. I agree. Not too bright. Yes he is the fastest swimmer and best athlete.

We know not the facts. Who took the picture? Was Phelps led to believe he was among friends/people he could trust? Was he betrayed during a private moment?

If he was surrounded by strangers in a relatively public place/large social gathering then I would agree that this was not a smart move and a big mistake and he should've thought more about the consequences.

Also, why have schools been hammering home the "no tolerance" for drugs the last 15 years? There's a reason. And if we teach our kids this in school for 12 years, then it should be the same for phelps as a role model. It seems like a no brainer to me.

This is faulty logic. Just because we have been exposed to lessons in school for a long time does not mean they are necessarily right. We were taught that Pluto was a planet. We recently learned this was untrue and was based on outdated science.

Phelps didn't choose to make himself a role model. He chose to swim. And because he was good at it others declared him a role model.