Does Michael Phelps Deserve Another Chance?
By Lip Board
Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 9:06 pm in Alexandra Rudolf.
I have no fewer than ten pictures of Michael Phelps in my room, and I’m loyal to my pop culture icons to the point of retaining Napoleon Dynamite in one of my e-mail addresses since his cult dominance in the 7th grade. But with the backlash surrounding Michael Phelps’ recent use of a marijuana pipe, I’m not really sure that I can remain the statistics-rattling, TV-stalking, race-cheering fan that I became when he started giving fellow swimmers a run for their money in Athens in 2004.
First published in a London tabloid, the photos revealing Phelps smoking pot caused Kellogg’s to cancel their endorsement deal, and has cost Phelps a three-month swimming suspension (issued by USA Swimming) that will leave him with only two months of competition before the World Finals of Swimming this summer in Rome.
Strike one came in 2004, just months after then 19-year-old Phelps captured five gold medals in Athens, when he was arrested for DUI two years under the legal drinking age. His recent, record-shattering races overrode that memory, but it comes to light again with the controversy of Phelps’ latest mistake.
For me, Phelps’ redeeming graces (other than his amazing talent in the pool) are his humility and his honesty. Phelps never once denied his use of marijuana shown in the picture, and has taken his punishment in good character, accepting that he made a mistake and that his temporary ban from the pool is a “fair punishment.” Even with photographers and journalists tracking his every step, from his house to the pool and back home again, he has never lashed out and has even apologized several times for his behavior and for his disappointment to the multitude of young fans who looked up to him as a sports hero. Although I absolutely do not agree with Phelps’ decisions, I am happy to see that even with his personal life, Phelps has continued to be a man worthy of titles such as “Sportsman of the Year,” as he was recently deemed by Sports Illustrated. My only hopes are that Phelps continues to accept his punishments in good character and that this time, he lives up to his promises to reform.
To continue tracking the new Phelps saga, check out ESPN’s Swimming News Wire for more pictures and new developments.
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February 10th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Yes, He’s no Chris Brown!!
February 12th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
with that beard, he looks a little like the Giant character in the movie, Big Fish.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
What I like personally about this situation is that Michael Phelps is taking responsibility for his actions. I also appreciate his humility and his honesty.Whether you agree with his decisions to smoke pot and/or drink alcohol or not, you still have a guy who is not blaming anyone for his behavior. He is taking responsibility for his own actions and in this way he is behaving like a leader. I am not convinced that saying his choices are ‘mistakes’. To judge his actions as ‘mistakes’ would be to say that that part of him is ‘bad’ and the part we like about him is ‘good and that is an old and mislead way of living/thinking. The truth about Michael Phelps, as with every human being, is that the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ are both 2 sides which make up a complete human being. Whoever you look up to realize this, the good and bad make up who they are and you cannot fully understand someone without accepting everything about them. Instead of calling his actions ‘mistakes’ I would call it ‘learning’. Keep up the good work with the blog and let your voice be heard. Good job.
March 8th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
http://www.hulu.com/watch/56636/saturday-night-live-really-michael-phelps
In this segment, Seth makes some of the main points I myself would bring up about Phelps. I mean, c’mon, he may be many kids’ role model, but he’s still a kid. He’s, what, 23? Give him a break, everyone makes mistakes, and Phelps is still human. Plus, he handled it magnificently, as you pointed out.
March 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am
I think a lot of people are overreacting about this issue. Yes, he smoked pot, and yes it IS illegal; But he’s also just a young guy and lots of people his age do stupid stuff they’re not proud of. I think the Kelloggs deal being cut of was fair, but US team suspending him? Come on! It’s not like he was doing it at the practice site or during a competition. I think that punishment was a little too invasive of his privacy. I do admire his maturity through all of this (a responsible man at his age is very rare!)