Friday, February 06, 2009
Poor Micheal Phelps. The guy goes to a party, and the next thing you know, the always-right American people cut him off at the legs (though this brings him down to normal height. That guy is tall! He just has to jump in the water, and before his feet are wet, his hands are touching the other end of the pool), and throw him to the sharks for being a normal college student. But I guess it's impossible to reconcile in the tiny minds of most, that one can be a hard-working, successful, talented athlete, and still partake in leisure activities.
Are there no pictures of him drinking a beer? A shot? Falling down drunk, puking all over the street, passing out on a bus bench? Perhaps, but that is of little interest to anyone because it fall under the category "acceptable behaviour", since it's not illegal, or against "God's will" (whatever that is). But take one hit of the devil's lettuce, and YOU'LL NEVER WORK IN THIS TOWN AGAIN, BOY! His endorsement deal with Kellogg's won't be renewed, which I find ironic, considering the increased consumption of their product that would be caused by the hoards of millions of muncheid-out kids who will obviously be inspired to become pot junkies since Mr. Phelps was photographed holding a bong.
Is he a bad "role model"? NO! This guy accomplished more in his early 20's than most people will accomplish, or even aspire to accomplish in 6 lifetimes. He works hard, is disciplined, trains his ass of, sets goals, achieves them, sets new goals, achieves them too, and should serve as an inspiration for generations to come. Why should ONE PICTURE end that? I think the "bad role models" are the ones who profit in other people's pain and mistakes: the guy who sold the picture (I'm sure he didn't just give it away with the intention of making the world a better place), the newspapers who published it, and all of the narrow-minded people who are quick to judge, and not so quick to forgive.
SO WHAT if he got (gets) high? It's certainly not performance-enhancing. He's not in competition (a point the IOC brought up when they chose not to punish him), and he would probably pass any drug test administered right now, and at any point in-season. About the only people I can see him really having let down are the ones like me who wish he would just own up to it and tell every one to screw off, since it's none of their business anyways. If more people would do that, perhaps we could make some headway into dispersing the myths that using marajuana leads to a dismal life of failure, amotivation, addiction and abuse. There are other drugs that fit that bill very well, and they are legal, acceptable, and even encouraged by our society. They have done wonders to raise the mortality rate and health costs, not to mention tear families apart, something grass has never (as far as I've read, and I've read a lot) been proven to do. Alcohol anyone? Cigarettes? Unnecessary prescription drugs? Or perhaps we just need a marajuana lobby, with good role models like Michael Phelps showing that most people's half-formed ideas on the subject are false.
Are there no pictures of him drinking a beer? A shot? Falling down drunk, puking all over the street, passing out on a bus bench? Perhaps, but that is of little interest to anyone because it fall under the category "acceptable behaviour", since it's not illegal, or against "God's will" (whatever that is). But take one hit of the devil's lettuce, and YOU'LL NEVER WORK IN THIS TOWN AGAIN, BOY! His endorsement deal with Kellogg's won't be renewed, which I find ironic, considering the increased consumption of their product that would be caused by the hoards of millions of muncheid-out kids who will obviously be inspired to become pot junkies since Mr. Phelps was photographed holding a bong.
Is he a bad "role model"? NO! This guy accomplished more in his early 20's than most people will accomplish, or even aspire to accomplish in 6 lifetimes. He works hard, is disciplined, trains his ass of, sets goals, achieves them, sets new goals, achieves them too, and should serve as an inspiration for generations to come. Why should ONE PICTURE end that? I think the "bad role models" are the ones who profit in other people's pain and mistakes: the guy who sold the picture (I'm sure he didn't just give it away with the intention of making the world a better place), the newspapers who published it, and all of the narrow-minded people who are quick to judge, and not so quick to forgive.
SO WHAT if he got (gets) high? It's certainly not performance-enhancing. He's not in competition (a point the IOC brought up when they chose not to punish him), and he would probably pass any drug test administered right now, and at any point in-season. About the only people I can see him really having let down are the ones like me who wish he would just own up to it and tell every one to screw off, since it's none of their business anyways. If more people would do that, perhaps we could make some headway into dispersing the myths that using marajuana leads to a dismal life of failure, amotivation, addiction and abuse. There are other drugs that fit that bill very well, and they are legal, acceptable, and even encouraged by our society. They have done wonders to raise the mortality rate and health costs, not to mention tear families apart, something grass has never (as far as I've read, and I've read a lot) been proven to do. Alcohol anyone? Cigarettes? Unnecessary prescription drugs? Or perhaps we just need a marajuana lobby, with good role models like Michael Phelps showing that most people's half-formed ideas on the subject are false.
Labels: contoversy, drugs, hypocrisy, marijuana, Michael, Phelps, picture, sports, swimming
