Lately, Michael Phelps hasn't been in the news quite the same way he was back in August when he had the entire world's attention focused on his record-breaking Olympics in Beijing. His legacy began to grow instantaneously and "phans" were starting to emerge out of nowhere. It didn't matter if you didn't know anything about US Swimming - everyone knew that they were witnessing history and something far beyond average.
After a picture of him smoking from a large bong was posted in the papers and all over the Internet, Phelps was finally portrayed as average. He's a 23-year-old guy who hasn't lead a typical adolescence and young adulthood and had a huge lapse of judgment that may cost him his medals, but it's really hard for me to not like the guy anymore. If anything, I feel terrible for him. Here's a good American kid who has dedicated his life to becoming an elite swimmer, swimming up to 9 hours a day sometimes, and having to sacrifice his entire life. When training for the Olympics, there were zero days of for the 20-year-old to be normal. Clearly his sacrifices paid off and didn't seem to bother him when he draped his 8 medals around his neck for Sports Illustrated.
The most recent reports say that the actual bong that he smoked out of his going for $100,000 on eBay, and around the same time the picture was taken, Phelps was found gambling $4K over a game of beer pong. Even with this recent addition of gambling to Phelps' drama, I'm still not convinced that what he accomplished at the Olympics should be taken away. Is it slightly tainted and not as magnificent? To some, yes, but these acts of pure stupidity all occurred in November 2007. Marijuana isn't a performance enhancement steroid either! It's a relaxant that a fair number of 20-year-olds have experimented.
Let's face it. It could be way worse....He could be A-Roid! Who in the MLB hasn't taken steroids now? Should any record set or broken from 1990 count for anything anymore? America's old pastime is such a disgrace now and always has to be viewed as a game with many flaws and problems. Now, I'm a huge Sox fan and wouldn't be surprised if some of our beloved Sox players are on the same list that A-Rod is on from 2003. It just saddens me that one of America's greatest traditions of watching a ballgame in the summer and fall has been stained forever.
After a picture of him smoking from a large bong was posted in the papers and all over the Internet, Phelps was finally portrayed as average. He's a 23-year-old guy who hasn't lead a typical adolescence and young adulthood and had a huge lapse of judgment that may cost him his medals, but it's really hard for me to not like the guy anymore. If anything, I feel terrible for him. Here's a good American kid who has dedicated his life to becoming an elite swimmer, swimming up to 9 hours a day sometimes, and having to sacrifice his entire life. When training for the Olympics, there were zero days of for the 20-year-old to be normal. Clearly his sacrifices paid off and didn't seem to bother him when he draped his 8 medals around his neck for Sports Illustrated.
The most recent reports say that the actual bong that he smoked out of his going for $100,000 on eBay, and around the same time the picture was taken, Phelps was found gambling $4K over a game of beer pong. Even with this recent addition of gambling to Phelps' drama, I'm still not convinced that what he accomplished at the Olympics should be taken away. Is it slightly tainted and not as magnificent? To some, yes, but these acts of pure stupidity all occurred in November 2007. Marijuana isn't a performance enhancement steroid either! It's a relaxant that a fair number of 20-year-olds have experimented.
Let's face it. It could be way worse....He could be A-Roid! Who in the MLB hasn't taken steroids now? Should any record set or broken from 1990 count for anything anymore? America's old pastime is such a disgrace now and always has to be viewed as a game with many flaws and problems. Now, I'm a huge Sox fan and wouldn't be surprised if some of our beloved Sox players are on the same list that A-Rod is on from 2003. It just saddens me that one of America's greatest traditions of watching a ballgame in the summer and fall has been stained forever.
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