Phelps acknowledges photo showing him smoking pot

[Turborama]

Source: AP

By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer – 3 mins ago

TAMPA, Fla. – Olympic great Michael Phelps has acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper showed him smoking marijuana.

In a statement released to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.

Phelps said: "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."

News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when he was introduced to the crowd.

While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090201/ap_on_sp_ot/swm_phelps_marijuana

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[yorgatron]

1. so what?

i mean really :eyes:

[Turborama]

4. He's a good role model for pot smokers? n/t

[Indenturedebtor]

5. Well I like him more anyways. I don't trust Americans who've never partied

[LiberalHeart]

36. Yes. Always put your trust in pot heads.

[Indenturedebtor]

44. Hey I don't want a pothead balancing my checkbook but...

I don't trust people who don't push at their own boundaries. Learning to be an ethical person is all about self discovery man :P

[LiberalinNC]

35. Exactly!

With all the turmoil going on in this country, THAT's what makes national news??? STUPID!

[SidDithers]

2. He should have come out and said...

"Yeah, I smoked pot. What's the big fuckin' deal?"

Sid

[w4rma]

3. Nah, he has to jump through the hoops that they want him to jump through over this. (nt)

[ixion]

41. my thoughts exactly

what a great opportunity to tell people to get over it.

[2Design]

6. could have said he did n't do cocaine like the former president n/t

[MellowDem]

22. Or the current?

As it is, pot is nothing like coke and should be legalized.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. I am sure it would have been far more appropriate...

If he had been shotgunning beers or chugging from a bottle of bourbon. Just good, clean young manster fun.

Yes, we are a nation of fuck-knuckles.

Please note: I use no recreational substances, and do not recommend them. However, a 23 year old smoking chronic is about as interesting and shocking as watching paint dry.

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. "Yes, we are a nation of fuck-knuckles" - I think you got it right -

.
.
.

Sad, but true

[IndianaGreen]

8. Well, was it good shit?

Pot should be decriminalized!

[Akoto]

9. He's 23. I'm 23. People our age make dumb mistakes. n/t

[Oregone]

38. It wasn't a mistake. Pot is good stuff.

A mistake is thinking it was a wine glass and taking a swig. No, hes good people and hasn't made a mistake as far as I know.

[ixion]

42. yep, you said it

:applause:

[JayMusgrove]

10. Maybe he was using it for "medicinal reasons"...I hear those

commercials he stars in are enough to make anyone sick.

[Dollface]

11. Well that explains why he is such a slacker.

[DrDan]

12. this is going to cost him millions

[Faygo Kid]

13. I turned 23 in 1974. Of course, none of US smoked pot back then.

Yeah, right.

Crank up "Band on the Run," a little Doobies and Eagles, and pass the bong.

[LuckyLib]

25. Smoking to the Beatles and Pink Floyd. Glad no one had a cell phone camera then!

:smoke:

Poor Phelps. You pay a very high price (and get very big $$$$$$$)for that lack of privacy.

[leveymg]

14. And, he inhaled - with lungs like those, he must've bogarted the whole bowl.

No wonder he was out of control . . .

[high density]

15. Dude, you're getting a Dell!

[mainegreen]

16. Oh noe. Teh pot! Teh Bong! Horrors!

:sarcasm:

[truthisfreedom]

18. Heh-heh-heh. I wonder if it was his coach or his parents who convinced him to own up first?

If he's a very bright lad, he probably realized his only way out by himself.

[NM Independent]

19. He's just saying what he's being told to say by his PR firm.

He's freaking 23. I'm amazed he made it that far without partaking a time or two.

[nikkos_71]

20. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again,

get "caught" that it is.

[truthisfreedom]

21. No cameras allowed, Michael is on the premises.

[hedgehog]

23. Well, that's it, I've held out against peer pressure for 54 some years,

but after seeing that photo I'm running out to smoke some pot!

[Trajan]

24. As usual ... many misintepret the message in this ...

First: It is just a news story, and in interesting as a news item to a certain segment of the population .... Most of us can personally give a shit what Michael Phelps does in private .... But he allowed himself to be photographed in this state, and that is his own fault ...

Second: The significance of this lies mainly in it's impact on the 'marketability' of Phelps as a salable sports icon, and what kinds of advertising contracts he could command based on his Olympic performance ... He is now damaged goods on Madison Avenue, and he has diminished his possible future income by this indiscretion ....

Even if pot were legal, it would be viewed poorly if public figures were photographed actually using it .... If one wants to benefit financially from a public image, then it is important to them they maintain that image ....

Phelps blew it ...

[kirby]

26. "allowed himself to be photographed"...

How do you know he "allowed himself to be photographed". He may have been completely unaware that his privacy was being violated and then sold to a magazine.

[Trajan]

32. He was smoking a bong around strangers ....

or marginal friends ....

He has a multi-million dollar image as an Olympian champion ...

He has squat as a 'Pothead' ...

It is his fault he placed himself into a situation where someone COULD surreptitiously photograph him while he imbibed ....

Dont get me wrong: I am PRO legalization, completely and absolutely ...

But his situation is different .... He had a squeaky clean image that fit onto a Wheaties box and in a Disney ad .... The 'bad boy' thing doesnt work well in that environment ....

Instead: He can smoke'm up, but with less millions ....

[AndyTiedye]

28. Didn't Hurt This Guy

[Trajan]

33. Not everybody can be a ganja god ....

Im not sure how well Phelp's can sing ... Can he dance ?

[Titonwan]

30. Note to self: Never smoke pot around Trajan.

He will kill your buzz faster than a naked Barbara Bush.

[Trajan]

34. To be compared to 'The Beautiful Mind' ....

is hardly an endorsement .....

Look ... Smoking pot in the proper environment is A-OK with me, and I dont think any less of Phelp's from a 'freedom' perspective, but you have to admit it was a poor business decision ...

[quidam56]

27. Legalize Hemp and Marijuana, green jobs and we need 'em.

Phelps could help create an economic boon ! http://www.wisecountyissues.com I'd much rather have weed growing in the Appalachian Mountains,
(Kentucky's # 1 cash crop) Than to see the greedy toxic coal industry bombing the hell out of our mountains decapitating them all for the love of money for a non-renewable energy source.

[pink-o]

37. Northern Callie's #1 cash crop as well!

Arnie is an idiot, we could crawl out of our deficit in no time by legalizing what all the land in Humboldt county is used for. But let's face it: the reason pot is criminalized is cuz Big Pharma can't process it chemically and sell it for an exorbitant amount of money--ergo, it must be demonized and reviled.

What a joke. Legalize hemp, and its flowery cousin, and it'll put new meaning into "Green" jobs.

[Titonwan]

29. Oh, I see...

it's okay to smoke people with cluster bombs, tearing them to smithereens, but ya can't smoke a little ol' weed. It's all becoming clear?

[Zhade]

31. "Bad judgment"? There's nothing wrong with smoking this proven-beneficial herb!

I am so fucking tired of people having to apologize for something that doesn't harm you!

[Buns_of_Fire]

39. Lordy, my first thought was that it was Phred Phelps...

...and the next set of signs we'd see the Phurry Phelps Phreaks holding would be "God hates fags, but he LOVES doobies!" (Obviously, I haven't had enough beer today.:beer:)

[JI7]

40. and Bush doing Cocaine while President in his 50s and 60s

is ok

[ellie]

43. Who cares?

He is acting like any other 23-year-old.

[Bake]

45. Whether it SHOULD be legal is totally irrelevant.

The FACT is, it's NOT.

Phelps is a public figure, with an image to protect IF he wants to cash in on his fame (which obviously he wants to do). Hitting the bong at a party, in an environment not completely under his control, was stupid, and it will likely cost him a few million in endorsements.

I hope that was some really, really good sh*t. Because it's going to be very very expensive.

All of you who are saying "so what" need to grow the hell up, wake up and smell the coffee. What OUGHT TO BE doesn't matter. What IS, matters.

Bake