8 golds, one pipe
 

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/swimmi...ory?id=3876804


duh

With those lungs, I bet he can pull one giant bong hit.

I saw this story earlier and can't figure what the big deal is all about.

Exactly

oh, he'll get the whole 'you're a role model' crap....

i wonder if the ioc will think it's a big or small deal?

:rolleyes:

Legalize it.

:tro:

my son is supposed to write a paper on a controversial subject for english class. i suggested that he write about legalizing marijuana. he asked the teacher if that would be ok, and she said go for it.

you can roll your eyes all you want, but he'll have to deal with all that-i can't believe he'd be dumb enough to do that in front of folks in this day and age, with everyone having camera phones. and then of course there's youtube...
the guy is looking at about 100 million in endorsements and the like because of his golds; i'd imagine his agent is having a heart attack.

You bring up the only point that's germane to this story....what the hell was he thinking, and he's possibly has diminished his market value.

Personally I agree that this shouldn't be any big deal. I certainly have absolutely nothing against smoking pot, but I am a bit confused why this guy always gets off with such a free pass from the sports media. You sure didn't hear much this summer about his previous DUI arrest when the clowns from NBC gushed all over this dufus. My guess is that if he swims in the next Olympics you won't here much about this incident either.
Can you imagine if it was T.O. driving drunk and smoking pot instead of Phelps? My guess is that the guys on talk-radio and ESPN would have a little different reaction.

So, your saying it "might" be because of the color of his skin or how he conducts himself in public?

no..he's saying T.O. is an azzhat and Phelps is not:D

no, i think he's saying it's mighty interesting that some can be repeat offenders, and nary a word--and others get criticized for any and every perceived slight thing. when's the last time TO ( for example, since he was mentioned) was arrested? i don't know that he ever has been...but he's a pariah, while phelps (two time lawbreaker now) is a media darling...
thing is, whether you think pot should or shouldn't be illegal-it's currently illegal.

But TO is a self centered jerk who ruins team dynamics. He doesnt deserve a break. His issues also occur during the season.

Phelps is the greatest swimmer of all time, the most accomplished Olympic athlete of all time... and is still a kid and acts like one sometimes. He's the same age as college kids and was hanging out at a U of South Carolina when this photo was taken. He was also strickly on his own free time and not training or anything during that time. At least he's human. Also, the majority of the public doesnt care about pot because they either have or do smoke it.

I think this is exactly true. If this had been Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Michael Vick, Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Matt Leinart.........

that may be true....but...
a classic example of a media bias. phelps gets a pass twice now, for breaking the law. TO gets treated harshly at every opportunity-but hasn't done any thing illegal that i know of.
perhaps TO is only human?

Well, TO may or may not be human, but at least TO may be smart enough to not let people take pictures of him when he's ripping the bong.

Also, TO gets treated harshly because he's a crybaby and throws his QB under a bus at every opportunity (and also his coaches and other teammates). Its hard to like a guy who acts like him. All me me me. I think he deserves everything any anything that comes his way.

Pro athletes get caught with pot all the time. Usually it is by a police officer, so they have to face some punishment. But the public doesnt make a big deal of it. Phelps didnt get caught with anything. It was just a picture. Its not like he was arrested. The drunk driving thing was wrong, but everyone (ESPECIALLY 19 year olds) make mistakes.

but here's the thing....TO gets on tv a lot, but why? does he seek the media, or does the media seek him out? as for throwing his QB under the bus, i remember when TO got ripped when he tried to defend him...the guy can do nothing right it seems. i'm no TO fan, but to see him called an a-hole, while a guy who could have killed people when he was driving drunks gets excused as being a youth-well, i guess i just don't understand it. TO as far as i know has never broken the law-and has talent with ego to match. he's a loudmouth. i just don't understand tho why that gets you a ton of grief, while breaking the law gets shrugged shoulders.
but just think (as was said above) if TO was in that pic, not phelps. it would be all over the place, and you know it. there's a VERY obvious double standard.