Michael Phelps: Give him a break

[titaniummd]

I am not an advocate of marijuana use but alcoholism and binge drinking is a lot worse - especially if we are talking about DUIs. How many of the young celebrities have been pulled over for drunk driving? Many. What is done about it? Nothing. Do they lose their contracts? Unlikely.

Alcohol is legal but it did not help these poor souls:

TSG Mug Shot: Lindsay Lohan

TSG Mug Shot: Lindsay Lohan

TSG Mug Shot: Mel Gibson

TSG Mug Shot: Charles Barkley

TSG Mug Shot: Shia LaBeouf

TSG Mug Shot: Kim Delaney

Here is a list of the Hall of Shame:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/index.html

I hope you get my point.

Ok, there is one who got busted for a little MJ action:

TSG Mug Shot: Jennifer Capriati

[maciesmom]

What is it exactly that any of these folks have contracts to endorse? And if they do have contracts, that is really up to the company that is paying them. That is what people don't seem to be getting here. The companies who have contracts with these folks are paying for a certain image and these things are outlined in the contract. By his actions, Phelps basically broke the contract - the companies have the right to terminate - or not depending on how they feel his actions will impact the image they are trying to project - ie is he now capable of the performance they are paying for? Whether anyone believes that pot should be legal, or it's no worse than alcohol or it's not unusual for young adults or other people have done worse etc etc. is not relevant to his corporate contracts....Think of it this way: If you, as an employee, while "on the clock" behave in such a way to embarrass your employer and project an image that is contrary to what they purport to project, you will most likely get fired. Michael Phelps is "on the clock" 24/7 - and getting paid handsomely. He knew that when he signed the contract. He is an adult. If the company chooses to terminate based on his behavior that's their prerogative..The behavior itself is irrelevant. He could have been fired for making a racist comment (just an example not based in reality) or picking his nose in public, neither of which is illegal but neither, I'm guessing is what those companies are paying for.

[missncr]

Originally Posted by titaniummd

I am not an advocate of marijuana use but alcoholism and binge drinking is a lot worse - especially if we are talking about DUIs. How many of the young celebrities have been pulled over for drunk driving? Many. What is done about it? Nothing. Do they lose their contracts? Unlikely.

Alcohol is legal but it did not help these poor souls:

TSG Mug Shot: Lindsay Lohan

TSG Mug Shot: Lindsay Lohan

TSG Mug Shot: Mel Gibson

TSG Mug Shot: Charles Barkley

TSG Mug Shot: Shia LaBeouf

TSG Mug Shot: Kim Delaney

Here is a list of the Hall of Shame:

The Smoking Gun: Arresting Images

I hope you get my point.

Ok, there is one who got busted for a little MJ action:

TSG Mug Shot: Jennifer Capriati

He did get busted with a DUI a few years ago also.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Jaxson

Reading this thread reminds me how desensitized America has become to right and wrong. There are always people that want to bring the gray shades into an issues~~always.

Phelps signed a pledge to remain drug free to promote drug free athletes I suppose that pledge contract should be tossed aside? What he chose to do as a young adult, please stop calling him a kid that ceased when he turned 18, will ripple on past the media mongers. We as a society won't feel the loss as much as his reputation and bank account will.

Our jails are loaded with folks that smoked or sold pot why is Phelps any different from any of them because he won 8 gold medals? Yes he is mega swimmer I respect him for that.

Point blank he broke the law and got caught doing it but some of you say "no big deal". He chose to be a role model when he signed on with his sponsors and talked to young swimmers to promote his sport! Just because others choose to do it doesn't mean two wrongs don't make a right.

I agree, with what you wrote.



I am a parent. I have a son that is MP's age and a girl that's a teen.

Parents have it very hard these days. Not only do we have to worry about our teens smoking pot, drinking, we have to worry about them trading legal medications with their friends. Those who have medicated kids have to watch them swallow the pills because they spit them out and sell them.

Getting caught with drugs in your system at school you get suspended. If you are caught trying to buy drugs in school they make you test right there then kick you out of school until the test comes back. When it does come back you are thrown into in school suspension for another week.

Pot is not legal. I'm not so sure I want it to be legal for anything but medical use.

Celebs are another part of our worry. We worry who our kid will look up to. Some chose MP. I didn't know he was busted DUI, he shouldn't have been plugging things like Kellogg's cereal. I have no clue what other products he endorses and if it's anything related to swimming.

I agree that if he chooses to break the law he really needs to do so privately because with people looking to make a fast buck, taking a pic of him doing something is very easy with cell phones.

He smoked pot with so called friends, now he's going to pay a price.
I see it's being investigated and people are getting arrested. The person that sold the photo might be one of them getting caught.

If his career is over, we'll see.

[58robbo]

Originally Posted by mainegirl

I had NO IDEA he smoked pot and I certainly don't smoke it.

I think it's all very sad, kids look up to this guy as a hero.

he is a hero, he has 14 olympic gold medals.

[58robbo]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

What is it exactly that any of these folks have contracts to endorse? And if they do have contracts, that is really up to the company that is paying them. That is what people don't seem to be getting here. The companies who have contracts with these folks are paying for a certain image and these things are outlined in the contract. By his actions, Phelps basically broke the contract - the companies have the right to terminate - or not depending on how they feel his actions will impact the image they are trying to project - ie is he now capable of the performance they are paying for? Whether anyone believes that pot should be legal, or it's no worse than alcohol or it's not unusual for young adults or other people have done worse etc etc. is not relevant to his corporate contracts....Think of it this way: If you, as an employee, while "on the clock" behave in such a way to embarrass your employer and project an image that is contrary to what they purport to project, you will most likely get fired. Michael Phelps is "on the clock" 24/7 - and getting paid handsomely. He knew that when he signed the contract. He is an adult. If the company chooses to terminate based on his behavior that's their prerogative..The behavior itself is irrelevant. He could have been fired for making a racist comment (just an example not based in reality) or picking his nose in public, neither of which is illegal but neither, I'm guessing is what those companies are paying for.

no one is disputing the company's right not to renew his contract. they probably weren't going to anyway. the thing is that instead of letting the contract run to term and not renewing, they made a massive public hooplaaah for cheap publicity. to be fair, they probably scored some brownie points with consumers on the religious right. in doing so however they alienated some pot smokers and people like me who believe that phelps was just practicing a basic right as an adult to smoke whatever the %^*& he pleases!

[titaniummd]

S.C. sheriff: No pot charge for Phelps - USATODAY.com

Richland County sheriff Leon Lott said Monday he didn't have enough physical evidence to press charges against the 23-year-old swimmer after the November party near the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Now, let's see some more Gold medals, shall we?