WHAT Was He Thinking?!?

OK, another reason to blog today from the Talk Radio Circuit: Are you ready?

The Sunday headline in Britain's News of the World tabloid was "What a Dope!" The photo? Micheal Phelps with a marijuana bong. Here you go...

From the story, last November Mr. Phelps was at a college party with friends in South Carolina and a "friend" snapped the picture of him there. Other party goers were quick to add how "out of control he was" all night, etc.

I'm not debating his abilities to swim, compete, win medals here. But I am wondering: What was he thinking?! These were his "friends" that sold this photo to Britain's big tabloid paper? How do friends do that and yet not stop and ask him "Yo, Mike. Is this really what you think you should be doing?"

I think there is something to be said here about the acceptance of drug use in society in general. There were many comments on NOTW's site about how "pot isn't that big a deal" and so on.

Don't we almost expect big time performers on the fields of professional athletics to be doping? I do. I can't see a lot of baseball or track and field atheltes the same again. But I had hoped swimmers were smarter. The Girl and I tease about it being a smart person's sport, like soccer. Maybe we are wrong.

Well, I am not sure that his endorsement sponsors will oust him from their rosters of stars. He did fess up to it after the story ran--not too big a deal, in my humble opinion, since they had already published the photographic proof. But he did release a statement that apologized for "bad judgement" and "regrettable behavior" but that kind of apology only sounds like he is bummed he got caught. I'm sure his publicist meant every word he wrote for Micheal to say.

I just kept thinking of Micheal's mom, and what she is thinking. She is a current junior high school principal. I'm sure she is thinking Micheal need to make a guest appearance at Red Ribbon Week. He might need to info more than the kids.