Phelps Poll!

Once again I agree with Steph. What he did was wrong (I don't think anyone is agruing that), immature because all kids know better, and really stupid. But the fact that he stepped up to the plate and "took charge of the situation" I think is a responsible action. When Bill Clinton was being interrogated for having an affair, it took lying to Congress, extreme media pressure, and many other factors for him to finally own up to the fact that he did something wrong. So I think that by Michael admitting flat out he made an error, he took the higher road. Rather than try to dodge the situation or blame it on other factors, he came right out and said it was all my fault. ~Kyra Just so we're clear and there's no debate...I'm comparing how Clinton and Phelps handled their situations not the situation that got them there.

Steph raises a good point. Michael has said he made a mistake, and he has said that drinking and driving is dangerous. I don't believe he has actually said that he was driving under the influence, however. Perhaps that's the true sign of maturity--conferring with your attorney before making public statements.

Not to add fuel to the fire but Phelps could have hired a good lawyer (I know plenty who would have taken it for free publicity) and fought the DUI claiming he was not "under the influence." Good criminal defense lawyers know how to defend DUIs even with a client who "failed" a field sobriety test. A public apology and admission that he made a mistake probably makes most defenses implausible (since the statements are admissible against him). I'm not taking any position on his actions just suggesting that he had alternatives to admitting his guilt and he chose to forego those.

Originally posted by aquageek You do realize, of course, he didn't own up to it until a week later when Matt Druge (spelling?) put it on the web. I don't find it particularly admirable that he drove drunk, waited a few days, got found out by the media, went public and is now a crusader. That, to me, sounds a lot like a PR machine gearing up, not a person who immediately owns up to a wrong. The way I understood it, from what the different articles have been saying, he was caught on Friday night, and then the following Monday is when the story broke. It also said that after his release, so I guess Saturday morning, he called the media himself to give a statement and his apology. So my understanding is he did own up "immediately" but the media didn't release it until Monday.

Actually, he was arrested on Thursday night, November 4. According to the Baltimore Sun, the state police released the information on Monday, November 8, after which he issued his apology. Apparently he telephoned several major newspapers and media outlets and read a prepared statement. The story was published the following day. On Sunday he was introduced at the Ravens' game. www.baltimoresun.com/.../bal-te.md.phelps09nov09,1,2398558.story

Originally posted by thisgirl13 Why didn't Lance Armstrong advocate cancer research six years ago? Maybe he did. But sometimes, it takes a personal experience to make your voice louder, to give people a real reason to listen to you. The voluntary decision to imperil your life and the lives of others by drinking and driving is far different than getting cancer. Armstrong's fight against cancer and subsequent crusade is much different that what Phelps is doing after getting busted committing a crime.

Originally posted by gull80 Actually he has two lawyers, according to the Baltimore Sun, which were hired for him. And. while this may be parsing, he did not admit that he was guilty of DUI--he apologized for making a mistake and then said that drinking and driving is wrong and dangerous. I think he's handled the situation about as well as he could. I just don't see this as a sign of maturity. He certainly wasn't acting maturely when he got behind the wheel of his SUV after drinking. The law school professor agrees with your observation that he did not admit that he was driving under the influence, but the prosecutor and defense lawyer who present the case to the jury know that an admission that he "made a mistake" is tantamount to an admission that he was under the influence. Your not parsing but practically the result for him is the same. Michael Phelps is probably reading this and a thousand other threads on swimming, sports and People magazine websites and thinking to himself, "what kind of a storm did I start?" The question for him now is whether he takes the Daryll Strawberry/Robert Downey Jr./ route or take the less traveled road and not making the same (or substantially similar) mistake again. I hope he has strong parental and adult (read:agent, coach) support around him who are not "yesmen/women" but rather exert positive influence to keep him focused on greater achievements. Nobody likes watching a falling star.

Originally posted by Fred Johnson Not to add fuel to the fire but Phelps could have hired a good lawyer (I know plenty who would have taken it for free publicity) and fought the DUI claiming he was not "under the influence." Good criminal defense lawyers know how to defend DUIs even with a client who "failed" a field sobriety test. A public apology and admission that he made a mistake probably makes most defenses implausible (since the statements are admissible against him). I'm not taking any position on his actions just suggesting that he had alternatives to admitting his guilt and he chose to forego those. Actually he has two lawyers, according to the Baltimore Sun, which were hired for him. And. while this may be parsing, he did not admit that he was guilty of DUI--he apologized for making a mistake and then said that drinking and driving is wrong and dangerous. I think he's handled the situation about as well as he could. I just don't see this as a sign of maturity. He certainly wasn't acting maturely when he got behind the wheel of his SUV after drinking.

Touche, aquageek...however, I wasn't comparing drunk driving to getting cancer, I was trying to compare how Lance Armstrong didn't advocate cancer research until he got cancer, same way Michael Phelps didn't speak out against drinking and driving until he got drunk and drove. Not saying it wasn't a choice or anything. Please accept my apologies if it came across like that. Kyra, good luck on your finals! I know we're keeping you distracted....I, personally, missed class today (alarm just didn't quite want to go off this morning at 5)...I'm such a loser, hehe. Fred, welcome to the fire! I like what you said; you seem to have a very good understanding what we're trying to talk about. For everybody out there who just browses by and takes a look at all this, let me make it clear, one last time; WE ARE NOT CONDONING WHAT MICHAEL PHELPS DID. Period. That's not even up for discussion. We just like the way he's handling himself. There's kind of a higher bar for him, since nobody this high up has ever done something like this. In any other sport, this wouldn't be such a discussion (hel-LO! Kobe Bryant, anyone?) and we'd be applauding the guy that said, um, yeah, I did it, I'm sorry, please don't drink and drive, instead of frying his ass for doing it at all. Swimmers, as a community, are like the children of rich parents who turn their nose up at the YMCA, and swim at the country club instead. It's not that we seem more prejudiced (because we kinda are), it's that we really don't know any better because we've been on the better side of the track.

Originally posted by Fred Johnson Michael Phelps is probably reading this and a thousand other threads on swimming, sports and People magazine websites and thinking to himself, "what kind of a storm did I start?" The question for him now is whether he takes the Daryll Strawberry/Robert Downey Jr./ route or take the less traveled road and not making the same (or substantially similar) mistake again. Fred, I PM'd you regarding this......... ~Steph~