Due to the lengthy discussions about the Phelps situation, let's make this one short and sweet!
What's your opinion?
1. Don't give a ****.
2. Phelps is just another kid... kids do stupid things.
3. Phelps should learn from this and speak to kids about drunk driving.
4. Phelps should be prosected to the fullest extent and lose sponsorships.
5. Undecided.
Former Member
Good point. Perhaps we should lower our expectations. As Bob Costas observed, in light of the Balco case, it's probably time to stop idolizing our sports superstars.
This is a very unscientific note. I went through the messages to see what differentiated the very responses. I looked for negative reposnses that stated he shoudl be punished or not treated differently ( yes those are slightly different), supporting remarks, and indiffernet remarks. This is what I found. I tried to not count multiple entries made by the same person.
Southerners made 5 remarks about him that seemed more negative and 1 remark that seemed more supportive.
Northerners had 2 negative remarks and 2 supportive remarks.
Westernerers had 4supportive remarks and 1 wait and see type remark.
There is another discussion forum about this. I am going to go throgh it shortly.
Originally posted by Fred Johnson
If he was irresponsible on this occasion doesn't make him a miscreant or an irresponsible person per se, no matter who he is.
What, then, would make him irresponsible? He got into a large vehicle drunk and underage by legal standards. He might have had a sober person in the car to drive and he might have tried to use his personna to beat the ticket.
And, the newest apologetic rambling on this forum is that all this fame thrust upon him makes it ok to drive drunk.
And, Bug, for the record, he will be tried in a court of law and suffer the consequences of his actions in the court of public (and financial) opinion.
If he was just like the common man and didn't want to be treated differently in this case, he should not have (allegedly) thrown his name around and accepted legal counsel from his sponsors. Can't have it both ways.
Originally posted by thisgirl13
Like kicking an injured person.
The continued insistence that Phelps is somehow the victim here is ridiculous. He brought this on himself, he can suffer the consequences like a big boy, although not big enough to drive drunk.
I believe Emmitt posted this first.....but I like it....it should play to all opinions on this thread....and if it doesn't, then I'm sorry. I can't make people see my opinions anymore than they can make me see theirs. But that's the beauty of these threads. Nobody really has to agree. Besides, it isn't our situation to live with, we have the luxury of sitting back on our soapboxes, discussing his turn in life like the way my brothers and used to argue who's going to go first in Monopoly.
www.swiminfo.com/.../8405.asp
Geek, I didn't say he wouldn't be tried in court, what I said was he was being tried in the media. And I've never said he should be excused because of his age or fame or whatever. He should stand trial just like the rest of us would and suffer the consequences just like the rest of us would, but the media coverage is making that extremely difficult.
I think it's unreasonable to expect the media to cover his achievements but look the other way when he screws up, as in this case. Prior to, during and after the Olympics he received nothing but positive press, and he certainly didn't seem to mind the attention at that time. Unfortunately, actions have consequences. The good news for him is that eventually this story, like others, will run it's course and fade from memory.
