Michael Phelps has been in the news again but this time around the reporting isn't too favorable. As everyone must know by now the Olympic swimming champ was photographed at a college party last fall smoking pot. He's apologized saying he exercised poor judgement but the question everyone is asking is whether or not the corporate sponsors will stand by him or will the millions in endorsements he stood to make from his gold medal celebrity go "up in smoke" as it were.
People are saying, should athletes be role models? Well I think that whether or not they should be many of them are, including young Mr. Phelps. If he is going to be a spokesperson for any product or company I think he should first do public service announcements, targeted at the young people who look up to him, explaining the mistakes he's made and the dangers of using drugs. Not to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but we already have a whole generation of young people who think anything goes. Responsibility has to start somewhere or, as my old high school's motto goes, "Freedom with responsibility." Bottom line, there has to be some kind of retribution for his actions....IMHO |
