Michael Phelps

[Senor Hound]

I hope you practice what you preach. Tell me you NEVER had 2 or 3 beers on the way home or stopped on a Sat night just for a couple?
Thats all it would take to get a DUI.

He made a mistake, nobody got hurt, as long as it don't continue to happen NO BIG DEAL!

****, I know a bunch of cops who get tanked at FOP partys all the time.

No. I have never driven drunk. That's what cabs are for. You don't have to see too many people die because of drunk driving before you realize how bad it is. For the record I haven't gone out to a bar in 2 years, not because I'm opposed to drinking, but because I have no way to get back without driving under the influence. There are no cabs or buses where I am, so I would much rather be responsible than have a good time.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but as I said before, the complacency people have on here towards drunk driving is a bit disturbing. But its your opinion nonetheless.

 

[Alex_B]

There is never an excuse for drunk driving, but everybody has made mistakes in his or her life. If he does not continue doing this, it is fine for me. I cannot judge if he is a good or bad person. And I do not want to judge.

To be a good athlete he needs not to be a responsible or good person. Also it has nothing to do with personal character.

 

[Alex_B]

Because I have to much faith in humanity. Call me naive or a fool, but it bothers me when people look up towards criminals as a source of inspiration, or worse yet, when they desire to follow in their footsteps. It's my own problem, I admit.

well, that is what most actors, politicians and athletes are anyway ... I never understood why anybody would look up to them ... people do, but you cannot prevent that.

 

[Senor Hound]

There is never an excuse for drunk driving, but everybody has made mistakes in his or her life. If he does not continue doing this, it is fine for me. I cannot judge if he is a good or bad person. And I do not want to judge.

To be a good athlete he needs not to be a responsible or good person. Also it has nothing to do with personal character.

True, which ends up making little kids look up to juiced athletes, or wife-beaters or drunk drivers, etc. My personal opinion is that athletes should have to sign a morals clause in their contracts. It won't happen, and maybe constitutionally they have the right to illegal activities as much as the other guy, but it makes for some really confused kids. I still feel he did a very bad thing which was not properly punished. I will totally forgive someone for their mistakes, but that doesn't mean there aren't consequences to pay. I just personally feel his consequences were slight at best.

well, that is what most actors, politicians and athletes are anyway ... I never understood why anybody would look up to them ... people do, but you cannot prevent that.

Alex, you are a very smart man, and although your statement is very true, it hurts me to think of a good kid being influenced by these people. Our role models should be scientists who drive Audis...

 

[Senor Hound]

BTW, you people really shouldn't listen to what I have to say anyway. I'm just a guy with a lot of issues expressing my opinion. Although I stand by my beliefs, I'd be somewhat bothered if they influenced you guys in any way. I have way too many issues as a person to be inspirational to anyone. Although I'm adamantly opposed to hurting others both in intentional and unintentional ways (as in a DUI), many would find my self-destructive behavior to be just as offensive to them, as I do the topic at hand to me.

I apologize for venting here. I feel guilty now.

 

[Alex_B]

Alex, you are a very smart man, and although your statement is very true, it hurts me to think of a good kid being influenced by these people. Our role models should be scientists who drive Audis...

uhm :blushing: thanks. but maybe undeserved.

Not all of those Audi drivers strictly follow the speed limits, and not all of them are free of guilt in every possible way.

 

[Senor Hound]

uhm :blushing: thanks. but maybe undeserved.

Not all of those Audi drivers strictly follow the speed limits, and not all of them are free of guilt in every possible way.

No one is. As long as your actions don't harm others, though, you're a cool cat.

You haven't been robbing banks again, have you?

 

[kundalini]

I read that he, Phelps, is one of a dozen US athletes that signed up for additional blood and urine test in an effort for drug-free sport.

I wonder if this is the same as I heard of Dara Torres, that has given a sample of blood to be used in the future when new methods are developed for the testing of enhancing drugs?

I think that's admirable since he will certainly be in a league with other athletes, such as Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, for putting his sport in the global limelight.

 

[spiffybeth]

No one is. As long as your actions don't harm others, though, you're a cool cat.

his actions harmed didn't harm anyone and no one is free of guilt so dont you think its a little pathetic (dont get angry) for YOU to CHOOSE who people look up to as role models? we are all guilty of something, but you, senor hound, get to choose which guilts can be overlooked and which cannot.....can you say god complex?
haha

and another thing.
a role model means you look up to them for whatever attribute they possess that you'd like to possess. that does NOT mean you do the same things they do. take nearly any great rock and roll musician. and now think of all those people who have them as role models, and because rock and roll musicians did drugs, they shouldnt qualify as role models despite their skill at what they do? sounds pretty lame to me.

 

[Alex_B]

. and now think of all those people who have them as role models, and because rock and roll musicians did drugs, they shouldnt qualify as role models despite their skill at what they do? sounds pretty lame to me.

well, I know some people, who when young, started with drugs because they followed the example of musicians. they did it because they thought it cool since their role models did it. they wanted to be like them. both are clean by now, but it took some years and they have some "issues" these days due to their drug consumption (heroine and LSD).

I am not saying that this is their role model's fault, I am just saying that role models can have an influence beyond what they should.

 

[spiffybeth]

well, I know some people, who when young, started with drugs because they followed the example of musicians. they did it because they thought it cool since their role models did it. they wanted to be like them. both are clean by now, but it took some years and they have some "issues" these days due to their drug consumption (heroine and LSD).

I am not saying that this is their role model's fault, I am just saying that role models can have an influence beyond what they should.

i think its pathetic when people blame their poor choices in life on someone else.

NO ONE does drugs because of someone else.

edit: this excludes things like date rape drugs where the person who ingests the drug is doing so unknowingly.

 

[Alex_B]

NO ONE does drugs because of someone else.

many things are done because of external influence instead of internal reason. In particular young people often just copy what they see.

Of course everyone is responsible for his or her own actions. Still these actions can have been promoted by external influence.

If I had grown up in a different environment, I would be a different personality. Maybe better, maybe worse, maybe even a criminal.






Actually almost no one does drugs without external influences.

 

[spiffybeth]

many things are done because of external influence instead of internal reason. In particular young people often just copy what they see.

Of course everyone is responsible for his or her own actions. Still these actions can have been promoted by external influence.

If I had grown up in a different environment, I would be a different personality. Maybe better, maybe worse, maybe even a criminal.






Actually almost no one does drugs without external influences.

right, if i didnt know drugs existed, i wouldnt take them.
but to blame the people who took drugs before us is beyond silly. not to mention, if young people took drugs and continued doing them, it was because they liked how they felt. again, dont blame the role model. aside from a select few (rock and rollers...poor choice of role model example by me lol) no one endorses drugs.

 

[Alex_B]

right, if i didnt know drugs existed, i wouldnt take them.
but to blame the people who took drugs before us is beyond silly. not to mention, if young people took drugs and continued doing them, it was because they liked how they felt. again, dont blame the role model. aside from a select few (rock and rollers...poor choice of role model example by me lol) no one endorses drugs.

we left the role model discussion a bit anyway.
Of course you always have the choice. but people are prone to rather poor choices, some more, and some less. But once under bad influence, the probability for poor choice increases dramatically. Be it role models. peer pressure, puberty-induced pseudo-protest ... and once you are on the wrong track, and people around you are on the same track, it is very hard to turn back.

no one is born as a complete personality.

 

[kundalini]

....no one endorses drugs.

.... but why am I constantly reminded on TV adverts that a little blue pill will let me throw a football threw a swinging tire? (I may have the wrong color for that example)