Michael Phelps may not enter 2012 Olympics due to fallout from bong photo

In his first interview following “Partygate,” hometown hero Michael Phelps threatened to throw in the towel. “Intense public scrutiny has him contemplating whether he will swim in the 2012 Olympics” according to today’s headline of The Baltimore Sun.

Collectively now, all together … “Awwwwwww!”

Let’s see, first there was youthful indiscretion numero uno, driving while under the influence resulting in a sentence of community service, mandatory drug and alcohol abstinence, and probation before judgment. Phelps completed the sentence without incident. Then there was that wild weekend last Thanksgiving when Phelps brought home Vegas ho showgirl Caroline “Caz” Pal to meet the family. Now the public is salivating over youthful indiscretion numero whatever, a scandalous lips-on-about-to-be-fired-up bong picture appearing on legions of gossip websites.

Looks like the hardscrabble media may have finally found the Achilles heel of Olympic hero Phelps. Coming down hard on regrettable behavior, making him a top Google search term, endlessly pontificating about the dangers of drug abuse, and reporting one backwoods Sheriff’s threat  to investigate and arrest on a misdemeanor charges, "Heavens to Mergatroyd," it’s too much!

All the glory and goodwill could all disappear in a minute, the 23-year old appears to say in the article, as if that might relieve the pressure and allow him to return to regular guy status. Clearly, the party is over.

Phelps has already resumed regular swim training while dodging paparazzi-like scrutiny. Throngs of intrusive reporters track his travels between home, the homes of family, and the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center. Any deviation would likely set off blind items. In the face of relentless scrutiny, Phelps may have met his match.

What sticks in my crawl is the sanctimonious way some news professionals have slipped preachy messages into their stories without admitting similar youthful indiscretion of their own. One columnist goes so far as to disavow any association with recreational drug use every few sentences, while another beats around the bush then admonishes Phelps to walk the walk or be attacked.

“Most of what I know about bong hits I learned from Cheech and Chong movies, and most of that knowledge drifted away within minutes.”

Yeah, right. That guy  probably was so wasted making multiple trips to the snack counter, he couldn’t remember the name of his theater companion, let alone the names of those movies.

And then there’s celebrity hunk Ashton Kutcher going to town over the media backlash. Kutcher says Phelps should be allowed to do what he wants on his own time while claiming he no longer touches the stuff.

“I don't smoke and haven't in quite some time. But I'm not immune to a lapse in good judgement [sic] from time to time,” Kutcher tweets to his followers.

Give me a break. If Kutcher just said no to the ganja, the guy must be seriously packing away some other kind of mood altering substance. Take a look at this ridiculous video challenge. I can’t tell if he’s completely serious or posting another one of his SNL-inspired improvisations. His support for Phelps reminds me of a recent performance by Craig Ferguson. Ferguson was very candid about his time in a rehabilitation facility, using snippets of his rehabilitation as fodder for a standup routine. As if one addiction might be worse than another, he lauded his own alcoholism over fellow residents who suffered from substance abuse. The entire room exploded in laughter.

At least one news program made an almost transparent effort to whip up outrage over Phelps’ behavior. Even with the façade of playing devils advocate, the host seemed flabbergasted when the guest Olympic athlete suggested the media was stoking a dead flame.

Aside from the obvious lack of proof of marijuana use, let’s admit Phelps was acting on his own time. Even if the bong contained illegal substances, recreational use is not a crime, only possession and distribution. The bong could have been passed to him at a party and the illegal substance could have belonged to someone else. Finally, even if he did get high at that particular time, that doesn’t mean he regularly indulges. Maybe this was an isolated incident. Doesn’t Phelps deserve the benefit of the doubt?

Not according to this blogger who I could practically see foaming at the mouth at the thought of a free pass for Phelps.

“But it seems nobody here wants to tarnish the Olympic hero. The USOC has barely slapped his hand. The IOC has held his hand. No sponsor has walked away, or even hinted they will. Omega, the Swiss watchmaker, actually termed this a private matter. Speedo, which pays Phelps millions, called him a “valued member of the Speedo team.” Well, hell. Why don’t we just throw him a parade?”

On the other hand, is the following excerpt from a Letter to the Editor of the Baltimore Sun.

“I have never been a user of illegal drugs. But I am not self-righteous enough to use the force of law to tell other informed adults about what substances they can put into their bodies.”

Here, here.

I’d like to send flowers and chocolate candy to this columnist for coming right out and saying what most everyone is silently contemplating.

“It shouldn't be surprising that a 23-year-old would be smoking pot at a college party. After all, what did many of us do at those college house parties, huh?”

Well?

Maybe the real problem is earlier copious amounts of drug and alcohol abuse has adversely affected everyone’s ability to remember. I have already advocated dismounting our high horses and offering a sympathetic ear, but to sadly no avail. Now Phelps may be crumbling under the pressure.

Yes, his behavior lacked good judgment and sent the wrong message to young people. It also earned him the unforgiving scrutiny of the media. The time has come to back off. Phelps has learned an unfortunately hard lesson, that when you’re a famous Olympic athlete, envious people will want to bring you down. Misanthropes will use you for their own financial gain. And fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. With the perks comes a higher degree of personal responsibility. Americans expect their anointed heroes to be the embodiment of perfection.

Even for an Olympic athlete, that may be setting the bar too high.