Thread: Anyone else feels the way I do about Michael Phelps? I say: So what?

So what is really my first and final reaction.

I don't get what the big "role model" deal is about.
The man is an exceptional swimmer. That's all we ever asked of him before. Why does he also have to be a saint all of a sudden?
I react the same way to people who were shocked Bobby Fischer turned out to be an antisemite and a conspiracy theory nnut-job So what? He was famous for playing chess, not for being Mr. congeniality.

I just feel the public is setting itself up for this. What do we expect from these people? They're very talented and they entertain us with their talents? Why do people also expect them to have exceptional characters? As far as I'm concerned they do a job and that's what they're good at.
Why is Michael Phelps smoking dope at a party any different from an office worker having a joint over the weekend? Nobody would care about that. Why is this different?

I agree completely.

Phelps is a 20 year old male, I'd be surprised if he's never smoked marijuana. It's not as if he used marijuana as performance enhancement drugs.

I thought it was illegal. Oh, that's right, not for well known people.