Michael Phelps in Hot (Bong) Water: Superstar Swimmer Smokes Marijuana

Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII was the second most watched of all time with over 95 million American viewers alone.

Most tuned in to watch the amazing physical ability that is shared only by those that are gifted, dedicated, team-oriented, and lucky enough to play in likely the biggest game of their lives.

In the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers drove down the field late in the game to regain the lead over the Arizona Cardinals and win their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl title.

It was a contest so good that numerous NFL analysts questioned whether it was worthy of being named the best Super Bowl of all time. Many argued it was around the top, but most agreed it was not better than last year’s game.

Others watched for the Super Bowl commercials. Ads went for $3 million for a 30-second spot. My favorite was NBC’s Heroes football ad that included John Elway flying in as if he were Superman himself.

One company, Miller, decided to bend the rules and air a one-second ad for a mere $300,000. It was hilarious.

Another, Comcast, completely broke the rules.

In the biggest Super Bowl mistake since Janet Jackson showed boob during halftime, a 30-second clip of pornography was shown during the game in Tucson, Arizona. In a related story, local 911 lines were flooded after the ad sent many retired folks into cardiac arrest.

Really though, what schmuck at Comcast got fired for that college-like prank?

While the news of pornography during the Super Bowl was tantalizing (to say the least), the biggest story outside of the game this weekend goes to Michael Phelps.

In a report that was almost buried by the hype and hysteria of the Super Bowl, a picture surfaced of Michael Phelps smoking from a water pipe.

Phelps, eight-time Gold medalist in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, immediately apologized for the photo and his actions.

In a statement that was posted to his Facebook page, Phelps explained, “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public—it will not happen again."

Luckily, for Phelps and the US, he will not be stripped of his medals and likely will not even receive a suspension from competition or training because Marijuana is banned “in-competition,” but not before or after competitions are completely over.

This seems like a logical system employed by the IOC, one of the hardest groups on drugs; why can’t it be used in other, closer-to-home leagues like the NFL or NBA?

Sure, I understand Marijuana is illegal, and professional sports leagues want their players to follow the laws. But let's all be honest, Marijuana is not a performance-enhancing substance.

Weed slows reaction times, makes some users lethargic and paranoid, and most hampering for athletes, decreases lung capacity and can cause bronchitis.

This is especially crucial if you are using your lungs to run away from defenders (see Ricky Williams or Travis Henry, formerly of the NFL) or are swimming as hard as humanly possible for at times 400 meters.

While some—Chris Andersen, Michael Vick, etc.—have received suspensions by their respective leagues, I say, if a player is caught smoking pot during the offseason, they should not get suspended.

Although the leagues have made these athletes famous and filthy rich, if the athletes want to blaze some chronic during downtime, they should be able to. In this technological age of creams and clears, in 2009, league Commissioners should take a cue from the IOC and worry more about steroids and amphetamines being shot up and digested than a little Mary Jane on the side.

Steroids ruin games we love by skewing numbers and diminishing achievements. While smoking Marijuana in the offseason may make worse players, it will not jeopardize the integrity of the game.

Look at it this way; if Phelps breaks his weed habit, maybe he’ll win nine Golds in 2012. Or, keep smoking the ganja, become a “junk-food junkie,” bulk up to 300-plus pounds, and lose his stardom.

Either way, he will be a hero in the eyes of many young Americans. 

Another intriguing development from this fiasco is the fact that Speedo and Omega are not dropping the star as an endorser of their products.

Surely, many factors went into this decision by the respective companies. One detail is he was smoking Marijuana, a drug many Americans admit to experimenting with. While not socially as widely accepted as alcohol or cigarettes, Marijuana is not cocaine or heroin, much harder drugs.

Imagine if a picture surfaced of Phelps snorting cocaine, or if he was shown with a needle in his arm, filled with steroids, or worse, heroin! The backlash would have been devastating. His hero status would have been in great danger.

However, Phelps’ celebrity is another factor in this seemingly “forgive and forget” situation.

The method of the madness is always the same. From Lindsay Lohan to Britney Spears, to Carmelo Anthony and Antoine Walker, celebrities are busted all the time for DUIs or Marijuana possession. The celebrity apologizes, and the American public forgives them.

When Joe-six-pack carries out one of these egregious errors, they are labeled a bad citizen. When a celebrity does it, they are acting out, or young, or not thinking at the time. We forgive these acts because we love our celebrities.

Where would we have been in August if not for Phelps' dazzling display of greatness in the pool? Bored and roasting through the dog days of summer.

All in all, Phelps has seemed to get away with acting like he’s in a Cypress Hill music video for “Hits from the Bong.” Let us all (USA Olympic fans) hope it does not happen again, or he may be in much more serious trouble the next time.

Michael, save the pot smoking for when you’re retired from dominating everyone in the world of swimming. Or at least until after the 2012 games.