Come To Think of It...Michael Phelps' Bong Water Lands Him in Hot Water

Basketball legend Charles Barkley once said that athletes are not role models. You know what? He was right.

A picture of Olympic gold medallist swimmer Michael Phelps smoking a bong appeared in a British tabloid recently.

I say, so what?

I mean, did your life change because of this?

Look, all the screaming and gnashing of teeth over this incident is truly ridiculous.  A lot of 23 year-olds smoke marijuana. That doesn't make it right and doesn’t excuse Phelps from what was a horrible lack of judgment.

Not to mention illegal activity.

But again, so what?

All of this only reinforces the notion that you shouldn't idolize sports figures.  Just because they have achieved some level of success, and have acquired fame and fortune doesn't mean they are good people.

Go and look up to your parents, your grandparents, the local policeman or teacher...anyone but a professional athlete.

How many times must people get disappointed by star athletes before they realize this?

And this also goes for movie stars and other famous people.  You may wish to have their money, but you have no idea what they're like as human beings, away from the limelight.

And that's the point, isn't it?

Be careful what you wish for...

Now before you go all Christian Bale on me, I'm not saying you shouldn't root for your favorite team, or admire the skills of your favorite sports stars.

Just don't wish to be like them.  

Don't be like Mike, you might be a gamblaholic. Or a crack addict like Lawrence Taylor or Bob Probert. Or who knows what.

Hey, I'm not making fun of these guys.  These are very serious and even sad things.  And one can actually admire when another person, be it a sports star or Joe Six-pack, recovers from a problem. For example, the Josh Hamilton story can be very uplifting.

But again, this doesn't mean we should idolize these people like some sort of a demigod.

In comparison with some of the things others have done, what Phelps did is relatively tame. In fact, perhaps it is a good thing if it finally convinces some people that athletes are certainly not role models. They are people with problems like many of us.

Hey, someone should have told Thom Brennaman this before the Tim Tebow love affair began, come to think of it.