DESPITE POTSHOTS, PHELPS' CAREER ISN'T OVER

By now, most of you have read the catchy headlines and the throngs of
stories from across the news wire -- while visiting a girlfriend at
the University of South Carolina, Olympic gold medalist Michael
Phelps was photographed smoking from an object unmistakably
associated with marijuana.

Unlike many who have jumped on this media windfall, I am not
surprised that he partook, that his handlers attempted a cover-up, or
that many of his fans still worship him. I am surprised, however,
that he was dumb to enough have his photo taken. I'm also surprised
that, in this AOJ (After O.J. Simpson) world, we still expect better
behavior from sport icons.

Millions of people smoke pot, while very few are worth millions.
According to U.S. News & World Report, 42 million Americans have
tried marijuana. Undoubtedly, that list includes athletes, teachers,
astronauts and even a former (and current) president. But how many on
that list have endorsement deals worth $100 million? Perhaps Phelps
should have studied more in his economics class.

Phelps is young enough to know better. When I was in college,
photographs were something to be cherished. They often took days to
develop, and sharing them meant ordering double prints. Today,
digital images of college parties are posted to your Facebook page
before the keg runs dry. Only a photo of Barry Bonds injecting
steroids would attract more publicity. For now, Bonds is smarter than that.

Following any crime committed by a public figure comes the inevitable
and immediate attempt at a cover-up. According to the News of the
World, the British tabloid that bought the photo, an employee at
Phelps' PR firm attempted to bribe the newspaper into not printing
the photo. More than one sports columnist claims Phelps' handlers
should be trying to teach him a lesson rather than attempting to
minimize the damage.

But who can blame them? They are, after all, in the spin business.
Perhaps Phelps' mom, Debbie (whom we all watched cheering for her son
in Beijing), will offer him words of advice. I suggest starting with
"put the pipe down, Michael."

Among his many public apologies, Phelps issued this statement on his
Facebook page: "I really appreciate you standing by me...this has
been tough...I meant what I said, I made a mistake and I'm sorry. And
for those who are mad at me or no longer support me, all I can say is
I'm sorry."

His posting drew 2,034 responses from his 1,947,158 "fans," and after
scrolling through about a thousand of them, I found only a few
negative comments -- most of them more upset at the 2004 drunken
driving arrest than his latest error in judgment. For now, most of
his fans are mellow and in a forgiving mood.

Contrary to popular belief, Phelps is not getting a free pass. He
will face a three-month suspension from competition by USA Swimming,
the national federation. And although many corporate sponsors --
Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Speedo, Subway and Visa -- are standing by
their man, cereal giant Kellogg's dropped him on Thursday. It seems
the public embarrassment and shame of not living up to his iconic
image will not serve as punishment enough.

In an age of congressional hearings on performance-enhancing drug
use, assaults in strip clubs and dog-fighting rings, Phelps' behavior
seems akin to a ticket for jaywalking. But this is not your typical
23-year-old or your average athlete. His squeaky-clean image as the
kid-next-door turned superstar has been badly tarnished, and it should be.

If he is going reap the wealth and rewards that his image brings, he
needs to be more than apologetic. Phelps has to be smarter than he
has been, whether or not anyone with a camera or cell phone is
looming over his shoulder. His career as an athlete and spokesperson
is far from over. But if Phelps can't keep his lips off the bong, it will be.