Mr. Phelps, some of your fans call you their hero, what will they think now?

14-times Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps caught with cannabis pipe

From the Associated Press:

Olympic great Michael Phelps has acknowledged “regrettable” behavior and “bad judgment” after a photo in a British newspaper showed him smoking marijuana.

In a statement released to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.

Phelps said: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.”

I was never a fan of Michael Phelps and was always being questioned how I could not like him. Lets push aside the fact that what he did at the Olympics were an astonishing feat and that he is one of the greatest swimmers in history. The reason I never was a fan of him was that I felt that he was not acknowledging his country enough. The media turned the Michael Phelps frenzy into strictly competitive and all about "GOLD" metals. But how bout the OLYMPICS, and representing THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Every time Phelps was interviewed, he always talked about his personal accomplishments, that was always number one on his mind, good for him, but how bout some love for the country that put him there. This recent event, shows how much of a selfish athlete he his. Millions of little kids see Michael Phelps as someone they look up to. But now after enjoying a few herbs, what message will this send to fans that aspired to be him? He has now tainted his career and has lost respect from some of his most dedicated fans. Good for you Phelps, you are now a Olympic hero, an international icon , and now probably the next cover story on High Times magazine and now have attracted the respect of all the herb-loving stoners around the world.