Moss at a loss

Randy Moss and three other players on the New England Patriots were sent home by head coach Bill Belichick today after they showed up late for practice. Such disciplinary action makes sense if you consider the poor turn of events the Patriots have had this year. They've lost two games in a row for the first time since 2006 and two of the NFL's most competitive teams right now, the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, are going to make New England's chances of clinching a playoff birth interesting. But, on second thought, sending the players home seems a little unnecessary, especially if one of those players is your top receiver. The teammates weren't late because they were out drinking the night before or because they have personal vandettas against the coach or franchise, rather, they were late because the weather conditions (if you hadn't noticed) were horrible this morning. They, like me, were probably not anticipating the minor blizzard and so they couldn't help but be late to practice. But anyone who knows Belichick knows not to expect any sympathy from him, and therefore the teammates had no choice but to exit the building. No one can be sure how this will affect the team during their next game against Carolina, if at all, but its needless to say letting them practice today couldn't have hurt. On the flip side of the coin, Tom Brady's wife gave birth to their first child yesterday, and although the all star quarterback said he didn't get much sleep, he still managed to make it to practice on time. He apparently came to practice today to prove to his teammates just how seriously he takes his role as quarterback and how important being a competitive is to him. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out this display of determination may have influenced Belichick's decision to send the tardy players home.

Sexy Tennesee

The New York Times recently reported that the NCAA is conducting a “wide-ranging investigation” into the football recruiting practices of the University of Tennessee. Apparently, the university has (the fact of whether they were hired by the university or are working on their own accord is one of the major issues up for dispute) female “hostesses” who have quickly become very popular on the universities website and have been used to recruit players through online profile websites like Myspace and Facebook. One hostess has apparently traveled over 200 miles to attend a high school game in South Carolina, where at least 2 prospective athletes were playing. Whats wrong with all this, you say? Sex does not sell in the world of college recruiting. Using sexual appeal (favors would be taking it to a whole other level) is apparently a violation of NCAA rules. The women are not allowed to attempt to recruit outside of the university, yet the college (and most notably the head coach under fire Lane Kiffin) has very likely sent these women out of state to “persuade” the young athletes into enrolling in Tennessee. Personally I dont know what to think about any of this. I might actually go as far as to say the university didn't really violate any law or do anything inexcusable. If they want to use a sexy woman then so be it, I dont know why other colleges didnt think of it sooner. Youd figure this would be a well established rectruiting method by now, but apparently the NCAA wont stand for it. And if Lane Kiffin and his crew knew the NCAA wouldnt stand for it then they clearly shouldnt have done it. Fighting to change the rules of recruitment is one thing, but just trying to go under the radar and recruit in ways you know is illegal is just plain stupid. They should have known they would get caught, and they did. SO I suppose they deserve any kind of punishment they get for their actions.

Serena Update

A quick update on tennis superstar Serena Williams and the harsh threats she gave a line judge during the U.S. Open: She has been fined a US record (for, im assuming, woman's tennis) $82,500 and has been threatened herself to be suspended from any play in the US Open if she commits any more “major offenses” at any Grand Slam over the next two years. It's a pretty harsh punishment, and it's clear that the US Open is handling this in a very serious matter (they must have heard our cries for justice when we blogged just after the incident had happened). I've always been fond of Venus and Serena, and so I was disappointed by her immature little outburst, but since then she has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I had a chance to watch the interview first-hand, and was impressed by how well she had handled the issue when Stewart playfully brought it up (this was before the fines were made public). Serena was able to laugh at herself with Jon and the audience while also making a point of mentioning how it was a mistake and not something to be proud of. Based on what I've seen and claim to know about Serena (whatever little amount that is) I've always been under the impression that she's a genuine and good-hearted person, and she is fully aware that she crossed the line at the Open. I doubt she will make the same mistake again, and I also doubt that she will appeal or make any kind of negative statement about the punishment that's been issued to her. My guess is she will get past all this and continue her career as a competitive professional tennis player without repeat offenses. I just feel bad she has to live in the shadow of this mistake for the next two years, a punishment that may seem a little excessive based on the crime, but it sends a message to tennis players that the game is, and always has been, about sportsmanship and “classy” players. The last thing the US Open wants is another McEnroe on their hands.

All eyes on the ball...

Despite what my last blog ends with, I, unfortunately, find it imperative to keep talking about everyone's favorite topic: Tiger Woods. Yesterday morning, at around 8am, I turned on Sportscenter to be informed by the Disney owned station that a “blonde woman has been taken from Woods' home at around 2:30 in the morning to the same hospital where Tiger was treated the week before.” The story was still fresh and very little was known about what exactly had happened, but my interpretation of it, and from the way the news reporters made it sound, was that it was Tiger's wife who had been sent to the ER at, ironically, nearly the same time of the now infamous one-car accident. The combination of the way in which the story was discussed by the reporters and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it, I couldn't help but assume the worst. I quickly found myself weighing the options to what had happened: was there a chance he killed her? Never. Maybe, he does get a little enraged with that golf ball from time to time. No, no, no. Was there a chance she'd checked herself in as a publicity stunt? No, the Woods' aren't ones to wish to be in the spotlight any more than they already are. Was there a chance she'd attempted suicide? All signs lead to yes, and I immediately began to consider what kind of prescription drug she had OD'ed on. Sounds terrible, I know, but the news lives for these stories, ive seen them a hundred times and, when its circumstances like this one, the story almost plays out like a formula or pattern for another celebrity tragedy. Turns out, the woman was his mother-in-law and, after being treated for “stomach pains and fainting” was released and is now resting comfortably at an unnamed Florida home. I'm glad she's alright, but I cant help feeling something is a little fishy about what had happened. Official news that Tiger's wife, Elin Nordegren, had moved out of his mansion came moments after the news came back positive about the mother. Does what happened with the mother have anything to do with her moving out or is this all a coincidence? Why was the mother in law even there in the first place? Whenever my mind begins to wander about these topics I can't help but remind myself that this really is NONE of my business, nor is it the reporters who are determined to “get the story straight” for its anxious viewers. It's just high school gossip on the next level. And it blows.

Woods hiding in the Bush.

Anyone who hasn't been hiding under a rock has already heard about Tiger's mysterious incident by now. He crashed his car in the middle of the night just outside his home and his wife “rescued” him under questioning circumstances. The media and the paparazzi had a field day with the all star golfers misfortune, and would not let the topic rest until some kind of explanation was given. What he did give out was a brief apology for his actions and since then Tiger has remained silent and out of the spotlight. Reporters and TV show hosts tore apart Tiger's blogged statement enough to come to a general agreement that he has been cheating on his wife with another woman. Suddenly, as if waiting for her cue, Tiger's mistress came out of hiding and photos, rumors and allegations about her and her relationship with Tiger spread like wildfire. To top it all off, some six other woman, from cocktail waitresses to nightclub dancers, came out and made claims to have carried out affairs with the international celebrity, thus effectively sabotaging his once squeaky clean image. Personally, I can't help but have a fair degree of sympathy for the man. While regular people like you and I can go through traumatic situations and have to deal with the poor decisions we've made just as much as he has, our problems are significantly more private. Meanwhile every channel on TV has a close eye on what will happen next. While it's certainly easy to say what he did was wrong and obsess over the man's personal life, the predominantly Christian men and women of America should consider one of their most praised philosophies: “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” And that's all I should have to say about that.

The Loco Lobo

A woman soccer player at the University of New Mexico, Elizabeth Lambert, has been suspended indefinitely by the league on November 6th due to her actions in a 1-0 loss against BYU in a semifinals match. Now, if you haven't seen the clips of what this girl did during the game, I strongly suggest you do so immediately. It's one of the most violent sports montages I have ever seen. Lambert is caught kicking, punching, jabbing, tripping, and even hair-pulling several different players on six or seven different occasions throughout the game. There was only one penalty on her behalf, and it was one yellow card (which was given for kicking a soccer ball purposely into an opposing players face at point-blank range, an incident that happened before the most blatant and disturbing of attacks—the hair yank). I'm glad someone was able to take a second look at all she'd been doing throughout the game, and that she didn't get away with it. But don't you think the coaching staff would have caught on to all this? What about the coach and players of the other team? The referees? Why did no one seem to notice this while it was going on in a televised matchup? It's stunning to think she was able to get away with all that and I'm pleased to know her unnecessary roughness did nothing to prevent a 1-0 loss. In an apology made by Lambert she states her actions on the field were, “completely inappropriate,” and that she got caught up in the, “excitement of the game,” and that these actions in no way reflect on, “who I am as an athlete and as a person”. But I beg to differ, Liz. I don't care how excited you are about a game, you don't get exceedingly violent and that should be a given. Apparently once someone is caught up in the excitement of the game they think it makes it excusable to be a complete asshole. It shows a lack of discipline and respect on her character in my opinion, and when she should return to the soccer team IF AT ALL should be based on any previous incidents on the court or as a person. The media made a huge deal about this situation, mostly because they were so shocked a woman could do this kind of damage. And although I must admit it is a little surprising, such statements only feed the sexist believe that mens sports is more intense and dangerous than womens. Perhaps this will go to show that they are as just as crazy—if not more so—than we are.

F-You, Buddy!

Owner of the Tennessee Titans Bud Adams celebrated his teams 41-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills at home this past Sunday in a professional and mature matter: by giving the entire Buffalo Bills fan base the middle finger. Adams issued a statement of apology on Monday, claiming he, “got caught up in the excitement of a great day, but I do realize that those types of things shouldn't happen,” he also stated his expectations for the league to “discipline” him for his actions and his cooperation with that decision. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was at the game and spent most of it with Adams in the suite (apparently leaving before the incident occurred) fined Adams $250,000 dollars for his actions on Sunday. Now, this certainly sounds like a hefty fine for the man to pay for doing something most fans to do one another on a daily basis. I don't think giving the figure is necessarily as obscene or offensive a gesture as its made out to be, and I don't think Adams meant any real deliberate harm when he did it. But this is once again something that makes members of the NFL look bad. You'd think a man with that much wealth, status and power would act more mature than he did, and I think it's further evidence that shows just how unqualified some franchise owners really are. Adams admitted in his statement that he was excited about the “great day” of the game, but I just cant see excitement as being an excuse to do something ridiculous like that. All im asking for is a little composure amongst men and women of power. In a world where everyone is watching your every move you need to keep a head on your shoulders. 250,000 is a hell of a lot of money, but how much is that going to effect Bud Adams in the long term? He owns several Lincoln-Mercury dealerships, made his fortune in the petroleum business and is CEO of Adams Resources & Energy Inc., a wholesale supplier of oil and natural gas. Oh, and he also owns the Tennessee Titans. His team went over 10-0 last year, and the Bills are one of the worst teams in the NFL, it should have been a given that he would win this game-and he did by a blowout. He's a lifetime multi-millionaire and the fine is change in his pocket. I highly doubt this “discipline” did anything to change Bud's actions except maybe now he will be more aware of the eye in the sky.

Larry needs to follow his own advise

Probowl running back Larry Johnson has been suspended indefinitely by the Kansas City Chiefs for the comments he's made on Twitter about his head coach and a derogatory comment he made to the press the following day. The press has been very touchy about releasing just what it was Johnson said on Twitter, but acknowledge that he used a three-letter gay slur and that was the breaking point. He then told one of the reporters who were asking him questions to “get your faggot ass out of here”. A comment that simply cannot be made in today's society, especially when there are cameras and video-recorders around. Johnson wasn't loud or violent, he made the comment under his breath and the reporter had to double check with several other reporters before they could confirm he even said it. He's since made a public apology saying “I didn't mean to offend anyone, but that is no excuse for my actions”. He is right that it's no excuse, because I don't care how upset or frustrated he was when he made those comments, honestly, how stupid do you have to be to get yourself in trouble in the NFL? It seems like every other week there has got to be a player who posts something politically incorrect or condescending on Twitter and have gotten reprimanded for it....so why do they keep doing it?! Johnson's a seasoned player, he isn't nearly as good as he used to be and that's probably got to have something to do with his attitude as of late, but he has no right to make any kind of comment like that, and I agree wholeheartedly with this punishment. I wouldn't even hesitate to cut him from the team. He sucks anyway, the team as a whole is horrible and they need mass rotation in their starting lineup if they ever want to begin improving, so why bother keeping a player who puts the head coach, and effectively the whole team, in a negative light? People do get angry, and everyone's been guilty of saying something completely innapropriate aloud in a time of anger, but when youre at that level of publicity and wealth you need to keep your attitude in check or get out of the business. It needs to be as simple as that so this kind of nonsense can stop happening immediately. It should be put into the hands of commissioner Roger Goodell, he should drop Johnson from the league and make an example out of him so players can stop being pathetic icons and TV personalities, and start focusing on being better players and all around better people. I know it's harsh, but these outbursts need to end and they won't until enough action is taken to prevent it from happening, or else history and these players are doomed to repeat themselves forever.

Limbaugh Brouhaha

Today the chairman of the St. Louis Rams made a statement about his views of Rush Limbaugh's intentions for purchasing the NFL team by saying the commotion that has arisen around the potential purchasers has become, “a complication and a distraction to our intentions”. Limbaugh has been removed from the list of potentials and he personally believes it's a result of his political alignment. He released a statement in response to his removal by stating the decision to remove him was purely political and claimed that this, “is an ongoing effort by the left in the country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democratic party, or wherever, to destroy conservatism, to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is conservative.” Personally, I think Limbaugh is 100% right on this one. Many players were outraged at the thought of his involvement with an NFL team and many free agents flat out threatened to refuse to play for the man if they were on his team. All this outrage and controversy is completely based on Limbaugh's reputation as a heavily conservative radio personality. To refuse to play for the man because of his political beliefs is unfair, especially since Limbaugh has been singled out for this. I can almost guarantee you the billionaires you own NFL teams are largely republican, you think Jerry Jones isn't conservative? You'd be dead wrong. I don't care much for Limbaugh myself, but I'd take him any day over men like Al Davis, who run their organization with an iron fist. But Limbaugh's right, the politics of the conservative are largely unpopular and increasingly so over the past decade, but what he doesn't understand is this is a good thing. People are becoming more liberal and standing up for their rights and individualism now more than ever. The Capitalist government and republican views become more outdated by the moment. Thirty years ago Limbaugh would have sneaked his way into the NFL with ease, but the times they are a changing, and we don't need another conservative gaining profits at the expense of his employees.

Bowden taking a Bow?

Bobby Bowden is currently two wins behind Joe Paterno in being the winningest Division-1 head coach in college football history. He has won 21 bowl games, including the 99 BCS national championship title, and he is one of the only four active coaches to have been inducted into the college football hall of fame. So whats the problem? So far, the team hasn't been playing up to it's expectations this season. They are currently a troublesome 2-3 after winning the division title last year. After the teams second consecutive loss last week, FSU president T. K. Wetherell announced that Bowden must decide to retire at either the end of the 2009 or 2010 season, and the sooner the better. Saying quote, “Don't get me wrong, I love Bobby Bowden, but I love FSU more.” It makes sense the college's president is concerned for the university and want's their team to improve, but this has got to be one of the worst starts Bowden has ever experienced in his 34 years at the college. But does that mean you need to instantly pull the plug on a man who has contributed countless amounts of charity, media attention, and winning seasons to the school? He is nearly 80 years old, and from the agreements he has made with offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, the man is guaranteed a job replacing the man in the near future. So why must they be so advent on throwing Bowden out so quickly? I just don't understand why they couldn't let the man resign on his own terms. Who knows, maybe he had intended on retiring after this year regardless, but now that the president of the college has gone and made it known that the school wants him out his pride might not let him. And if he does, it's going to seem like he backed down to his schools demands, rather than it being on his own terms, like it should be. Why should he be punished and humiliated after doing so much for the organization? The school that claims he has overstayed his welcome, but who is to say they will be better without him? FSU wouldn't even be on the map if it wasn't for Bowden, and it's college football, upsets happen all the time, you can never accurately tell which team is going to win in almost any game. Two losses may put them out of the race for any big bowl games this year, but if they release Bowden now and next year the same thing happens, who will they have as a scapegoat then? I feel the school is putting too much blame on Bowden and showing an obvious lack of respect and gratitude for a man who should be a legend in their eyes.

Fines For Flatulence?!

This week head coach of the Cleveland Browns Eric Mangini fined one of his players $1,701 dollars for neglecting to pay a hotel for a $3 bottle of water. Naturally, the player has filed a complaint for this incident, but to be honest, he has no idea what he's in store for. Mangini has a reputation for being strict with his players; he would fine Jets players for flatulence during team meetings (seriously). Personally, I'm a little torn between my emotions for these strict regulations. At first, I love the thought of a player getting an outrageous fee for neglecting to do something so simple as paying for a water bottle. (Thats only if the player didn't pay the bill consciously) Too many players today are becoming too showy, too egotistical, and too pompous. I don't think any professional sports player has any excuse not to live by the same rules we do, especially if they are making incredible amounts of money. Mangini's fines must be his way of keeping his players grounded, stopping their ego's before they're too inflated and reinforcing plain old fashioned good manners. But the part that tears me up about this is the state in which the Browns are in. Lets face it, they're HORRIBLE, and fining them for minuscule reasons is not going to make them any better. If anything, it's going to make the players more distraught and further divide them between the coaches and themselves. With this on top of the juggling act with his quarterbacks, what exactly is Mangini trying to do in Cleveland? Is he asking for the players and fans to throw him out? If he really wants this team to turn around he needs to stop sweating the small stuff, pay for the bottle of water that kept your player hydrated, and try to develop some kind of positive relationship with your players for a change.

Crackin' Up

My blog this week centers around a one-time star basketball player of the town of which I grew up nearby. Emanuel Mayben of Binghamton University has just recently been arrested for the selling of CRACK COCAINE! This was beyond a shock to me, as I can't believe someone with a promising future would throw their lives away in such a careless matter. His attorney stated in an article that Emanuel was released and back in class by the following day, which is almost unbelievable in my mind. Since when does someone convicted of selling hard drugs get released by the following day? His bail money certainly couldn't have been cheap, but someone obviously paid it, which leads me to my next point. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU SELL CRACK IF YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY?! Couldn't he have just borrowed some from his parents? A coach? Hell, he was the all star of the 2005 high school basketball team in Troy NY, where he then got a scholarship to play for Syracuse, although his grades were too low for him to ever step out onto the court. After being transferred around for a while he recently found himself in Binghamton for at least one more year of college ball. He might not have been a top round draft choice for NBA teams, but whatever chance he had to become a professional player is now out the window. I think it should go without saying that he should never wear a team jersey again if he is found guilty. I have plenty of friends who live in Binghamton and have been in and out of that town my whole life, and it's no secret that there are certain streets that you just do NOT go down because of the serious crack problem's in the ghetto districts, I've even had friend's who lived in the city get robbed by men who were looking for things to sell for crack money (the robbers were all caught and convicted and, luckily, my friends survived). I guess the real question here is whats happening to our youth? How can someone be so willing to absolutely destroy their future, especially after we've grown up in a time that's seen and exposed us to the sad and serious dangers of hard drug abuse. I'm extremely angry with Mayben's actions, he's disgraced himself and further damaged the reputation of a college that is trapped within a declining city. But at the same time I feel a small amount of sympathy for the young man, because this is a mistake he is never going to recover from. Never.

F***** Role Models

Although Tennis is a sport considered by many to be a “gentleman's game,” we have all seen or heard of John McEnroe and his, putting it lightly, unorthodox style of playing the game. But when famed female Tennis superstar Serena Williams went on her own tirade of verbal abuse, she shocked the nation and disgraced her name in ways McEnroe could never dream to achieve. “If I could, I'd take this f***** ball and shove it down your f****** throat,” what a terribly immature and unprofessional way to express your opinion. Serena later got further upset with the line judge when the judge claimed Serena threatened to kill her, which Serena denies. Shoving a ball down someone's throat would likely result in death, so she basically did indirectly say she wanted to kill this woman. Her penalty was a mere point given to the opponent, which just so happened to be the deciding point in the game. The game wasn't close or anything, Serena was badly losing by the time of her outburst and any chance of a miraculous comeback was highly unlikely. So to say she got off with one point hardly does any justice. If I remember correctly, back in high-school if a student made alleged threats to kill someone, that student was punished severely, often suspended. Is Serena's expulsion from this year's U.S. Open satisfactory? Maybe, if she had a chance of actually winning. But she didn't, she knew she was likely about to lose, and knew there were thousands of Williams fans watching world-wide. So why would she do something so childish? We've all been upset when facing defeat, but to get violent about it, especially to someone who has nothing to do with your loss, is irresponsible and downright foolish. This is another example of what Sports Talk mentions as the “decay of moral's in today's sports,” and the rapidly decreasing number of athletic role-models who actually fit the mold. I think Serena should face a more serious punishment for her actions, say expulsion from the next few Tennis tournaments, to help her get a grip on herself the next time she gets upset with the fact that she's no longer a very good tennis player.

All Dogs Go To Heaven

Anyone who has turned on ESPN at all over the past two or three weeks has noticed that Michael Vick has been authorized by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to be allowed to play for the Philidelphia Eagles by week 3 (even though he has already technically played for the team during pre-season matches). This will be Vick's first official return to the NFL since his run in with Johnny Law back in 2007. Vick, who served 18 months in prison for the dog fighting charges he was convicted of, recently spoke to a group of high school kids to both apologize for what he did and to steer them in the right direction. During the speech, clips of which have been broadcast on both ESPN and Youtube, Vick states what he did was, “so foolish,” and also claimed, “I wish I could take it all back”. My question for you the reader is this, do you believe him? Do you honestly think this man has changed his ways and is ready to come back to the NFL, even if it is just as a second string quarterback? A part of me say's no, and to my surprise, a part of me is saying yes. I believe wholeheartedly that what Vick was involved in and the things he did to those dogs, such as killing the weaker ones by electricution and hanging, are unforgivable. Anyone who can take a loving, loyal creature and turn it into a vicious monster can only be a monster themselves. It takes a sick mind to be able to go through with treating an animal in such ruthless manner, and so it is easy to portray Vick as an evil man. But two years is a lot longer a time than it sounds, and just considering how much I know I've changed in two years helps me sympathize with Vick today. He has done his time and now, it seems, he just wants to move on. The fans at Philidelphia cheered when he took the field during the pre-season, and I think this was a large factor in Goodell's decision to let Vick return to the NFL. His return will obviously result in an increase in ratings for Phili games, and I'm sure that didn't hurt him either. But ultimately the question remains, should Vick be allowed to return? Honestly, I think he may have actually learned his lesson this time and is trying his best to turn his life around, but that still doesn't make up for what he's done. Just because an animal can't speak back doesn't mean it can't feel pain or sadness, when you get involved with dogfighting you're still playing with lives and treating them without love or respect, so why are we giving Vick so much of both? I don't care how talented he is, Vick is not a man I want on my roster, and if I were Goodell I'd tell him to keep striving to make a difference for another couple years and then maybe we'll talk about his reinstatement as a third-string running back. But as it is he's been given a second chance, and I can only hope he doesn't take this one for granted.

One Bourban, one Scotch, & One Bong

OK I know this happened a while ago, but I think it's a great first choice of a topic for debate. Michael Phelps is an international sensation, he is the Mohammad Ali of today, a man unquestionably the best in his field and a household name all over the world. So I must admit I myself was pretty surprised when I first found out Phelps had been busted for smoking weed. But the way the media grabbed this photo and blew it all out of proportion was completely unnecessary. I know marijuana is illegal in the eyes of the United States Court of Law, but the dangerousness of the drug is something that had been heavily argued for decades. When the media got their grubby hands on this they made it seem as though Phelps had disgraced the entire country with his actions. The Kellogg's corporation terminated his endorsement deal and USA swimming suspended him for three months. Thankfully, the country seemed to be quick to forgive Phelps for his party antics and the issue has been very subdued within the media. But the question remains, has Phelps been properly punished? Did he handle the situation properly? If you ask me, I'd have to say the media's asinine attempts at making Phelps out to be a criminal and a bad example for children is an outrage. It goes without saying that Phelps is an influence to millions of people around the world and his every action is closely monitored, so why only show the picturesque image of Phelps as he is winning his eighth gold medal to children? Why not show him as he really is, so kids can develop a better understanding of life and how no one is without flaw. Everyone within the media believes Phelps smoking pot is sending the wrong messages to children, but who are they to say what's right and what's wrong? We should be telling middle school students during their Drug-Awareness classrooms that, yes, marijuana is a drug, but you can still smoke some and be a gold medal winning Olympic swimmer! I feel that USA swimming couldn't really have been all that concerned with Phelps' actions ruining his performance, and the three month suspention they gave him was probably just because with such massive media coverage of the topic they figured they would look bad if they didn't give Phelps some kind of a slap on the wrist. Kellogg's went off the deep end entirely, by terminating his endorsement they probably wont feel any damage done to their stock sales, but by being a company that distributes not only cereal products, but dozens of assorted munchies, such as Cheez-its and Rice Crispy Treats, you'd think they'd realize that a good portion of their sales are coming from the stoner market. There is currently a website that encourages a boycott of Kellogg's products amongst the stoned, and they're still growing in members. But the person who handled this situation the worst, in my opinion, was Phelps himself. Instead of taking a stand and fighting for his rights, Phelps caved like a cowardly dog, instantly pronouncing that he had used “poor judgment,” in a public apology. I'm dissapointed in him because he could have been the first non-musician with great status and power to tell the world, “Listen, I smoke pot sometimes. I have before and I will again, and I'm still gonna crush the spread during the next summer Olympics because I'm that good.” And if you think that was Phelps' first time smoking, you're sorely mistaken, a bong is not an amateur apparatus I assure you! If he had only said that many people would probably have begun thinking about marijuana and its legality a little deeper and the nation would have taken a step in the right direction. But as it is, Phelps shrank and hid behind his fortune and is going to be damn certain no cameras are present the next time he lights up