Phelps' Coach Speaks!
We guess they felt that Green Golden Boy Michael Phelps was getting off too easily, because he's finally feeling some fallout from the bong photos. He's been suspended by USA Swimming for the next 3 months and he's lost his Kelloggs endorsement.
But, many of Phelps' teammates and colleagues have come to the 23-year-old's defense.
His coach Bob Bowman iis now says, "Michael’s been through a lot and he’s learned a lot, hopefully. I support him and I want to see him do better. I’m here, as always, to try to help him move forward. He’s learned some tough lessons and he’s disappointed a lot of people, me included."
41-year-old silver medalist, Dara Torres, whom Phelps jokingly nicknamed "Mom," says, "I see him as a kid trying to grow up in the most intense spotlight known to any athlete. He has apologized and what else can he do?. The thing I hope is that people realize Michael is still a person and not just a swimming hero," adding, "He didn’t let the USA down at the games, so we shouldn’t let him down."
Fellow swimmer Amanda Beard, who received criticism after posing nude in Playboy, was a little more direct, saying, "If anyone knows public scrutiny, it’s me. When I posed for Playboy, so many officials looked down on me. Michael knows he isn’t a bad person. He made a mistake. People need to get over it. I want to cheer him on in London."
And rival agent Evan Morgenstein seemed to sum up the majority's opinion, saying, "Enough is enough. The penalty is far greater than the crime. He has said he is sorry. Let’s move on to the real problems in this country."
[Image via WENN.]
Quote of the Day
Bale Apologizes!
Uhhhhh ok
please…michael just wants to 'fit in' at 23 years old.
do ja wonder if someone set this up a bit? how convenient that they were there to take a photo, and then to profit $$$$$$$ off of it!
just sayin'
i bet there are more people who support michael phelps and his drug use, than support gay marriage. this country is backwards.
Apparently he didn't learn enough with his drunken driving incident….besides he was just sucking on that bong for………practice……………when he sees his boyfriend again
Well said Dara! Love her! And Evan has it right, enough is enough.
Hey Mike, got any weed?
Posing nude is not against the law. It's also not PORNOGRAPHY.
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Phelps broke the law, he broke his endorsement contracts — he threw a lot down the drain for one toke off a bong in public. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID…
Please get over this shit…. A little of pot ….geeezzz…
He needs to get better friends… that's the only reason he's an idiot… because he allowed himself to be surrounded by people that would run off and sell these pics…
nice typo dickbag
Whether or not he smokes pot is between him and law enforcement. USA Swimming's business should only be performance enhancing drugs, and God knows pot is not THAT!
Michael Phelps is not a role model !
Besides, OBAMA our dear President used to smoke weed….what do you have to say about that??
People only talk about whats in their own benefit
He was smokin pot!!! BIG FUCKIN DEAL!! It's not like he was taking steroids and didn't EARN his medal!!! Give the guy a break, it was MARIJUANA….. You know, the GOD made stuff?!?!?! L-A-M-E
go go pothead!
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AMANDA "BEARD?" LOL! WHAT A FITTING NAME FOR THE GAYEST SPORT NEXT TO ICESKATING!!! OH, AND WRESTLING, TOO. UM, AND CHEERLEADING, LIKE THE FORMER YOU KNOW WHAT WAS INVOLVED IN AT YALE!!!
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KISSES DARLINGS!!!
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Re: SWEETPIECE – #6.
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HEY SWEET, DIDN'T SEE YOU THEE!!! I MEAN THERE!!!
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CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEW AVIE!!!
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MISSED YOU YESTERDAY!!!
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Re: harrybalsac –
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KISSES YOU BIG LUG!
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It's funny how Now they are coming to his defense. Early this morning on ESPN radio they had on the Owner/Director of one of the largest companies that handles "damage control" for celebrities/athletes and he said Phelp's needs to stop apologizing alone, and his coaches and those close to his need to come to his defense in order to "control the situation". He was even saying that he needs to gain control of the blogs, because sites like Perezhilton.com are on him….
…as long as the reefer doesn't fuck up his lungs, who cares? 'Any Day Now' the haters will back off.
god, you'd think he was shooting up!! whoever took that picture and sold it shoud get their asses kicked!! i'd do bong hit with him!!!!
Re: LG sez Drug Test PALIN Now! – LOLOLOL!
leave him alone
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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KAREN DARLING, YOU HAVE BEEN GREATLY MISSED!!!
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, LG IS BACK, BETTER THAN EVER, AND HAS SLATHERED ON THE WARPAINT!!!
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he apologized what else can he do? we should forgive him.. everyone smokes pot one time in their life
Re: karencarpenter – #19.
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IF LG MAY BE SO PRESUMPTUOUS!!!
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SURELY DARLING MICHAEL WISHES IT WAS "YESTERDAY ONCE MORE!"
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I think it worse that he spent most of his youth underwater ! Glad he has come up for air.
Over this…. but not him!
This story only proves that you cannot trust people. They will sell you out at first price! I am sure he is wondering who sold that picture
Michael be careful who you hang out with. People are jealous of success!!
he hit a bong at a party………GET THE FUCK OVER IT. these people are speaking like he's a heroin addict…
And drugs aren't a problem in this country? Good one coach.
omg he made a "mistake " He smoked POT …. i'm sorry and maybe allot of people dont … I dont … but pretty much eveyone i know does.. and i dont think there making a MISTAKE .. there making a choice … it's pot he wasent found having a orgy with 20 women .. or shooting up herion .. Gosh who cares .. give the 23 year old a BREAK !!!!
Oh jeez! It's not like he was caught in a back alley smoking crack with his greg up a drag queen's ass. But what is really annoying is the media calling it a "marijuana pipe." Its a bong ppl! Get it right. Look, unless you grew up on a fundamentalist mormon compound or you're over 60, you should know the difference. Why don't they just make that crap legal and be done with this foolishness. Why can't we get our shit together like the Dutch. Anybody been to Amsterdam? It's not like they are running amuck in drug crazed frenzies.
Re: LG sez BOYCOTT BALE! – *high 5's LG for her creativity*
So he smoked some pot…so fucking what! He swam his ass off! Sorry I don't consider "pot" a drug worth mentioning….
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Hey Michael now try alittle COCAINE and you too could be president of the united states one day just like boooooooooooobama
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Re: njpaul0129 –
No, drugs are not a problem. Drug ABUSE is the problem. I know plenty of doctors, lawyers, teachers, local pols that smoke. It doesn't affect their lives because they don't abuse it. Same way you wouldn't call a social drinker and alcoholic, you wouldn't call someone who smoke pot once or twice a month a drug addict.
puff puff give smokey
I don't consider smoking a little weed now and then a mistake. Same as drinking, only with far less consequences.
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why should he apologize???
Ahhh if Phelps has not started making good adult decisions or doing things that might hurt his "career" at 23 he is not going to. He had a great shot and blew it. Let's see, now we have a DUI, and drugs under his belt. What is next beating a hooker in a Vegas hotel room? Beating a hotel employee? The golden boy, is now tarnished. Let's sit and see what more fallout there is from the Olympic Committe. If he gets away with smoking pot why can't all of the others, or you and I for that matter? I think it SHOULD be legallized and taxed out the ASS!
Seriously, he's 23 years old. Give him a break!
Doesn't anyone remember that this guy had a DUI a few years ago? To me that's a lot more disgusting than smoking pot.
Swimmers are notorious partiers! Those guys know how to drink (is called carbo-loading, right?) I'm not surprised at his behavior one bit and I don't think that's the first time he's ever tried pot…. hmmmmmmm!
Dude. Get off it already. He took a bong hit. It's not like he murdered someone.
WE HAD A THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS PREZIDENT FOR EIGHT FUKCING YEARS!
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Wonder if they would say those same things. If he was smoking crack?
So which reporter is going to have the cajones to take the opposite stance to mainstream reporting? I look at this and think its a perfect oppurtunity to plug the "legalize pot" movement. The overall message should be, pot is a substance along the lines of alcohol that should be legalized and used in moderation. You can be a successful human, even golden, while still taking a toke. We don't condemn him when he has a drink in his hand…
I cannot believe that this is all from smoking pot! It's not like he was caught on video shooting up heroin or snorting lines and lines of coke — he was smoking weed - big fucking deal.
I hope we'll find out who leak that photo. That would be hilarious.
This is all so ridiculous. He's 23. I have friends who are college professors who smoke a bong hit every day. I have friends, now in their 30s, who are overall responsible individuals who got a DUI in their 20s. None of these people are addicts, became users of harder drugs, turned to a life of violence or crime or trashing hotel rooms. People need to get over the notion that smoking a little weed automatically signs a person up for the dark side.
I totally support Phelps and will boycott Kelloggs for their choice in dropping Phelps. Kelloggs contributes to child obesity with their friggin boxes of sugar marketed to children.
Not once have I read when these pictures were taken, or who the douche was that sold the pictures.
Little kids look up to Phelps. He made a horrible mistake. I am very much against pot smoking…pot smokers are totally addicted to it and cannot live without it - it is a hard-core drug! Also, he must have been smoking pot for a lot longer than this "One Time Mistake". I wouldn't want my kids having him as their hero!
And another thing! With so many people in the world broke and struggling with money, here is a guy with millions in endorsements…he could take a hundred dollar bill and burn it in our faces, and it wouldn’t matter to his Checking Account….so, to behave so carelessly and recklessly - when he KNOWS he is in the Public Eye - that is just offensive to the people who have nothing…as this asshole flitters away millions with one bong hit.
He disgusts me! I want to see him brought DOWN!
I'd say to the idiot Evan Morgenstein that this is a real problem in this country. Celebrities think they can do whatever the hell they want and get away with it. Just a slap on the wrist is all they get. I say start making examples of these people no matter how big or small the crime. Tired of hearing about Miley Cyrus with the 20 something year old boyfriend if the law is going to do nothing about it. Tired of hearing about all the celebrities drinking and driving with all their DUI's if they are just going to get off and be on the street partying the next night. Tired of the drug busts. They all end up getting off easy. Tired of all the celebrity BS.
Big Deal it is weed. Drinking is by far worse!! Does anyone get in fights when they are too high? It just sucks he got caught!
Holy fuck everyone needs to chill out about this. The dude took some bong rips. Big fucking deal. Everyone smokes weed. And if you don't you should start.
This makes be embarrassed for america. For christ's sake, he took a bong hit, lighten up. If I were this guy, I would move to a country that knows how treat an olympic gold medalist. When did we become so uptight?
Re: NoMoreDrama – AMEN!
Boycott Kelloggs!!! if these fundamentalists would get their heads off their asses, they would realize that Kellogg's as a purveyor of junk food pose a much larger threat to children in this country that a random bong hit every now and again.
poor guy
All he has to do is take off his shirt and all is forgiven…….
I don't think he should have done it,
but it's not that big of a deal…
I'm tired of hearing about it already…
he should get a reality show.
He's still sexy.
Ok, so wtf???? You know, this website and EVERYONE that makes the articles in always assholes to all of the celebrities and think they are god. Jesus Christ, god forbid someone make ANY kind of fucking mistake. But, people here at perezhilton.com are big enough HYPOCRITES to write articles with ERRORS in them ALL THE TIME!!!! What the hell is with that? His coach Bob Bowman iis now says- iis now says???? iss now says????? That is not even close too what an INTELLIGENT person making a news article would write! Oh and another thing, you have the balls to call people out on being attention whores but PEREZ HILTON IS THE BIGGEST FUCKIN ATTENTION WHORE OF THEM ALL!!!!!!! Jeez, we get it, you're gay and you enjoy showing the world what a flaming cock knocker you are, but at least have the common decency to not hold double standards!!!!!!
Just leave the kid alone!!! I don't think any of the losers criticising him would be able to reach half of what he reached in life so they just need to STFU!!! HE is great and he will overcome all of this bs!
Who cares!? he is not that great.
Good lord. He smoked a little weed. All of these people that are pointing the finger have probably done worse. We love and support you Michael!!
He's 23 years old, he smoked a bong, BIG DEAL! If I were him I'd be litigating the fucktard who sold the world the picture.
this country is ridiculous, i bet if he was beyond drunk & sweaty it would be no big deal because its legal, but something less damaging but illegal is terrible?? are they serious??
for everyone out there who has never met male swimmers… they all smoke weed. before practice, after practice, on bathroom breaks during practice… its a fact of life and everyone needs to suck it up and get over it. its a shame that phelps is too famous to have gotten away with it, but im shocked more people haven't made this claim. the biggest potheads i've ever met in my life are swimmers. how do you think he manages to eat enough calories to get him through his next workout???
a public liability
Ok so taking a hit off a bong at a private party makes you a 'drug user' and not fit to be on a swim team you won 8 medals for AFTER the incident? If it would've been a snap of him drinking a beer would that make him an unfit alcoholic? Getagrip on the media hype.
TEAM PHELPS!!
WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? POT SHOULD BE LEGAL!! LESS HARMFUL THAN DRINKING. EVER SEE ANYONE BEING VIOLENT AFTER GETTING HIGH? NO. EVER SEE ANYONE DRIVING IRRADICALLY AFTER GETTING HIGH? NO. EVER SEE SOMEONE NOT REMEMBERING WHAT THEY DID AFTER GETTING HIGH. NO. IT IS NOT LIKE POT SMOKING IS GOING TO MAKE MICHAEL DO BETTER IN SWIMMING COMPETITIONS. PIECE OF ADVICE MICHAEL, SMOKE IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HOME. EVERYONE JUST STOP HATING!!
Please stop posting pictures of this guy….
Enough with the boo-hoo, sob stories… That's just pathetic. "Just a kid trying to grow up". For starters - this guy is 23 years of age. Not 16. Secondly, he's done the wrong thing and is being punished for it. Best to just take it on the chin rather than have people trying to peddle some sob story on your behalf.
I agree with you completely. All the people writing in here "oh, its just a bit of weed" well yes, for the everyday Joe a bit of weed isn't a big deal. But this guy is NOT an everyday Joe. He is in the public spotlight earning MILLIONS for his face/name and is then arrogant enough to think he can openly suck a bong at a party without someone taking his picture!! Whether he likes it or not he IS a role model and he IS responsible for his actions both as a adult and as the face of many products for which he is paid bagloads of cash.