Michael Phelps has been chosen to be a Youth Games Ambassador for the first Youth Olympic Games. If his management team was smart, they should have angled a way for Michael to get him on board so that he has a "second act" career-wise once he leaves swimming.From Yahoo/EuroSport:Michael Phelps is "delighted?" Oh please! You know a highly educated female wrote that press release. "Delighted" is word you use at the the opera when you meet the fat lady who did the most singing back stage and you say to her, "I am delighted to meet you."
"I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to become the first official ambassador of the Youth Olympic Games, and can't wait to get working with the YOG team to promote the first event this summer," he said in a statement.
So, this post is a request for comments on whether you think Michael Phelps is a good choice for Youth Ambassador for the IOC Youth Olympics?
First, consider these two positions:
Pro: Kids love him. Ostensibly, he is the greatest Olympian in the history of the games if not the world. He has a charity or two, and he is giving back to his sport with a million dollar endowment I believe?
Con: He has a DUI which he plead guilty to, a questionable bong photo with a carefully worded regret statement, has major aspirations to become a poker player, dated a Vegas stripper, and he killed tech-suits.
I am leaning towards the pro-arguments despite his lapses in moral judgment. Kids love this American hero despite his jackass mistakes. My premise is that a good result here can trump my "morality" and consequently his participation could launch the Youth Olympics in a big way. This planet needs more events like the Olympics to get us taking to one another. Phelps' participation could give "street cred" with the next generation.
But those offended by the DUI for obvious reasons, followed by the poker playing have a strong argument as well. Poker is a zero-sum game where one individual makes money for nothing and their opponents lose theirs. It's legal, it sanctioned, possibly regulated but that Mickey Rooney quote comes to mind, "I lost $2 on a horse and spent $2-million trying to get it back."
Should he be Youth Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games?
7 comments:
Personally, I don't care about the cannabis, dating a stripper or the professional poker. They don't really harm other people and nor are they 'performance enhancing'. Alcohol proportionately causes a lot more harm than those things and it's legal and acceptable to most people. It makes no sense to me.
The DUI, however - that was stupid and could have harmed other people.
As for killing tech suits, to be honest, a lot of top swimmers, coaches, Speedo and whatnot wanted them gone, so I can't see any reason to see him as the main (or even the driving) reason.
I should have left out that tech suit comment
To be accurate, the girl he supposedly dated was a Vegas cocktail waitress who had racy photos on the web, not a stripper. Not sure if his "moral" image is less damaged by that difference.
Was he a "good" choice? Maybe. He was probably just the best choice they had available. The only other truly globally famous Olympic athletes are Usain Bolt and Federer/Nadal, and the tennis guys, although Olympians, aren't primarily associated with the Olympic movement, so it would be silly to use them. No doubt they'll have Bolt on board soon.
My error, I read stripper at TMZ, I should have researched it more.
Sean White should have been the person they wet with. He is all over the X-Games, he has a snowboard video game and he is squeaky clean and exuberant.
Since the first Youth Olympics is a summer event, it makes more sense to use a summer athlete, though.
True - but I hope he is an option come winter.
In my opinion, yes. When Michael first got into trouble, I was probably like everyone else... how could he do that? (either time). But then I started thinking about what he HAD done in his life.
I trained a LOT as a kid. Countless 20,000 days in the breaststroke lane, but I think it's safe to say, I didn't train like Michael. This was a guy who closed himself off to the world and dedicated himself to his quest. Once it was over, he relaxed... maybe a bit too much, but who among us can judge when we haven't put in the time he did?
I ran into a family at a meet the other day and they wanted help with their son's swimming. We couldn't figure out where we had met before, then realized that the Mom worked at a local wine shop. We laughed because I obviously buy alcohol from them. We continued to joke about it, but what came to light is that those who always appear pristine usually have really bad stuff to hide.
While Michael isn't perfect (which none of us are), man has he performed and lived his life as the best athlete our sport has ever seen. Kid's parents should be the role models for ethics and morality. Athletes should inspire kids to be better athletes, which I think Michael does.
I'm happy the decision was a swimmer and proud that Michael has certainly been hugely responsible for keeping our sport in the limelight even if I don't agree with all he does or thinks.
PS. Love Sean White too. I agree with you there Tony.
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