Michael Phelps is getting a pass...why?

Because he is WHITE! Ok I said it. Maybe it's not that 'black and white', pun intended, but I GUARANTEE if Mr. Phelps was an African American or Latino he would NOT be getting this free pass. Don't get me wrong either, I love the kid and was glued to the TV every morning during the Olympics, but facts are facts.

Here are the excuses I am hearing:

1. I don't condone what he did but it's not that big of a deal, he is only endangering himself since he does not play a team sport.

2. He's 23 and he was never a kid, this is just a phase.

3. He has apologized profusely and has promised it won't happen again.

Ok, let's look at them.

1. Personally, if he were NOT in the public eye, I could also care less. I believe I am in the minority in my generation to say that I never experimented with weed. I have my own personal reasons but to each his own. HOWEVER, this guy IS in the public eye. What is the signal it says to the 11 year old who is being told to stay away from recreational use? I mean the dude just won EIGHT GOLD MEDALS and is sleeping with every hot chick in Hollywood --- what 11-14 year old does not want to be like Mike? If he is not a ROLE MODEL he is at least a public figure. He also has MILLIONS --- if this was his choice, why not light up in a hotel room with no cell phone cameras.

2. Give me a break! He chose the life and is reaping the rewards. Plus, I have kids and I am not looking to the 'phase' :-)

3. The apology angle ---give me a break! Four years ago Phelps was caught and arrested for a DUI. We got the same sob story...please.

So, you are thinking --- where is the race deal Gil? Let's not be naive...name for me ONE African American athlete who has been found smoking dope and the story becomes a 'feel good' one? I'll wait.

In the meantime, the world has come to Phelps' back. Even the International Swimming Federation fell for the heartfelt apology. Tell me when Roger Goddell will do that in the NFL.

Anyway, I just find it all to be intriguing and worth watching.

On a side note, this was ALL just stream of consciousness while listening to an amazing 3DD/Maroon 5 mix I put together but no I am not 'packing a bowl'.

Every cloud has a silver lining...

or maybe it is GOLD.

I have had a horrible case of insomnia the past 3 nights. I am falling asleep fine but sometime between 1:00 and 2:30 I am waking up and I can't fall back asleep. I have been sleepwalking through the day trying to stay focused since things are so busy and I am trying to stay on top of rehab but it is tough with 2-3 hours of sleep a night. I have been crabby, irritable and a bit immature and even a tad bit selfish and demanding...

Ok, I know most of you just read that and said, yeah, you are Gil aren't you...nice joke.

Anyway, the silver lining has been the Olympics. At least I have had something captivating to watch while I can't sleep.

Here's my routine:

- wake up from something
- lie there like I might actually drift off for 10 minutes
- quietly roll out of bed, tip toe out the door, close the bedroom doors
- slip downstairs past the girls
- trip on someone's shoes on the stairs
- set up the couch (pillows, blanket, remote, water)
- fire up the TV to one of NBC's 3 or 4 Olympic Stations

from here I veg for the next 3-4 hours until it is time to shower. This morning I rewatched the Women's Gymnastics All-Around which should really be called the Girls' Gymnastics All-Around and even TiVO'd it so the girls an watch it this weekend (massive points for Daddy). I also saw the US Softball team comeback and beat Canada. Here is a ridiculous statistic - in the last 2 Olympics the US has only allowed 2 RUNS, yes that is 2 RUNS, while scoring 80 or so. Any wonder why this sport is going away after this year?

Don't think I just watch the Olympics, during commercials I flip over to watch Big Brother After Dark on Showtime 2 :)

Back to the Olympics, Phelps won his 6th Gold and 6th Gold Medal. They ran a story about his genetics and it was just fascinating and also proves that being great is a ton of hard work but really good genetics help, here is the proof:

Phelps is 6'4" tall, however, he has a wing span of someone 6'7". On top of that his lower body is comparable to someone 6'0" tall so his lower body has great burst and power off the wall. His upper body is essentially that of someone 6'8" so he has an advantage there with his stroke length. Michael has size 14 feet, so they are like flippers. From someone who has size 13 feet, I am impressed and last but not least his hands are the size of dinner plates when he spreads his fingers out so he can funnel more water than his competitors. Add all of this to his ridiculous workout regimen and relentless spirit and heart, what do you get? Maybe the greatest athlete the Olympics has ever seen.

My hats off to Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, they were great and a lot of fun to watch and seeing their coaches enjoy the moment together was very nice.

Last night/this morning at the Olympics

It's hard to believe that Beijing is a full 12 hours ahead of us! This fact allows for a bunch of prime time events to be our morning ones AND they are swinging it so that some big time events are happening around 10:00 AM over there so we can see them live in prime time. Last night was one of those times, as a fan or just someone who loves to see young people live with passion, where I just couldn't turn off the TV.

I am a confessed sports junkie. If it is on, I will watch it and for better or worse I know way too much about it. Most of this is because my brain is a sponge where a lot gets in but know one ever takes the time to ring it out. Anyway, last night Michael Phelps, the great American swimmer, was going for his 2nd GOLD of these games. This time it was in a 4 man relay and the U.S. Men were not the favorites, it was the French. The French talked smack all week and last night they got smacked! Phelps led off the race and had the lead, the next 2 U.S. swimmers gave up the lead to the French and when the anchor leg began the U.S. was about a 1/2 length behind and the French had their best swimmer in the pool. With 15 meters left it looked like the U.S. had SILVER but the U.S. swimmer went absolutely NUTS, closed the gap and out reached the Frenchman to the wall. THe celebration that erupted for those 4 guys was SPECTACULAR! They hugged, danced and screamed like kids because they truly were excited by their accomplishment.

This morning I poured through You Tube hoping someone would have posted the race but it is not up yet. When I find it, I will post it because not only is it worth watching once, but for me, it will be something I will show the girls (yes I have it on DVR) and use it as a tool for my girls' soccer team as well as for myself when I need a reminder of how truly special this life can be.

Thanks to my good friend Jonathan Ganz, here is the video:

UPDATE - for some reason the link is no longer active, so here is a way to watch off of a YOU TUBE mix