Quote of the Day
“There is a limit to how often America will forgive its role models, and Phelps’ golden boy reputation might not survive many more hits."
-- CNN's A.J. Hammer, on U.S. Gold Medalist Michael Phelps after images surface of him smoking from a bong("Showbiz Tonight," CNN, 2/2).
Top Stories
Is Phelps' Image Tarnished By Bong Pictures? Can one photo overpower eight Gold Medals and undo a carefully-crafted all-American boy image? That's the multimillion-dollar question facing Michael Phelps and his handlers at Octagon. Several of Phelps' sponsors quickly vocalize their support after the controversial picture emerges, but how his tainted image will impact future endorsement deals remains to be seen. New sponsor Subway reportedly will take a closer look at plans to include Phelps in a major marketing push. While many excuse the incident as a mistake plenty of 23-year-olds make, others believe Phelps must hold himself to higher standards if he wants to represent Madison Avenue as a marketable role model. After Phelps' '04 DUI charge, it is clear that this is strike two for the swimmer. Meanwhile, Octagon is also facing questions over its response strategy upon first learning of the photo.
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