Question of the day: About Michael Phelps ...

Question: Did Michael Phelps' five gold medals at the world swimming championships successfully rehabilitate his image after the marijuana pipe incident?

Here's Times' columnist Kurt Streeter's take:

"I never thought his reputation was all that tarnished to begin with, certainly not in a way that can't largely be repaired. Phelps was caught smoking marijuana, and our society just doesn't view smoking pot the way it views, say, steroids. Filling the lungs with smoke hardly enhances swimming performance. And way more people smoke marijuana than use steroids. Still, he broke the law. Marijuana is a banned substance in international sport. We have a way to judge him. So long as he doesn't test dirty after Rome, given the benign way marijuana is viewed, most sports fans will be very willing to move on."

Do you have an opinion? We'd like your comments.

-- Mike Hiserman

Photo: Michael Phelps. Photo credit: Domenico Stinellis / Associated Press.

Michael Phelps: Turning back the page

ROME --The Great Stroke Experiment is over.

By mutual decision, Michael Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, are putting that relatively new windmill, straight-arm stroke -- designed for sprinting -- right back on the shelf.

"It actually was [mutual]. It's funny, as often happens, he came out and said the same thing," Bowman said this morning at the World Championships. "He said, 'I don't think this is working.' I said, 'You're right.' Experiment failed. Next."

Phelps told Bowman that on Sunday night, almost immediately after his opening leg in the winning 400-meter freestyle relay.

"It's as much my fault as his that he didn't go better," Bowman said.

Said Phelps after the morning prelims of the 200 freestyle, in which he had the second-fastest time: "We tried something, and it didn't work. We weren't 100% confident, or comfortable, with it. So now I guess it's back to the old stroke. My old stroke was kind off a little bit, but I felt better this morning and felt smooth this morning."

Bowman broke down the problem with the stroke on Sunday night after the relay.

"When I look at it, I see this kind-of stroke," he said. "He's not really doing this new stroke. He's not really doing the old stroke. I'd say we're going back to the old stroke. It's the last time he's doing that."

-- Lisa Dillman

Photo: Michael Phelps competes in the Men's 200m Freestyle Heats during the 13th FINA World Championships on July 27, 2009 in Rome, Italy. Photo credit: Al Bello / Getty Images.

FINA: Cleaning up Dodge

So we won't get to see Michael Phelps trying to worm his way into two or three high-tech swimsuits at the World Championships in Rome in the summer.

Not that he would have tried it. As Gary Hall Jr. once said, Phelps could set world records in cutoff shorts.

But some of his swimming colleagues had been doing that sort of thing -- wiggling into multiple suits -- in what was shaping up to be a crazy, almost unregulated era after last year's Beijing Olympics. "Oh, it's been the Wild West -- way Wild West," USA Swimming's Mark Schubert told me in a telephone interview last month.

Law and order -- well, sort of -- showed up in the Wild West today with word from FINA of new rules regulating the high-tech suits. FINA, the international governing body of swimming, made its announcement after three days of meetings in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

The move was expected after a series of recommendations proposed last month after FINA met with 16 swimsuit manufacturers in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The rules in place, which will be in effect for the World Championships in July, include a maximum buoyancy effect, a maximum thickness, limited coverage areas (suits would not extend past the shoulders or ankles and would end below the neck), and restricting swimmers to wearing one suit at a time.

FINA also said that suits of an approved model could not be customized for individual swimmers.

The governing body stated it would continue to monitor "the evolution of the sport equipment with the main objective of keeping the integrity of the sport."

-- Lisa Dillman

Photo: Michael Phelps models a Speedo LZR racer swimsuit. Credit: Kathy Willens / Associated Press

Michael Phelps speaks to Matt Lauer

Record-setting Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps has done an in-depth interview with NBC's Matt Lauer that will air on Friday's "Today" show and Sunday's "Dateline" program (7 p.m.).

Phelps speaks to Lauer about the episode recorded by camera phone and eventually publicized by an  English tabloid newspaper where he was smoking from a bong pipe typically used by those smoking marijuana.

Among many questions Lauer asks is one most pointed: "I have to ask you, were you smoking pot?" Lauer says.

The Phelps answer: "It was a bad mistake.  I mean, we all know what, you know, what you and I are talking about.  It's a stupid mistake.  You know, bad judgment.  And it's something that, you know, I have to, and I want to teach other people not to make that mistake."

Well, Phelps certainly didn't leave any, you know, smoking guns with that answer.

-- Diane Pucin

Ted Green: Of Tiger, Phil, L.O., Baron and Starbury

The President Is Right, Change IS in the Air:  First Kobe and Shaq. Now Tiger and Phil. BFF ... Best Friends Forever.  Ain't love grand?  The French call it raison d'etre. Reason for being.  Golf now has its raison d'etre back again. His name is Tiger. Without him, golf is as relevant as full-contact karate.

Liar's Poker:  The Dodgers called Scott Boras' bluff. Gotta know when to fold 'em, Scotty. If the Dodgers want Manny, now it's up to them to help him save face.  Give him a three-year deal, with Year 3 heavily laden with incentives.

Pool Party:  Michael Phelps returns to competition in May. But in Charlotte, N.C.? Isn't that awfully close to the scene of the crime in Columbia, S.C.?  Perfect, I suppose, for a career heading south.  Should make for some interesting toking points.

Contract Drive: Did Lamar Odom's agent call the Lakers forward around Feb. 1, wake him from his long, lazy stupor and remind him this is a contract year? Have you ever seen a more stunning transformation? From Houdini in sneakers, the king of unexplainable disappearances, to possible player of the month in February. Now the Lakers HAVE to pay him, especially with Andrew Bynum's health really a perpetual question.

Wake-Up Call: What does it say about an athlete's professionalism when it takes a critical newspaper column to light a fire under Baron Davis so he could actually give the Clippers one good night's work?  I saw Baron Davis play at Golden State, and you, sir, are not Baron Davis.

Check's in the Mail, Too:  But everything's fine and Baron LOVES being a Clipper.

Tower of Babble or Please Pass the Earplugs: All the endless talk about who used and who didn't, who's clean and who isn't, when they started and when they supposedly stopped. With HGH undetectable except by blood testing, best to assume EVERYONE in the drug culture of baseball is juicing until every single one of them is blood tested, so they can prove otherwise and clear their names.

Stop the Presses or This CAN'T Be What Dr. King Meant by "Free at Last":  Stephon Marbury became a free agent today.

-- Ted Green

Ted Green used to cover sports for the L.A. Times.  He is now senior sports producer for KTLA Prime News.

Photo: Tiger Woods plays his tee shot during practice Tuesday at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona. Credit: Stuart Franklin / Getty Images

Michael Phelps won't face prosecution in S.C. drug investigation

The sheriff in South Carolina who has been investigating a party where Michael Phelps apparently had his picture taken with a marijuana bong in hand just announced that he does not have enough evidence to prosecute the Olympian or anyone else who was present at the November party.

Richland County (S.C.) Sheriff Leon Lott, in a news release sent to reporters via e-mail, states that: "Having thoroughly investigated this matter, we do not believe we have enough evidence to prosecute anyone that was present at the November party.

"Michael Phelps and I agree that something positive needs to come from this incident and that is a message of not using drugs."

Here's the complete news release:

Statement by Richland County Sheriff LEON LOTT:

I had nothing to do with Michael Phelps coming to Columbia and making a bad decision. He did that. His bad decision and the highly published photo placed me and the Richland County Sheriff's Department in a no win situation. Ignore it and be criticized or address it and be criticized. I chose to do what was right. While to some it may not have been the most popular decision, it was and is the right decision because of the law and the negative impact it could have on our children in Richland County.

Michael Phelps is truly an American sports hero. I, along with the rest of America, cheered his victories and felt pride when he stood on the podium to receive his medals.

Even with his star status he is still obligated to obey the laws of our state.  He is not immune from his responsibilities to do what is right. He is also human and can make a mistake.

I took an obligation in my oath as Sheriff to enforce the law equally and fairly without any personal bias or prejudice.

With Michael Phelps I had to remove his medals, his hero status, and look at him as any other person.

I felt it was important that he be treated fairly, equally and that a message be conveyed that illegal drug use is illegal by anyone.

Our investigation focused on the possession, use and distribution of illegal drugs in Richland County. The incident in November only initiated our investigation, which resulted in the arrests of adults who were at the time of their arrests in possession of illegal drugs. Contrary to some, this was not a special investigation or one that impacted our resources on other crimes.  This was in fact a short investigation and simple investigation conducted by narcotics investigators whose sole responsibility is to investigate drug violations.  The time and resources were quite minimal when compared to other drug investigations. In the time this investigation was being conducted we solved a murder, ATM robberies and numerous other crimes. 

The house of the November party had previously been the subject of a drug case and other crimes. The related house in Irmo had also been the subject of a previous drug case. Both locations were the source of problems in our community. 

The charges of those arrested in this investigation will be handled as we do in other similar type arrests.

As with any cop, my responsibility is to enforce the law, not to create it or ignore it. Marijuana in the state of South Carolina is illegal and I am obligated to enforce the law again equally, fairly and without personal bias. I would have been remiss in my duty as Sheriff if I would have ignored the November incident and subsequent drug violations we discovered during our investigation. 

By ignoring the November incident, I would have been sending a message of tolerance and condoning the use of illegal drugs. I could not do that, nor have I ever done that. I would be a hypocrite in view of our extensive Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program that I have been active in for many years. How can we teach kids through DARE not to do drugs, and then look the other way if it is an important person?

Our message has to be loud, clear, and consistent, don't do drugs.   

I have always advocated that we cannot arrest our way out of the drug problem.  We must do it through enforcement and education such as the DARE program utilizes.

Having thoroughly investigated this matter, we do not believe we have enough evidence to prosecute anyone that was present at the November party. 

Michael Phelps and I agree that something positive needs to come from this incident and that is a message of not using drugs.

He can speak on this issue from his perspective.

My perspective is that the law pertains to everyone and our drug laws are to be enforced.

My hope again is that we all take this incident and make something positive from it. Parents please take this opportunity to talk with your children about illegal drug use. During my 34 years in law enforcement I have seen lives and communities destroyed due to drugs.  We all must work together to protect our children and our communities. Now is the time to educate our young people, the decisions they make today can impact them for the rest of their lives."

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Michael Phelps is shown during the Beijing Games last August. Credit: Timothy Clary / AFP / Getty Images

Michael Phelps investigation continues in South Carolina

Michael Phelps has hired a lawyer in connection with an ongoing drug investigation in Columbia, S.C., but the Baltimore Sun reports that the Olympian has not been contacted by enforcement officials and has not been charged with anything.

The investigation began after a photograph of Phelps with a marijuana bong in hand appeared in a British tabloid. Dick Harpootlian, a defense attorney in Richland County, told the Sun that he represents one of eight people who have been arrested in connection with the investigation.

The sheriff has yet to confirm that any arrests have occurred.

Here's some of what Kevin Van Valkenburg and Childs Walker reported this morning in the Sun (which is a sister newspaper of The Times):

South Carolina authorities continue to gather evidence from a party attended by Michael Phelps in November at which he was photographed allegedly smoking marijuana, but even as more arrests are made and witnesses interviewed, what's still unclear is what might happen to the 23-year-old Olympic swimmer.

A lawyer representing a man who attended the party said the Richland County Sheriff's Department investigation seems to be targeting Phelps -- to the point investigators are asking questions only about the 14-time gold-medal winner.

But Phelps, who has hired a lawyer, hasn't been charged with anything or been contacted by the sheriff's department, according to Drew Johnson, a representative from Phelps' management company, Octagon.

Kellogg Co. recently said that it would not renew a post-Beijing Games marketing contract with Phelps, and USA Swimming slapped him with a three-month suspension that began on Feb. 5.

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Michael Phelps, left, answers questions from reporters on Feb. 6 as his trainer Bob Bowman, right, looks on at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Baltimore. Credit: Gail Burton / Associated Press

Arrests reported -- but not confirmed -- in Michael Phelps bong case

A television station in Columbia, S.C., is reporting that local law enforcement officials have made eight arrests in connection with a house party where Olympian Michael Phelps' photo may have been taken with a marijuana bong in his hands. Seven of the arrests were for drug possession and the eighth was for drug distribution, according to the WIS-TV (Channel 10) report.

WIS reporter Jack Kuenzie also reported that the bong's owner had offered the device for sale on EBay for as much as $100,000. Kuenzie said that the Sheriff's Department now has the device.

The television station reported that  Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott began to investigate after a British tabloid printed a picture of Phelps with the bong in his hands.

But the Richland County Sheriff's Department earlier this morning declined to say whether it had made arrests or confirm the local television station's report.

"The reporter who released that story is claiming that he has sources, but we're not the source of that information," said Lt. Chris Cowan, the department's public information officer. "We're not releasing any additional information. We are investigating, and if we determine that illegal activity has occurred, we will bring charges."

And as for the bong that reportedly was being offered online? "I don't know where he got that information," Cowan said. "He didn't get it from us, and I don't know that to be true."

On Monday, a newspaper in Columbia published a story that attempted to piece together how the now-infamous photo ended up in a British tabloid.

The State's story didn't manage to do that. But it did place Phelps inside the house where, according to the television station's report, the sheriff's investigation led to eight arrests.

The newspaper story quotes sources (named and unnamed) who described a party that went on inside the house where the cellphone photo could have been taken early in November:

Crisp bills lay on the Ping-Pong table. But the players crowded around weren’t using paddles.

The game that Monday night in November was high-stakes “beer pong,” a drinking game in which players lob Ping-Pong balls into plastic cups.

Michael Phelps was betting big -- and losing.

"I saw Phelps pull out a roll, a bank-wrapped $2,000,” said Michael Whitworth, who had been invited to a house near Five Points after his band played a show at 5 Points Pub (now Sudworks Taphouse).

“He said, ‘I’ll match the $2,000,’ ” Whitworth continued, referring to Phelps. “Good ol’ Phelpsie lost it too.”

And, as for the picture:

The photo that got Phelps, 23, in trouble could have been taken by any of the dozens of partyers at the house that night -- or on other nights when Phelps was in Columbia the first week of November.

The story notes that those who attended the party were asked on entering the house to respect Phelps' privacy and not take photographs.

-- Greg Johnson

Photo: Michael Phelps answers questions from reporters before training at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Baltimore on Feb. 6. Credit: Gail Burton / Associated Press

Philip Hersh: USA Swimming dry docks Phelps

Michael Phelps took a hit to his image far bigger than that to his net worth when USA Swimming announced Thursday that it was docking him financial support and declaring him ineligible to compete for three months, effective immediately, as a sanction for the bong photo.

The money involved is insignificant to the winner of 14 Olympic gold medals, and the suspension will not keep him from competing in July's U.S. trials for the 2009 world championships [updated with world championships on 2/6]

But this was a telling rap on the knuckles from a federation that had wallowed in his Beijing Games glory.

-- Philip Hersh

Photo: Michael Phelps trains on Thursday at Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Baltimore -- wearing a "London 2012" swim cap. Credit: Rob Carr / Associated Press

Kellogg, USA Swimming voice displeasure with Michael Phelps

The following three-paragraph statement just arrived via email from USA Swimming. It landed a few hours after Kellogg Co. said it would not renew its endorsement deal with Michael Phelps, who landed in the center of controversy after apparent marijuana use.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Swimming has reprimanded Michael Phelps under its Code of Conduct by withdrawing financial support and the eligibility to compete for a period of three months effective today, February 5.

This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero.

Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.

Phelps' suspension would end on May 5. He was only beginning to ease his way back into competition when the now-famous picture surfaced in a British newspaper. He had said during a recent conference call that he planned to return at a meet in Austin, Texas in March.

The Grand Prix meet schedule is light this time of the year, and the next important meet (the qualifier for the World Championships in Italy) isn't until July 7-11 in Indianapolis.

So calling it a sanction is probably a bit of an overstatement.

-- Lisa Dillman

Photo: Michael Phelps, practicing on Thursday at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center in Baltimore. Credit: Rob Carr / Associated Press