Getting The Feeling that Michael Phelps Won't Be Seen From Much Anymore

Less than a week after pictures surfaced of poker player/Olympian Michael Phelps hitting a bong, he's already lost a major sponsor (Kellogg & Co.) and is now serving a (mostly symbolic) suspension U.S. America Swimming.

Says Phelps about the suspension:

"I have nothing to say, but if that's they want to do, that's their choice. It's something that USA Swimming came up with. It's fair. Obviously, for a mistake you should get punished."

The bigger story here completely overlooked by the mainstream media is: what will this all do to Phelps' poker career? After final tableing a Caesar's event, and palling around with terrorists Phil Ivey and Jeff Madsen, many expected a run at some major tourneys in 2009. Can't see his handlers letting him hang with a bunch of degens now--well, unless he's managed by Jamie Gold's old PR team.

Below are a bunch of talking heads belaboring the same tired points about Phelps over and over again.

Comments

Must be slow when I log onto wickedchops Monday afternoon and there ain't shit to read or Keeley to look at.

[Danieldinho]

I get the feeling Michael Phelps will become like the Mark Spitz of Poker.

[Kevin Mathers]

If Phillips was going to be playing poker again, at best it would be after the WSOP, since the US Swimming Championships (a qualifer for the World Championships) takes place the same time as the WSOP ME. Maybe he could've made an appearance at the NBC Heads-Up event, but that appears less likely now.