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Big Bong Theory: Why was Phelps' pot use a big deal, but Lincecum's isn't?

Jan 20, 2010, 11:00 AM EDT

10 Comments

Wearing a beanie with a suit is always a good look, and that’s how Tim Lincecum showed up for his day in court on Tuesday in Vancouver, Wash., on a drug paraphernalia charge. He came away with a $513 reduced sentence (after paying an earlier fine for possession of the actual marijuana); on the same day that he asked the Giants for $13 million in arbitration. Now, let’s set the scene. After Lincecum was sentenced, he had to face … one reporter. Yeah, just one guy showed up with a notepad, and Lincecum blew him off (saying, rather comically to one person, “no questions, guys.”).
Also, one kid showed up to try and get an autograph, and Lincecum blew him off. Not exactly a crush of attention. Which begs the question: Why was there a firestorm of publicity when Michael Phelps was photographed with a pot bong a year ago, but Tim Lincecum seems to get a total pass for his pot shenanigans?


Case in point, this Fark.com headline today:

Seeking the richest contract ever awarded in MLB arbitration, Tim Lincecum asks for a $13 million salary. What is he, high?

Also comically making the rounds; comparisons to Wooderson from Dazed and Confused.
Now, compare that to January of 2009, when the world almost came to an end when British tabloid News of the World published the infamous photo of Phelps spending some quality time with a marijauna pipe at a frat party. His sponsors freaked, everyone called him an idiot, and he had to issue an immediate mea culpa to all the people of Earth. Swimmer Dana Torres said to AP at the time:

“It’s sort of a double-edged sword. When you’re recognizable, you’re looked up to as a role model. He is recognizable and everything you do gets looked at and picked apart. I guess that’s the price of winning 14 Olympic medals.”

A year later, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler wrote this about Lincecum:

“High crime? Nope, just stupid. Lincecum will get off easy in the Bay Area court of public opinion. In fact, his moment of reefer madness might even enhance his stature as a free-spirited goofball.”

Couldn’t it be argued that Lincecum is just as recognizable as Phelps? Aren’t they on par with each other as athletes? Don’t kids look up to each of them? But Lincecum pretty much gets off with a tap on the wrist, while Phelps is Reefer Madness poster child. That’s a bit of baffling incongruity.
But at least we have this:

***
Lincecum’s day in court ends quickly [San Francisco Chronicle]

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  1. mathesond - Jan 20, 2010 at 1:44 PM

    Lincecum is a celebrity in San Francisco, which is likely more tolerant of marijuana use than the US as a whole – which is Phelps’ market. Phelps also has more national endorsements.

  2. Paul in KY - Jan 20, 2010 at 2:13 PM

    You have Mr. Lincenum IDed as ‘Kurt’ in 2nd line of story. Was that some lind of inside joke or is it a typo?
    Mr. Phelps shouldn’t have been pilloried like he was, but I think his endorsement contracts were aimed more at kids & ads I saw were aimed at kids.
    I’ve never seen an ad with Mr. Lincenum in it, although he could probably do one for Cheetos now ;-)

  3. Big G - Jan 20, 2010 at 2:42 PM

    Because the majority of Americans don’t care about pot, but moron reporters thought you saw a chance to ruin somebody’s reputation with Phelps, so you piled it on. Phelps was coming offf a record breaking Olympics & is more well nown world wide. How stupid are you really to ask this question. Anything for a post eh?

  4. TimmyFan - Jan 20, 2010 at 2:56 PM

    Who is this “Kurt Lincecum” that you speak of? This article lost credibility after that.

  5. reino - Jan 20, 2010 at 3:04 PM

    It’s simple…when you market yourself as the “All American Boy” like Phelps has…you’re gonna take a hit when you do something stupid like take a bong hit where someone can take a picture of you. Unless you think that Subway wants to market themselves as the perfect answer to the “munchies”…it really doesn’t match the image they have bought for their commercials or is it consistent with their message.
    It’s the same for Tiger…when you become a money earning phenomena through the creation of an image that is accepted by the public…particularly at the extreme end of the marketing scale that Tiger was at…you are really gonna take a hit when you screw up like he did.

  6. Danny Diaz - Jan 20, 2010 at 3:11 PM

    Phelps is the face of America!!!

  7. forddoc1 - Jan 20, 2010 at 3:57 PM

    first off, ditto to what reino and Big G posted.
    2nd, I don’t see any pictures of TIM Lincecum toking all over the news.
    Be honest, does anyone look at Tim and think he doesnt smoke pot?
    Who cares? I dont. I dont care about Phelps smoking either.
    The only regret I have is their image to kids, the rest of us are adults. We can,(or should)as adults realize it really makes no difference in our personal lives whether they smoke or not. The only people who want to make a big deal out of it seem to be lame @ss, no talent bloggers sitting on their couchs in their sweat pants eating a Jack in the box taco while two finger typing this drivel.
    If a 1000 Rick Chandlers typed for a 1000 typed for a thousand years you still wouldnt produce anything near as great as 1 lincecum fastball or 1 Phelps Freestyle stroke.

  8. Rick Chandler - Jan 20, 2010 at 4:01 PM

    Typo. Thanks for the heads up. Hope there are no Kurts out there who were offended.

  9. sweenytodd - Jan 20, 2010 at 4:07 PM

    Because athletes and swimmers have a strict no drug policy, they can be tested any time day or night any day of the year, and a 2yr ban will be enforced if they are caught, so this is a big deal for an athelete or swimmer, but not a MLB, NFL, or soccer player. I’d have thought any sports journalist would ave known this, obviously Rick Chandler has never covered a sport outside of the USA.
    American sports, and soccer know that this would decimate their sport if they implemented it, so they won’t agree to it. American sports and Soccer have players unions, and it’s in their interest to not have random urine/blood tests.

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