Phelps: Before the Medals, Muscles and DUI

16. The DUI thing is true it happen right here in Salisbury, MD on the East Coast, he was visiting a few friends at Salisbury University and got popped for running a stop sign.

Posted at 12:34PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Jocker

17. this dude brings home gold,what the hell have you all done,oh..l know snapped with the pictures. ...... losers....go BACK TO BRITTNEY .........WE HAVE ENOUGH ISSUES DONT PST STUFF THAT THE US DOES NOT NEED TO HEAR........MARY

Posted at 12:36PM on Aug 14th 2008 by mary moore

18. the DUI was true no ones denying it. i agree with them it was not needed to be mentioned. why bring up something from the past that he proably regrets.

Posted at 12:43PM on Aug 14th 2008 by alexa

19. Not denying the veracity of the DUI. Michael was young and foolish at the time. I venture to guess he has done a little maturing since. He has paid his fine, done his community service, and kept his nose clean. It is simply tacky to bring it up at this point.

PS I am familiar with the cop that tagged him. He is as petty as the author of this article.

Posted at 12:44PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Kate

20. I love this picture. Especially the scab on his knee. Just a regular little boy. Who knew?

Posted at 12:46PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Jane

21. He's had ADD and a DUI and now has 11 gold medals.

GOOD FOR HIM!

He obviously has what it takes, he's not perfect. Like him even more.

Posted at 12:51PM on Aug 14th 2008 by SuperStarSteve

22. Yes, the DUI is true, but what they are not telling you is that he was barely above the legal limit. He was not drunk or staggering or slurring his words. He has taken it upon himself to go to different schools and talk to kids about it. He never made excuses for it he accepted what he did and accepted the consiquences for his actions. This happened four years ago after the Athens Olympics. He is a great guy but he has never said he was perfect. We all make mistakes. Go Michael, your country is proud of you and Baltimore is waiting for you to return.

Posted at 1:14PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Melissa

23. Well, TMZ way to celebrate an American Hero. He is boosting moral for all the Americans who are having a tough time keeping faith with the rising gas prices, job loss & a crashing housing market. People get DUI's. He made a mistake and hasn't repeated it since. In addition 8 year old boys generally look like boys not men so showing a pic is lame. I bet you are going to have a big old article about how he just got 2nd place in his final individual race. Trash him for that not to mention all of his gold's. Way to trash people for being human.

Hey Nina now would be a good time to write an article that no black kids were in the picture and the photog who took the pic was an undercover Loreal media racist.

By the way my kids are in swim lessons and the aren't white LOL

TMZ Sucks

Posted at 1:19PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Give It A Rest

24. aww he's so cute!

Posted at 1:20PM on Aug 14th 2008 by yoshi

25. The dedication this young man has shown to his sport is simply awesome. Michael Phelps brings nothing but pride and joy to our country. I will be on my feet, yelling and cheering for him for his last three races. To the dumb schmuck who felt it necessary to remind TMZ's readers of Phelp's DUI-- I'm guessing you peaked in high school and are a bitter little man.

Posted at 1:45PM on Aug 14th 2008 by SJ

26. TMZ..........FYI, Phelps was not "just another" ANYTHING!!! At age 11, he was already breaking records!!!

Do some research BEFORE you write about someone, that's usually how it works..........

Posted at 1:44PM on Aug 14th 2008 by noitall

27. Well dang, after an intense schedule, grueling workout, eating breathing sleeping SWIMMING, he needed that drink..unfortunately it did cost him a dui and ya know, I think he probably learned from it....not like the millions of other losers out there with their 10th dui....

Posted at 2:54PM on Aug 14th 2008 by mmhromeo

28. Congradulations TMZ for chaning the caption on Michael's thread, he is a great athlete and a wonderful role model. You should be proud of yourselves for realizing that people love him and this country needs someone like him now. We don't need all the negative stuff. You used good judgement by fixing the mistake that someone over there made.

Posted at 3:58PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Melissa

29. Congradulations TMZ for chaning the caption on Michael's thread, he is a great athlete and a wonderful role model. You should be proud of yourselves for realizing that people love him and this country needs someone like him now. We don't need all the negative stuff. You used good judgement by fixing the mistake that someone over there made.

Posted at 3:59PM on Aug 14th 2008 by Melissa

30. Usually I take delight in your commentary, but this about Michael Phelps, Come on Guys have some class. You would be hard pressed to find a young man at age 23 that hasn't gotten into a little trouble in their life. As long as he has rebounded from a bad decision and hasn't repeated the same stupid move as some have, then leave him alone.

You guys really stooped low on this one!!!

Posted at 10:15AM on Aug 15th 2008 by Donna