Since when?

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D963IPR81&show_article=1

Since when did we start expecting our elite athletes to be elite humans? It doesn't work that way -- we're all just human and we all make mistakes. Whether it's Michael Phelps loading up a bong or a Catholic Bishop caught having an affair (or worse), people whom society tends to place a higher set of characteristic and behavioral expectations on almost never fail to let us down.

I am certain that part of the issue is the fact that media is now instantly accessable - we can see the exploits of our "heroes" almost as it happens - people are posting photos and video to the Web from their phones in near-real-time, giving a judgemental media ability to instantly condemn or praise their actions and send the word out world-wide. The pressure that this creates on public figures has got to be overwhelming, and the expectations of a public whom understands only what the media shows them of a person - who only gets a two-dimensional view - well, one can only assume that that creates a crushing weight.

So what do we do as responsible citizens? Point and cluck our tongues, wagging our heads knowingly? Disassociate ourselves from any fan-dom or reverence of said transgressors? Shove it in the backs of our minds and try to ignore it? What do we do when one of our children comes up and asks us why their hero decided to smoke pot?

I don't really have an answer except to explain that Mr. Phelps made a poor decision and let's learn from his mistake and not do it ourselves. But it certainly does raise a few questions.