One More Voice

     I write this not because you will learn anything new, or likely, anything that hasn't been said before, but "Lochtegate" is the story of these past few days, so here goes:


   Getting drunk, staying out late, causing a ruckus and trying to cover it up is not news.


   It does not merit two helicopters flying above a Rio gas station 4 days after the fact.  It does not merit our national evening news broadcasts leading with a reporter standing at the gas station.


   Did Lochte lie?  It seems so.  Did the four swimmers collude a story to try to save face?  It seems so.


   It is interesting to me that the city of Rio can see fit to remove American citizens from a plane and detain them, but has no official response to the media bus taking gunshots last week.  I suppose it would be really easy for me to say, "Clean up the favelas!"  Every major city in the world has slums, and quadrennially, those slums are right next door to an Olympic event.  It happens. 


   Lochte and pals made a really stupid mistake.  I'm not in the business of determining what the appropriate punishment is -  I believe Lochte has done himself irreparable harm in the way of endorsement dollars.


   We have three days left.  Let's finish strong, everybody.