Last week, the media were abuzz over a photograph of Olympic champion Michael Phelps smoking marijuana at a party.

Kellogg Co. quickly decided not to renew its endorsement contract with the swimmer.

And Phelps was suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming.

We cannot condone Phelps’ behavior.

But while we do not give the 23-year-old a free pass for setting a poor example to his millions of fans (for the second time, noting a previous drunken driving arrest),

Phelps’ actions have no impact on his prowess in a pool.

His remarkable achievements in Beijing are not in question.

The same cannot be said for multimillionaire liar Alex Rodriguez.

On Monday, he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003.

Major League Baseball should erect a Hall of Shame.

Possible inductees include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire. A-Rod should be a shoe-in on the first ballot.

Rodriguez wants fans to believe that he was naive and did not know what he was taking.

Rodriguez is baseball’s highest-paid athlete.

His years as a Texas Ranger were all a fraud.

His home runs are tainted.

When will this all end?

At what point will baseball fans throw their hands up in disgust at a sport ruined by too much money, too many drugs and little to no consequences for poor judgment? …

– The Record, Hackensack, N.J.