There is going be a lot of posturing here guys as this bomb shell news starts taking down more and more athletes. I didn't know how to take Marion Jones's interview yesterday at the Penn Relays. When asked about the check from her account to Victor Conte she said, "I never authorized, signed, or endorsed a check to be sent to him." The lawyer in me says okay nice way to dodge the question leaving wiggle room to later say that someone else wrote it, but this admission is not denial of guilt in this situation. They were not asking, "Did you write the check" they were nicely asking, "Did you use drugs" with that question but she never came out and emphatically said "I didn't take drugs and this is the explanation for the check." This news that has come out is about as damaging as a smoking gun being found at a murder scene with the owner of the gun standing over the victim as police arrive saying, "I didn't do it". It may be true they didn't do it but at that point in time all signs are pointing in that direction and it takes a good deal of convincing to prove otherwise. I think what she has to do is come out and explain the check 100% to the public and give them more information than they want. She needs to be in the papers explaining all this and going on the attack, not sitting back and waiting.
This is very troubling news and although you are innocent until proven guilty in the court room, the court of public opinion is a bit different. These stars need to take a look at people who have had major problems arise in their careers and dealt with them up front. They usually go through some bumps at first but overcome the scandal. Those who hide and don't talk to the press and let the rumors abound are usually guilty and proven so. Their career is ruined. Think about Gary Condit, OJ Simpson, Scott Peterson; all did the run and hide routine and faced the consequences. Although Condit has never been found guilty he was lost his seat in Congress amid a public backlash against him when he was once one of the most loved Congressman from his state. Michael Jackson has done the run and hide routine as well and the public as all but written him off as guilty. Kobe Bryant on the other hand came out admitted to what happened and went on the attack and look at the facts that have come out. It has been proven the girl was bragging about suing him for $40 million. He admitted guilt to his part of infidelity but went on the attack to prove the other charges wrong. He will not be proven guilty of rape and public opinion is with him. Clinton almost did the same but denied the allegations at first, then came out to admit what he did and the public by in large has forgiven him and he is listed by many as one of the greatest presidents we have had in many generations. It is all how you play the scandal. These are the biggest stars we have in USA Track and Field and I love nothing more than to see the win gold medals against the world in the Olympic Games but the fact that Conte has named 15 of them in a drug scandal and this is front page news on all major newspapers across the country with Congress weighing in on the issue has put them square in the middle of the biggest scandal heading into the Olympics in a few months. They all need to hire some good lawyers and also a good PR firm because this going to be a battle fought in the court of public opinion and in the newspapers just as much as it will be in the court room. I truly hope there are logical and legal explanations for what is coming out because if this list is true, our struggling sport may be about ready to take a death nail in the coffin. The bottom line is if they are innocent they have to act like it and go on the attack, if they are guilty their posturing and dodging questions is just as good as admitting so in the papers and in the end the truth will come out. You can't hide and from the truth.