Marion Jones (named in 1997 as the fastest woman in the world) does Oprah today. As you know Comeback Kids, she will do six months for lying about steroid use and her involvment in a check fraud scam by Tim Montgomery “baby daddy” number 1. Her signature was found on one of the $25,000 dollar checks cashed in the scheme.

I am deeply conflicted on the specifics. While she’s not the first athlete to ever use sports enhancing drugs or to even lie about it, her life over the last few years just seems to have been a slippery slope that arrives us here at “go to jail” junction. I think its evident she made poor decisions in marriage partners and boyfriends. And now on some level she’s got to pay the band for it.

A UK paper, Telegraph, reported that coach and shot putter CJ Hunter was married when they began courting in the late 90s. He would soon divorce his wife and marry Marion. CJ at the Sydney 2000 games had tested positive for steroids. They divorced and then he later recounted how he injected Marion with steroids-while Marion maintained his innocence.

Tim Montgomery, baby daddy number 1 and 100 meter world record holder, was embroiled in the BALCO doping scandal. Jones would comment that Montgomery was innocent and commented on the kangeroo court characteristics of his trial.

I remember reading on a blog how a commenter surmised everyone is just “one bad decision away from the penitentiary”. Very true.

The beauty of this all is the element of the “do-over”. I believe with all my heart that wrongs can be righted. I’ve also read that current husband, Obadale Thompson, is a great man and probably the best thing that ever happened to her. Unfortionately she can’t do a Martha Stewart and look for the nearest prison that can take her (to get her time serving on ASAP), but she can start to make amends. The Oprah show is a start.