Marion Jones, Doping, and the World of Sports

A picture is worth a thousand words—and the world of sports has left us with some unforgettable images over the years.

For me, a native of San Francisco, the snapshot that forever lives in my mind is of 49ers wide receiver Dwight Clark making a leaping grab in the back of the end zone to beat the hated Cowboys.

"The Catch," as it's known in the Bay Area, was the beginning of a dynasty that would claim five Super Bowl victories over the next 15 years.  

Then there's the freeze-frame of Marion Jones winning a race in the Sydney Olympics by such a huge margin that the other runners weren't even in the picture.

Who can forget that magical moment?

I'm not a follower of track and field, but I was a big fan of Marion Jones. She transcended not only her chosen sport, but the world of sports in general.

Marion was blessed with physical prowess—fetching good looks and a girlish smile that bespoke innocence and joie de vivre. She was the antithesis of the surly sports star who has no time for fans.

The Wheaties box is far from being the most lucrative endorsement for an athlete, but it's the epitome of crossover success. When an athlete appears on a box of Wheaties, it means that he or she has been anointed by the world of business and finance as the next golden child.

When Marion Jones got the Wheaties nod, it did more to smash racial stereotypes than hundreds of speeches by preachers and civil rights activists. This beautiful and talented African American woman had a place at the breakfast table with millions of Americans.

But that was before...all this.

Earlier this month, the golden child pled guilty to doping charges, profusely apologizing to her friends, family, and fans.

Jones was stripped of the five medals she won in Sydney, lost her good name, and was publicly humiliated. The only thing that remains is for her to be sentenced in January.

When I was growing up in the late 60s, all of my heroes were perfect on and off the baseball diamond. They weren't morally superior to today's superstars—it's just that the modern media makes it impossible for celebrities to get away with anything now.

If a star stubs his toe and curses a blue streak when he gets up in the middle of the night for a snack, the video clip will be on YouTube by morning.

I feel for Marion Jones, but she cheated herself, her fans, and her competitors. I hope she receives the maximum five-year sentence.

That freeze frame from the Sydney Olympics, where Marion appears to be running by herself, proves that she didn't need steroids to win gold medals. I hope high school and college jocks will learn from her mistakes.

The news of Jones' downfall left me with a sense of dread—what sports star will be the next one to bite the dust?

I hope it doesn't turn out that Dwight Clark, who wasn't exactly slender, was wearing rocket-propelled cleats when he made that fantastic catch...