Although all those things are necessary and need to be addressed, I guess I was just hoping for a bit more “realness” to shine through. I don’t need any fake crocodile tears but I just want to get the impression that you didn’t practice this in front of the mirror 30 times beforehand. Marion has always been known for being able to speak with poise and a certain self-assured dignity and today was no different but on some level I wanted to be able to empathize and really and truly try and understand why. On the surface, we all know why, but it’s the inner workings of a persons mind that can help you better understand the thought process that allows for decisions like these, why someone would risk absolutely everything they hold near and dear when they already have been blessed with so much. Because despite what she did, Marion was the best of her time. Perhaps the 5 medals would have been only 3, but she had more god-given talent than anybody.
So what I would hope to hear, with as much truthfulness and realness that a person could possibly muster, is at what point did you decide that is was worth the risk? Did you struggle with it or was it an easy decision? Who enabled you? Were you overcome with guilt or did you not worry so much because you thought everyone else was doing the same thing? How much do you think it helped you? At the beginning, was lying the obvious easy choice or did you consider coming clean then? Without the whole check fraud aspect, do you think your hand would have ever been forced the way it was? How mad are you that you are taking the fall that so many others deserve to take right along with you? …and, if you knew you were going to be on Oprah, why didn’t you put on a little makeup???
13 comments:
I was right there with you, watching Oprah, hoping that it would get a little deeper than it actually did. She said that she was taking responsibilty but she didn't really own up to anything. Yeah, she gave the standard, "What I did was wrong.. I've discraced my family..." yadda, yadda- but I too, was left feeling disappointed. Maybe you should've done the interview. One question I would like her to answer is what about all of the athletes, particularly in track & field, who hold on to their dreams and continue in this very competitive field (which is only made more competitive because so many people cheat), partly because Marion was such a shining example of the hope that maybe with your God given talent, and hard work, you can still be on top w/o having to take drugs. It's such a slap in the face that she was example that we all looked to, and when it came down to it she was cheating too.
Oh and that last line- HILARIOUS!!!!
I think that Marion side-stepped the only REAL question that Oprah asked her and that was about what was going through her head as she so vehemently denied all the accusations. It all seemed very rehearsed and although I am sure she truly is sorry, a little more genuiness would do her a world of good right now.
On a side note, makeup would have been a big help, maybe it would have distracted me slightly from the pink ruffley shirt she was wearing.
wait a second...you watch Oprah?! ;)
The latter portion of your post offers some really good questions. As someone that briefly had a run-in with anabolic steroids as a competitive bodybuilder, I asked myself a couple of the questions that you brought up? Though you did not ask for answers, I will give my two cents. Here goes: I decided it was worth the risk when everyone kept telling me that I could be that much more of great bodybuilder if I took steroids. Did I struggle with the decision, yes and I believe most people of morals do initially. I can not say that I lost sleep over the decision, but after the fact, I questioned myself and my God-given physique athleticism. I basically enabled myself to believe that I had a good reason for taking a needle to myself...it was all for the sport that I love. Drugs are a very big part of competitive bodybuilding, so I did not feel guilty especially since I did not compete in any 'natural' competitions, but I was not happy with my decision when it was all said and done. Did it help me? Well, yeah they did everything I thought they were going to do which was give me greater strength and bigger muscles, but I still never won a competition, so I stopped taking them. I mean that is the goal of using them right...to become a better champion. I figure that if I was going to be a true winner, I was going to have to give up the 'juice'. I did just that and I have not looked back since.
My heart still goes out to Marion, but if she were able to put herself out there like I just did, they may have made her interview that much more interesting, because really, we all want to know what made her do it.
Marcus LANGFORD
marcus...thanks for sharing. honesty is a breath of fresh air.
For starters...I like what you've done with the place. The blog is hot. the interview did not shed any light on how she or why she started doping. That's what I wanted to hear about. Instead we got a sermon on forgiveness. And what was all the smiling about? Did I miss something or is she going to jail for six months? No smiles there.
It seemed as if Marion was most concerned with saving face and polishing her tarnished image. She was the most celebrate female athlete in the world for Gods sake, we loved her. This was a perfect opportunity for to come clean, gives us the real truths, have closure and show us why we embraced her from jump street; but lady bug elected to recite her scripted answers and stiff statements.
Needless to say I had less sympathy for MJ after she spoke her piece. I think the only way I could have received any satisfaction is if Simon Cowell was there to rip her afterwards on the lame performance.
Hi Brianna,
I watched the interview too. I was disappointed as well.
Afterwards I realized there may have been a reason Marion didn't go into more detail.
If she is broke as she says, what better way for her to earn money than to write a tell-all book after she has served her time in prison?
So I think that's when we all will get the real deal.
I too was hoping for a longer interview but I think that the kind of depth in regards to her responses that you were hoping for is almost impossible in a less than 10 minute segment. They said she will be coming on again after she gets out so maybe you will get to hear some of what you're wanting then. Marion is the third friend that I have that has been caught/banned as a result of steroids and just as with the other two, I remain conflicted. In the bigger scheme of life, they are my friends first, athletes second and I am more inclined to love them still but hate what they've done. Either way, it sucks!
I hear what you are saying Bri and many other people want to hear those same things but if 60 minutes ever get alhold of Marion her a$$ is toast. I think Oprah had Marion on to help with her PR but 60 Minutes will roast her because they are real reporters. Why do you think people who need good PR don't go on 60 Minutes and if they do, they come out looking worse than when they went in.
All very good questions...
I'm with Nigel on this one. I want to see her on 60 minutes or 20/20 or something.
I wonder if there are any legal ramifications if she were to tell all on Oprah. Though I know her court case is pretty settled, I think. Maybe there is a legal reason for her not to tell the whole story. It may even as MDC has said, maybe this paves the way for a book deal.
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