Column: Jones is the Bonds of track

[unclezadok]

Let's say that at some point in the future all use of performance enhancing drugs is successfully banished from track and field. I have no doubt that 50 years after that, sportswriters will still be writing drug stories. They love writing that stuff. They don't like track and field and have no idea what it's all about, but they can always sell drug stories.

[kling]

I honestly thought when I read the message topic thast it was a reference to James Bond..... my bad

[gh]

I'm thinking he probably was.

[MJD]

Was he on darkwing?

[gh]

Hersh actually likes track, and is pretty knowledgeable. It's always easier to write a column trashing something than to praise it of course, but in addition to that, I'm sensing there must be pressure from big city editors, who in this day and age seem to prefer dirt over everything else. There was a Pre meet, must be almost 10 years back now, where the fields were as awesome as always, and New York and CHicago papers were in evidence, as was SI. I was impressed! Until the meet started and none of them gave a shit and were all there just hoping to be able to track down the recently disgraced Mary Slaney for another in a long line of drug stories.

[Daisy]

The fact is that the people who impair the health of the sport these days are the writers like Mr. Dahlberg, not athletes like Marion Jones.

If you think Dahlberg is bad read this one. He is just plain gloating and vindictive. You get the impresion he can't wait for track and field to disappear.
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/spo ... is_it.html

Hundreds of people, at most, may have been watching the WCSN.com webcast of Gatlin's race in Qatar, since track and field has become such a niche sport U.S. viewers even had to turn to the Internet for last year's world championships.

That would be the sound of a dying sport.

[bad hammy]

But these guys don't talk about the survival of baseball, football, and other profesional sports where the use of PED is much more prevalent.

Forgetting baseball for a minute, where the use of PEDs is at least talked about, what about football or basketball?? They are skating along with hardly a word in the press about PEDs, yet these athletes are so obviously PEDded to the gills that they make T&F and baseball athletes look like little girls.

[Daisy]

These guys don't talk about the survival of baseball, football, and other profesional sports where the use of PED is much more prevalent. And they continue to cover the competition in these other sports as they always did. When the write about drugs in baseball, they don't stop writing about baseball games.

Of course the reason it is worse is that they have been turning a blind eye and even condoning it. Remember the "McGuire is only using Andro, its not even on a banned substance list" excuses for baseball? Pathetic.

The fact is that the people who impair the health of the sport these days are the writers like Mr. Dahlberg, not athletes like Marion Jones.

Definitely, and also pathetic. Whatever happened to journalism, there is so much tabloid crap these days. Please excuse the rant.

[tandfman]

What ticks me off is quotes like this, from the AP story:

>>If track and field is to survive anywhere but Europe and thrive anywhere besides the Olympics, it needs new stars like Gatlin, who carry the promise of a future when fans don't need to guess who is putting what into their bodies.

What it doesn't need is a link like Jones — though she has adamantly maintained her innocence — to a steroid-fueled era.<<

This is nonsense. Track and field will survive. It has survived for more than 100 years and it will survive in the future outside of Europe and outside of the Olympics. Yes, stars like Gatlin are good and drug stories are bad. But this business of describing our sport as being in danger of extinction is just bullshit.

Unfortunately, this guy is not the only one who makes such casual references to the sport as one in danger of not surviving. But these guys don't talk about the survival of baseball, football, and other profesional sports where the use of PED is much more prevalent. And they continue to cover the competition in these other sports as they always did. When the write about drugs in baseball, they don't stop writing about baseball games.

The fact is that the people who impair the health of the sport these days are the writers like Mr. Dahlberg, not athletes like Marion Jones.

[tafnut]

"Conte said they were going to take depositions from people they claimed would prove she used performance enhancing drugs."

Please, be my guest, present these depositions now. The whole world believes (knows) Conte is a bald-faced liar, so bringing down MJ will serve two useful purposes: convict her and clear y. . . Conte. What's the hold-up?

Mr. Conte, on national TV, said he really REALLY wanted to be a force for good and CLEAN up his beloved sport of track & field. This would be an excellent start! We're waiting . . .

[SQUACKEE]

"Yes, she filed a $25 million defamation suit against Conte to clear her name. But it was settled earlier this year with no retraction, no apology, and, presumably no money after attorneys for Conte said they were going to take depositions from people they claimed would prove she used performance enhancing drugs."

I have no comment.

No public disclosure was made, yet you know all this. Did you just oficially out yourself? The alternative is that you made it up.
So, are you Victor Conte himself or a malicious troll? Somehow, I don't see a third alternative.

The third= Conte the malicious troll?

[Pego]

"Yes, she filed a $25 million defamation suit against Conte to clear her name. But it was settled earlier this year with no retraction, no apology, and, presumably no money after attorneys for Conte said they were going to take depositions from people they claimed would prove she used performance enhancing drugs."

I have no comment.

No public disclosure was made, yet you know all this. Did you just oficially out yourself? The alternative is that you made it up.
So, are you Victor Conte himself or a malicious troll? Somehow, I don't see a third alternative.

[bekeselassie]

[you said you had no comment--which is good--so we're holding you to it; luv, the mods]

TAFNY!! Classic!

[EPelle]

You are in track pergutory (or whatever it is called).

[SQUACKEE]

Not if the moderators can read them.

Ahhh Hah! I always thought if they did read them id be banned or dead by now?