Interesting.

TULSA, Okla. -- Former sprinter Marion Jones has signed on to play with the WNBA's Tulsa Shock, hoping to launch a new career after losing five Olympic medals for using steroids and doing jail time for lying to federal prosecutors.

Jones was a star at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney but admitted two years ago that she had taken a designer steroid known as the "clear." She was stripped of her medals, including three golds.

She also spent about six months in a Texas federal prison for lying about doping and her role in a check-fraud scam.

"She made some ill-advised decisions in the past, but everyone deserves a second chance to excel at something they love," Shock president Steve Swetoha said Wednesday. "The city of Tulsa gave a struggling franchise from Detroit a second chance, and I'm confident it will do the same for Marion. We couldn't be happier to have her on board."

http://sports.espn.go.com...id=4982240

A friend of mine told me that one day last year he was in line behind her at a grocery store in Austin and she didn't have enough money to pay for groceries.

Oh well, good dick is a helluva drug.

SCNDLS said:

Sounds like she is not very bright.

Graycap23 said:

Like I said, dick will make a gurl do some dumb shit. Or so I've heard.

SCNDLS said:

That could be as simple as not having taken enough cash out of the ATM or mis-judging what you had in your cart. Everyone has said, "oh crap, can I put that back? I don't have enough on me." But if it's some well known person, it's suddenly drama. As if Marion Jones was filthy rich before all of that mess?

ernestsewell said:

It was much more than that cuz she was on the verge of being homeless at the time. She said so herself and lost all of her homes including the one she bought for her mother.

I'm from Tulsa. I'm glad she's landing somewhere and starting over. It's a bit hypocritical that we'll give Tiger Woods a pass because it's sexual, but we'll crucify someone else because of drugs, or whatever. These people are athletes, and some go about it wrong. But everyone deserves a new chance to live their lives. No matter how long that takes. That's not excusing what she did, but if she's moving on, the public should do the same. Good for her for doing something new. Hopefully she'll make the best of it.

She and my girlfriend are distant cousins on her mother's side. My girlfriend says that Marion is a hell of a ball player and she should do well.

shorttrini said:

I hope so. I always liked her personality. That's why I was soooo mad at her for falling for ol' dudes tricks. I wanted to shake her ass for throwing it all away behind a dude.

SCNDLS said:

Oh believe me, my girlfriend would like five minutes in a room with her. Everytime her name comes up, smoke comes out of my girl's ear. They also favor each other, in the face, except my girl is about 3 inches shorter.

shorttrini said:

I think she woulda been fine even after the steroids thing if it wasn't for all that extra shit Tim got her into. Marion always struck me as super naive. She's such a cute girl too.

When my dude saw her, he said she looked totally beat down and demoralized he almost paid for her groceries. I was like, "Why didn't you fool???"

Wow! Didn't know Marion had bball skillz!! Good for her!! I also didn't know about the check thing either....wow again.

SHOCKADELICA1 said:

If I am not mistaken, she started out playing ball. She the added track to her bag of tricks. I need to asked my girl, tonight.
[Edited 3/10/10 12:23pm]

shorttrini said:

It says that in the article Gray posted

She was just about the biggest name in sports running up to the 2000 olympics and her imprisonment just seemed over the top. Good on her for wanting to keep trying, I wouldn't blame her if she had never left the house again.

mynameisnotsusan said:

Ummmm, I felt sorry for her and all but she got off EASY with 6 months.

I am hoping that she can regain her life, which she will. I can't wait to see her ballin again.

I was a huge fan of hers before the drug scandal.
It was her bold claim of being 100% innocent that was a real turn off!
People who can lie that convincingly are kinda scary.
That said, I hope she does well in the WNBA. They could use her star power and she could use the money. She has children to take care of and doesn't seem to make wise decisions when choosing her men.

ernestsewell said:

I don't think people have given Tiger Woods a pass because he cheated on his wife instead of golf. Tiger Woods' scandal's irrelevant though, man. Marion Jones was doping, cheating at her sport on the world stage while representing her nation.

Two totally different things. And, I agree with Sandals -- she got off easy. She lied to federal prosecutors.

ThreadBare said:

Yeah, and so were Mark Marquire. I am willing to bet that they allow him into the hall of fame.

Well I was a fan of hers while she ran track, but people do make ill fated decisions during a time when they are being naive and allow themselves to be under others control. She does deserve a second chance and I hope she excels well at it.

ThreadBare said:

And she didn't just go in for the doping she lied about the check kiting scheme too, which is what she REALLY went to jail for IMO.
[Edited 3/11/10 5:43am]