Marion Jones: No Sympathy at all

Granted, just the title of this post may have some people already on the verge of reaching for the keyboard to excoriate me for such a blatant conclusion. However, those with a logical bent removing all emotion from the issue can only see it this way. It is impossible for any other logical conclusion in her case.
The key here is remembering there are 2 cases involved and what she was sentenced for on Friday has no bearing at all on her Olympic records, gold medals, or removal of same from the record books.
Her 6 month sentence is for lying under oath and check fraud. While both are connected to the steroid issue, they are matters of law and not sporting rules. The judge acted exactly within the scope of the law. While he certainly could have handed down a lesser sentence, that would not have been appropriate for one who not only broke the law but flaunted her ability to do so. I applaud the judge for his actions.
Marion Jones shed her tears at the time of admitting her sports crime, and again Friday when begging the judge to let he off lightly so she could be with her children. Frankly, both examples make me physically ill.
She did not face the cameras nor the public of her own volition. She would have never admitted to anything had she not been caught red-handed. This of course means her lies would have continued for as long as she could get away with it. She was neither noble in admitting her guilt no expressing remorse. It would be the same if someone was caught stealing a car and then said, "oh, is this not my car? Damn, should have checked twice before breaking the window and hot-wiring the ignition".
And her tears Friday were even more insulting. Her children should know she's going to jail for breaking the law. Matter of fact, they should go visit her several times a week while she's behind bars and see what happens when you break the law and lie consistently about it. You are punished, and there are no exceptions. Her children will certainly learn a greater lesson visiting Mommy in the Graybar Hotel than they would if she got off with probation or scott-free only to smile when the cameras are away and going "YEAH! Beat THAT system, didn't I?"
When she has served her time, certainly she must be addressed as one who paid the price for their mistakes. But in order for this punishment to truly mean something in the court of public sport opinion and point to what happens for basically defecating on all those athletes who did it with their natural talent and hard work, let's hope she is always introduced in this manner:
"Ladies & gentlemen, please give a warm round of applause to Marion Jones, former multi-medal winner in the Olympics and cheating coward who had those medals stripped from her for taking drugs".
Now there would be justice.