Marion Jones: Image Repair

The world knows Marion Jones not only for her incredible athleticism, but also for her confession to steroid use in 2007. Although researching this major event in sports history has been interesting – and at times addicting – the image repair tactics carried out by Jones’ PR team have not been so apparent in social media.

My findings convey the main factor that saved Jones’ public image was the fact the she confessed. Unlike most athletes, she brought herself forward. Like therapists always say, the first step to recovery is admittance to a threatening behavior. Jones admitted to steroid use and accepted her downfall. Through self-motivation and moral conduct, she faced defeat and began the road to recovery.

Jones also started a “think before you act” program, encouraging adolescents to approach situations slowly and ultimately reach the most beneficial solution. This program is promoted on her personal website, and also continues to repair her image to this day.

Steroid Usage: The Dark Days of Athletes

Life is hard, let's face it. Some days are bright, others are as dark as a black hole. Everyone experiences both. It is how we deal with these types of days, however, that differentiates us. How we deal with these days determines character.

The world of athletics exemplifies a chaotic combination of bright and dark days.

We all have our favorite athletes. The ones who make the great passes, score the unthinkable touchdowns, run 100 meters faster than you can say your mother's full name. They gain awards for their wins, and glory for their success. They have the chance to show how hard work and dedication can influence the entire world. From the public's perspective, it's as if every day is a bright day.

But what happens when managing daily routines becomes too stressful? When the pressure of the public eye feels like an unliftable weight? When the desire to win trasnforms into a need?

This is when many athletes place the fate of their athletic abilities into the hands of steroid usage.

This marks the beginning of the dark days. And these dark days are manipulative times of corruption that only those with character can overcome.

Steroid usage is a constant battle in the world of athletics. It is present in every sport, and dominates the outcome of every game, race and meet. Athletes are faced with the pressure of demanding workout routines, strict health guidelines and being in the center of the public eye on a daily basis. Every decision affects how they compete, and how the public will view them. These responsibilities often cause them to seek additional assistance.

Athletes such as Barry Bonds, Marion Jones and Barrett Robbins have all fallen victim to steroid usage. They used performance enhancing drugs in order to become stronger, faster and more successful. Although they all experienced glory for their remarkable achievements, time passed and, as always, the truth was uncovered.

What distinguishes one from the others, however, is that Marion Jones confessed to the crime. Her momentary lapse of good judgement and self-motivation did not overpower her character. After winning five medals at the Sydney Olympics, she was willing to sacrifice them in order to gain back her good name and moral conscience.

Life is full of ways to cheat, and just like athletes, we want to gain recognition and success in our every day lives as well. Will we find a shortcut, or will we take the long road to a well-deserved future? The choice is up to you. Just remember, you are bound to encounter dark days. But a strong, self-assured character can wander in even the blackest of holes and find the light.

Yo Dreams Experiences Success after Opening

Waco's newest froyo company, YoDreams Frozen Yogurt, was officially opened to the public last Monday. Since then, it has experienced great success and has gathered a following. As an Assistant Director of Public Relations for YoDreams, I have two main goals for the growing business:

1. Establish a stable presence in the world of social media. This involves the creation and maintenance of a Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn profile and Trip Advisor page. YoDreams currently has 32 "likes" on its Facebook page. I would like to see this number increase to 100 by the end of this semester.

2. Develop loyal customers. Returning clients are vital in the business world. They will not only increase the company's revenue, but they will publicize the company's name by word of mouth. YoDreams is one of four frozen yogurt stores in the surrounding Waco area, so establishing loyal customers is essential to the growth of this business.

Both of these goals are currently underway. As the days pass by, the number of Facebook "likes" increases along with the number of customers. YoDreams has great potential and I fully believe they will reach that ultimate potency.

YoDreams in Waco Now Open!

In an attempt to further revitalize Waco's historic La Salle Avenue, a new frozen yogurt store has been built to attract Baylor students and the Waco community. YoDreams Frozen Yogurt is located at La Salle and University Parks. It is owned by three brothers who possess prior experience in the frozen yogurt business. Their goal is to provide an enjoyable atmosphere and quality products to their customers.

In order to attract attention, YoDreams created a Twitter account and information cards. Although this is a start to gaining publicity, the store still has work to do. A Facebook page has recently been published by Baylor senior Lauren Krieg, and LinkedIn and TripAdvisor profiles will be online soon. YoDreams is currently contacting various Baylor organizations, including sororities, fraternities, the Business School and Uproar Records, in order to gain campus awareness. I like the effort that has been put into publicizing this new frozen yogurt store, and I am proud to be apart of the Baylor delicacy that is to come.

"YoDreams aims to provide the highest quality product, along with the highest of customer service standards to the Waco and surrounding areas everyday."