Florence Griffith-Joyner

[Bob Cook]

FloJo broke the records at the 1988 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, which I remember because I was there covering them in college . In fact, I remember Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune yelling in the press box that someone needed to measure the track because it must be too short. Obviously, we were not all hip to steroids at that point.

It was at the 1988 Summer Olympics where the men's 100-meter gold medalist, Ben Johnson, was busted for steroid use. We couldn't have been that blind to drug use.

This was before the Olympics. And it's safe to say that in 1988, as journalists, we didn't have the knee-jerk reaction we have now that a great performance, at least in particular sports, should immediately bring to mind drug cheat.

 

[da man]

FloJo broke the records at the 1988 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, which I remember because I was there covering them in college . In fact, I remember Phil Hersh of the Chicago Tribune yelling in the press box that someone needed to measure the track because it must be too short. Obviously, we were not all hip to steroids at that point.

It was at the 1988 Summer Olympics where the men's 100-meter gold medalist, Ben Johnson, was busted for steroid use. We couldn't have been that blind to drug use.

This was before the Olympics. And it's safe to say that in 1988, as journalists, we didn't have the knee-jerk reaction we have now that a great performance, at least in particular sports, should immediately bring to mind drug cheat.

That's not the case. Those who followed track (and swimming, weightlifting, etc.) were by then well aware of steroid use, especially by women, thanks to the East Germans and Soviets, who made it a major part of their Olympic development program. Go and check how many records were set by Soviet-bloc women in the '80s. Many of those marks -- 400, 800, 100 hurdles, high jump, long jump, shot put, discus -- still stand, and some have not even been challenged. So when FloJo went off (four 100s of 10.70 or faster in '88), there were certainly eyebrows raised. And after Johnson was caught, there were plenty of questions asked. Maybe it wasn't the hysteria we tend to have now (sometimes), but it was not ignored at the time.

Of course, later, when she died, all sorts of alarms went off.

BTW, just from observation and the numbers, I'd be shocked if she wasn't juiced.

 

[Football_Bat]

They all juice. We only ridicule the ones who get caught.

 

[Kamaki]

They all juice. We only ridicule the ones who get caught.

Amen!

 

[slappy4428]

They all juice. We only ridicule the ones who get caught.

Two sound points in one day by you... you feelin ok?

 

[Football_Bat]

They all juice. We only ridicule the ones who get caught.

Two sound points in one day by you... you feelin ok?

Which one was my first one?

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Also, Poin, I see what your poll question is getting at, but where was the record broken? And was the wind just below limits, etc.
I only ask this because of Bob Beamon in 1968 in the long jump. He didn't break the record, he destroyed it by a couple of feet, and the judges had to get out a ruler because their tapes didn't go that long. No one ever accused him of being dirty.

The record was broken, first, in the mountains of Indianapolis, and then again, I believe, in Seoul.
Having watched every race she ran that year, I can tell you that there weren't four people in the press box who didn't think she was juicing. And, if we're applying the Caminiti-Alzado-Benoit Standard Of proof, then her death at an early age has to be factored in. Plus, there were rumors around Bob Kersee -- Jackie Joyner's husband, Al's brother-in-law, and FloJo's coach.
Sounds good enough to run with, according to the Bonds Rules anyway.

 

[spnited]

I thought the rumors were around Al Joyner -- FloJo's husband and coach -- not Bobby Kersee?

 

[outofplace]

Also, Poin, I see what your poll question is getting at, but where was the record broken? And was the wind just below limits, etc.
I only ask this because of Bob Beamon in 1968 in the long jump. He didn't break the record, he destroyed it by a couple of feet, and the judges had to get out a ruler because their tapes didn't go that long. No one ever accused him of being dirty.

The record was broken, first, in the mountains of Indianapolis, and then again, I believe, in Seoul.
Having watched every race she ran that year, I can tell you that there weren't four people in the press box who didn't think she was juicing. And, if we're applying the Caminiti-Alzado-Benoit Standard Of proof, then her death at an early age has to be factored in. Plus, there were rumors around Bob Kersee -- Jackie Joyner's husband, Al's brother-in-law, and FloJo's coach.
Sounds good enough to run with, according to the Bonds Rules anyway.

Fair enough, but didn't Caminiti admit to his steroid use before he died?

 

[poindexter]

Her 100m record was recorded in Indianapolis at the Trials.

She broke the 200m wr at the Seoul semis, and again in the final.