Jackie Joyner Kersee made the most sense on this topic — she told HLN: “Everybody wants sponsorship, everybody wants to be marketed, but not everybody is marketable.” She told Harper, “Just get the job done. Don’t worry about who’s getting attention or not getting attention. Get out there, focus on your lane, execute, and what’s going to come your way is what’s going to come your way.”

Seems like if Harper and Wells would have heeded that advice, none of this would have blown up in the first place.

http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/08/10/lolo-jones-jackie-joyner-kersee

Jones is also an American corporate dream because she has the Eurocentric looks that Madison avenue favours.

Jones is indeed another Anna Kournikova a woman who used her looks to make cash but in the end didn’t have the results.
I won’t be fake I don’t like Lolo Jones because I resent women like her that use their sexuality to get ahead and can’t be honest about it.The world doesn’t need to know Jones is a virgin. Jones did not win yesterday. At least Sally Pearson the Olympic champion from Australia got her due from the Australian media. But where is the praise for Dawn, Sally, or Kellie in the USA press? It is disgusting and sexist that Lolo Jones is getting all this damn media attention when she did NOT WIN when it MATTERED at the Olympics!

I’m a 2-timeblack combat military veteran as well however; REALITY IS REALITY!!!!! The white media conglomerate is controlled by white america and will continue to off shoot ALL positive references to black athletes, black celebrities, and so on; look at the attacks on President Obama & his family.

I was raised in a little red neck town called Metter, GA. so, none of this shocks me; what shocks me is that our black leaders will not come forward and defend these and other black athletes for their achievements in life, within the black community, etc. etc.; (don’t just focus on sports).

My main point is that regardless whether a black man or black woman exposes their personal life in the media; as long as ratings keep going up for specific media outlets, the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ will ALWAYS be the bottom line, no matter how anyone tries to dress up the dynamics. WAKE UP!!!!

My personal afront to this whole olympic drama about our sista’s is that $$$$$$$$$ talks and bullshit walks; no matter if it’s Lo Lo, Carmelita, Candace, Gabby, Serena, etc. etc. etc. etc. The negative attacks will keep coming out of “fear” by white society that black athletes control almost every Professional Sport except Hockey ***(until we get more black owners, front office executives, and more in key positions in ALL Profesional Sports’ then, white attitudes toward successful black athletes, bankers, businessmen, movie stars, and other black entities will not change; regardless if we have an ALL BLACK white house or not)***

Yes, pretty sistas like Lo Lo, Gabby, and others will be attacked for their failures and public status, and not be applauded for their achievements so, if the white man sees a pretty sista half naked; he only sees $$$$$$$$; and not talent from WITHIN………

I agree with Lou because his points cover every essential aspect of being black that we as black folk’, are either in denial about, afraid to face OUR TRUTHS (not white America’s truths), do not discuss critical issues within our communities so yes, white folk’ will attack us because we rarely talk about issues affecting the black community yet, white, hispanic, asian, and other cultures discuss their issues, find solutions, and put those solutions in action to uplift their communities and, they also put $$$$$$$$ in their community pockets by creating businesses and thriving from that.

Can the black community do the same wholistically and individually???? HELL YES however, with all the beef, jealousy, and back stabbing then, I can see to a point why white folk’ just sit back and laugh at us, while they continue to make $$$$$$ and so on.

Thanks.

James.

Remember, athletics ultimately is about entertainment and we could discuss numerous athletes whose charisma exceeds their performance. But before I dig in I want to talk about false corporate beauty standard BS by Longman. I could name 15 women pretty quickly in the Olympics that conform more towards the ‘ideal’ in America that Lolo. His whole piece is ridiculous and a big ad hominem attack on the girl.

There is a reason NBC shows so many human interest pieces in their broadcast replays, it is because they recognize that to add value to the athletic product people have to connect with the athletes positively or negatively. People connect through stories, athlete idiosyncrasies, and controversy. Dude, you know that. Some people stick out more in the public eye than others. That is why Lolo got play, because of her idiosyncrasies and a little bit of controversy. That is the business.

But to further dash Longmans ridiculous argument, how “light” is Usain Bolt? How light is Allyson Felix? How light is Gabby? How light is Team USA? Gabby’s story shut down every other story in gymnastics and almost the olympics she is of a darker hue. Again, that is the business. We buy stories that are unique and connect to us positively or negatively.

I understand why the sister who mentioned her story was compelling is upset from her view point? But really, how many times has the public heard similar stories? Compare that to a Tebow like, proud virgin in public with charisma and logic tells you more what the public is going to want to eat up because of —>the story, the idiosyncrasy and the controversy.

Your premise is so ridiculous it barely warrants a response, but I can’t help myself, so I’ll address the subject of Lolo’s looks: first, where do you think these “false beauty standards of corporate media” originate? In other words, who decides on this “standard”? The answer is the Consumers. Media companies spend billions to research the consumers perception of beauty, and tailor their advertising accordingly. By your rationale, these companies are purposefully supporting a white girl because she is white. Now ask yourself this: are these consumers the media companies are researching only white people? Furthermore, I hope you are not insinuating that only whites can find beauty in the “European ancestry” displayed in the beauty of Lolo Jones, or that Black and Hispanic men do not find white girls “willing to show a little skin” attractive.

Sex sells, and whatever sells will be sold. Beauty is beauty; it doesn’t attach itself to any one color and if you think it does then you are part of the problem.

@Matt Like Lolo, you seem to need to brush up on your reading comprehension. The point is, not that she is Black enough for me, she is white enough for America to make a buck off of where the best in the field got shunned for being to Black.