I was excited to see that Marion Jones is attempting a comeback in basketball. According to a story by William C. Rhoden of The New York Times, Jones is practicing in anticipation of playing for the Women's National Basketball Association this summer.
Unfortunately, the story contained a major error. (It's been corrected on the Web site, but it will always be there in print.) In the original article, Rhoden wrote that the last time Jones played organized basketball was during her freshman year at the University of North Carolina in 1994-95. As a point guard, Jones was a key cog in the Heels' run to the national championship. But that was not her final season on the court.
After missing her sophomore season with a broken foot, Jones led the team to a 29-3 record in 1996-97. Jones skipped her senior year to concentrate on track. She won five medals at the 2000 Olympics but lost them all after she admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.
A simple call or e-mail to the UNC athletics department would have helped Rhoden avoid the error.
The reason I caught this error is because I covered a few ACC basketball games in 1996-97 for The Herald-Sun in Durham, N.C. Simply put, Jones was spectacular. Her speed and court savvy, combined with Tracy Reid's play in the paint, made the Heels fun to watch. And I'm not just saying that because I got my master's degree at UNC.
I love Rhoden's writing. But from now on, every time I read one of his articles, I'll question all the facts. That's why checking facts is so important.
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