Well, sports' fans, Pacman Jones has found his way back into the strawberry-filled maze that is the NFL of the 21st century.
Here lies the problem: those ghosts aren't backing off any time soon.
No, despite what people think, or want to think, Pacman is not this changed man that he's pretending to be.
This man has had every chance to make sure that his NFL career was not put into jeopardy and has not taken any of them.
The fact of the matter is, people do not change and this will not be any different.
Here is a timeline of Pacman's run-ins with the law up to April of 2007 when he was finally suspended.
July 13, 2005: Two weeks before training camp is scheduled to begin, Jones is arrested by Nashville police at Titans' headquarters. He is charged with assault and felony vandalism stemming from a nightclub altercation.
Sept. 5, 2005: Six days before the season opener at Pittsburgh, Jones attends the annual Nashville Sports Council Kickoff Luncheon. Later, Jones has a loud, verbal tantrum when told he must wait in line for his vehicle, according to witnesses. He does not pay for valet service.
Oct. 25, 2005: Five days before the eighth game of the season, it is alleged by the state of West Virginia that Jones has violated the terms of his probation, going back to a suspended sentence after a barroom brawl during his freshman year at college. A judge extends his probation 90 days.
Feb. 6, 2006: Jones is arrested in Fayetteville, Ga., and charged with possession of marijuana. He is handcuffed after throwing a punch at an officer, according to police, and charged with a felony count of obstruction and two misdemeanors of obstructing police.
The drug charge is dismissed in January 2007, although his mother Deborah and a friend, Marcus Bowens, are convicted of possession of marijuana. Jones will appear in court later this month to face the obstruction charges.
March 23, 2006: A Fayette County drug task force SWAT team serves a search warrant at the Georgia home Jones bought for his mother. When Jones steps out of his Corvette, a drug investigator notices that the car reeks of marijuana.
Jones admits to police he has been smoking and that it will be several weeks before he is able to pass a drug test.
April 18, 2006: According to Nashville police, who cite surveillance camera footage, Jones is one of 12 people gathered at a gas station when a fight breaks out and gunshots are fired.
Aug. 25, 2006: Jones is arrested in Murfreesboro, Tenn., for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
At the Sweetwater Saloon, he is accused of assault by Toya Garth, who says Jones spit in her face and she spit back. A judge sentences Jones to six months probation provided he stays out of further trouble.
Oct. 26, 2006: Jones is cited for misdemeanor assault at Club Mystic, a Nashville nightclub, where he allegedly spits in the face of a female college student. He is suspended for one game by the Titans, on Nov. 5 at Jacksonville.
Feb. 19, 2007: Jones is present when an early morning brawl breaks out at Minxx Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas. Three people are shot.
Club co-owner Robert Susnar claims the shooter, who is still at large at the time, acted on Jones' behalf. Jones denies this. No charges have been brought against Jones (espn.com).
This list is mind-boggling.
Not included in the list is his most recent near-miss when a warrant for his arrest would have been issued had he not paid back a $20,000 gambling debt.
He has lied to the NFL repeatedly.
When he was suspended, he said he would be staying away from the people he used to hang out with and that he would set a curfew of midnight for himself. That lasted long until he was pulled over for speeding at three in the morning with his old friends about a month and a half later.
As previously stated, people do not change. People can resist the urges to do the things they once did, but eventually they reveal who they truly are.
Guys like Randy Moss and Cris Carter are prime examples. Unlike those two, however, Pacman has made no attempt to put himself into a better situation.
He is more worried about maintaining this persona of a thug that he has earned rather than having a successful career, or a career at all, in the NFL.
The NFL, in the 21st century, is a far cry from what it once was in its early days.
A man like Pacman would not have even been considered to be let back in the NFL because it used to be about the integrity of the game.
TV and merchandise and what have you, has changed that drastically.
As much as I hate that it has happened, Goodell had no choice but to reinstate Pacman because it was what the fans wanted and will draw some more attention.
He now just needs to hope that Pacman doesn't do something really crazy and make him look like a fool.
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4 months ago
Pacman will probably be reinstated, but I don't want him to be. He has had many chances and has failed many times. He needs to move on to something else.
from 4 months ago
yeah he got reinstated today. boo.
4 months ago
Pacman is a joke, but yay re-instatement. Damn good corner for the Cowpatties, but I can't eait til he fight T.O. and they both get kicked out.
from 4 months ago
Lol, what do you think are the odds of that happening by Week 3? I'd say very likely to extremely likely.
4 months ago
Week 3 easy. Tank Johnson may be involved too. haha.
4 months ago
Great googly-moogly, what a laundry list this guy has. How is he not a Raider?
(Just a little jibe there, Raider Fan. Put the plastic battleaxe down and no one gets hurt.)
Seriously though, I think you might be overstating the fact when you say that the game used to have more integrity and guys like Pacman would never have been reinstated. I tend to think that every era has had its share of bad apples, but the beast that has become our 24/7 media coverage (including, to some extent, forums like this one), have exposed them more readily and more often.
But to be fair, I can't imagine any of them being as blatant as the "Token-Taker", Mr. Jones,
Great article.
4 months ago
Dude, I just got the Extra Life pun in the headline. Beautiful! ;)
(I'm a little slow. But that's only because I'm stupid.)
4 months ago
I also believe that the reinstatement is only a temporary one. Just for OTA's and Training Camp, and if everything goes to plan and Pacman is free of legal, or any trouble, he will receive the full reinstatement.
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