Today I am here to kick off a new campaign. You’ve heard of “Free Pimp C.” Now with the conduct-related suspensions handed out by NFL commissioner Roger Goddell, I am here to make a case for Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones and get the “Free Pacman” campaign underway.
Last week, the new commissioner suspended Jones for the entire 2007 season for his off-the-field conduct.
First off, you may be wondering, why no support for Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals, who got suspended for eight games?
It seems like he got hosed too, but they are taking it easy on him. Pacman’s suspension is excessive and quite frankly a violation of his civil liberties.
I know that the NFL is a private entity so technically, they can do whatever they want but the facts still remain.
So, what are the facts?
The fact is that despite Pacman’s numerous run-ins with the law he has not been convicted of anything while in the NFL. Let’s think about that for a second.
Someone is being suspended for a whole season because they were suspected of doing something a few times. Let us go a bit further and take that into everyday life.
What if a professor gave you an ‘F’ in a class because you were “accused” of cheating six times? What if you went to prison because you were “accused” of a robbery six times? It is completely possible that somebody can get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time on more than one occasion.
That’s not to say that we should let Pacman off the hook. Chances are he is a bit out of control and does need to be checked. In fact, the whole “make it rain” incident sounds bizarre. I
n case you are not familiar with it, Pacman Jones went into a strip club and poured out about $81,000 on a stage with about 31 strippers on it. They began picking the money up, while Pacman was trying to recollect it. One thing led to another, and someone who may or may not have been a part of Pacman’s entourage began shooting, paralyzed a man and injured several others.
Some of his other incidents were violent also, and I do believe that some type of suspension may be in order, but the whole season; the whole season? You have got to be kidding me.
I’ve got to wonder what to do as a Titan’s fan. Pacman was a very important piece to the puzzle; he was a shut down corner and a dynamic returner.
We need a pass rusher and now they might be going corner to make up for Pacman’s suspension.
Then Vince Young is on the cover of Madden 2008, which means we need a back-up QB also… it just seems every time we take one step forward we take two steps back.
Way worse stuff happens all the time. The Raiders are known for conduct similar to Pacman’s.
The Minnesota Vikings had a sex party in broad daylight on a public lake.
USM’s basketball Coach Larry Eustachy sent his team ahead of him, and stayed at the opposing school and partied when he coached at Iowa State.
Tony Larussa got caught driving under the influence and not a thing happened to him.
Jamaal Lewis and Tank Johnson both got convicted of crimes and got sentenced to doing time; in fact Tank Johnson is in there now.
Heck, Todd Bertuzzi sucker punched Steve Moore in the neck during the game, breaking three vertebrae, effectively ending Moore’s career and he only sat 20 games.
If you ask me, Pacman is the victim of being a highly visible athlete who likes to party and is being made to walk the plank by both the players’ union and this new commissioner in the name of sending a harsh, brutal and unfair message.