PacMan Gives Back To The Community One Wrestling Event At A Time

Last Friday, I told you about PacMan Jones meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his suspension and possible early reinstatement. I stated that I didn't think PacMan would be reinstated because of his ongoing legal woes, but it turns out that it might have been for a different reason.

About a month ago, PacMan told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he felt he had done enough to warrant an early reinstatement.

"I think I did enough. I did pretty much everything Mr. Goodell asked me to do. So, all I can do is just wait and go back to speak with him," Jones said in an interview in Sunday's editions of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Jones said he's been using the time to restore his image. He also has two felony coercion charges pending against him in Las Vegas for a strip club fight and triple shooting on Feb. 19.

"I'm just staying to myself, taking this time out to worry about things I need to do better as a person -- whatever I got to do in the community, whatever I have to do to better my image as a person so I can get back on the field," he said Friday.

So, what did PacMan, a player who is willing to do whatever it takes in the community, do to help his case?

He bought wrestling tickets.

For Atlanta students to watch him wrestle.

Jones had met with the commissioner last week in New York, pleading for some leniency and an early return. But the cornerback whose biggest community service was buying wrestling tickets for Atlanta students to watch him at a pay-per-view event last month didn't convince Goodell.

If there was any doubt as to why PacMan's legal woes have become what they are that should erase most of it. He had the opportunity to show Commissioner Goodell with actions, not words, that he was serious about helping his community and getting reinstated in to the NFL. In fact, it reminds me of something he said during his wrestling appearance.

"You talk a lot. But one thing about me, I don't talk the talk, I walk the walk."

Yeah, and that walking is going to be done away from the football field for the remainder of the NFL season.

PacMan Jones Gets To Plead His Case

Well, the day has finally come. PacMan Jones gets his shot today to speak with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a possible early reinstatement.

Suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones will meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York on Friday about a possible early reinstatement.

Goodell suspended the Tennessee cornerback in April for the 2007 season and promised Jones' case could be reviewed after the Titans' 10th game, which is Nov. 19 in Denver. But Friday's meeting will come two days before the Titans' eighth game.

Goodell suspended Jones in April for violating the league's personal conduct policy. At the time, Jones had been arrested five times since being drafted by the Titans with the sixth pick overall in 2005. He was arrested a sixth time in June on charges from a Las Vegas strip club fight.

Personally, I doubt that Jones will be reinstated early because of the ongoing issues regarding the Las Vegas stripclub shooting and an obstruction of justice charge in Georgia. The Titans and Goodell also didn't seem thrilled with Jones' involvement with TNA Wrestling. However, think about what it could mean if Jones were reinstated early.

Right now, the Tennessee Titans are ranked #5 in total defense. They're #1 against the rush(64.3yds/gm, 3TD's) and #18 against the pass(217.9yds/gm, 7TD's, 11INT's). Returning Jones to the secondary would greatly strengthen a pass defense that hasn't allowed many touchdowns, and is near the top of the league in interceptions. It would also give the defensive line and linebackers a little more time to pressure quarterbacks, which the Titans could use as they're roughly middle of the pack in that stat.

Currently, the Titans have a record of 5-2. Winning the AFC South division probably isn't going to happen with the Colts being as strong as they are. However, the Titans are right in the thick of things with regard to the wildcard spots, and adding a talented corner like PacMan to an already strong defense would just increase their chances of making the playoffs.

While some might say that communities should be on notice when PacMan is on the loose, the NFL better be on notice for the Titans should Commissioner Goodell reinstate him early.

Maybe I Should Reconsider My Non-Support of Pacman's TNA Wrestling

Just to get this out of the way, I'm not a fan of Pacman Jones. Since that's the case maybe I should reconsider my decision not to support his involvement with TNA Wrestling because I think that it might ultimately cost him even more support and success. Take his involvement with the TNA PPV event "Hard Justice" last night.

Jones entered the ring with the announcer saying:

"He is the most controversial figure in professional sports today!"

Well, Barry Bonds probably wishes that Pacman was the most controversial, but I digress. If you're trying to "rehab" your image do you really want people calling you the "most controversial"?

Then, what about when he actually made it into the ring and explained why he joined TNA?

He explained he wanted to join TNA because it "is the trendsetter and Pacman Jones is a trendsetter." When asked why he decided to wrestle, Jones said he wanted to show, "I'm the best team player that ever lived."

I'm not exactly sure what trend Pacman is setting by being partially involved with TNA wrestling matches, but I do know that he is not the "best team player that ever lived". If he was, he would have stayed out of trouble, and not forced the Titans to sign Kelly Herndon and Michael Waddell, and draft Ryan Smith. However, by saying that, he's projecting a level of arrogance that doesn't make him seem the least bit remorseful for what he's done. And he's pretty adamant about it.

"You talk a lot, know what I'm saying," Jones said. "You talk a lot. But one thing about me, I don't talk the talk, I walk the walk."

Sure, if "walking the walk" includes being implicated in a fight and triple shooting in Las Vegas, or biting a police officer.

In the end, Jones was shown backstage being carried out of the arena on a stretcher after supposedly being attacked(though, it is wrestling so I guess everything "supposedly" happens).

I understand that wrestling is scripted(there's something I have to tell you about Santa and the Easter Bunny too), and that Pacman is playing a character, but the crimes he's accused of and his NFL suspension are very real. Somehow I don't see his participation with TNA as being the best vehicle for showing that he's willing to change. But maybe that's the biggest reason why I should support his involvement with it.

PacMan's Charges Dismissed

Well, it looks like we were wrong. PacMan was innocent, and it was proven today when the charges against him were dismissed.

In his traffic violations case.

Back in June, PacMan was pulled over in Tennessee because the plates on his Lamborghini didn't match that vehicle. He was also cited for a "registration violation, as well as a residency violation for having a Georgia license and failure to show proof of insurance".

Of course PacMan made it out to be an extremely important legal victory.

"I knew the truth would come out in the end," Jones said after a hearing in Williamson County, the Nashville suburb where he owns a home.

It will definitely be interesting to see what truth comes out in his other cases. I have a feeling that he might not be as celebratory.

PacMan Gets Chomped Again

Just when you thought the dollar bills had cleared from the "makin' it rain" debacle in Las Vegas, word out of Nashville is that a very famous drug dealer has been recorded having detailed conversations regarding PacMan Jones. You might remember the drug dealer, a Mr. Darryl Moore. He was the one who had "his" special PacMan edition Cadillac XLR seized by the police, and then auctioned by the City of Nashville.

Here are some of the excerpts that Channel 5 in Nashville, TN has released:

"You know, I was talkin' to him the other day about smokin', and he was like man, if I didn't smoke I couldn't take all the stress that I'm dealing with right now,'" Moore said.

"He gotta concentrate on season...that ******* drug test coming up," he said. "We telling him he needed 33 days before he took his ******* test; dry-out, and he didn't...that's let me know right there that he ain't taking his ****** job serious."

"We gotta slow down, man. We gotta get him focused on football, man. He's focused on too much other s****," Moore said.

He even had nice things to say about Titans headcoach, Jeff Fisher:

"Fisher's being as patient as a m*****f***** as he can. Fisher gotta win. Fisher trying to win...He ain't putting up with that s***," Moore said.

Seriously, when a drug dealer is talking about how you need to slow, then you probably ought to slow down. At least we're 100% sure that Jeff Fisher is trying to win. That should make Titans fans feel better about the whole situation. Right?