As I watched the game ticker run across the bottom of the television screen Sunday, the one score that caught my eye was the matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the St. Louis Rams.
The Rams ended up destroying the Cowboys by a score of 34-14. Although I am not a fan of the Cowboys - actually, they are one of my least favorite teams in the NFL - I did feel ashamed for them at the same time.
According to ESPN.com, Dallas cornerback Adam Pacman"" Jones was recently suspended indefinitely from the NFL and is already receiving alcohol treatment. Additionally, Jones will lose his 2007 base salary of $1,292,500 as a result of the suspension.
Jones' suspension is not the main reason for the Cowboys' loss Sunday or their loss the week before to Arizona, but it definitely did not help the team, either. Injuries to quarterback Tony Romo, punter Mat McBriar, running back Felix Jones and cornerback Terence Newman have played a large hand in the team's struggles lately.
Jones' absence from the game, however, could have been prevented. A little over two weeks ago, Jones got into a scuffle with one of his bodyguards after consuming alcohol at a private downtown Dallas hotel party. What makes this case so interesting is that the bodyguard was there to protect Jones and keep him out of brawls. So this leads me to wonder, how in the world could something like this happen?
I have two possible answers: a lack of self-control or a great deal of immaturity.
Does it surprise me that Jones had another run-in with the law? Absolutely not, but Jones had already been placed on probation since being drafted into the NFL.
In fact, he was just coming off a 17-month suspension when the Cowboys signed him in August. Jones' issues off the field led Tennessee to get rid of him this spring after his third season in the NFL, as his involvement was linked to a fistfight and a shooting in a Las Vegas strip club that paralyzed a man. Additionally, Jones had numerous encounters with the police prior to being selected by Tennessee in the 2005 draft.
In the one game I watched Jones play this year, he lit up the Green Bay Packers' offense by registering eight tackles and a forced fumble. It's a shame to see a talented young man like this be suspended because he can't keep his act together in his personal life. Yes, everybody makes mistakes, but I think Jones had enough opportunities to learn his lesson.
Jones' suspension is dependent on developments in the case involving the fight with his bodyguard. As of now, his suspension is carried on conditions including no more run-ins with law enforcement, receiving treatment programs assigned by the NFL or judicial system, obeying agreements made between him and the Titans prior to being traded to the Cowboys and he must follow community service activities approved by the NFL.
Now let's take a step back and look at the big picture here. If players like Jones are who children nowadays are looking up to, what does that say for their future? I would probably not be able to sleep at night knowing my son or daughter looked up to a man like Jones. How many chances does this guy get?
But Jones is not the only one who is setting a disappointing example. Atlanta's former quarterback Michael Vick was suspended from the NFL in 2007 for his involvement with illegal dog fights. Or how about Jacksonville wide receiver Matt Jones' substance-abuse policy violation? In 2006, Miami running back Ricky Williams faced a one-year suspension from the NFL for substance abuse and Minnesota running back Onterrio Smith received a similar suspension a year prior. The list of athletes with a criminal record goes on and on.
If NFL players and other professional athletes are going to be paid so much money and taking the spotlight in society today, I think league commissioners and managers should take criminal records into high consideration before allowing athletes to compete at such a prominent level. I'm not saying these athletes are terrible people, but I do not think they are the proper candidates for the national spotlight.
I am sick of hearing about these athletes causing so much trouble off the field, and I do believe two strikes at the professional level are enough to send a player packing. Maybe even one mistake is enough, depending on the severity of the situation.
If you are also sick of seeing professional athletes having run-ins with law enforcement, talk to Crystal about it by e-mailing her at crowns@wisc.edu.
