I saw Pacman Jones at three different functions this weekend – a party, a barbecue and an informal workout at SMU – and came away with the impression that he has a chance to succeed in Dallas.
I haven't always thought that. Anyone who reads me regularly knows that.
But Jones has finally surrounded himself with a few people who can help him succeed.
Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Rev. Rickie Rush of the Inspiring Body of Christ Church all have money and status.
Their lives are rich and complete with or without Pacman. So they can be real with him.
They don't have to pull punches. They can be brutally honest about their expectations for him. They don't need or want anything from him.
Trust me, he appreciates that. Although he loves his boys from the hood, they all need something from him – namely money and access. They serve as enablers.
Would you tell your golden goose he was doing something stupid? Most of us wouldn't.
The Cowboys also have set Pacman up with some of the best security personnel in the NFL. They are with him virtually 24-7.
And the head of that security team is an old-school expert who has handled every kind of situation imaginable. He has handled athletes with much higher profiles than Pacman over the last 20 years, so he is not intimidated. Or impressed.
That said, he likes Pacman and thinks he has a chance to straighten out his life, if that's what he wants to do.
Pacman insists it is. After all, he knows this is his last chance to play in the NFL.
Nothing guarantees Pacman success in Dallas, but by surrounding himself with the right people, it gives him a much better chance to achieve it.