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June 2, 2008 7:04 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
It's finally official. Pacman Jones will be allowed to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Yes, I know it's a "limited reinstatement," but you don't allow a player to participate in minicamps and preseason games if you're not going to lift his suspension. Oh, and that huge cheer you heard this afternoon was coming from the HBO offices in New York.
As I've stated several times on Hashmarks, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would've never traded for Pacman if he wasn't convinced he would be reinstated. Even tricky subplots like money paid to an alleged killer and a $20,000 gambling debt couldn't derail this comeback.
In Dallas, the spin will be that the club's vaunted player development program led by Calvin Hill is what tipped the scales. At least that's what Jerry would have you believe.
The truth is that the Cowboys owner exerts a tremendous amount of influence in the league office, and Goodell wasn't about to deny him the chance to "rehabilitate" another player. In fact, there are only a handful of teams that could've secured the reinstatement of such a notorious player.
I'm thinking Dan Rooney has enough clout in Pittsburgh and Bob Kraft certainly did before Spygate came along. Commissioner Goodell says that a final determination on Pacman's status will be made Sept 1, but in reality, it's been decided.
If Pacman keeps his nose clean -- and that's one of the largest "ifs" in sports -- he will eventually start for the Cowboys in 2008. He'll join his new pal Tank Johnson in the Cowboys' facility for wayward players. If the club is smart, they will have a John Lucas-type around Pacman at all times. If they think a change-of-scenery will help this kid make wise decisions, they're kidding themselves. A club employee needs to become his constant companion -- and I wouldn't nominate Tank for the job.
Dallas makes the Nashville topless scene look like a Baptist social, according to sources close to Hashmarks. Pacman will have nightly opportunities to have "adverse involvement with law enforcement," a hilarious phrase issued by the league office earlier this afternoon.
Jerry (I'm calling him this to avoid the "Jones" confusion) issued a two-sentence statement, which is believed to be the shortest press release of his NFL career.
"This limited reinstatement is a step in the process," he said. "Adam is aware of the things that need to be done in order to take the next step."
And there you have it. The man we know as Pacman no longer exists. It's time to see what Adam has to offer.
Pacman Jones, Roger Goodell, John Lucas
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Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
It's finally official. Pacman Jones will be allowed to play for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008. Yes, I know it's a "limited reinstatement," but you don't allow a player to participate in minicamps and preseason games if you're not going to lift his suspension. Oh, and that huge cheer you heard this afternoon was coming from the HBO offices in New York.
As I've stated several times on Hashmarks, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would've never traded for Pacman if he wasn't convinced he would be reinstated. Even tricky subplots like money paid to an alleged killer and a $20,000 gambling debt couldn't derail this comeback.
In Dallas, the spin will be that the club's vaunted player development program led by Calvin Hill is what tipped the scales. At least that's what Jerry would have you believe.
The truth is that the Cowboys owner exerts a tremendous amount of influence in the league office, and Goodell wasn't about to deny him the chance to "rehabilitate" another player. In fact, there are only a handful of teams that could've secured the reinstatement of such a notorious player.
I'm thinking Dan Rooney has enough clout in Pittsburgh and Bob Kraft certainly did before Spygate came along. Commissioner Goodell says that a final determination on Pacman's status will be made Sept 1, but in reality, it's been decided.
If Pacman keeps his nose clean -- and that's one of the largest "ifs" in sports -- he will eventually start for the Cowboys in 2008. He'll join his new pal Tank Johnson in the Cowboys' facility for wayward players. If the club is smart, they will have a John Lucas-type around Pacman at all times. If they think a change-of-scenery will help this kid make wise decisions, they're kidding themselves. A club employee needs to become his constant companion -- and I wouldn't nominate Tank for the job.
Dallas makes the Nashville topless scene look like a Baptist social, according to sources close to Hashmarks. Pacman will have nightly opportunities to have "adverse involvement with law enforcement," a hilarious phrase issued by the league office earlier this afternoon.
Jerry (I'm calling him this to avoid the "Jones" confusion) issued a two-sentence statement, which is believed to be the shortest press release of his NFL career.
"This limited reinstatement is a step in the process," he said. "Adam is aware of the things that need to be done in order to take the next step."
And there you have it. The man we know as Pacman no longer exists. It's time to see what Adam has to offer.
Pacman Jones, Roger Goodell, John Lucas
Read comments or leave a comment
