I must be naive.
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by user The Waiver Wire
Do these words seem familiar to anyone else?
In the past few weeks, I have learned a lifetime of lessons. First and foremost, I need to reorganize my priorities. As a grown man and a new father, my first priority is my daughter and family. Second, I have to not only meet the expectations of my coaches, teammates and fans, but to exceed them in every respect, on and off the field. The first step in meeting these goals is for me to stop making the poor choices that have put me in this position.
I truly believed that the full page ad taken out by Pac-Man Jones in the Tennessean constituted a first step on the path that Titans fans have been hoping he'd take since being drafted.
I guess I'm naive.
Let me clarify my position on this issue - It was obvious that he needed to be punished, but I was one who believed that his full-year suspension would be a long-term investment. The 2007 season would be a struggle, but having the electrifying corner/returner back with a clearer head on his shoulders would be beneficial to Tennessee's defense for years to come.
Now, as I sit here 59 days after the ad was published, I get a discouraging feeling of deja-vu reading this article.
I understand that according to all accounts, Pac-Man either left the scene before shots were fired all together, or simply was not involved in the shooting. That doesn't particularly matter either way - his choices in Atlanta show me that he still has another lifetime of lessons to learn before any progress is made. I fail to understand how reorganizing his priorities involves frequenting strip clubs with the same group of friends that have escalated his prior troubles. I fail to understand how as a new father, this is how he shows his devotion to his child, and I don't see how this is exceeding the expectations of his team, coaches and fans off the field.
This incident is another rung on the ladder that'll lead him to a prison cell, or worse, and I hope to wake up one morning and see that he, without a doubt, had nothing to do with this latest incident. I also hope for his benefit he turns his life around, and becomes a capable father and man first, and a Pro-Bowl caliber cornerback second. Come week 11, I hope to be able to cheer for him as he steps back on the field.
Then again, I guess I'm naive.
