Pacman gone for minimum of four games. Will this ever end?

October 14, 2:06 PMSports ExaminerPaula Duffy

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The NFL has rendered an interesting verdict in the lastest case of Adam "Pacman"  Jones vs. himself.  Comissioner Goodell has not gotten a full accounting from law enforcement about whether last week's incident is a violation of Jones' current probation deal. Yet he has suspended the Dallas Cowboys defensive back for an indefinite period with a four game minimum and the real possibility of it stretching into infinity. That's what "indefinite" means to me.

It also means that if prosecutors in Georgia, who agreed to Jones' felony plea bargain scrutinize the facts and find he violated the terms of that agreement, the wrath of Goodell will have no bounds. That is when Jones gets launched into space never to return to the NFL. That's my prediction.

Jerry Jones' enabling techniques have been compared in other media to the men surrounding Josh Hamilton of MLB's Texas Rangers who attempt to keep him on his day to day recovery from cocaine addiction. There's one big difference. Hamilton is in a recovery program and asked personal friends and family to assist him. Adam Jones has had a twenty four hour security detail forced on him as a condition of his employment by the Cowboys. What is he, George W. Bush? Even Bush hit bottom, right?

Jerry Jones admitted he never thought about the security officers being the object of his player's bad behavior. That's the point, you can't foresee or prevent everything. But there are reports that the team carefully reviews Pacman's social calendar and has veto power. Addiction counselors say that you can't keep someone from finding a way to get high. Jones' addiction is bad behavior and lack of control. Too bad there's no twelve step program for that.

It should be over for the team whether or not Goodell decides to let the player back into the league. Jerry Jones can do an easy cost-benefit analysis. Jones' salary plus the cost of the security force doesn't equal the help on the football field the Cowboys have received from their player. Where are the interceptions and the kick return yardage? I wrote earlier today about the fledgling Lingerie Football League. Perhaps there's a place for him as a mascot?

For more info: News report on the suspension and the opinion of the Dallas Sports Examiner, right here.