Stupid is as Stupid Does...

Titans trouble child Adam "Pacman" Jones is in the news again. Evidently Pacman was at a strip club in Las Vegas while attending this past weekend's NBA All-Star activities. The evening, of course, ended with three people being shot, including one of the club's bouncers.

Jones's lawyer claims that Jones is not a suspect, however LV police said they were not at liberty to comment at this time. Jones story is that he left the club as soon as there were problems and that he answered police queries solely as a witness, not a suspect.

NFL.com's Adam Shefter reported a somewhat different story -

PACMAN DETAILS EMERGE
The Pacman Jones story is mysterious, intriguing and unnerving, all at the same time.
Like most stories, this one has two sides, and maybe more. On one side, there is some evidence against Jones, who was involved in a nightclub brawl in Las Vegas that turned into a triple shooting.
Police have been told Pacman bit the ankle of one of the two bouncers who was shot. Also, police took DNA evidence that some think could implicate Pacman. Additionally, the bouncer in question had Pacman in an armlock on stage, seen by at least a dozen witnesses.
The bouncer continued telling Pacman to settle down. When he didn't, the bouncer popped Pacman's shoulder out. Witnesses said Pacman appeared to be experiencing pain in his shoulder as he exited the club.
But what those in attendance didn't know is that Pacman underwent surgery on his shoulder about 10 days ago, and the armlock could have done nothing more than aggravate his injury.
On another side of the story, Pacman claims that, even though he was at the scene, he did nothing wrong. He has cooperated with authorities, answered their questions and believes he has done nothing wrong -- which he feels will be proven over time.
But clearly, the last of this story has not been told.

There is a certain benefit of the doubt, I have to say, that Jones is no longer entitled to. Whenever he goes to a club, it seems, trouble doesn't follow him - it's his date.

Thug life and the NBA -

I read an article not too long ago that asked why the NBA got such a bad rap when NFL teams like the Bengals have so many issues - and the NFL seems to skate by without consequence.

Overall, the players tend to have fewer legal issues in the NBA - but you're also looking at a roster that's 20 percent the size of an NFL roster. Many of the big names in the NBA have had issues with the law - Ron Artest (assault), Gilbert Arenas (unlawful possession of a firearm), Allen Iverson (drug possession, unlawful possession of firearm, assault), Jason Kidd (domestic abuse), the list goes on - while in the NFL you only occasionally hear about run ins involving the biggest names (Ray Lewis, Michael "Ron Mexico" Vick, and Randy Moss come to mind), but the majority of big name players are people like Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer, Steve McNair, Curtis Martin - and these are the people that at one time or another have been the face of their franchise.

Additionally, the NFL has never had this sort of thing happen. Crime spiked significantly over the All-Star weekend. If Stern is trying to disassociate basketball from "thug-life," then he's losing the war.

Weight...still holding steady at around 179. Am trying to increase the intensity of my workouts and starting up with speed training to get ready for Aussie Rules season. I figure if I can drop another 12 to 15 pounds between now and mid-April I will be considerably faster and have better endurance for the games, and I'll be the lightest I will have been since college. Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi.

And on a lighter note - my new part time gig? I'm the Maryland columnist for the Mid-Atlantic Brewing News. Nothing like getting paid to go to the bar.