A week ago, Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones dropped his appeal of a one-year suspension handed down by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as part of a crackdown on player misbehavior.
"I understand my responsibilities to my teammates, the Titans and my fans and I am committed to turning my life around and being a positive member of the NFL," Jones said in a statement at the time. The statement said he had met with Goodell after requesting a chance "to tell him about the steps I have taken to change my life since being suspended by the NFL."
As part of his efforts to turn things around, Jones was reportedly at an Atlanta strip club with his entourage until just after 4 a.m. Monday.
According to news reports, Atlanta police are seeking to question Jones as a witness to an argument at the club that led to a shooting outside involving members of Jones' group.
A police spokesman said members of Jones' entourage, traveling in two cars, shot at three people in another car and the others returned fire. The spokesman said police believe Jones was in a third car and not directly involved in the shooting. One man was slightly injured by shrapnel in the exchange.
Jones was suspended by Goodell after a fight and shooting at a strip club in Las Vegas during the NBA's All-Star weekend in February. Las Vegas authorities are still considering charges against Jones in that case, which left three people wounded, including one who is paralyzed. Through Sunday, Jones had been arrested five times and interviewed by police 10 times since being drafted two years ago, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
It's good to see that Jones has turned his life around and become a positive member of the NFL. In February, the fight and shooting were at a strip club in Vegas. This incident was in Atlanta.
That's progress. You can get into a lot of trouble in Las Vegas.
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Kobe Bryant trade desire advisory system: Code red [PERMALINK]
The arrow at AccuKobe.com, which provides real-time updates on whether Kobe Bryant wants to be traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, is pointing to "wants a trade" after the star guard posted a blog item on his Web site reiterating his earlier statement that he wished to be traded, which he later disavowed, restated, disavowed again and was last seen canoodling with in a corner booth at Tengu.
"Wassup y'all ..." Bryant writes in the item dated Sunday, flashing his inimitable street patois. "Man, today is one of those surreal days for me and my family."
Are you like me? Are you getting the feeling that that's like you or me saying, "Man, today is one of those days that end in 'y' for me and my family"?
The posting accuses Lakers owner Jerry Buss of pursuing a long-term rebuilding strategy contrary to what he told Bryant would happen when Bryant was a free agent three years ago.
"The more I thought about the future, the more I became convinced that the Lakers and me just have two different visions for the future," Bryant writes. He also notes that winning is "in my DNA," an unfortunate choice of words for someone whose image was shattered by an accusation of rape.
What's really surreal is that the same message was posted at the end of last month. Is Kobe living "The Surreal Life" or "Groundhog Day"?
The posting isn't on the Web site anymore under the original date but here's a TrueHoop item about it dated May 30. The Associated Press and others are reporting on the blog item as though it were new.
It's possible Bryant wanted to restate his desire to escape the Lakers after a reported meeting with Buss last week in Spain. It's also possible that someone over at kb24.com screwed up some coding and made the old item reappear with a new date.
But I think I speak for the American people when I say: Yaaarrrrrrghghghgh!
There's a house in New Jersey where Amelia Earhart, Elvis Presley and Jim Morrison live. Kobe: Move in for a while, would you? You don't have to stay for long like Jimmy Hoffa did. Just till Halloween or so. We really don't need to hear from you again till then.
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Vin Scully can make silence sound good [PERMALINK]
Los Angeles Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero stepped up to the plate Friday representing the tying run with one out and the bases empty in the top of the ninth inning against Los Angeles Dodgers closer Takashi Saito.
Vin Scully was at the microphone for the Dodgers TV broadcast. "Here comes Vladimir and this oughta be something," he said just before Guerrero swung and missed at the first pitch.
"Oh-and-1," Scully said. "Boy, when you get a matchup like this, Guerrero and Saito, I think the best thing to do is shut up. Just, uh, you concentrate, and I'm gonna have some fun myself."
Scully was then silent through Ball 1 in the dirt, Strike 2 on the outside corner and the rising crowd noise as Saito kicked and delivered the 1-2 pitch. As Guerrero swung and hit a fly ball to left-center field, Scully said, "Slider," and when Juan Pierre caught it, "Two out."
He'd been silent for 56 seconds, an inconceivable eternity on the broadcasts of 29 big-league teams. After reviewing the play Scully said, "Boy, there was a moment there with the crowd on its feet, roaring. Great confrontation."
Yeah, even without the announcer telling us how great it was while it was happening: "Listen to this crowd!"
Nice to be respected once in a while.
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Next: In the proud tradition of Bruce "The Mouse" Strauss ... [PERMALINK]
The voice-over on the TV commercial for Saturday's UFC event in Belfast intoned, "In the proud tradition of Irish warriors, the Ultimate Fighting Championship invades Northern Ireland."
Huh? What proud Irish warriors ever invaded Northern Ireland?
It was proud -- I guess, or maybe they were just bored -- Norman warriors who invaded Northern Ireland in the 12th century. Or was the commercial referring to the proud Irish warriors who were defeated by the English army in the 17th century?
Some kind of IRA reference? The IRA didn't invade. It was an insurgency.
I know, I'm overthinking this. The idea with ads like that is to just say random stuff that sounds good if you say it in a tough-guy voice. Still. Hearing that made Saturday one of those surreal days for me and my family.
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