Pacman’s problem is his posse
By DAVID CLIMER
Left to his own devices, Pacman Jones is a trouble magnet.
Surround him with an entourage of shady characters — Pac’s Pack — and it’s a recipe for disaster.
You are judged by the company you keep. You often are influenced by the company you keep. And that’s Pacman’s biggest problem. He runs with a bad crowd, one that is of his own choosing.
It is a rogue’s gallery of old pals, new friends and those who are drawn to him because of his money, his celebrity and his lifestyle.
In the police report from the latest incident on Monday morning, reference is made to Jones’ “security detail.”
Unless you are knowingly putting yourself in harm’s way, why do you need a security detail?
There is strength in numbers. There is also trouble in numbers, especially if too many members of your personal posse can’t or won’t control themselves.
“The important thing is to have the right type of people around you,” Titans linebacker David Thornton said. “If you’re not strong-minded enough and determined to make the right choices, you could fall into a situation where you might be compromised.”
Choose carefully
It’s a vicious circle. If you give Jones the benefit of the doubt, he is being negatively influenced by others. If you don’t give Jones the benefit of the doubt, he has surrounded himself with those of a like mind who are determined to act like thugs.
“You can’t always blame the people you’re with because it’s your choice to be with them,” Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said.
“If you’re with a bunch of good guys, chances are you’re doing some good things. If you’re with some guys looking for trouble, that’s probably where it’s headed.”
Some Titans players occasionally hit the social scene as a group. And the group grows larger when family and friends of players come along.
While stressing he is “not commenting on the whole Pacman Jones situation,” second-year running back LenDale White said it is not uncommon for NFL players to attract a crowd.
Clock is ticking
“We usually go out with big groups,” White said. "It’s usually guys on the team and whoever’s with them — friends and cousins that are in town. “I welcome the big group. As long as we’re all having a good time and having fun, I like it.”
But one of the common threads woven through Jones’ repeated run-ins with trouble is that seldom is another Titan anywhere to be found. Pac runs with his own pack.
He also tends to run toward strip clubs, especially in the wee hours of the morning.
His choices of nightspots and the company he keeps are becoming hazardous to his safety and his NFL career.
No, he has not been found guilty of a crime since being drafted by the Titans. But when it comes to lousy judgment, he is guilty as charged.
Which begs the question:
The next time Pacman Jones is summoned to the commissioner’s office, will he take his posse with him?
