In Case You Missed It ...
Oct 9, 2008 5:09 pm US/Central
NFL Commissioner Wants Info About 'Pacman' Fight
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
-
-
Jones was banned from the NFL for at least a year because of conduct unbecoming a player. He sat on the sidelines only to come back with the Dallas Cowboys. (File)
AP
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is now asking Dallas police for information about this week's incident at a Dallas hotel involving Dallas Cowboys' cornerback Adam 'Pacman' Jones.
As CBS 11 News was first to report Wednesday, Jones was involved in a scuffle at the Joule Hotel just after 11 p.m. Tuesday night. In a news release Thursday, Dallas Police Department spokesman Vernon Hale confirmed the incident took place. An investigation has now been launched surrounding what happened inside the upscale Dallas hotel.
Jones was banned from the NFL for at least a year because of conduct unbecoming a player. He sat on the sidelines only to come back with the Dallas Cowboys with the expectations that he would not be involved in any conduct that would be deemed illegal or would create an embarrassment to the league.
One day after CBS 11 News first reported the incident 'Pacman' apologized to his teammates.
Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Thursday that Jones will play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Phillips also said he had no indication that Jones would be suspended because of the incident.
The question now is – what happened inside the Joule Hotel? Hotel management wouldn't talk to CBS 11 News and offered no comment regarding the incident. But the Dallas Police Department released the 911 call made from the hotel during the fight. Click here to listen to it.
According to witnesses, police were called to the hotel after Jones argued with one of his own bodyguards, who was hired by the team to keep him out of trouble.
The 25-year-old Jones was seen by witnesses outside the hotel, taking off his shirt and appeared agitated. Those same witnesses also say Jones was muttering threats to go after his security guard.
"Obviously Mr. Jones was a little belligerent - in my opinion," said Raul Ferrer, a waiter at a nearby restaurant.
By the time police arrived, Jones was headed back inside the hotel. Witnesses report clearly hearing punches being thrown inside the bathroom. A Dallas police officer and a hotel security guard reportedly found Jones and the bodyguard inside the bathroom and pulled the two apart.
At least one mirror was broken in the confrontation and witnesses say Jones appeared to be intoxicated.
The unidentified bodyguard told witnesses and authorities at the scene that Jones is prone to bad mood swings when he has been drinking. According to the bodyguard, he was using a urinal when Jones came inside and struck him in an unprovoked attack. He also said he hit Jones back.
Police investigated, but did not arrest anyone. "To have an offense generated, you have to have a complainant," said Dallas Police Lt. Anthony William. "In this particular case there wasn't a complainant."
In a statement released Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys Spokesperson Rich Dalrymple said in part, "The organization has no information regarding the incident involving Adam Jones, therefore they had no comment."
A league official in New York was unaware of the incident before CBS 11 News broke the story Wednesday evening. But at noon Thursday, CBS 11 News learned that the office of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, specifically NFL Director of Football Information Vince Casey, has asked the Dallas Police Department for information about the incident.
CBS 11 News has also learned that the Cowboys have formally asked police for details.
Also on Thursday, CBS 11 News talked to Tank Johnson, a teammate of Jones' who has had his share of disciplinary troubles with the league. Goodell also suspended Johnson for disciplinary reasons, but has since reinstated him.
In the Cowboys' locker room Thursday, Johnson said he thinks the incident is being overblown. He also said he supports Jones, who he called a "member of our family." Johnson said he hopes Goodell realizes the incident is "not a big deal."
"Jones was a high risk, high reward signing by the Cowboys, a team not averse to taking on troubled players," said CBS 11 News sports anchor and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Babe Laufenberg.
Goodell reinstated Jones in August after suspending him in April of 2007. Goodell has made player behavior one of his top priorities since replacing former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
At the time of his reinstatement, Jones said: "I know my responsibilities to the NFL and I'm going to hold my own and do what I need to do to make sure I stay where I am right now, which is reinstated. I work hard every day to make sure I don't make the same mistakes. Can I say I would never ever make the same mistakes? No, I can't say that. I'll make sure I put myself in way better situations than I have put myself in the past."
"Regardless of what the league decides, once they finish their investigation, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys have to ask themselves one simple question: Can they count on Adam Jones? If the answer is no, he needs to be released tomorrow," said Laufenberg.
Jones has been arrested six times, including after a 2007 shooting at a Las Vegas strip club that left three people wounded and one man paralyzed. He has also been arrested for public intoxication, disorderly conduct and faced questions involving a shooting in Atlanta.
Jones has been starting at cornerback for the injured Terence Newman. The Cowboys secondary and cornerback in particular was considered a deep position coming into the season. If Jones was to be suspended or released, the Cowboys would have to depend on rookie Mike Jenkins to start against the third-ranked pass offense in the NFL.
CBS 11 News also learned Thursday that the bodyguard has said he has no hard feelings toward Jones and wants to continue to work with the player.
With additional reporting by Steve Pickett
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Popular Slideshows On CBS11TV.COM
RAW VIDEO: 100-Mile Police Chase
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
