[jdlea]

I'm not going to try to defend anything Pacman Jones has done. However, I think his conduct is an indictment of the way young athletes are treated throughout their lives. Pacman's problems are not new...he was getting into trouble at WVU. Everyone knew it then, he has a problem. He can't stay outta trouble. No one ever did anything about it at West Virginia, all they did was enable him. All so they could make their millions of dollars by exploiting their players, but that's another topic. Pacman had trouble with the law at WVU and everyone around the university did everything they could to keep him on the field so they could make money. All he's ever learned is that as long as he performs on the field, his problems will go away off of it. As much as he made his own decisions, I feel sorry for a lot of the kids who grow up without the advantages most of the people judging them have enjoyed. Especially since, if they didn't have a father, the only males they really see are their coaches and they're too busy trying to figure out how to keep him on the field, rather than out of trouble. It's a little disturbing. I'm not condoning any of Pacman's actions, but I think there's a problem with this society, just as much as with him.

Another thought, Henry and Jones were both disciplinary problems in college. They also went to the same college, West Virginia. Why isn't Rich Rodriguez held accountable in any way? He did nothing about this when they were there. Where the hell was he? He just made sure they kept making the university money by taking them to a bowl game, it's bullshit.

Somehow, I don't think taking a troubled kid and making him a millionaire is the best way to solve people's problems. People should have seen this coming. I feel sorry for Pacman Jones.