One of the big NFL stories today is that the nefarious Pacman Jones has again found himself on the wrong side of the law. He is wanted for questioning in another stripclub shooting, and you can be sure that Mr. Goodell will be less than thrilled at the news.
What might be getting lost in the shuffle is some other NFL player news from the past two days involving two young linebackers, Nick Barnett of the Packers and Jonathan Vilma of the Jets. Barnett was arrested last night, you guessed it, after a fight at a nightclub:
Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Barnett was arrested early Sunday morning in Appleton on battery charges, according to the Appleton Police Department.
Barnett was involved in a physical altercation at the nightclub WET on College Avenue and was arrested at 2 a.m. He was placed in Outagamie County Jail.
Barnett's infraction seems to be almost par for the course as far as athlete infractions go, but Vilma's situation is a bit more exotic. And evidently, he is following in the footsteps of A-Rod. So is Vilma engaging in a sordid tryst north of the border? Nope. He has been playing in high stakes "poker dens":
Every week or so, Vilma ventures into the city to play cards in a poker den, a members-only club that attracts celebrities and serious gamblers looking to avoid crowded casinos. More than a year ago, Alex Rodriguez made headlines for frequenting these establishments, where it is legal to play poker but against the law for the house to profit.
Playing poker legally isn't a violation of league policy, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. But some might question Vilma's association with the clubs, considering the perception it might create because of the raids and robberies the clubs occasionally face, although he says he doesn't see any downside.
So Vilma does not see any problem with being around "serious gamblers" at an establishment that is prone to "raids and robberies"? Wow. I wish there was someone around to make an example out of one of these guys so that they straighten...oh wait, Roger Goodell did do that already. It seemed like the commish had made it abundantly clear that playing in the NFL was a privilege, not a right. I guess in the cases of Pacman, Barnett, and Vilma, some guys just can't take a hint.
