Leave it to punishment, or even the threat of punishment, to set the wayward on the straight and narrow. Or not. In the three seemingly separate cases, the central figures had their brushes with the law but were given reprieves. But arguably Tank Johnson, Pacman Jones and Paris Hilton failed to heed those second (and sometimes third or fourth) chances, and each has paid a heavy price.
Tank Johnson / Pacman Jones / Paris Hilton
HOW THEY BLEW IT
He gets a jail sentence and eight-game suspension from the NFL as a result of gun charges and for violating probation. The NFL gives Johnson a chance to reduce his sentence to six games, and the Bears vow to stand by him as an apparently reformed Johnson publicly promises that he’ll one day be named NFL Man of the Year. That lasted about 16 days before Johnson’s arrest in Arizona at 3:30 a.m. Friday for speeding and “being impaired.”
The NFL suspended him for the season for his alleged involvement in a Las Vegas strip club incident in February in which a bouncer was shot and paralyzed. Then last week, police sought Jones for questioning about an Atlanta strip club shooting. Jones wasn’t involved in the shooting, according to police, but he was at the club with his entourage, who allegedly were involved.
She was charged with driving under the influence in September, and twice has been caught driving with a suspended license.
STOP…SLAMMER TIME! Arrested three times since 2005 and cited by police; has spent 60 days in jail.
Interviewed 10 times and arrested five times since 2005. Last week, he was charged with two felonies.
Was expected to be released Tuesday after serving 23 days of a 45-day jail sentence.
Nickname = jailhouse tattoo
Terry’s “Tank” would have been perfect for that “back off me, sucker” motif that you want in jail.
Adam Jones should have an arm tattoo of PacMan eating a trail of dots leading into the Monopoly jail.
She was nicknamed “Star” as a child. Is it any wonder why we’re here now? Paris can get a dainty little star inked just above a $40,000 ankle bracelet (or monitor, whichever comes first).
What they can learn from one another
Hilton is not unfamiliar with the concept of getting “sacked.”
Some thought Tank’s flashy post-jail wardrobe made a statement — that statement being “I’ll be back.”
“That’s hot” is getting old. Now “make it rain?” that’s hot.
THE WINNER: Can any of them be called winners, really?
