Inappropriate Use of a Football Team

Terrell Owens got fined $7,500 by the NFL this week for what they’re calling “inappropriate use of a football.”

Jason Reeves knows a little about that.

When will the league fine Jerry Wayne for inappropriate use of a football team?

I’m afraid if Julius Jones gets hurt today in practice, the Cowboys will call O. J. Simpson. He should be out of jail any day now. Hey, if this Romo thing doesn’t work out, Michael Vick will be ready to go for 2009. You can inagurate the new stadium with a new quarterback. Why not?

The Cowboys’ signing of defensive lineman Tank Johnson is unexplainable and inexcuseable. In the past 18 months — which represents most of Johnson’s NFL career with Chicago — Johnson’s been arrested four times on gun charges and probation violation stemming from the gun charges. In a raid on Johnson’s suburban Chicago home, police found caged pit bulls and seized three rifles, a semi-automatic weapon, three handguns, and over 500 rounds of ammunition. In a scuffle with police in which officers used mace to help subdue him, Johnson is reported to have told one of the men, “You’re not the only one with a glock! If it weren’t for your gun and your badge, I’d kick your ___!” He was pulled over recently at 3:30 am on suspicion of drunken driving.

Nice.

Welcome to the Cowboys. Where character counts and integrity matters. Unless we’re really in a bind and you can really play ball.

Jerry Wayne made a pretty big deal about taking Johnson off their draft board in 2004 because of his character issues coming out of college. He openly bragged about it. We’re not going to bring in that kind of element. But as soon as Jason Ferguson goes down, Tank Johnson’s character is suddenly not a factor anymore.

It reminds me of the year I first started rooting against the Cowboys. Summer of ’96. Lots of player arrests. Lots of off-field issues. And Jerry Wayne threw down the gauntlet. No more tolerance. You break team rules, you’re gone. Kendall Watkins, a third-string tight end, was spotted at a Dallas bar Jerry had declared off limits. And he was canned the next day. Big headlines. News conference. Jerry bragging. Zero tolerance.

Less than two weeks later Michael Irvin’s busted in his drug and hit-man scandal. It’s all on tape! But Jerry says, “Michael’s family. Look at all he’s done for this organization. He’s family. He needs us to help him. We’re doing what’s best for him now. He doesn’t need us to throw him out. That’s not right. He needs us to love him and get through this together.”

And Jerry, yesterday, says he signed Tank Johnson because he believes in second chances.

It would be nice if Jerry would just say they signed Johnson this week because he can help give them some inside info on the Bears, Sunday night’s opponent. That would be sleazy. It would be underhanded. Skirting the rules. Flaunting the system. Breaking written and unwritten NFL policies.

And it would be much more palatable than what they’re actually doing.

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It’s great to be back in the office / study today here at Legacy. I missed everybody and felt strangely disconnected from things while we were in Abilene.

But what a great experience we had at the ACU Lectureships! I’ll have to talk more about all that tomorrow. Lots of observations and opinions I’ll share that, I’m sure, will spark plenty of theological reflection and discussion.

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Please be in prayer today for our oldest daughter, Whitney. Following a series of tests two weeks ago, doctors just told us yesterday morning that one of her optic nerves is swollen and they’re calling us in at 4:00 this afternoon for further tests. Her eyesight has been deteriorating in rapid and noticeable fashion over the past couple of months. She’s wearing bifocals now. And this swollen nerve issue may be the reason. We’re hoping this is something that can be fixed with little or no problem. She’s nervous and so are we. Your prayers on her behalf are very much appreciated.

Peace,

Allan

4 Comments

  1. JoAnn Glock

    Dear Alan,

    Just wanted to tell you that I am enjoying your Blog immensely, having been introduced to it by our minister, Jim Gardner, whom I dearly love. (At exactly twice his age, I can say that. Since I have become his homemade strawberry jam supplier, which he dearly loves, I am sure he will let me.)

    I was very touched by the account of Whitney’s eye condition. We will add her to our prayer chain here at Woodward Park and pray for good results from her visit today.

    I was also appalled that the NFL would hire a man like Tank Johnson. What a departure from the role models we used to have in sports. I always feel such a pang in my heart when a “Glock” gun is mentioned in the context of evil. No, I am not related.

    JoAnn Glock

  2. Chris

    Let’s hit the important stuff first and know that Whitney is in my prayers.

    Now on to the other stuff. You need to tap the brakes a little bit on the this. I remember having this conversation with my son. I’ve probably got more weapons than that and depending on whether or not I’ve been to the range, it’s not uncommon to have that many rounds when you take a brick of .22’s and a case of shotgun shells. I don’t scuffle with police officers any more as i learned that lesson the hard way in my youth.

    I don’t think that Johnson is going to help as he’s a D-Lineman and he didn’t call the defensive signals. He wasn’t in camp or OTA’s this year so he won’t have any current knowledge. The coaches can get all they need from studying film – or stealing signals 🙂

    It’s a business decision based on risk-reward. There is a definite need since Ferguson is out, his former coach and teammates all say he’s a great teammate, the Cowboy players are more concerned with how he plays and acts in the room as opposed to concerned with his weapons charges. Nobody else offered him anything and that may be the wakeup call that he needs. It’s great if it does and if it doesn’t then let him go. Plus while he can’t work out with the team, he can still use the weight room so if he acts like a knucklehead between now and the end of his suspension then the Cowboys can cut him loose. If it works, you get a mid-season boost in a place you need help for a low cost. If it doesn’t, then it only cost you the league minimum.

    It’s pretty clear that you got a lot out of your trip to ACU and i look forward to hearing more from you on it.

  3. Chris

    When the whole Vick thing went down…I started thinking that the Cowboys would be the team dumb enough to bring him back to the NFL…don’t forgot that Jerry wanted to draft Maurice Clarett and the Broncos beat us to the punch(thank goodness for Mike Shanahan!!)

  4. Paula Byrnes

    Dear Allan,
    I am so sorry about Whitney’s vision problems. Please know that she and the entire family will have a constant place im my prayers. Please keep us updated.

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