Titans and TNA/Pacman Jones Reach New Agreement
Posted by Larry Csonka on 08.11.2007
No physical contact of any kind...
The Associated Press released the following story today.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- After a six-hour negotiating session, Adam "Pacman" Jones' lawyers and the Tennessee Titans reached an agreement Friday night that they hope will alter a Nashville court's temporary restraining order, according to The Nashville Tennessean.
Under the agreement, Jones, who was prohibited from participating in wrestling by a court order earlier Friday, would agree to avoid physical contact of any kind, a source close to the talks told the paper on Friday. The suspended Titans cornerback also would agree not to be involved in any other sort of action that places him at risk of injury while maintaining some outside-the-ring involvement with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
The mutual agreement of the parties to modify the temporary restraining order will now go before a Williamson County Chancery Court judge at 11 a.m. ET Saturday, the paper said. Both sides will present the details of their talks at that hearing and seek approval from the judge.
Still unclear is whether Jones' apparent compromise deal would be seen by TNA as breaking his agreement to take part in a Wrestling pay-per-view event this weekend. A TNA spokesman told The Tennessean early Friday that despite the restraining order "Adam will appear as scheduled at the 'Hard Justice' pay-per-view event this Sunday night."
Jones appeared on Spike TV on Thursday night in a taped appearance to promote his Sunday night debut with the TNA event titled "Hard Justice." The event will take place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla..
Citing its contract with Jones, the team announced Friday morning it had asked a Tennessee court to intervene in order "to protect our rights in this instance."
"All NFL players have language in their contracts that prohibit them from engaging in activities 'which may involve a significant risk of personal injury,'" said a statement from team spokesman Robbie Bohren. "We certainly believe wrestling to be hazardous, and it is obvious from the player's conduct that he is ignoring this aspect of his agreements with the club."
The restraining order, which was signed by Judge Robert E. Lee Davies, gives Jones 10 days to respond to the team's complaint and says a hearing will be held within 15 days.
Davies agreed with the Titans' claim, saying Jones should be prohibited from "participating in any activities that 'may involve the risk of serious personal injury.'"
"Mr. Jones is hereby restrained from providing any 'wrestling' or 'performing services' to TNA ... including but not limited to the TNA 'Hard Justice' pay-per-view event ... for as long as this restraining order is in effect," Davies ruled.
The injunction strictly bars Jones from participating in any TNA event, as a "wrestler, spectator, announcer, participant or otherwise ..."
The Titans cornerback was suspended by the NFL for a year because of several legal scrapes since being drafted in 2005.
Worrick Robinson, an attorney for Jones, didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Jones' agent, Michael Huyghue, said he couldn't comment until later in the day.
On Thursday, Jones teased his TNA appearance with an interview on ESPN2's "First Take," and defended his decision to wrestle.
"I don't know what you all want me to do. Just sit in the house and be miserable all day?" he said. "I can't do that. I have to keep my spirits up high. I have a whole family to take care of."
TNA has not revealed how much Jones would be compensated.
The cornerback's latest legal problem emerged just hours after he resolved one of his least serious issues when a judge dismissed three traffic citations.
Jones was pulled over the morning of June 10 in his orange Lamborghini sports car because the tags did not match the vehicle.
Sheriff's deputies said he had switched the plate from another vehicle he owns. He was cited with a registration violation, as well as a residency violation for having a Georgia license and failure to show proof of insurance.
Jones' attorney said earlier on Friday that the charges were dismissed because authorities had incorrect information about the registration and license.
"The deputy indicated today that he was acting on the incorrect information," Robinson said. "We have worked with them to make sure that they have accurate information so that the same thing will not happen again."
Robinson was also asked what he thought about Jones wrestling, and he said he didn't believe the cornerback would do anything to jeopardize his career.
"Football is his priority," Robinson said. "He wants to get back on the field. Whatever he does with TNA is not going to affect his health."
Jones still faces felony coercion charges in connection with a Feb. 19 fight and triple-shooting at a Las Vegas strip club. Jones also faces a felony charge of obstruction stemming from a physical altercation in February 2006 with an officer on patrol in Fayetteville, Ga., but no trial date has been set.
A misdemeanor charge stemming from an August 2006 nightclub altercation also could be revived against Jones depending on the outcome of the Vegas case.
