A chance for Jon Jones to show true character?
Jones is 24 years old. He may have accomplished a lot at a young age; he may be a father,…
Jones is 24 years old. He may have accomplished a lot at a young age; he may be a father, but he is still a young man.
This does not excuse what he allegedly did. It is not a reason for it, either. It’s just a realization that judgment is sometimes clouded by the seeming indestructibility of youth. It’s no accident that according to government statistics, the highest percentage of drunk drivers are the ones from ages 21-24.
Once you start getting a little older and have some time behind you, you realize that for many, youth is a time spent doing stupid things and hoping to survive.
Luckily for him, he did. On the other hand, his life is about to get a lot less comfortable. He’s going to have answer questions, he’s going to get stares and the criticism? It’s just getting started. Advertisers will most certainly not be pleased. His long-hoped-for deal with Nike? That’s probably going to the back burner for the foreseeable future.
How will he handle all that?
It’s always easy to smile and present yourself to the world when times are good. It’s not so easy when the world is looking down their noses at you. Money can buy you a good lawyer, a PR team and a new Bentley, but it can’t restore a reputation.
Addressing those issues are ultimately up to Jones.