Wednesday, Sept. 15, 1999

Fallen star

Leon Lett should have been out of football a long time ago

By Trent Modglin, Associate editor

In how many normal, everyday jobs would an employee be able to violate the company substance-abuse policy, get slapped on his fat wrist and be welcomed back with open arms? Wait a minute. Not only violate it, but violate the hell out of it to the tune of being a five-time offender and still be allowed to continue work as if nothing happened?

It’s not likely in the real world. But in the case of one Leon Lett of the Cowboys, we’re not exactly dealing with the real world. We’re dealing with Paul Tagliabue’s NFL. And he’s dealing with Lett entirely the wrong way with the league’s recent suspension of the Cowboys’ DT for what was his fifth violation. If you’re counting — and I hope you are, because apparently the league isn’t — this is Lett’s fourth season in the last five in which he has missed games because of suspensions.

Tagliabue supposedly considered several factors in order to come up with his frivolous decision to suspend the standout lineman for what ends up being only half the season (eight total games). One was how cooperative Lett has been in the testing process, which has often included being tested up to 10 times per month. I guess Tagliabue was feeling fortunate that the 300-pound Lett didn’t gripe about having to subject himself to those dumb exams after already failing tests for marijuana at the end of 1995, cocaine in ’96 and two other tests before that. The first two infractions don’t result in suspensions and therefore aren’t publicized.

And to add bad Chinese food to an upset stomach, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t sound like he’s too concerned about Lett’s health, only his availability to the team later in the year.

"We’re disappointed, but I’m glad we have a definitive time we can expect him back. We’re disappointed we don’t have him right now," Jones said.

That’s the caring, definitive Jerry Jones we’ve all come to know and dislike.

The bottom line is that Lett should be letting other employers down by now, not making a mockery of the NFL again. Lett should have been out of the league after violation No. 3, but instead he’ll be back in November, just in time to help the Cowboys make their push toward the playoffs. I guess if you can stop the run on America’s Team, you can pretty much run the league.

And don’t forget the name on his office door. There are two "t’s" in "Lett."

The Archives
1999 - 2000 Season