That's why Jones is even more real than Gronkowski, who, as far as I can tell, basically apologized for enjoying the perk most everyone else with a Y chromosome wishes they had. There certainly wasn't anything in the photos that warranted being called "racy," not when female singers are photographed without underwear.
"I didn't intend anything to hurt the reputation of anyone on the New England Patriots," Gronkowski said. But from the smirk on his face, you could tell he wasn't really regretting a thing.
The only thing the second-year player needed to apologize for was having such little confidence in his swagger that he rolled around town with his jersey to show people. That move is just a notch below going out late at night with a Bluetooth headset in your ear as if it's a piece of jewelry.
Other than that, I doubt anyone thought less of Gronkowski after seeing the photos.
After last year's Sports Illustrated piece in which former NFL agent Josh Luchs talked about paying college players and partying with beautiful women, we all know what goes on. People who try to characterize Luchs' confession as a one-off, or make University of Miami booster Nevin Shapiro out as just a lying jock sniffer, must think the public has a hard time connecting dots.
Other examples tart up recent sports history. Mississippi State had to do damage control last year after it was discovered three recruits went to The Pony during their visit (and given the nature of this topic, I'm sure you know what The Pony is). Stanford football players and recruits dropped $300 at a strip club in 2003. Three New Mexico State football players were suspended in 2006 for taking recruits to a gentlemen's establishment.
And the mother lode was the Colorado Buffaloes' football program, which got caught up in a recruiting scandal in 2004 that involved strippers, escorts, drugs and sex.
If we're being honest, few of these college recruiting scandals are really shocking. Not if you've seen "He Got Game" or an episode of the reality TV show "Basketball Wives."
The underbelly of high profile sports is hiding in plain sight. Not everyone goes there, but a lot of folks like to look and wave their arms whenever it's publicized.
Apology aside, neither Jones nor Gronkowski broke any rules. And if we're being real, their picture is not even tawdry or crude, just another image of what we expect.
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