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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fast Break

The Spokesman-Review

FOOTBALL

So long Pacman, hello Adam

No more “Pacman”?

That would be the preference of Adam Jones, the suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback who has been known by the nickname throughout his life. He’d like to be called by his given name and make “Pacman” a thing of the past.

“There’s really just a lot of negativity behind it,” Jones said. “It’s just time for a change, man. I’m doing everything to make sure that I’m all right as a person, mentally and emotionally.”

Jones missed all the 2007 season with the Tennessee Titans while serving his NFL suspension that has not been completely lifted. The Cowboys acquired Jones from the Titans for draft picks in April.

After speaking to about 60 kids at a basketball camp hosted by Dallas Mavericks forward Brandon Bass on Saturday, Jones expressed his desire to drop his nickname.

The kids at the camp called out “Pacman Jones! Pacman Jones!” after he spoke to them. But he signed autographs with his given name, not the nickname given to him by his mother when he was an infant.

“My mom is going to call me ‘Pacman.’ That is what it is. I can’t change that,” Jones said. “I’m not saying that my teammates won’t call me ‘Pacman’ on the field. But for the most part, I want to be Adam or Mr. Jones.”

CHARITY

N.Y. governor goes distance

Gov. David Paterson finished the sixth annual Hope and Possibility 5-mile run Sunday in Central Park in 53 minutes, 22 seconds.

Paterson, who is legally blind, ran alongside a mix of disabled and able-bodied athletes to increase disability awareness. Paterson is a member of the board of the Achilles Track Club, which hosted the run.

Paterson ran with Achilles Board chair Trisha Meili. She is the author of “I Am the Central Park Jogger: A Story of Hope and Possibility.” She was a 28-year-old investment banker when she was attacked while jogging in 1989.

OLYMPICS

Study: China will top United States in medals

China should win one more medal than the United States at the Beijing Olympics – 88 to 87 – and top the overall table for the first time, according to a survey released today by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“As the host nation in Beijing and (with) an economy which has grown very strongly since 2004, the medal ‘target’ of 88 for China according to our model is much higher than its actual medal totals in Athens (63) or Sydney (59),” said John Hawksworth, the report’s author.

China was third in overall medals at Athens 2004, behind first-place United States (102) and Russia (92). China was second in gold medals behind the U.S. in 2004 – 32 to 36.