Tom E. Curran • E-mail

Surely Roger Goodell didn't take on the job as NFL Commissioner with the expectation that his "inbox" would be empty most days.

But did he expect it to be the minefield it's been during his 22-month tenure? Not likely.

Since August 2006, controversy, tragedy and stupidity have intermingled on a regular basis, robbing the 49-year-old Goodell of any chance at easing into the job of replacing Paul Tagliabue.

On Monday, June 2, Goodell found himself again making a publicized ruling, conditionally reinstating Cowboys cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones after an almost 14-month suspension. Instead of denying the little trouble magnet the chance to prove he could behave himself, Goodell allows Jones to join the Cowboys through training camp and the preseason. He then will make a decision on whether Jones has earned the opportunity to again play in the regular season.

This decision highlights the best of what Goodell's brought to the job. Foresight.

Always remember, the NFL Commissioner works for the owners. And Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a powerful one whose franchise's success is good for every team and every player in the league because, in the socialistic NFL, revenues are shared.

But Goodell is also charged with protecting the sport, the product, the NFL "brand." Giving Pacman Jones a free pass back into the league after all the messes he's been (and continues to be) involved in would have reasonably raised questions about the strength of the player conduct policy Goodell pushed through.

The Jones ruling isn't going to please everyone, but that's the nature of the job. Goodell is juggling chainsaws on an ongoing basis and still has most of his fingers intact.

Aside from Pacman, consider the other issues Goodell has faced. Michael Vick, one of the league's most popular and visible players, had a protracted dog fighting case land him in jail. In addition, there were the player conduct suspensions of Chris Henry, Tank Johnson and Odell Thurman.

The NFL began playing regular season games in London in 2007. Retired players have been loud and consistent in their appeals for better benefits. Performance-enhancers and the effects of post-concussion syndrome have been hot-button topics. The deaths of Broncos Darrent Williams and Damien Nash and the Patriots' Marquise Hill occurred. And the New England Patriots, the preeminent franchise of the decade, ignored a league-wide order to stop videotaping opposing coaches during games and got caught and slapped with unprecedented sanctions.

Among all of these issues, Goodell's handling of the Pats' "Spygate" incident is the one that spurred the most widespread criticism. Some felt Patriots head coach Bill Belichick should have been suspended. Some felt the loss of a first-round pick was too harsh. Most seemed to wonder why Goodell destroyed the tapes initially confiscated. In hindsight, Goodell should have been more transparent initially with all the evidence. Not doing so only fed suspicions.