Last year was a landmark season in the National Football League.  After years of increased arrests and other trouble involving NFL players, Commissioner Roger Goodell cracked down.

It started with stiff suspensions for Pacman Jones and Chris Henry.  The next step was a toughening of the Personal Conduct Policy.

Tank Johnson later was popped with an eight-game suspension after spending time in jail on a probation violation.

The crowning moment, of course, was Goodell’s handling of the Mike Vick situation.  Rather than making any rash moves, Goodell was patient, allowing the facts to unfold.  But then, as soon as Vick was indicted on federal conspiracy charges arising from dog-fighting and gambling, Goodell pounced, indefinitely suspending Vick.

Goodell also has moved to reduce the deal-making under the substance abuse policy, enforcing the rule as written in order to make all players realize that the abuse of alcohol and drugs won’t be tolerated.

The end result?  The league is reversing the public relations fallout that followed the rash of Bengals arrests and the endless examples of Pacman being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Though players continue to be arrested far too often than they should be, the tide is turning.

But if the bad behavior continues, 2007 proved that there will be consequences like never before.