“Pacman” got the green light to play in Sunday’s game. Cowboys cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones will not be disciplined for a recent scuffle with his bodyguard.

Team owner Jerry Jones said the incident was innocuous. “They were literally kidding each other,” he said. “They were jiving around…”

The owner went on to say he never expected a rough encounter with one of his own security people. “I did not dream that we would get in a situation where we had all the structure in place and literally have an incident that casts lightly with him publicly or with the league that would involve the very people that you’re doing the structure with,” Jones said.

The entire sentence is convoluted, but our focus is on the word literally. In both cases, it is incorrect.

In his book Garner’s Modern American Usage, celebrated linguist Bryan Garner laments that “literally is distorted beyond recognition.”

Still, let’s try to restore the recognition. Literally means “with truth to the letter,” “according to the strict sense of the word.” Use the word as a contrast to figuratively, which is metaphorical, something that stands for another.

Kidding is kidding: There’s no figurative and literal version. Likewise, an incident either happens or doesn’t happen….unless you’re dreaming…

of a Super Bowl you’ll never win.