Greg Hardy has been causing quite a stir lately.
The Dallas Cowboys defensive end has been a lightning rod of controversy, particularly when the photos of his ex-girlfriend who he abused were published by Deadspin. If you haven’t looked at the photos (or have the stomach to do so), check them out here. The photos made me shake my head and wonder aloud, “why in the hell is this negro able to resume his NFL career?”
Why is Hardy able to still play in the NFL? And why in the hell did Cowboys owner Jerry Jones call his ass “a leader”?
The answer is simple: the dude can play. Hardy is still one of the better defensive ends in the NFL and, as a result, was able to land a job with one of the glamour franchises in all of sports.
Remember the outrage former NFL player Ray Rice garnered (and rightfully so) for knocking the hell out of his then-fiancee/now-wife? There is a reason why Rice is still out of the NFL: he is not the same productive running back that he was long before that incident. The ironic thing is that Rice has been more remorseful and vocal on domestic violence issues.
It’s the unfortunate fact of life: if someone has a God-given skill, he/she will almost always get second, third and sometimes fourth chances in life.
Now the question is should Hardy be cut and banned from the NFL for good?
What’s the point of the Cowboys getting onto their collective high horse and cutting Hardy after the pictures came out? I mean, what has changed since Hardy missed all of the 2014 season and was suspended originally for 10 games this season? Did they bother to read the report which went into more detail of what happened with Hardy and his ex-girlfriend?
To me, the report was more damning than the actual pictures. And sure, we are a more visual society if anything (and the fact most of us are too damn lazy to read), but still.
One more thing: the Cowboys and the NFL DID read the report and looked at the pictures. The NFL suspended him, but Jones and the Cowboys signed Hardy anyway.
I guess the only silver lining here is that this makes the Cowboys look bad. VERY bad. And the funny thing is the Cowboys would look even worse if they cut Hardy right now.
As for the fans, they have gone “cray-cray” over Hardy as well.
It’s funny – and predictable – to see the fans’ reaction to all of this. I have been conversing with two Cowboys fans, one a friendly college acquaintance and another a good friend (and good guys to boot), on Facebook over Hardy’s transgressions. Both blamed the media and sports pundits for taking on an issue they felt had little knowledge to debate in the court of public opinion.
As nonsensical as that sounds, several more Cowboys fans have expressed similar sentiments. It’s as if none of them bothered to read the police report that was used to convict Hardy the first time around before he paid off his ex not to testify at his appeal hearing.
Let’s be real about something, they are not the only fans who have defended athletes on their favorite teams who were punished for similar disgusting acts.
A plethora of Baltimore Ravens fans supported Rice before the video of him knocking out his now-wife surfaced. Several San Francisco Giants fans defended alleged steroid cheat Barry Bonds, some of them went as far as calling Bonds “the REAL home run king”. Fans of my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers defended Ben Roethlisberger after the SECOND sexual assault charges were levied against him. And we cannot forget what’s been happening in New England over Tom Brady’s role in #DeflateGate.
Here’s another fact of life: as long as that player is on someone’s favorite team, that fan more often than not will support said player and give him/her the benefit of the doubt. That’s just the way it is.
Categories: NFL
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