Double Standards

Not for one minute would I suggest that anybody should feel bad for former NFL employee Ray Rice, but if I was to put myself in his shoes for just a moment, I would be more than a little peeved by the way the NFL is now treating Greg Hardy.

Rice it seems is untouchable, yet Hardy is out there playing for perhaps the best known team in the league in terms of worldwide recognition, in the Dallas Cowboys.  Having had a ten game ban reduced to four games, Hardy, you would think would be wise to keep a low profile and in New England parlance, just do his job.

Not the case however, Hardy has participated in a bust up with an assistant coach, knocking his clipboard out of his hands and having to be separated before any further actions could be taken.  Now, photographic evidence has surfaced showing the extent of the damage he caused, in the assault that he was found guilty for.

In the Rice case, it was photographs and video evidence of his domestic assault that has just about seen him blackballed from the NFL.  Rice has gone through therapy and issued statements of apology, individually and together with his now wife, but despite expressing his desire to play, there have been no takers.

Hardy so far, a player that Jerry Jones has called a leader on the team and someone the Cowboys want to resign, has not expressed any such regret for his action (even if like myself you would question the sincerity of Rice`s statements, at least they were offered).  In fact Hardy has even called into question the female involved.

So over to you Mr Goodell, all that talk following the Rice case last year, all that PR being seen with leading females in the fight against domestic abuse.  You eventually took action with Rice, what are you going to do this time with Hardy?  Given what happened and the fact that the court of law found him guilty should it really take social media for further action?

What of the Cowboys fans, they are used to having some of the highest character players of all time, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith to name a few, in  recent year they appear to have had success with helping Dez Bryant get on track.  It must feel awkward seeing Hardy with that star on the helmet, more so when Jones talks about him in such glowing terms.  Here`s hoping the league finally step in and do the right thing!   

Unbeaten success at the halfway stage - can the Panthers go the distance?

At the half way stage of the season, it is only natural to look back and what has happened before, and to look at what may be to come.  There are three unbeaten teams left, and three teams who seem to be dominating the column inches, and only one of those crossover between the two.

It is no surprise that New England in their great Brady Revenge Tour would be unbeaten so far, the media have been racking up the stories about the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers, and what was wrong with Peyton Manning and how the hell did the Broncos hold Aaron Rodgers to 77 yards passing.  Meanwhile, Cincinnati Bengals and Carolina Panthers are sitting there undefeated, and both seemingly still underrated.

The Bengals with AJ Green and Jeremy Hill, and that defence perhaps not as big a surprise, but the form of Andy Dalton certainly has been a surprise, could it all be down to the secret hair care product he refuses to identify.  But in terms of this piece I want to pay particular focus to Carolina.

The NFC South was the worst division in football last season, and we all know of course that Carolina won it last season with a losing record.  Think of Carolina and you think of Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly and of course Cam Newton.  To be fair to the Panthers they had certainly hit some form at the end of last season, but to carry that on to this year, who was ready for that.

DeAngelo Williams moved on to Pittsburgh in the offseason and then star wideout Kelvin Benjamin suffered the injury curse and was lost for the year in preseason.  When that happened most experts basically wrote off their season.  However, that doesn`t allow for Cam to be Cam.  Yes he is doing this with Tight End Greg Olsen as his premier option with rookie Devon Fuchness and Ted Ginn jnr as other receiving options, but Cam is not just beating you with his arm, although he has now proven he can.

Newton has had several opportunities to bust out the Superman pose this year and Jonathan Stewart has remained healthy at Running Back, giving the Panthers an identity to hang their hats on.  Obviously the defence is keeping them in games anyway and Cam has got enough to find enough points to get the job done.

They have won these games in every way you can too, late comebacks against the Seahawks, front running against the Packers, and the Panthers have suddenly found themselves unbeaten and with a 2 game lead in the race for the number one seed in the NFC.  For a team that should be going nowhere, those experts from preseason are now suddenly very quiet.

If the formbook plays out we are looking at a Panthers v Patriots / Bengals Super Bowl, if this was to occur whichever AFC team makes it out that conference that would be a great matchup.