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!