Cowboys show regard only for wins
If you have unique talent, something 99.99 percent of the free world doesn’t have, then folks tend to give you chance after chance, no matter how much you’ve screwed up. And it doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about the best surgeon, the best salesman, the best actor or, in this particular case, one of the best pass-rushers in the world.
If you can help a company make more money, or help a team win a championship, then your transgressions usually don’t matter all that much.
Hardy spent a chunk of Tuesday at the Dallas Cowboys’ Valley Ranch training complex meeting team officials and coaches while his agent negotiated a deal that could land the star in Dallas.
This is only possible, if we’re honest, because Hardy spent 15 games last season on the commissioner’s exempt list after the 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive end allegedly beat his girlfriend.
Domestic violence charges against Hardy were dismissed last month because his accuser, ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder, did not make herself available to help with the case, prosecutors said at the time.
Even though his appeal trial was eventually dismissed by a jury after a judge previously convicted him, Hardy is expected to serve a suspension at the start of the 2015 season.
It would surprise no one if he received a four- or six-game ban.
The Carolina Panthers had placed the franchise tag on Hardy last season, paying him $13.4 million. The NFL’s stance on domestic violence following the incident involving then-Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and his wife in an elevator persuaded Carolina to let the talented 26-year-old pass-rusher leave.
Now the Cowboys are reportedly on the verge of signing him, and their fan base seems giddy. It’s hilarious, if you think about it. Or sad, depending on your perspective.
A lot of folks seem to think DeMarco Murray is a bum because he took an offer worth $9 million more in guaranteed money than Dallas offered — something each of us would have done given the opportunity — but much of Cowboys Nation awaits Hardy with balloon bouquets and champagne toasts.
America prides itself on being a place where you’re innocent until proven guilty, which is a fairy tale. America is a place where the number of zeroes in your bank account determines the quality of your defense and, ultimately, your freedom.
There’s a difference between “innocent” and “not guilty.” It’s not what the prosecution knows. It’s what it can prove, and that’s OK. Our system, like any, has warts, but it’s among the best in the world.
That said, it’s silly for folks to say that since the charges were dropped, Hardy didn’t do anything. Google the police report and read it for yourself.
Instead of trying to justify Hardy’s alleged behavior, folks should just say they want the Cowboys to win and they don’t care who helps them do it.
In a much-told story around Valley Ranch, former scout Jim Garrett, who is Jason Garrett’s dad, once shouted during a draft meeting about Randy Moss: “Men, this is not the boy scouts! This is professional football.”
The reality is the Cowboys, like much of their fan base, just want to win. Two playoff wins since 1997 is hardly satisfying for this storied franchise. Hardy will help Dallas win.
Hardy had 11 sacks in 2012 and 15 in 2013. The Cowboys had just 27 sacks last season and struggled to consistently pressure quarterbacks.
That’s especially important in defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli’s scheme, because he has such disdain for blitzing. Creating pressure with a four-man rush is essential to the defense’s success.
If the Cowboys sign Hardy, then in nickel situations they could use Hardy and DeMarcus Lawrence at defensive end and Tyrone Crawford and Jeremy Mincey at tackle. Improve the pass rush, and the maligned secondary will become better.
Signing Hardy would also help the Cowboys in the draft. They could use their first-round pick on a cornerback or another defensive end, since Marinelli likes to rotate them, and use their second-round pick on a runner to replace Murray.
Everything starts with their ability to sign Hardy to a deal that gives him a salary commensurate with his talent but protects the Cowboys from future off-the-field issues that could affect his availability.
The NFL has always been about winning at all costs, because teams lose players and coaches get fired and families have to relocate.
It’s why a guy such as Hardy is getting another chance. It’s the American way.