The NFL is a financially successful business that continues to grow at a rapid pace. The league brought in $7.3 billion dollars in revenue during the 2014-2015 season and shared it among the 32 teams. Each team received $226.4 million, which is an increase of 21 percent from the previous year. That’s an awful lot of money to wrap our heads around. Among these teams are the Dallas Cowboys. They have been deemed “America’s Team” despite not winning a Super Bowl since 1995.
Team owner Jerry Jones and the “Boys” are media superstars even if they posted a 0-16 record. Positive or negative attention, the team will have national televised games on Sundays or Monday nights.
Lately the team has been in the media spot light for all the wrong reasons. On Mar 18 signed defensive end Greg Hardy to a one-year deal worth up to 13.1 million with incentive. All the money is non-guaranteed and must be earned. What makes this more than a regular football transaction is Hardy was arrested on May 13 2014 on misdemeanor charges of assault. 24-year-old cocktail waitress Nicole Holder, Hardy’s girlfriend alleged that Hardy threw her on a couch covered with assault weapons. According to her he had 25 to 30 firearms including Ak-47s.
Hardy was demanded to surrender his firearm. Then in July he was found guilty of assault and his attorney, Chris Fialko, said he would appeal. Not only did Hardy alleged commit domestic violence but also he had a ton of firearms. These things just don’t add up.
After playing one game for the Carolina Panthers he was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List due to these issues. He was still being paid to stay away. What a nice thing to have.
Jerry Jones should have never signed a player who is going through all of these problems. The worst part of it all is the comments made by Mr. jones following the 27-20 defeat to the New York Giants. In post-game press conference Jones called Hardy leader.
“Real leaders are really outstanding football players. So they get it done and through that they earn a great deal of respect by their teammates” Jones said.
Leaders have to be outstanding people to society as well. Being a leader isn’t only about on field ability, but conduct of it as well.
The Dallas Cowboys shouldn’t be endorsing Hardy no matter what his ability on the field is. The NFL has been in a similar type of situation previously with former All Pro Running Back Ray Rice’s situation.
The NFL made a complete mess of this. After being arrested and a video of Rice dragging then fiancé Janay Palmer from an Atlantic City Casino elevator surfaced, Ray Rice was given a two game suspension.
About two months later a video surfaces that showed Rice punching his wife. On that same day the Baltimore Ravens released him. Sports Illustrated journalist Peter King reported that the NFL did see the entire video of the incident. Seems like the NFL tried to sweep this incident under the rug and make it all better with a two game suspension.
A month later Goodell admitted the league handled the situation wrongly. A new domestic violence policy was endorsed where a whopping six-game suspension would be given, which could be longer depending on circumstances.
Six games with out pay is the punishment for any player that is involved in domestic violence or sexual assault. For a player making, 13.1 million a season how much finical damage could that do? This is similar to a child being put on time out for a few hours after bullying and punching someone on a playground. A six game suspension out of 16 games is only 37.5 percent of the season. Significantly less than half! The punishment just doesn’t seem to fit the crime.
Cheating in no way shape or form should be allowed, especially in sports. New England Quarterback Tom Brady was handed a four game suspension for allegedly being apart of what become known as “Deflate Gate.” The NFL launched an investigation into whether the Brady and the Patriots had knowledge of playing with under deflated footballs in the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts, which is against the rules. A massive shockwave of reports began to arise. The media would cover this story for what seemed like forever. Brady appealed his suspension. Goodell even said he would serve as the arbiter in Brady’s appeal. The entire case was even heard in a courtroom in New York City.
When Hardy had his suspension lowered from 10 games to four games, Harold Henderson was the arbiter in this case.
From the time the Patriots were accused of cheating to Brady winning his appeal to nullify the suspension, lasted about seven months. For seven months everything spoken on the NFL was about deflated balls.
Some of this may have to do with Brady being a superstar of the league; however, this is beyond ridiculous. Domestic violence is a very dark and negative topic to discuses, but is one that needs to be heard. There has to be a better way to deal with this issue. The NFL is a violate game that leads to many players having concussion and possibly brain damage for the rest of their lives. Get rid of the NFL? How could I even say such a thing! The league made 7.3 billion dollars in revenue.
The NFL could start by banishing players such as Hardy and Rice forever. Does this fix the problem of domestic violence in the league? Not necessarily, but it’s a start. The league needs to send a message to future violators. One offense and your NFL career become sacked. Leaders are not only produced on the gridiron but off the field as well.
