With the Ray Rice case dominating the NFL’s atmosphere, it’s easy to overreact to related situations league-wide that involve alleged domestic violence incidents. And that’s simply not fair.
The league’s domestic violence policy has already been hardened by commissioner Roger Goodell, making it so that first-time violators of the policy are suspended six games, with recidivists facing a potential lifetime ban. That’s good. But we can’t get carried away and start punishing players who — unlike Rice — haven’t confessed to their crimes and also have yet to have their day in actual court.
That’s the case with Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy, who was found guilty by a judge of assaulting and threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend but is appealing in front of a jury.
Despite public pressure, the Panthers insist that Hardy will suit up until he’s officially been found guilty, which is perfectly fair. Frankly, it’s surprising the collective bargaining agreement between league ownership and the NFLPA allows teams and/or the league to punish players for crimes that they’ve yet to be found fully guilty of. That’s a dangerous precedent set by Goodell with Ben Roethlisberger, and it’s one that should be forgotten.
It’s not hurting anyone for Hardy to play now. If indeed he’s guilty, he’ll be hit hard by the league and maybe even the team. But we can’t celebrate a strong democracy on a national-political level and then encourage dictatorial tendencies within workplaces.
I know it can be frustrating to know that there’s a strong chance a girlfriend-beating buffoon is out there making millions of dollars and acting — arguably — as a role model, but we just have to be patient and allow the judicial system to serve its purpose.
