ESPN DALLAS' Jean-Jacques Taylor cites sources as saying that Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones met recently with DE Greg Hardy to “discuss the recent behavior,” and the conversation “focused on what Hardy can do personally to avoid creating negative issues for himself.” Jones said, “He is aware that everything he does -- his personality, his style, his enthusiasm -- it's all going to be interpreted negatively. If he's not aware of that, then he's hurting a lot of people.” Jones: “I think he really gets that. We certainly feel that way. He understands it, and he has agreed to really work on it” (ESPNDALLAS.com, 11/23).
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO: In San Jose, Tim Kawakami wrote with the 49ers placing QB Colin Kaepernick on season-ending IR, his career with the team is “essentially” over because “this is exactly what 49ers management has been hinting at for months now.” This is the “unofficial breakup announcement.” The franchise is on to whatever else CEO Jed York, GM Trent Baalke, coach Jim Tomsula and President Paraag Marathe “can brew up at QB, and won't that be exciting!” When the 49ers “get ready to dump somebody, they will always do it in the most awkward, self-defeating way possible.” Kawakami: “Yes, this is all comparable to what happened with Jim Harbaugh last season -- the whispers, the weird contractual dance, the 49ers squeezing and leaking so that Harbaugh and Kaepernick finally just wanted to get the hell out” (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 11/22).
PHISHER KING: In Miami, Adam Beasley wrote under the header, “Mike Tannenbaum Is King Of The Dolphins -- But, Confidants Insist, A Benevolent One.” Tannenbaum “acts as an advisor, not a commander.” He “does want to let as many voices in the building be heard as possible.” Tannenbaum said, “My job is, I’m big-picture overview. Every day is different. Some days, we’re looking at what grass to where we can improve analytics to the personnel department” (MIAMI HERALD, 11/22).
