Cowboys DE Greg Hardy has been "suspended for the first 10 games of the season for conduct detrimental to the NFL in violation of the personal conduct policy," according to a front-page piece by David Moore of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. A source said that Hardy "plans to appeal" immediately. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a letter informed Hardy that the investigation concluded that he "used physical force against his former girlfriend, Nicole Holder, in at least four instances." Goodell stated that "in his view, the length of the suspension was appropriate under any version of the personal conduct policy or its predecessors." Moore reports Goodell’s decision also "directs Hardy to obtain a clinical evaluation from a qualified professional that he chooses." If counseling or treatment "is recommended, he must comply with those recommendations and allow the NFL to monitor his compliance and follow-up care." This was Goodell's "first chance in a domestic abuse ruling to 'get it right'" since the Ray Rice scandal last year (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/23). In N.Y., Ken Belson notes Hardy "can appeal his suspension" within three days, but players "have had a poor record of winning those appeals, in part because they are often heard" by NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson. One exception came this year when a federal judge ruled that Henderson "was not an independent arbitrator and vacated the suspension" of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson (N.Y. TIMES, 4/23). NBC's Mike Florio noted Hardy was on the Commissioner's List the final 15 games of the '14 season, and said, "When you consider that no player that I can think of has been suspended 25 games for an off-field issue unrelated to drug use, that becomes something that will be vulnerable on appeal." However, he added the NFL likely “doesn’t care if it wins” the appeal because the league “wants to come out strong from a PR standpoint on the issue of domestic violence” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 4/22).
TOUGH ENOUGH: USA TODAY's Christine Brennan writes Goodell handed out "one of the toughest penalties for domestic violence in U.S. sports history." Justice "was served ... at least on the football field," and the "strong action taken by the league should serve as a precedent for all sports organizations dealing with domestic violence" (USA TODAY, 4/23). THE MMQB's Peter King writes this is "something the NFL had to do, or it would have been accused of not backing up its new policies with legitimate action." Whether the league "wins or loses this on appeal, a message has been sent." The new policy "puts teeth into rulings on domestic violence cases that didn’t exist before" (MMQB.SI.com, 4/23). ESPN’s Mark Schlereth said, "There has to be consequences when you act the way Greg Hardy did.” The NFL had to “send a message that says, ‘Listen, if you guys act like this you’re going to be dealt with.’” ESPN’s Jeff Saturday: "Commissioner Goodell is trying to set precedent” (“NFL Live,” ESPN, 4/22). In N.Y., Gary Myers writes Goodell is "trying to send a strong message that domestic violence is no longer being punished less severely than a player getting caught smoking pot." He now may be "criticized for overstepping his bounds, but you can't have it both ways." Goodell "didn’t go easy on Hardy." There is "only one way to get through to these creeps: Take them off the field and take money out of their pockets" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/23).
GOING ON NOTICE: ESPNW.com's Jane McManus wrote the 10-game suspension -- which Goodell "carefully said would be appropriate under either policy -- puts NFL teams on notice." McManus: "You may take a risk on a player like Hardy ... but it won't always pay off." This "sends a message to the league about penalties going forward," and the NFL's days of "looking the other way in instances of domestic violence are thankfully over" (
ESPNW.com, 4/22). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel writes, "We don't say this much but good for Goodell." This "had to happen," and someone "had to do something." Engel: "This is now a post Ray Rice video world, and the league will use extreme prejudice on such rulings" (
STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 4/22). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes suspending Hardy for 10 games "is a good look" for a league "determined to change its track record for dealing with domestic violence." Bell: "You can't blame the NFL for taking a stand with this discipline." But the NFL and Goodell, for "all of their suddenly enlightened efforts in addressing domestic violence issues, can surely be blamed for being in its current position." If the NFL "had not been so week in issuing discipline for domestic violence cases for many years on Goodell's watch, the standards and precedents would not need to be set now" (
USA TODAY, 4/23).
WON'T BACK DOWN: YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Adelson wrote the league made a "necessary statement" with Hardy's suspension. NFL Special Council for Investigations Lisa Friel is "clearly unafraid of aggressive fact-finding in her new role." She also is "unafraid of waiting on a conviction to act." The NFL is "finally...following through on its mission to keep to standards above and beyond toeing the legal line." There is "due process, and there is the process due someone who has been harmed by a member of the NFL." It seems Friel "is someone who can be trusted to understand both" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/22). NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said, "This is the new NFL. No longer do they simply rely on law enforcement. If they did in this case, Greg Hardy's case was dismissed and likely he would face minimal punishment. But that is not the case anymore. Instead, the NFL conducted its own investigation, drew its own conclusions” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 4/22).
MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION: ESPN's Mike Greenberg said the NFL's "admitted mishandling" of the Rice case last year "may wind up in a bigger picture being the best thing that ever happened because it cast such a light on the problem that has led to an enormous amount of attention, enormous amount of scrutiny." Greenberg: "The one question is, ‘Did it lead to an unreasonable penalty in this particular case?’” ESPN's Mike Golic: "The league obviously felt there were mitigating circumstances to go above six games. ... . It's not that hard to figure out. Six games for a first offense. Mitigating circumstances, they can go more or less.” He added, “Everybody yelled at Roger Goodell and the league for not making the stand against Ray Rice, and they were wrong and they admitted they were wrong. Now, all of a sudden they makes a stand on the new policy at 10 games and it’s like, ‘Oh, my god, he has too much power.’ What do you want? The guy beat a girl” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 4/23).
