In a wide-ranging Q&A, Michael Florek of The Dallas Morning News spoke with Cowboys linebacker Keith Smith and even worked in a Tinder pickup line as a question. When asked whether he’d rather fight a horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses, Smith had an interesting take.
“Oh that’s tough. I’d probably say a horse-sized duck because you know what’s right in front of you. You know what you’re going to get. It is what it is. It ain’t got no arms. It’s got some wings, but it is what it is.”
While you ponder that conundrum, here’s more out of Dallas:
- In an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter), Cowboys COO Stephen Jones was asked about the behavior of star defensive end Greg Hardy. “Internally I don’t think Greg Hardy is a problem. He’s not perfect, there’s things he has to work on,” Jones said. Hardy, who sat out the bulk of the 2014 season and part of the 2015 season, has come under additional fire in recent weeks after pictures of badly bruised ex-girlfriend Nicole Holder surfaced.
- In an op-ed for USA Today, NFLPA Assistant Executive Director of External Affairs George Atallah responded to the criticisms of USA Today columnist Christine Brennan regarding their handling of Hardy. Brennan put some heat on the NFLPA, questioning their support of the Cowboys star. Attalah makes the case that the NFLPA had an obligation to stand up for Hardy’s rights under the CBA, even if the incident was an ugly one.
- After giving Brandon Weeden multiple opportunities to show what he could do, Jones told SiriusXM NFL Radio (Twitter link) that the team just didn’t see a future for the quarterback in Dallas. Weeden, 32, entered the season as Tony Romo’s backup, and looked good in relief of the injured starter in Week 2, completing all seven of his passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, as Dallas secured a 20-10 win over the Eagles. However, Weeden was up and down in his next three starts, throwing just one touchdown in those games, as the Cowboys lost all three. Eventually, Weeden lost the temporary starting gig to veteran Matt Cassel. On Wednesday, he was scooped up by the Texans.
The NFLPA are a bunch of hacks. The NFL hands down penalties and the NFLPA stands behind their players all the time. Regardless of what they do including beating women senseless. Then the typical NFL fan criticizes the commissioner with clearly no understanding of the process. The NFLPA stands behind a shield of “gee were a union. We’re obligated to defend thugs.” No they’re not. They could enter into an agreement with the NFL on certain issues like beating the crap out of women. Just because they’re a union does not give them the an obligation to support abusers. Let’s face it. The only reason the NFL is happy dealing with the NFLPA is because they win every time when it comes to money. I especially love it when the NFLPA condemns the NFL for the Commissioner taking some action that THEY negotiated away in the last contract between the players and the league. These people are getting off easy. If the players had any brains they’d dump them.
“They could enter into an agreement with the NFL on certain issues like beating the crap out of women.”
There are guidelines regarding domestic violence in place and they were ramped up after the Ray Rice incident.
As a union, they have to defend the players’ rights to the fullest. I imagine that they will be open to ramping up the penalties associated with domestic violence charges during the next CBA talks, but probably not without getting something else in return. Perhaps taking marijuana off of league drug tests? (only speculating)
“Internally I don’t think Greg Hardy is a problem.”
Hardy’s under heavy scrutiny and has still managed to get in fights with coaches and teammates, and he just missed a team meeting. If he’s not an internal problem, I don’t know who is. Too bad Cowboys bigwigs can’t just speak the truth: “He’s a deplorable human being, but he sure can rush the passer.”
The Cowboys falling out of the race would give them a nice excuse to rid themselves of Hardy, he of no dead money on a one-year deal. This swarm of bad press could become insurmountable as these comments escalate. “He’s not perfect; he’s got things to work on,” is a borderline offensive understatement given his behavior this season on the heels of those career-defining absences.
Agreed, Sam, and I wouldn’t even say “borderline” — Jerry Jones seems to have lost all sense of what is acceptable some time ago.