Anyone else surprised no one else took a chance on Hardy and/or Gregory?

ThoughtExperiment · Jun 29, 2015

I am. I'm very surprised. What are the real consequences to signing troubled players? Not much, aside from a little PR hit at first. But once the season starts, fans don't care.

And what's the commissioner really going to do? If anything, it seems like Goodell has lost some power when it comes to long suspensions as the NFLPA finally stands up to him.

It's almost like all the other teams were afraid of something when it comes to these talented players, but I can't figure out what it was.

bbgun · Jun 29, 2015

Was even more surprised the Colts didn't make a run at Collins. Luck is hammered almost every time he drops back to pass.

Doomsday · Jun 29, 2015

ThoughtExperiment said:
It's almost like all the other teams were afraid of something when it comes to these talented players, but I can't figure out what it was.

Can only hope they didn't know more than we did.

Bob Sacamano · Jun 29, 2015

Regarding Collins. Teams now are so sensitive to troubled athletes and having them on their roster that they spooked themselves away from him.

Gregory probably doesn't last much longer in the draft.

Idk how long Hardy would have been unsigned if we hadn't started negotiations.

peplaw06 · Jun 29, 2015

I'm not surprised no one else touched Hardy. Gregory was a bit more surprising, but not too crazy that he made it halfway down the 2nd round. The biggest shocker IMO is that no one took the chance to even waste a 7th rounder on Collins. Guess everyone but us knew about Throatzilla.

ThoughtExperiment · Jun 29, 2015

^ I thought that was why we did get him, because only Jerry could hook him up with Throatzilla.

But why are you not surprised no one else touched Hardy? Don't you think we got our little PR hit (very minor), we'll get another one when he comes back, but in the end it won't really matter?

And even if he screws up, we're protected with the contract. Not like Goodell ever carried through with that threat a few years ago to start penalizing teams with losing draft picks, etc. for bad behavior.

Same thing with Gregory, really, though there I can see where you're at least risking a draft pick if he can't stay clean.

peplaw06 · Jun 29, 2015

The Cowboys are unique in that we can withstand more than most teams on the bad PR front. We're known to take on bad apples and the franchise is just an institution... not going to affect the bottom line much even if there's a decent campaign against us for signing wife-beaters. I think we could even deal with Ray Rice. The only difference between the two of them is that there's a video of the Rice incident. Yeah, a pretty big difference, but at least he accepted responsibility and has his wife's support, unlike Hardy. I think we all know what Hardy did, he just fought it and got off on a technicality.

Doomsday · Jun 29, 2015

peplaw06 said:
I think we all know what Hardy did, he just fought it and got off on a technicality.

"Technicality" in the form of, paying off the victim. Hush money.

I know, not like it doesn't happen quite a bit anyway.

ThoughtExperiment · Jun 29, 2015

Pep, I don't think we have any special ability to withstand bad PR. If anything, we're going to get more bad PR than other, lower-profile teams because we're so newsworthy, good and bad.

I think Jerry just made a decision that we aren't going to care about the PR, because it really doesn't matter when the rubber hits the road. Does it really make a difference if it's on NBC News or Yahoo or Sportscenter that we hired Hardy? How many fans really cancel season tickets because of it? Probably practically none. And more will buy them if his talent helps us win games.

I'm just surprised more owners haven't come to the same conclusion. Maybe they will once they see that it's working for us.

peplaw06 · Jun 29, 2015

ThoughtExperiment said:
Pep, I don't think we have any special ability to withstand bad PR.

Well... I'm thinking more like the "America's Team," "most valuable franchise in America," type of ability to withstand bad PR. I don't think any amount of bad PR will take this franchise down. Hell, we had the worst GM in football running the franchise into the ground for 20 years, and the franchise valuation just keep inflating.

I certainly don't think it's anything Jones does... other than maybe being of the (correct) mindset that as far as the Cowboys are concerned, there really is no bad publicity.

ZeroClub · Jun 30, 2015

Not sure that PR hits to the Cowboys come at an economic cost to the Cowboys.

The Vikings lost sponsors with AD's issues last year. Anyone think that would have happened in Dallas?

Dallas signed Hardy and not much happened outside of initial negative press. Not sure the Vikings could have done the same.

It could be the "America's Team" thing. It could be that the more sensitive sponsors already avoid the Cowboys. It could be Texas's general defiance of PC trends. Or some combination of these and other factors.

Bob Sacamano · Jun 30, 2015

Well, I don't think the market for Viking gear is as big as the one for Cowboys' merchandise. The Cowboys are a cash cow to sponsors.

Hoofbite · Jul 1, 2015

Not surprised at all with Hardy. Every team knew he was going to be suspended, and if he fucks up once more he's probably not playing at all this year and maybe ever again.

What a fucking headache it's been to hear all the pissing and moaning.

dbair1967 · Jul 1, 2015

ThoughtExperiment said:
I am. I'm very surprised. What are the real consequences to signing troubled players? Not much, aside from a little PR hit at first. But once the season starts, fans don't care.

And what's the commissioner really going to do? If anything, it seems like Goodell has lost some power when it comes to long suspensions as the NFLPA finally stands up to him.

It's almost like all the other teams were afraid of something when it comes to these talented players, but I can't figure out what it was.

Pretty sure some other teams (Tampa, Seattle, maybe one or two others) had at least some interest in Hardy.

As for Gregory, players drop in the draft all the time. Some teams remove guys entirely, some teams decide to take someone else they might like a little less but that doesn't have the red flag. We picked him towards the end of the 2nd, it doesn't mean no other team in the league would have touched him. Seattle picked Frankle Clarke right after we took Gregory, I think had we passed on him Seattle would have taken him instead of Clarke.

Anyone else surprised no one else took a chance on Hardy and/or Gregory?

ThoughtExperiment

Quality Starter

bbgun

Administrator

Doomsday

High Plains Drifter

Bob Sacamano

All-Pro

peplaw06

2

ThoughtExperiment

Quality Starter

peplaw06

2

Doomsday

High Plains Drifter

ThoughtExperiment

Quality Starter

peplaw06

2

ZeroClub

2

Bob Sacamano

All-Pro

Hoofbite

Draft Pick

dbair1967

Administrator