Former Hoosier standout James Hardy’s recent incident with his father has drawn considerable media attention and a lot of criticism already from Hoosier fans who watched him dominate the Big Ten in college. In an article titled
“James Hardy: get it together,” IDS writer Ben Homrig went so far as to say “Hardy is quickly ruining his reputation as a Hoosier great and is shaping into the mold left by other players, such as Dallas defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones and former St. Louis running back Lawrence Phillips.”
Is Hardy "shaping into the mold" of Pacman Jones? I don't think so
Whoa now, really? Hardy hasn't had a picture-perfect career, but I don't think his track record warrants that type of comparison. He has some battery charges against him that were dropped and an argument with his father that doesn’t look like it will lead to any charges, and now he’s getting compared to a guy involved in a riot that featured a triple shooting and a player who was convicted for seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon in 2006? That’s completely ludicrous.
I don’t want to condone some of his past actions, the fact that he may have gotten physical with his father (“beating up” is a very subjective term), or the fact that he was carrying a gun, but from what I can see, the situation is exactly what Hardy said it was in a statement: “a misunderstanding,” and “blown out of proportion.”
What’s necessary to look at here is the context of Hardy’s family background. While I have no inside information, it’s well-known that Hardy didn’t have the support of his father (who was in prison) growing up. Many of us have no idea what this situation is like first-hand, but there are probably a lot of emotions involved, feelings that have built up over the years. From what it sounds like, the incident was an emotionally-charged argument that may have appeared to be more than it actually was to an outsider.
With how far Hardy has gone and how much fame and money he’s going to have soon, he is going to have to re-evaluate his past relationships, like many other players have (and have not; see Michael Vick) when jumping to the next level.
While his approach to dealing with some past situations could have been better, everyone is entitled to make mistakes. I think that this incident and the attention it has generated will be a good lesson for Hardy, and I believe that he will do what Jones and Phillips did not, and learn from it. He was in good standing at IU for much of his college career, and with so much more at stake here, he will adjust.
In the conclusion of his article, Homrig said, “C’mon, James. We are rooting for you.”
I believe that blowing this incident out of proportion and recklessly attacking Hardy’s character over a relatively small incident contradicts that notion. I may have to eat my words in the future, but I don’t see Hardy following the same path of some of his troubled peers.
More coverage:
Hardy cites mix-up, apologizes to fans | The Journal Gazette
James Hardy: get it together | Indiana Daily Student
Bills WR James Hardy Releases Statement Regarding Reported Altercation w/ Father | Bills Gab