Hardy Boy
The Bills said they did their research and were "very comfortable" with James Hardy when they drafted him last month. And maybe the big wideout from Indiana will prove to be a model citizen and impact player. But it's troubling, at the very least, to hear that Hardy was accused of pulling a gun on his father during an argument back in Indiana.
Two weeks ago, in a News story, Hardy said his troubles were behind him and he was looking for a new beginning in Buffalo. We'll see. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, but you have to wonder about a guy who's packing a firearm while chatting with the old man in the backyard. I'm sorry, I don't buy the notion that every pro athlete needs to carry a gun for his own protection.
I'm also done with the notion that the Bills have such a high standard for the character of their players. They gave Anthony Hargrove too many chances because they needed help at defensive end. They traded for Marcus Stroud, who was suspended by the NFL last year for substance abuse, because they needed help stopping the run. And they drafted Hardy, who had a checkered past, because they needed a receiver. I'm not saying the Bills are evil. But they should stop pretending they're on some higher moral ground.
More on this in Thursday's column.
