Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy spoke for the first time since being convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend, but didn’t have much to say.
According to Bill Voth of Black and Blue Review, Hardy’s brief talk was arranged by the team’s PR staff, which told reporters he couldn’t talk about his legal situation, since he’s appealing his conviction.
Thus, Hardy offered several “I can’t answer that question” responses.
Asked if he had apologized to the team, he said: “I hate that I’ve been a distraction.”
There was then some attempt to market himself, which is as ridiculous as minimizing an arrest for hitting a woman and throwing her onto a bed full of guns to the catch-all category of “distractions.” Of course, Hardy also followed up his court appearance with a clumsy attempt at rapping in a Charlotte nightclub before camp, so that shouldn’t be a surprise. (The full transcript of the interview is here).
If there’s any remorse, there was no apparent sign of it. Frankly, the Panthers won’t have to worry about anything other than his ability to play, since they’re leaving any potential suspension to the league, and the league’s unlikely to act until he goes to a jury trial which will drag out beyond this season.
Thus, they get to pay him $13.1 million for the season, and then he’ll hit free agency again.