How many clichd times do we hear professional athletes say I dont want to be the guy to let the team down? In a weeks span, two former Dallas Cowboy players have basically derailed any realistic shot of the Bears making the playoffs. In my opinion, they may have also answered some recent questions concerning Bears GM Jerry Angelos consideration of retirement. One Cowboy who the Bears signed is veteran running back, Marion Barber, who doesnt know his main assignment when executing the four minute offense. The other would be Bears wide receiver Sam Hurd who allegedly spent more time lining up drug deals than any effort exerted playing for the Bears. Honestly, you cant make this stuff up!
It was absolutely astonishing to witness the lack of awareness that Barber displayed last Sunday against the Broncos because I love the guy! He has always played physical and was a devastating blocker in Dallas on third downs, but the bigger question is why would Dallas draft the running back position on three different occasions with Barber on the roster? Just to remind Bears fans, Dallas drafted Felix Jones in the first round of 2008's draft, Tashard Choice also in 2008, and DeMarco Murray this past April. Dallas had already drafted Julius Jones in 2004 in the first round out of Notre Dame, the same year they drafted Barber. Why draft the position subsequently that high when Jones and Barber should have been coming into their prime?
Hurd is a completely different situation. I can speak from experience that you can be in the same building as a co-workerplayer and be shocked with what their life entails. I have had the opportunity to play with some great players. One of them was running back Bam Morris, prior to his stint with the Bears; I played with him in Pittsburgh. I believe head coach Bill Cowher, my teammates, and the Steelers organization loved the player, but hated the baggage. Bam ultimately spent time in federal prison for his transgressions. Bam has since come clean acknowledging how many teammates, coaches, and organizations he let down, but why is history repeating itself?
It begs the bigger question currently facing the NFL and its 32 organizations about protecting the brandshield of the NFL. Every team conducts its business differently concerning background checks, medical competitive advantage, and adding inherent risk which explains the success or failure of every NFL team. Organizations will take note of Hurd realizing they need to do even more.
The timeline suggests the Bears honestly did not know the transgressions of Hurd. This is with the help of former FBI agents employed by the NFL. But I will say this: the team may want to employ a higher integrated power specifically related to protecting the Bears brand so this debacle does not repeat itself again. Homeland Security! I will have to do more research on how Homeland Security is affiliated with the NFL, but I do know of universities that have been so proactive with Homeland Security in terms of background checks concerning employees; background checks so in-depth that on game day, they know every outsourced employee in their stadium. Many were denied. How do the Bears not know everything about an employee that is within the building seven days a week? Better yet, why is the organization letting the team and coaching staff down? Too clich, I guess.