This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Terry Bradshaw and Jim Nantz expressed strong opinions about Dallas Cowboys defensive end/girlfriend abuser Greg Hardy on Sunday. Phil Simms was so wishy-washy he came off as a Hardy apologist.

And Bill Cowher demonstrated why sometimes journalism should be left to journalists.

On Fox, Bradshaw showed no tolerance for Hardy, who returned to the field after a four-game suspension after he was convicted of beating up his then-girlfriend. (He appealed and the charges were dismissed when Hardy reached a settlement — paid off — his ex-girlfriend.)

"Anybody that lays a hand on a woman, I don't care who you are … you never come back in this league," Bradshaw said. "But Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in his desperation to get a pass rusher said, 'You know what, America? Cowboys fans? He's alright. He's a good boy and we're going to get him all straightened out over here.' "

And Bradshaw called Jones as "an enabler," adding, "This is wrong. We have no place for this and I'm actually tired of talking about the Hardys of the world. I seriously hope that eventually we never have a place in the NFL for people that strike women."

During the telecast of the Cowboys-Patriots game, Nantz pointed out that Hardy "talks to the media this week and says these absolutely outrageous, unrepentant remarks. You talk to some people in Dallas and they thought, 'Well hey, the guy was just trying to be funny'. There was nothing funny about it.

"With his suspension reduced, you thought you might see some contrition with him when he met with the media this week. But it was anything but that."

Amazingly, there are some accusing both Bradshaw and Simms of piling on. Of taking unnecessary shots at Hardy.

Really? We should just move on from domestic violence? Forgive and forget?

Appalling.

And Nantz's broadcast booth partner, Simms, embarrassed himself with rambling comments that are hard to take as anything but a defense of Hardy.

"Here's the point, Jim — everybody deserves a second chance," Simms said. "I understand all of that. But if he wasn't borderline — I mean, he can be a great player in the NFL. Would he still be out there if he wasn't such a dynamic player? Because make no mistake about it, Greg Hardy — [if] this team is healthy — is good enough to turn this team into a Super Bowl contender. I think that's how good he is."

It was sort of good ol' boys circling of the wagons — that being a good football player outweighs all else.

As for Cowher, his interview with Jones was also embarrassing. Cowher was a great coach; he's a fine football analyst. But the softball interview should have set off alarm bells at CBS Sports — that it was allowed to air is a black eye for what are alleged to be sports journalists.

Cowher began by fawning over Jones, praising him for giving players "second chances." Because, you know, signing Hardy was a humanitarian move, not an attempt to win games.

Cowher didn't even raise the issue of Jones' actions being seen as "a way of condoning domestic violence" — Jones himself used those words before insisting it's not true. "I have a complete sensitivity toward domestic violence."

As for Hardy, "I know he needs us. He's our teammate," Jones said.

And … no follow-up questions from untrained Cowher.

It was just plain bad.

Scott D. Pierce covers TV for The Salt Lake Tribune. Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.