PREPARE FOR THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEAST.

A reprint is presented of an article published in the March 10, 2014 issue of the periodical "Sports Illustrated" on Greg Hardy, a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers team in the National Football League (NFL). The Panthers decision to sign Hardy to a $12.4 million contract for 2014 and seek a longer contract is considered in relationship to Hardy's improvement as a player in 2012-2013 after an erratic career in college and in his first seasons in the NFL.