After TMZ Sports released the video of Ray Rice punching his now-wife in an elevator, the Baltimore Ravens released the running back and shortly thereafter, the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely. Rice missed the first week of the NFL season as he was serving a two-game suspension.
Steven’s take:
Not sure what is more disturbing here. That the NFL could not get their hands on this video until it was released by TMZ or the fact that Ray Rice did not seemed all that concerned with the fact that he knocked out his fiancee and she was not moving at all? Rice tried to move her and when he could not lift her up, he just left her face down on the floor.
The league released the following statement to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport:
We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”
Well, that statement is also disturbing! How is it that one of the most powerful sports organizations in the world could not get their hands on a video that a internet entertainment tabloid was able to acquire so easily? If you did see and are saying you didn’t, your lying. If you didn’t see it and could not get it, your incompetent. Either way you slice it, the NFL does not come out looking very good.
The Ravens should also be held accountable. This was an organization that happily stood behind Rice and allowed him to use the team to hold a press conference with his wife to try and clear his name. This is a team that would have gladly started Rice in Week 3 had this video not surfaced.
Finally to Rice himself. This video is just disgraceful. He should not be allowed to play again and I hope and pray that he and his wife get all the help they need.
So he and his wife get what income, precisely?
So much for second chances in life, you made a mistake! Now go away and live in a box.
And no I don’t believe in hitting women but why isn’t the NFL following it’s own policy? 6 games for a first time offense? I’m sick of hearing about it already.
I’m all for him being cut and suspended. But the I don’t see how the video that was released changes what the nfl and the ravens thought happened. The nfl and the ravens had the chance to discipline him or cut him from the original decision and didn’t do it properly. And now there going from one extreme to another, on the basis of video of an incident, where they knew he knocked his girlfriend/wife out. What did they think happened? Did they think that he had somehow knocked her out in a “nicer” way?. It looks like the nfl screwed up the original decision, knew it, and are trying to cover there arse’s now with the video.
He deserve’s a long suspension but the nfl should have done it with the first suspension.
Ken, the policy is not a cut and dry 6 games for first offense. In the new policy, 6 games is the minimum offense for a 1st offense, but it can be more based on the evidence provided. Is the NFL being reactive right now, YES. But I think they got this one right.
I agree with you steve, but better late than never, right. They got it right in the end.
Agree with Steve largely. I’m not sure that the NFL process is/was good at all. They got their chance to punish, ballsed it up, then reacted with the amended policy following the outcry. I don’t think the NFL are in a position to change their punishment now that they’ve the video – which was surely just proving what was already implied and admitted.
Ravens ballsed it up also, but appear more contrite and genuine in their reaction this week.
Just to be clear – Ray Rice was wrong, and no defense. No issue in principle with indefinite suspension, cutting etc, but if you’re going to cling to principles and procedures, then you have to follow them – or at least stand up (again) and say why you were wrong and why you are making an example of someone.
2 good articles from (ultimately) the mothership:
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11494616/what-learned-ray-rice-case
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/what-does-it-take-to-get-roger-goodell-fired-2/