***Ray Rice---The Whole Video*** [Update: Ravens release Rice]

What a clusterfark by Goodell's inept NFL front office.

* shocking paltry 2 week slap on the wrist despite awful video showing RR dragging an unconscious woman out of the elevator
... Just HOW did these morons think she got that way?
... Contrast his unconcern vs how an NFL player who's knocked out on the field is cared for, BRUTAL

* NFL office displays deliberate "willful ignorance" in not insisting on acquiring the inside elevator video
...Tapes from lawyer, etc. easily could have been a condition of RR's re-instatement

* Lame ex post facto revision of punishment criteria (6 mos 1st offense, indefinite 2nd offense) after public outcry and I believe not just "coincidental" with rumors of inside elevator video surfacing

Why does RR get an indefinite suspension commensurate with a 2nd offense? Obviously it's a capricious moving target penalty swayed by NFL front office reaction to public outcry. By their own revised standards, he should get a 6 game suspension, not indefinite.

Zeus said:

Goodell and the owners do not get to decide whether the public's reaction is ridiculous or not. In this instance, the owners' opinion does not matter at all.

Fans are under no obligation to be fair or rational. They have complete, unquestioned freedom to turn off their TVs or stop buying tickets for any reason at any time.

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Yes they do. And the people whining and complaining the loudest about this issue won't be doing that.

And the NFL knows it.

SB39 said:

Yes they do. And the people whining and complaining the loudest about this issue won't be doing that.

And the NFL knows it.

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I think you are right to an extent. The TMZ video is a smoking gun. The NFL believes they have a bullet-proof product. Now we'll find out.

Good take down of Peter King on this issue

Peter King Needs To Turn The Finger-Wag On Himself For Once - Boston Sports Media Watch

Peter King said:

There is one other thing I did not write or refer to, and that is the other videotape the NFL and some Ravens officials have seen, from the security camera inside the elevator at the time of the physical altercation between Rice and his fiancée. I have heard reports of what is on the video, but because I could not confirm them and because of the sensitivity of the case, I never speculated on the video in my writing, because I don’t think it is fair in an incendiary case like this one to use something I cannot confirm with more than one person. I cannot say any more, because I did not see the tape. I saw only the damning tape of Rice pulling his unconscious fiancée out of the elevator.

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mayoclinic said:

I think you are right to an extent. The TMZ video is a smoking gun. The NFL believes they have a bullet-proof product. Now we'll find out.

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Well they certainly didn't suffer this past weekend. Granted the video came out after the weekend, but people aren't going to tune out. I sure know where I'll be Sunday at 1:00.

SVN said:

Good take down of peter king on this issue
http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2014/09/peter-king-needs-to-turn-the-finger-wag-on-himself-for-once

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Good article, but I think it applies pretty much to the entire media, not just Peter King, especially the following quote:

"He somehow has come to believe that he is a moral arbiter of society, taking people to task for failures in their own lives and professions."

SB39 said:

Yes they do. And the people whining and complaining the loudest about this issue won't be doing that.

And the NFL knows it.

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So the league should ignore it until it goes away and then give Roger a huge raise because everything turned out okay? Sounds like business as usual to me.

Just curious - what exactly are people "whining and complaining" about?


It's a pretty cynical thing to say that this will blow over because people love football. You can add it to the list of screw-ups that nobody cares about. But there's no guarantee that what works in the short run will work in the long run.

By the way, just to clarify, my original point is that the public is entitled to their opinion. The NFL can choose to listen or not. My guess is that - at least today - they are paying very close attention.

SVN said:

Good take down of peter king on this issue
http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2014/09/peter-king-needs-to-turn-the-finger-wag-on-himself-for-once

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Jason Whitlock fesses up, and call's for Goodell's head:

Jason Whitlock on latest Ray Rice developments - ESPN

Jason Whitlock said:

Goodell elected himself the league's top cop. Is he Barney Fife? Did he not talk to the police or hotel security personnel who saw the tape?

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mayoclinic said:

Jason Whitlock fesses up, and call's for Goodell's head:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11488363/jason-whitlock-latest-ray-rice-developments

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But now the consequences need to be much worse and more far-reaching. It's no longer just about Ray Rice. It's about addressing the culture that allowed and/or orchestrated Rice sitting next to Janay as she apologized for her role in Ray sucker-punching her for no reason.

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Spot on.

Haley said:

Spot on.

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As I said, it's about the cover up (explicit or implicit) at this point, not the original misdeed. And it's become an issue about the integrity of the "guardians of the game".

Uncle Rico said:

Janay Rice breaks her silence, describes situation as 'horrible nightmare' - baltimoresun.com

Janay is upset at .. the media and the public:

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A nice read from CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, which discusses another somewhat similar case:

When husbands beat up their wives, that is not a matter that should be resolved within the family. It is a crime to be resolved by the legal system. In cases of domestic violence, the question is often raised whether the victim will "press charges." But it's not victims who press charges in this country, it's the state.

It's not up to victims to decide whether their husbands should be prosecuted. Abusers damage the community, not just the women they assault. Whether the Rices and Fullers stay married is their business; but whether Ray Rice and Judge Mark Fuller committed crimes should be a question for prosecutors, and ultimately, juries to decide.

Unfortunately, it looks like the prosecutors failed in Atlantic City and Atlanta. The sweet deals for these two prominent defendants cannot be undone; the double jeopardy clause of the Constitution forbids it. All the rest of us can do is hope that the next prominent man who beats up his wife doesn't get off as easy.

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Opinion: Wife-beating is not a private matter - CNN

I suggest people read the full article.

SF columnist Ann Killion also calls for Goodell's resignation, and notes:

This is what victims of domestic violence face, especially when they have a famous abuser. It’s difficult to get a conviction or charges filed under any circumstances. But the Rice standard seems to be that the abuse must be on videotape and released by TMZ before action is taken?

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Ray Rice is gone, Roger Goodell should be too - SFGate

mayoclinic said:

As I said, it's about the cover up (explicit or implicit) at this point, not the original misdeed. And it's become an issue about the integrity of the "guardians of the game".

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What I liked in particular was the addition of the word 'culture' into the conversation. That leads someplace far more ugly than an issue of honesty and implies compliance with a trend which we all know has existed in the league for a long time.

Zeus said:

It's a pretty cynical thing to say that this will blow over because people love football.

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I agree it's a cynical thing to say. It is also an accurate thing to say. It's the media's outrage du jour. Eventually they'll move on to the next thing.

Deadspin put together a snippet of opinions and statements about the Ray Rice before this latest video and it's really an indication of how difficult it is for our female equals to make any headway on this issue when our (us men) attitude supports these types of statements.

http://deadspin.com/whose-idiotic-ray-rice-comments-look-especially-awful-t-1632033541

I'm not crusading but went through these comments and really felt like these statements were foolish and one of the reasons why this subject remains so difficult for women when these statements exist in mainstream media.

mayoclinic said:

A nice read from CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, which discusses another somewhat similar case:



http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/09/opinion/toobin-wife-beating-not-a-private-matter/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

I suggest people read the full article.

SF columnist Ann Killion also calls for Goodell's resignation, and notes:



http://blog.sfgate.com/killion/2014/09/08/ray-rice-gone-goodell-should-be-too/

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My thoughts:

1. Survivors often do have say in how the legal aspect of a DV case goes, because the prosecutors inquire about what they want to have happen.

2. The facts of this case are severe but also are by no means the most chilling of which I have seen, and also, this level of perpetrator sometimes does not serve any jail time, a plea arrangement is usually the outcome. I agree with the posters who note that people should not be shocked that visuals of DV are chilling.

3. By Ray getting cut, if my math and cap comprehension are correct, Janay loses about $10 Million (half of the remainder of the earnable contract, which she could recoup if they divorced). Or, to put it another way, after getting brutalized, she loses the lottery. This outcome doesn't seem just.

4. I wonder if Janay, who is after all the aggrieved party, preferred this case to be rugswept publicly so that she could reap the financial benefits of marrying Ray. And if this was what was actually happening until TMZ blew their life apart. And if RG and the NFL, scummy though they are, are not defending her through this but not saying that they were following her wishes.

5. I would much rather have seen Ray come forth and confess, retain his job, seek treatment and complete it successfully, and then do the round of contrition, than this outcome.

SB39 said:

Yes they do. And the people whining and complaining the loudest about this issue won't be doing that.

And the NFL knows it.

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Huh?


"Whining and complaining?"


What I see are people calling bullsh.t at a moment where bullsh.t really needs to be called and it is as far from whining and complaining as it gets. Goodell is a liar and a truly lousy commissioner and even though there is really no chance the owners will dump him those calling for just that are right.

Richard Camembert said:

My thoughts:

1. Survivors often do have say in how the legal aspect of a DV case goes, because the prosecutors inquire about what they want to have happen.

2. The facts of this case are severe but also are by no means the most chilling of which I have seen, and also, this level of perpetrator sometimes does not serve any jail time, a plea arrangement is usually the outcome. I agree with the posters who note that people should not be shocked that visuals of DV are chilling.

3. By Ray getting cut, if my math and cap comprehension are correct, Janay loses about $10 Million (half of the remainder of the earnable contract, which she could recoup if they divorced). Or, to put it another way, after getting brutalized, she loses the lottery. This outcome doesn't seem just.

4. I wonder if Janay, who is after all the aggrieved party, preferred this case to be rugswept publicly so that she could reap the financial benefits of marrying Ray. And if this was what was actually happening until TMZ blew their life apart. And if RG and the NFL, scummy though they are, are not defending her through this but not saying that they were following her wishes.

5. I would much rather have seen Ray come forth and confess, retain his job, seek treatment and complete it successfully, and then do the round of contrition, than this outcome.

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Couldn't disagree more. Janay chose to marry a man who knocks women out, that was her sh.tty decision and what is far more important is the bone chilling message this is sending to all professional athletes about what will happen to their careers and money if they choose to do something as reprehensible as what Rice did. Other than the most ignorant every athlete out there is going to draw their fists back and punch the wall instead of their women in the future. Thanks TMZ, you have done everyone a great service by forcing the right action that sends the right message about future acts like these.

Uncle Rico said:

Janay Rice breaks her silence, describes situation as 'horrible nightmare' - baltimoresun.com

Janay is upset at .. the media and the public:

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So Janay, how many beatings will it take for you to get the point? I hope you get the help you deserve Janay.

You know what the end result was for this guy?
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/jets-fan-punched-woman-due-court-article-1.1514734

I read in the Sage Rosenfels column that the commissioner gets paid 44 million dollars a year! Wow.