Baltimore Ravens Release Ray Rice

blacbird

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Well, we'll see, Timer. While I agree with your assessment of what has happened in the past, mesuspects that at least some degree of alterations are now arising, relative to personal conduct and domestic violence in particular. How Ray Rice's conduct is handled will reveal a lot. The time's they are a-changin', it appears. And it isn't just the NFL (google Donald Sterling). I'm going to adopt a role I'm very poor at here, and express a modicum of optimism.

Stay tuned.

caw
 

William Haskins

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the fact that he will walk away from this without being charged by the justice system is the bigger travesty.
 

Shadow Dragon

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the fact that he will walk away from this without being charged by the justice system is the bigger travesty.
Yeah, this. Say what you want about the NFL, but it's a private industry looking out for it's own good. The legal system on the other hand, that's just flat out inexcusable. There's now flat out proof that he straight up hit her and knocked her out. No little drunken shove, but a full punch. So, where's the cops?
 

nighttimer

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Well, we'll see, Timer. While I agree with your assessment of what has happened in the past, mesuspects that at least some degree of alterations are now arising, relative to personal conduct and domestic violence in particular. How Ray Rice's conduct is handled will reveal a lot. The time's they are a-changin', it appears. And it isn't just the NFL (google Donald Sterling). I'm going to adopt a role I'm very poor at here, and express a modicum of optimism.

Stay tuned.

caw

Tell me something, blacbird.

Do you really believe the NFL never saw the video of Rice punching out his fiancee before TMZ released the video to the world?

If so, could I interest you in some oceanfront property in the desert?

In February, witnesses told Deadspin that Ray Rice threw an “uppercut” and struck her “like he [would punch] a guy.” Take my word for it that that’s what occurred.

As a result of this second tape, the Ravens terminated Rice’s contract Monday afternoon. Seemingly a microsecond later, the word came down that the NFL was suspending him indefinitely.


Here’s where the story gets awfully muddled, and whom you believe depends a great deal on what flavor of spin you find the most palatable. League officials, of course, are claiming that the second tape was news to them. “We requested from law enforcement all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator,” said Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the NFL. “That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.”


Of course, as Think Progress’s Travis Waldron writes, “according to reports from Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, and others, both the police and the NFL had seen this video too.” (King has since backtracked on his story.)


TMZ’s Harvey Levin also said his site will release news Tuesday that the NFL knew about the Rice video and turned a blind eye. If true, this is a cover-up of Nixonian proportions, and the question will become, “What did Roger Goodell know and when did he know it?”


Why, for example, wouldn’t the NFL use every ounce of leverage that America’s most popular and powerful sport possesses to pry the tape from the New Jersey police force? If NFL officials really had “reviewed all the materials, the information” relative to the case,” as was claimed by Adolpho Birch, the league’s executive vice president of labor policy and government affairs, not knowing that the second tape existed would be difficult. The answer, of course, is that they didn’t want to see it, before or after Goodell levied the initial two-game suspension.


They wanted to believe Rice and his wife when the couple was interviewed and Rice lied about what transpired, claiming that he was “attacked.” It seems clear that is what Rice told his teammates, banking on the hope that the second tape would never see the light of day. As Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman reported earlier Monday, “What was becoming clear was not only the outrage of the viciousness of the attack—but also that Rice had misled them, and that, ‘Rice had told teammates that he had no choice but to defend himself that day in the elevator.’”
I knew this shoe was going to drop. If anyone can go to You Tube and watch video of Jay-Z and his sister-in-law duking it out on an elevator, why should I believe the most powerful and wealthiest professional sports league in America can’t get its hands on what happened to Janay Rice before Ray Rice dumped her on the floor of an Atlantic City hotel?

People believe what they want to believe and they want to believe the league cares about violence against women. If you were to conduct a poll of the average fan they’re probably more concerned what Rice’s suspension means to their fantasy football team.
 

robjvargas

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Am I misinterpreing something? The video they showed on our news tonight shows her hitting him on the way to the elevator, and again in the elevator. He hits her back. She falls and hits her head on the hand rail.

I never saw a swing from her. As they get in the elevator, she points at him. I saw him hitting her twice. After the first one, she advances on him. She *might* have swung there. Not sure. He gets her with an uppercut. She hits the handrail, but I'm convinced she was already out.

His fiance, the woman he's going to marry, is out cold on the floor, and he's more concerned with getting her out of the elevator than checking to see if she's even alive (much less not seriously injured).

And the NFL thinks we're going to believe, for even a fraction of a second, that they didn't know?

Yeah. Right.
 

benbradley

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Fair? :Wha:
...
This is a league that misled, deceived and lied to the players of the damage concussions were doing to them and then tried to nickel-and-dime them in a lawsuit with a settlement so chintzy even a federal judge threw a penalty flag on it.

The NFL doesn't give a damn about women. Why would they? There are active players in the league whom have killed people, who have been convicted of drunk driving, gang bangers, drug addicts and other law breakers and given them chance after chance to play in the league. If Aaron Hernandez wasn't behind bars under suspicion of murdering at least two people, he'd probably still be catching passes from Tom Brady on Sunday afternoons.
I was going to ask about Michael Vick who, after playing for the Falcons, spent 21 months in prison for his dogfighting conviction then came back to the NFL and "was named the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year and was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl" [from The Fount Of All Human Knowledge] but I suppose you covered him in "other law breakers."

Maybe Vick doesn't even stand out overall as egregious in the NFL, and I'm not even a football fan, but as I've lived in the Atlanta area when he was on the team and before the dogfighting thing came out, heard about him on the team and his $30 million contract, heard him on commercials, ... it was egregious for a Falcons player and the biggest downfall in Atlanta in a while, but maybe the Falcons have a better reputation than most other NFL teams.

At least he's banned from playing with the Falcons ever again - what does a player have to do to get banned from ALL NFL teams? Perhaps say bad things about the NFL?
What's the lesson here? Beat a woman's ass and you get a couple of weeks off. Fail a drug test and you're done for the year. Some lesson.
Hey, that War On Drugs is Serious Bizness. When it comes to drugs, we can't have our big-name athletes being a bad influence on kids...
 
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Roxxsmom

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I saw a replay of the press conference with Rice and his wife. Just about two minutes of it. Ray was doing all the talking, while his wife stared very intently at the microphone in front of her. Silent.

Two minutes isn't time to truly draw a fair conclusion, I admit. However, I can't shake how damning that looked to me.

Wow. So sad that she married him after he did this to her. I'll admit that when I heard the story about his abuse of his former fiancee, I assumed it was because she left him after.

I know wives don't leave their husbands sometimes because there are kids or pets they fear for, or because the law makes it hard to sever all ties with someone when you're married (and abusers become more abusive when a relationship is ending), or they have no where to go, and there are a lot of complexities involved in dissolving an established relationship.

But to consent to marry someone after they knock you out. Wow. I know abuse can create a Stockholm syndrome, but it's hard to grasp how someone's self esteem can be this low.

But this whole thing is why I just don't have any stomach for these big money sports anymore. Abusive, violent jerks are found everywhere, but with sports, it doesn't seem to have much economic impact on the team at all when something like this happens. Ben mentioned Michael Vick's "amazing comeback" as one example of a horrible human being who's clearly been forgiven by his fans. When I was in grad school, there was an incident with some U of Nebraska player who abused his girlfriend and got a very mild punishment and was allowed to remain on the team, and there have been plenty of other pro athletes who have been convicted of everything from drug abuse to domestic battery and continued to have careers afterwards.
 
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BenPanced

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At least he's banned from playing with the Falcons ever again - what does a player have to do to get banned from ALL NFL teams?
He's been "suspended indefinitely" from the NFL as a whole.

Which means he could be playing for another team as soon as next season. They could have made an actual statement and done something serious, but no. Weasel wording as weak as "suspended indefinitely" made sure they can bring him back while everybody's being distracted by the upcoming election season.
 

Shadow Dragon

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And the NFL thinks we're going to believe, for even a fraction of a second, that they didn't know?

Yeah. Right.
I don't think they knew simply because there's nothing to be gained from protecting Rice. He was a past his prime player at a position that's a dime a dozen. Like, I could understand if it was for an elite quarterback. Like a Manning, Brady, or hell, even Andrew Luck. But for a running back? That's pretty unlikely. Goodell isn't going to pass up his chance to be seen as the good guy or open himself up for this kind of pr disaster for the sake of a running back.

Which means he could be playing for another team as soon as next season. They could have made an actual statement and done something serious, but no. Weasel wording as weak as "suspended indefinitely" made sure they can bring him back while everybody's being distracted by the upcoming election season.
Except a running back wouldn't be worth the bad pr. A quarterback might be. A good pass rusher might be. But not a past his prime running back where there's ten other guys for any team to choose from that are just as good right now and don't have baggage.
 
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Roxxsmom

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Except a running back wouldn't be worth the bad pr. A quarterback might be. A good pass rusher might be. But not a past his prime running back where there's ten other guys for any team to choose from that are just as good right now and don't have baggage.

And sadly, that's what it comes down to.
 

blacbird

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He's been "suspended indefinitely" from the NFL as a whole.

Which means he could be playing for another team as soon as next season.

I believe the post you are referring to is about Michael Vick. In which case you are completely mistaken. Michael Vick is currently the no. 2 quarterback for the New York Jets.

caw
 

Don

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Agorism FTW!
But this whole thing is why I just don't have any stomach for these big money sports anymore. Abusive, violent jerks are found everywhere, but with sports, it doesn't seem to have much economic impact on the team at all when something like this happens. Ben mentioned Michael Vick's "amazing comeback" as one example of a horrible human being who's clearly been forgiven by his fans. When I was in grad school, there was an incident with some U of Nebraska player who abused his girlfriend and got a very mild punishment and was allowed to remain on the team, and there have been plenty of other pro athletes who have been convicted of everything from drug abuse to domestic battery and continued to have careers afterwards.
:Trophy:
 

regdog

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Goodell talked to two people after the first video was released, Rice and the victim. He NEVER asked the casino for the video of the entire incident.

He took Rice at his word and everyone knows that domestic abusers NEVER manipulate their victim into saying how they instigated the abuse not the abuser.

And as for he admitted to just slapping that is assault.


Link

Bottom line, the NFL did nothing to investigate the attack.

"Just slapping" a partner is domestic abuse.
 

robjvargas

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I don't think they knew simply because there's nothing to be gained from protecting Rice. He was a past his prime player at a position that's a dime a dozen.

Yeah, it's got nothing to do with Ray Rice. It's all about the NFL. They tried to control the press cycle on this one. I'm not a big fan of paparazzi, but TMZ, as such people go, are good ones. Huzzah to them for bringing this out.

The press cycle bit the NFL in the behind and forced them to do something assertive. But have they actually learned anything?

Well... prediction: Ray Rice is going to wind up 2nd or 3rd string in a year or two. Maybe practice squad. Just to show that he's reformed and that the NFL helped him to do so.
 

robjvargas

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Mel Robbins at CNN has what I think is a fantastic opinion.

The video showing Ray Rice punching Janay Palmer inside an elevator was released Monday. And everyone should watch it.

In fact, you should show it to your daughters and your sons, as hard as it is to witness. We already knew that Ray Rice punched his wife and she was knocked unconscious, but when you witness the violence you can no longer turn this "incident" into a tiff between drunk lovers or blame the victim: Janay Palmer. Many people had done just that, and speculated on whether she had provoked Rice.

It is hard to watch. Probably just as hard to discuss.

And yet, we have here a golden opportunity to speak about this forthrightly and bluntly. Janay Palmer (forgive me, Janay, I can't stomach calling you Mrs Rice. You deserve so much better than that) did NOTHING in this that came even in the same state as "playing a role" in her own unconsciousness.

We have here a chance to discuss domestic violence straight up, with an unedited view of what it really looks like.

We can't undo that it happened. We can, at least, use it to learn. And to teach.
 

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Mel Robbins at CNN has what I think is a fantastic opinion.



It is hard to watch. Probably just as hard to discuss.

And yet, we have here a golden opportunity to speak about this forthrightly and bluntly. Janay Palmer (forgive me, Janay, I can't stomach calling you Mrs Rice. You deserve so much better than that) did NOTHING in this that came even in the same state as "playing a role" in her own unconsciousness.

We have here a chance to discuss domestic violence straight up, with an unedited view of what it really looks like.

We can't undo that it happened. We can, at least, use it to learn. And to teach.
All of this is true. I did watch the video yesterday. But I have to say I now wonder if she actually consented to having this video revealing her broken, private relationship, her vulnerability and her attack plastered all over the internet. Maybe it "helps" shine a spotlight on domestic violence, but is it fair to her personally? Or does privacy go out the window for the sake of the "greater good"?

Just wondering aloud.
 

William Haskins

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All of this is true. I did watch the video yesterday. But I have to say I now wonder if she actually consented to having this video revealing her broken, private relationship, her vulnerability and her attack plastered all over the internet. Maybe it "helps" shine a spotlight on domestic violence, but is it fair to her personally? Or does privacy go out the window for the sake of the "greater good"?

Just wondering aloud.

"I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I'm mourning the death of my closest friend. But to have to accept the fact that it's reality is a nightmare in itself. No one knows the pain that the media & unwanted [opinions] from the public has caused my family. To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret every day is a horrible thing. To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass of for all his life just to gain ratings is horrific. THIS IS OUR LIFE! What don't you all get. If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you've succeeded on so many levels. Just know we will continue to grow & show the world what real love is! Ravensnation we love you!"


http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-81314300/