Dealing with domestic violence and the fact that the league views recreational drug use as a worse offense(though alot of that is the CBA deal).
And I think the biggest point of contention for the NFLPA will not even be Rice being punished outside of precedent, but the fact that the league used new evidence to revisit an old issue.
Theres nothing inconsistent there. It may seem stupid that the league views recreational drug use worse than other things, but that doesn't mean there is inconsistency. It is just a different set of values. A player can't sue the NFL because he doesn't agree with their policy on recreational drug use. A player can sue the NFL because his punishment is much greater than the punishment someone received for a similar action. Roger Goodell cannot levy punishment that is arbitrary and capricious. That is illegal. When he issues punishment it needs to be based on the league's protocol, standards, policies, etc.
Im just not sure that double jeopardy applies here. I think the NFL should have the ability to punish more if more evidence is revealed after the fact.
Ray Rice is out a lot of money. His agent is out a ton of money. I have little doubt they don't raise hell for this. Ray Rice received an indefinite suspension when players that previously have committed similar acts received much lesser punishment. He was punished twice (maybe even three times). He had evidence used against him that was found after his initial punishment was issued. He has a very clear case that he was treated much more differently than others in his same position.
He can sue, not sure if he would win. A law/protocol/standard/policy is only as good as the ones who enforce it. It could be the "law" that Rice's indefinite suspension is "illegal" but who would challenge it? Who would take up the case? There's a lot of public backlash, and many are/were questioning whether Goodell should resign over this. I just cant see Rice's suspension being overturned or his lawsuit being won.
I have a hard time believing that the NFLPA will agree to that. But beyond that, at the very least, they need to apply that standard to every player equally.
All that may be true. But he never shouldn't beat the **** out of his fiance/wife. He's getting no sympathy from me. Also, as a side note, she's just as stupid for staying with the guy and having a kid with him. But that's her problem. The NFL should've long ago made the precedent that domestic violence is not ok and there will be severe punishments for it.
http://www.si.com/nfl/2014/09/08/ray-rice-video-legal-fallout-roger-goodell-baltimore-ravens This can go either way.
Really the healing process in Baltimore can begin. As Goodell is trying to "kiss and make up!" Over missing the first time. In the very soft two-game suspension! But now, Goodell is trying to make Rice an example, by saying domestic violence has no place in either the league or the world!
Ray Rice should be in prison IMO. I also agree 100% that a domestic violence policy should have been in place long ago. But that doesn't really change the fact that what the NFL is doing is not going to hold up. Hell, I'm fairly certain the CBA prevents the league and a team from both levying punishment. That provision has clearly been violated. But the reality that just because you committed a heinous crime does not entitle you to be treated equally. And just to be clear, I'm not sympathetic toward Rice, but I just don't see how the NFL can get away with this. My guess is that they know that this won't hold, but they don't care about those consequences.
...and this is the problem with Goodell acting as judge, jury and executioner. He has opened up his own pandora's box.
Haven't read thread yet, but he's a pos and it looks like both of them were trying to hold on to that paycheck doing that presser..
Goodell should resign over his lack of leadership this offseason. Up until now he has done a credible job, but it's a ****show with the Redskins issue, the escalating concussion issue, and the Rice issue. I don't buy at all that he half-assed this. He half-asses nothing. I think it's compelling circumstantial evidence that he doesn't have the proper attitude about domestic violence, and that should cost him his job. Nope he sure couldn't have. Even if they didn't, I think Rice would then be entitled to file his own action to enforce the contract and could likely name both the NFLPA and the league in it. Yep, that's not double jeopardy, but it appears from the account I have read that it is outside what is permissible under the contract. The question is whether Ray Rice fights it and gets bad publicity/makes an enemy of Goodell or plays nice, applies for reinstatement after week 6 or so, goes on a NFL backed publicity blitz, and gets signed somewhere. The NFL either knew or should have known that Rice struck her. They cannot do this unless Rice allows them to do it. On that point I bet Rice's agent and Goodell are going to be inseparable for the next however long it takes for Goodell to get this deal sealed with Rice. He really can't afford this to go badly.
The league ****ed this up from the start, they deserve the heat. In the end Rice's career is over as it should be and he is leaving the game a disgrace. He'll never make the Hall of Fame and he'll never be involved with the league or be a TV announcer, etc. He should have went to jail for a good while but in the end this ended exactly how it should have from the start.
I don't feel bad for Ray Rice. I don't feel bad for the woman. Dumb ***** married him. I do hate Roger Goodell and his tyrannical behavior. of doing whatever he wants when he feels like it. I hope Ray Rice sues the NFL and gets paid.
Are the Ravens still on the hook for his guaranteed money? I'm assuming no. This will take about 4 to 6 weeks to cool down. Once it does, I bet Ray is back in the NFL... probably for the Patriots. Also, the new recreational drug policy that will come into effect once it's passed tomorrow is going to reduce or eliminate Josh Gordon and the other suspensions currently on the books. The timing of this TMZ release is all very interesting.
TMZ has bad stuff on NFL when it comes to their claim they never saw the tape: http://thebiglead.com/2014/09/08/ha...g-evidence-for-the-nfl-on-the-ray-rice-video/ Goodell's job security might not be so secured if this is true.
What's sad is TMZ, a gossip news source, is doing a better job at investigating this incident than the NFL.
I hope the NFL fixes their BS on this. I hope Rice goes to prison and a guy with a giant dick splits him like firewood.
I'd be surprised if he is back in the NFL, he's not what he used to be and really why would any team pick him up? He's not an elite back and the heat you'd take isn't worth it. I think he's played his last down in the NFL, its over. I do find the timing interesting and the fact that owners are moving the league towards letting their stars do recreational drugs interesting too.
Devil's advocate Is it customary to suspend an athlete indefinitely for something he hasn't been convicted of? The penalty seems excessive (legally speaking), as Rice was model player previous as far as I know. I also have no idea how the Ravens could release him with their cap. I believe they were 4M under and Rice as a 6M hit. Did the league step in and mysteriously suspend the cap for Baltimore? I suspect this is in line with the new tough rules regarding domestic violence, and a night previous to the new relaxed rules regarding recreational drugs
Well he's not going to go to jail cause of it, charges were dropped. His NFL career is over though. But if Rice were to ever go to jail, no one in prison is going to mess with him unless his name is Aaron Hernandez. This is a very powerful NFL athlete, unless they want to get knocked out like his wife, they will stay away from him. By the way, why weren't the domestic violence rules changed 8 years ago when Randy McMichael was beating his wife several times? Didn't he get arrested twice under Saban for domestic violence?
Big Ben wasn't convicted either. While we're at it, let's go back and look at some club tape and get rid of Big Ben. Ray Rice has a violent temper. Big Ben was premeditated.
If you watch the video carefully, it looks like he spits on her as she's walking by, and she reaches out and smacks him. She then walks into the elevator and he purposely walks into the elevator after her. She has the time to walk out, but doesn't. The door closes, he slaps her, she gets mad and rushes at him, and he punches her. She goes down and hits her head on the bar. She's clearly out cold. I had no idea that any two people can be that stupid. What he did, of course, is subhuman and beneath contempt; nothing more needs to be said. But how do you ride in an elevator with a guy who just spit on you?
Please. He looks tough beating on a woman. He won't look so tough when Bubba gets a hold of him. Gang members are certainly more tough than NFL players. However he'll probably not be messed with cuz he's an NFL player and a celebrity, so theyll more like be envious of him, not scared of him.
I don't even know how the video changed things for Baltimore and the NFL. lol What did they think he did to his wife before he dragged her unconscious body out the elevator, pinch her boob? These clowns in the Baltimore's FO/NFL offices are trying hard to save face all of a sudden because everyone on twitter now saw video and are going crazy over it. This should have been the punishment 7 months ago. Also, I recall the NFL suspending Marshall for 3 games for domestic violence, Marshall appealed and they reduced it to 1 game. Why? And how come this subject wasn't this big then but it's big now? What's the difference? Is it really video that makes it different? There are some very weird contradictions going on in Ray's case, not that he shouldn't be banned from the league, but when I see Santonio Holmes and Brandon Marshall all forgiven and still in the NFL and yet Ray's career is basically over because there's video and we're in a "twitterverse", that is weird to me.
Theyre both morons. Shes probably looking to stay on that gravy train. What I cant understand is how you go back with him and then defend him? And also not worry that he might beat you again, or your kids?
Because its high time the league start taking domestic abuse seriously. It wont prevent it from happening again, but at least there's tougher consequences.
well it's irrelevant to talk about, he won't be in jail for it, the police and the NFL has seen this video before and his dumb wife dropped the charges, not sure why but she's an imbecile.
The NFL don't see the video before today is hard to believe and the police/DA don't charge him is even harder to buy. Goddell may end up being the sacrificial lamb on this mess.
Perhaps shes in a tough spot choosing the good life while getting beaten or thrown on the streets with nothing. I dunno about her but Id rather be poor and struggling than beaten to death.