Did the NFL indefinitely suspend Ray Rice because they saw the video or because we saw it?

9/9/2014 | Laissez-Faire Capitalist

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Did the NFL suspend Ray Rice indefinitely after he was given an initial 2 game suspension because A.) they saw the video inside the elevator, or B.) because we saw the inside-the-elevator video?

If it is because of A, then why did they formulate a 6 game suspension to be followed by banning for a second offense and not apply the 6 game rule to Ray Rice? If this is because the inside-the-elevator video surfaced, then will the NFL have a system for those who are caught by video and those not caught by video?

In the end, IMHO, Ray Rice should have been given indefinite suspension when the outside-the-elevator video surfaced, and not just a 2 game suspension, and let him earn his return like Michael Vick did.

[outpostinmass2]

People in public or high profile positions are often held to a higher standard. Things they say or do at home can negatively affect the brand or public trust. This happens often in corporations, especially if there is concrete evidence. People are denied jobs in the financial industry if they have bad credit. Recently a person was fired for posting a picture of themselves mocking the Unkown Soldiers Memorial. This is not unheard of nor do I have a problem with it at this level of publicity.

[defconw]

You make some good points. I am still not sure I am comfortable with it. Basically because I no longer believe that anyone in authority acts in favor of the greater good anymore. Public officials are all a bunch of corrupt greedy bastards.

So I might trust my boss with this type of authority over me because I work for him, but not the rest of them.

[jalisco555]

I think football in this country is in serious trouble. The growing thugishnes is a threat to the NFL, but the concussion issue, which isn’t going away, is, I think, even a greater danger. If this isn’t addressed in a serious way parents will stop allowing their children to play high school football. And who will be in the NFL in ten years if this happens?

[WayneS]

The woman married him AFTER the incident, and today she is defending him.

So, one could ask: Who are we to judge their chosen life-style?

___________________________________________________________

Also, will he lose his Under Armour endorsement, or will they turn this in whole thing in to a ‘positive’ by developing a new line of facial protection products for women and hiring him and his wife to tout it?

“When Ray punches ME in my face, I know I can rely on Under Armor “In Your Face” nose and cheek pads...”

“Yes, I do pack quite a wallop both on and OFF the field, don’t I, baby?”

[mmichaels1970]

It could well be that Rice barely touched his wife, and merely knocked her down when she was already falling-down drunk.

Looks like a pretty mean left hook, or at least left jab to me.

[rbmillerjr]

All of this mass hysteria conspiracy speculation looks like a democraticunderground conversation.

Ray Rice is the villain.

Period. Nobody else hit the wife, he did it.

And all of you Steeler twits, when Ben Roethlisberger raped 2, not 1 girls, and then paid them both off. We knew what he did. How many of you demanded that the Steelers fire him?

[fortheDeclaration]

Agreed! I am tired of hearing about these felons getting a ‘second chance’ as if playing in the NFL is a right!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[fortheDeclaration]

Goodell is destroying the NFL!

[fortheDeclaration]

No, there isn't a right to play in the NFL and make millions of dollars!

Why shouldn't Vick 'be good', he was paid millions of dollars for it!

And how has he played since he was allowed to play-like an average QB.

[fortheDeclaration]

She was laying out on her face!

That wasn't from being drunk!

[the OlLine Rebel]

Agreed. The video just is not good evidence. Reminds me of the ghost hunter IR films of somthing moving. It could be anything.

Obviously something happened, but it was a general altercation, not just a man beating his woman because he is abusive.

I am fine with Ravens getting rid of him, maybe even NFL doing so. But the endless coverage of this, and vitriol from Joe Schmoe is too much. They act as if he was Hernandez and killed someone. There was not this feeding frenzy with him. Rice didn’t kill anyone, and has never had any record. He also just doesn’t have that aura of thuggery.

[the OlLine Rebel]

She likely also hit the hand rail in the elevator.

There just isn’t good enough film to say conclusively what happened. We do know they were both drunk and she was angry. She was clearly in his face.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I am struggling with whether an employer has the right to terminate someone for something done at home."

First off, no NFL contracts are guaranteed. An NFL team can terminate any contract for any reason tomorrow and it's perfectly legal. Secondly, most professional contracts have a morals clause. Not just in the NFL but throughout the world of business. We see high level execs get fired all the time when unsavory behavior by them comes out. The companies do this because these people end up hurting the good name of the company.

[defconw]

Well that was my point. Is it in his contract? I am uncomfortable with the amount of witch hunting that is allowed to go on these days.

If I don't like a company I don't patronize it. I am dismayed by the minority opinions winning the day because they cry and scream louder.

I don't care that Michael Vick was "rehabilitated", on behalf of dogs I choose not to watch him or buy anything he would endorse.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"And all of you Steeler twits, when Ben Roethlisberger raped 2, not 1 girls, and then paid them both off. We knew what he did. How many of you demanded that the Steelers fire him?"

The first woman in Phoenix turned out to be an obvious gold digger and it's pretty clear that was consensual sex. The second one you are correct I believe. I strongly believe he raped that girl in Georgia and got away with it. You are wrong about Steelers fans. Unlike Ravens fans, we were not cheering him at training camp when he came back. In fact there were a number of protests outside the stadium from womens groups that season. I personally was disgusted with him and would not have complained one bit if the Steelers had let him go. The same goes for James Harrison when he was charged with domestic violence against the mother of his child. I wish they would have dropped him right then and there.

I can tell you one thing, there won't be any statues to Steelers who escape double murder charges by pleading no contest and agreeing to testify against others. Then "fumbling" at the goal line (on the stand) so that his two "partners" get off on the double murder. In case you don't know who I'm talking about it's Ray Lewis. You know, the guy that ESPN had on Monday night to comment on the Ray Rice issue. Perhaps he didn't mentor him well enough because Rice didn't stick a schiv into her...

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Is it in his contract?"

A morals clause is pretty much standard in any professional contract signed in the sports as well as the business world. Most morals clauses cover anything that would bring shame or discredit upon the company that employs you.

[defconw]

Then I do not have a problem with that. He signed it, issue over.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Please let the Ray Lewis thing go. I mean, it really is not known what exactly happened.

It was a couple thugs coming up to Lewis’ GROUP and a GROUP melee ensuing. Who knows exactly what happened, who hit whom, etc. Any killing could have been incidental by any of them. They were being threatened as it was.

Don’t try to pass it off as some kind of pre-meditated murder in the first degree. This is not at all on the same level as Hernandez. At worst, manslaughter.

Would I rather the NFL kicked out all these questionable characters? Sure.

Frankly, there is more singular evidence against Rice but yet he has been abused more for a lesser issue.

What do you really know about Raven fans? Were you there? As if no Steeler fans support Roethlisberger. Geesh, he’s still selling shirts in the millions. And Harrison, and who knows who else.

You can’t tell me any of this. I’m married to one of those absolutist Steeler fans.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"What do you really know about Raven fans?"

That they loudly cheered Ray Rice when he came on the practice field during training camp. Yes, before the elevator roundhouse video, but after the video showing him dragging her out of the elevator like a piece of garbage. Did we really need to see the video that came out on Monday? We all knew he knocked her unconcsciousness. Did we really have to see the video?