Ray Rice

[Moranis]

This is getting way overblown.  The league should own up to it and just tell the truth.  They punished him as they saw fit.  What is wrong with that?

What's wrong is that that the punishment is grossly underwhelming,  especially in the context of the other NFL suspensions. They watched that video and said "yeah two games is enough," then they lied about it to protect their product.

It's not surprising that they lied about it, but it is surprising that people don't think the NFL should be nailed to the wall over it.

No the response is.  "The rules only allowed us to suspend Mr. Rice a maximum of 2 games, which is what we did.  The limited nature of the penalty then allowed is also why we effectuated a new policy which now requires a minimum 6 game suspension for first offenses."

[Fafnir]

This is getting way overblown.  The league should own up to it and just tell the truth.  They punished him as they saw fit.  What is wrong with that?

What's wrong is that that the punishment is grossly underwhelming,  especially in the context of the other NFL suspensions. They watched that video and said "yeah two games is enough," then they lied about it to protect their product.

It's not surprising that they lied about it, but it is surprising that people don't think the NFL should be nailed to the wall over it.

No the response is.  "The rules only allowed us to suspend Mr. Rice a maximum of 2 games, which is what we did.  The limited nature of the penalty then allowed is also why we effectuated a new policy which now requires a minimum 6 game suspension for first offenses."

Goodell can punish players whatever he wants in these cases, its solely at his discretion and always has been.

Even the new "policy" is clearly at his discretion entirely, hence Ray Rice's indefinite suspension. He should lose his job for this, its pretty clear they are either liars or in the absolute best case completely incompetent.

[indeedproceed]

Yeah I like when Goodell released the 'new rules' it only highlighted that the length of punishment was his call all long

[D.o.s.]

This is getting way overblown.  The league should own up to it and just tell the truth.  They punished him as they saw fit.  What is wrong with that?

What's wrong is that that the punishment is grossly underwhelming,  especially in the context of the other NFL suspensions. They watched that video and said "yeah two games is enough," then they lied about it to protect their product.

It's not surprising that they lied about it, but it is surprising that people don't think the NFL should be nailed to the wall over it.

No the response is.  "The rules only allowed us to suspend Mr. Rice a maximum of 2 games, which is what we did.  The limited nature of the penalty then allowed is also why we effectuated a new policy which now requires a minimum 6 game suspension for first offenses."

Goodell can punish players whatever he wants in these cases, its solely at his discretion and always has been.

Even the new "policy" is clearly at his discretion entirely, hence Ray Rice's indefinite suspension. He should lose his job for this, its pretty clear they are either liars or in the absolute best case completely incompetent.

Bingo.

Also, good job Playboy:
http://www.playboy.com/articles/nfl-commissioner-flowchart

[Moranis]

This is getting way overblown.  The league should own up to it and just tell the truth.  They punished him as they saw fit.  What is wrong with that?

What's wrong is that that the punishment is grossly underwhelming,  especially in the context of the other NFL suspensions. They watched that video and said "yeah two games is enough," then they lied about it to protect their product.

It's not surprising that they lied about it, but it is surprising that people don't think the NFL should be nailed to the wall over it.

No the response is.  "The rules only allowed us to suspend Mr. Rice a maximum of 2 games, which is what we did.  The limited nature of the penalty then allowed is also why we effectuated a new policy which now requires a minimum 6 game suspension for first offenses."

Goodell can punish players whatever he wants in these cases, its solely at his discretion and always has been.

Even the new "policy" is clearly at his discretion entirely, hence Ray Rice's indefinite suspension. He should lose his job for this, its pretty clear they are either liars or in the absolute best case completely incompetent.

isn't the suspension indefinite because Rice allegedly lied to the NFL about what happened?  At least that was the impression I got.

Of course I find that hard to believe that Rice lied to the NFL but not to the Raves.  I mean Ozzie Newsome has said Rice told the Ravens that they were arguing, she came at him, he slapped her, knocked her down, and she hit her head on the way down and was knocked out.  Which is basically what you see in the video.

[D.o.s.]

The suspension's indefinite because of the reaction to the initial two-game suspension.

[Fafnir]

The suspension's indefinite because of the reaction to the initial two-game suspension.

And the release of the video put it back in the news so the NFL needed to "react".

[D.o.s.]

Correct.

[CFAN38]

Ok this topic has 16 pages of posts and have been talk radioed/espned to death.


My two cents

1. Rice is a scum bag

2. The NFL has a major issue on its hands. 1. Rice gets caught on camera with wife knocked out. 2. Confesses to crime to league 3. Gets two game suspension 4. Video shows actually crime causing further public outcry. 5. NFL suspends him indefinitely for an infraction they have already passed a punishment down on. 5. The set up new rule that gives first time offender 6 game suspension.               

 In the same week they suspended a guy then set a rule where he should in fact only get 6 games! They are treating him as a double offender for one offense. Why the didn't they make the rule more open ended to protect themselves? First infraction is indefinite suspension that cant be revoked without counseling, probation and reinstatement from commissioner. Then at least they can say that after 4-8 game "player x, has made great strides in his rehab and per the recommendation of his councilors in allowed back into the NFL. Second offense never allowed back. This gives them the power to be as harsh of soft as they want for the first offense without the PR nightmare. When a player commits a crime the league will appear strong on the issue by saying "indefinite suspension" if the facts lend them to a short suspension this is possible while not appearing soft.     

[fitzhickey]

http://fox59.com/2014/09/11/paul-george-tweets-on-ray-rice-case-ignite-social-media-firestorm/

Paul George lets his opinion known. (Sadly).

[fairweatherfan]

The NFL has a major issue on its hands. 1. Rice gets caught on camera with wife knocked out. 2. Confesses to crime to league 3. Gets two game suspension 4. Video shows actually crime causing further public outcry. 5. NFL suspends him indefinitely for an infraction they have already passed a punishment down on. 5. The set up new rule that gives first time offender 6 game suspension.               

 In the same week they suspended a guy then set a rule where he should in fact only get 6 games! They are treating him as a double offender for one offense. Why the didn't they make the rule more open ended to protect themselves? First infraction is indefinite suspension that cant be revoked without counseling, probation and reinstatement from commissioner. Then at least they can say that after 4-8 game "player x, has made great strides in his rehab and per the recommendation of his councilors in allowed back into the NFL. Second offense never allowed back. This gives them the power to be as harsh of soft as they want for the first offense without the PR nightmare. When a player commits a crime the league will appear strong on the issue by saying "indefinite suspension" if the facts lend them to a short suspension this is possible while not appearing soft.   

You have your timeline a little mixed up.  The new "6 games" policy was enacted before the Rice tape was made public.  They announced the policy, then the tape emerged, then they said "our bad - this "new evidence" means we'll ban him indefinitely now."  It's a total reactionary mess, for sure,  but the policy change preceded the punishment change.

And I think the "new policy", just like the "old policy", basically said that it was totally at the commissioner's discretion anyway. 

[D.o.s.]

In the same week they suspended a guy then set a rule where he should in fact only get 6 games! They are treating him as a double offender for one offense. Why the didn't they make the rule more open ended to protect themselves? First infraction is indefinite suspension that cant be revoked without counseling, probation and reinstatement from commissioner. Then at least they can say that after 4-8 game "player x, has made great strides in his rehab and per the recommendation of his councilors in allowed back into the NFL. Second offense never allowed back. This gives them the power to be as harsh of soft as they want for the first offense without the PR nightmare. When a player commits a crime the league will appear strong on the issue by saying "indefinite suspension" if the facts lend them to a short suspension this is possible while not appearing soft.     

I don't understand what's so hard to understand about this: Goodell has always had the discretion to suspend players for as long as he wants. The rule didn't change at all -- they simply shifted the goalposts on the public view of what the 'baseline punishment' might look like -- a baseline punishment that's always been decided by the commissioner of the NFL.

[Celtics4ever]

I think the commish lied.  No way that an organization with all that money and power wouldn't ask for the security tapes.   They responded only when backlash could have hurt their brand and now they have egg on their face.

[Clench123]

Now NOW (national organization for women) is calling for resignation of the commissioner over this lol.  Laughable.  Just laughable.  This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time.  I can't believe this is happening.  Again, this has gotten way overblown.  I know feminists would be all over this. 

By the way, where was NOW and the outrage of the public when Solange was beating Jay Z senselessly in the elevator and J just stood there and took it?

Why are they treating Goodell like he's the one who put his hands on this girl?  Un-****ing-believable.

[Fafnir]

Now NOW (national organization for women) is calling for resignation of the commissioner over this lol.  Laughable.  Just laughable.  This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time.  I can't believe this is happening.  Again, this has gotten way overblown.  I know feminists would be all over this. 

By the way, where was NOW and the outrage of the public when Solange was beating Jay Z senselessly in the elevator and J just stood there and took it?

Why are they treating Goodell like he's the one who put his hands on this girl?  Un-****ing-believable.

The fact that you relate their statement to Solange Knowles hitting Jay-Z says a lot about you more so than NOW. What in the heck do they have to do with one another? A physical altercation between two musicians isn't relevant to how a major corporation handles its employees when domestic abuse occurs and the police are involved.

Do you honestly think that NOW must comment on every instance of celebrity domestic violence to comment on what's going on currently with the NFL?

Below is their statement, I'm betting you haven't read it as its not "just" over the Ray Rice issue. Its about the systemic issues they have with how the NFL handles things.

The NFL has lost its way.  It doesn’t have a Ray Rice problem; it has a violence against women problem.

According to FiveThirtyEight.com, the relative arrest rate of NFL players is fifty-five percent for domestic violence, and thirty-eight percent for sex offenses.
Days after announcing his new domestic violence policy, Goodell said Ray McDonald of the San Francisco 49ers, who is facing a felony domestic violence charge, could play in the team’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Greg Hardy is still playing for the Carolina Panthers, even after being convicted in July of choking his former girlfriend and threatening to kill her.
Goodell’s response to accusations that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sexually assaulted a woman has been: radio silence.

The only workable solution is for Roger Goodell to resign, and for his successor to appoint an independent investigator with full authority to gather factual data about domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking within the NFL community, and to recommend real and lasting reforms.

The NFL sets the example for college, high school, middle school and even elementary school football programs.  And the example it is setting right now is simply unacceptable.

New leadership must come in with a specific charge to transform the culture of violence against women that pervades the NFL.

That’s the only way to restore honor and integrity to the country’s most lucrative and popular pastime.

Edit: Here is the 538 article they cite, I haven't read it yet myself doing so now as those percentages sound vague. Not sure what they mean exactly.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nfl-domestic-violence-policy-suspensions/