Video of Ray Ray punching fiancee released by TMZ

[Cotton]

Might as well figure on Costas soapboxing Sunday night, I'm sure he has his rant ready to go.

Yep, and fuck NBC for that.

 

[jsmith6919]

Yep, and fuck NBC for that.

What do you expect from the station that employs Sharpton

 

[Cotton]

What do you expect from the station that employs Sharpton

Good point.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Am I assuming incorrectly that some of you disagree with the indefinite suspension?

 

[boozeman]

Am I assuming incorrectly that some of you disagree with the indefinite suspension?

I just don't get what exactly it is that Goodell and others thought happened in the elevator.

Did they need to see him cold-cocking a woman?

Isn't that implied when you drag her limp ass body out of the elevator?

What did they think happened? She antagonized him, he shoved her and she fell and knocked herself out?

 

[Cotton]

Goodell based second Rice suspension on facts the league already had

Posted by Mike Florio on September 9, 2014, 10:47 PM EDT

When the NFL moved swiftly to suspend running back Ray Rice indefinitely, many assumed that the league imposed separate discipline on Rice because the league concluded Rice had lied about the incident that occurred in an Atlantic City casino elevator. In his interview with Norah O’Donnell of CBS, however, Commissioner Roger Goodell said nothing about Rice being punished for the equivalent of obstructing justice in an official NFL investigation.

“[W]hat we saw [Monday] was extremely clear, extremely graphic, and it was sickening,” Goodell said. “And that’s why we took the action that we took yesterday.”

But what did Goodell or anyone else expect the video to show? The original criminal complaint accused Rice of “striking [Janay] with his hand, rendering her unconscious.” And that’s what we saw in the video.

If the NFL is going to rely only upon the evidence generated by law enforcement and not less by reliable sources, why didn’t the NFL accept the contents of the criminal complaint from law enforcement as accurate and truthful? Rice struck Janay with his hand and knocked her out. The video showed what we already knew it would show.

So how does the video make the situation any different?

This isn’t about defending Ray Rice. This is about getting to the truth of how the Ravens and the NFL so badly botched and bungled the Rice case. Already, Goodell has admitted that the league got it wrong by suspending Rice for only two games. Now, with the case already closed and the video of Rice striking Janay with his hand and rendering her unconscious finally available to everyone, the thing that he already was punished for merits fresh discipline.

If Rice lied, that changes things. But Goodell had a chance to say Rice lied, and Goodell didn’t. Goodell said that the video was “extremely clear, extremely graphic, and it was sickening.”

What’s not clear, graphic, or sickening about a criminal complaint signed by a police officer that accuses Rice of doing precisely what the video showed him doing?

At a time when many still believe the league saw the video before suspending Rice, the contents of the criminal complaint suggest that maybe the league didn’t need to see the video, after all. The league already was on notice that Rice delivered a one-handed knockout blow to Janay Rice. Why is anyone surprised or shocked by the fact that the video shows what we already know happened?

Ultimately, Rice has rights. Already punished once by the league for his actions, he’s now apparently being punished again for those same actions, simply because the visual evidence of the information that already was available to the team and the league looks as bad as they should have expected it to look.

 

[Foobio]

Also it's been said that Goodell relied on police information because they are the "most reliable sources of information in these cases". Assuming that is true why did the New Jersey DA not turn over the tapes, and furthermore after viewing them why did they allow him to enter a pre-trial diversion program? Because he's a wealthy celebrity, obviously.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me the average person committing this level of violence against someone is most likely going to get a jail sentence, even as a first offense. And for a poor minority it will be a given.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I just don't get what exactly it is that Goodell and others thought happened in the elevator.

Did they need to see him cold-cocking a woman?

Isn't that implied when you drag her limp ass body out of the elevator?

What did they think happened? She antagonized him, he shoved her and she fell and knocked herself out?

I understand. What I guess I am asking is do you think the commissioner should have issued an indefinite suspension at the onset even without seeing the video? I

 

[Texas Ace]

I understand. What I guess I am asking is do you think the commissioner should have issued an indefinite suspension at the onset even without seeing the video? I

I think Booze's stance is similar to mine and that is that this is an overly dramatic reaction to something that shouldn't have come as a surprise whatsoever.

Again, we knew before this tape was released that she was knocked unconscious because he struck her. He admitted as much. So that leaves one to draw their own conclusions, which in this instance should not have been very hard at all.

If you know that he struck her and knocked her unconscious, then the only possible scenario that could exist is that he struck her violently in order to do so. That means Goodell and the other parties involved were ok with the initial punishment, and this reaction of "Oh my god" is both fake and insulting.

Should he have been given a much harsher punishment from the outset? Absolutely. But to pretend like they didn't do so because they weren't aware of the magnitude of the situation is just bogus and an insult to our intelligence.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I think Booze's stance is similar to mine and that is that this is an overly dramatic reaction to something that shouldn't have come as a surprise whatsoever.

Again, we knew before this tape was released that she was knocked unconscious because he struck her. He admitted as much. So that leaves one to draw their own conclusions, which in this instance should not have been very hard at all.

If you know that he struck her and knocked her unconscious, then the only possible scenario that could exist is that he struck her violently in order to do so. That means Goodell and the other parties involved were ok with the initial punishment, and this reaction of "Oh my god" is both fake and insulting.

Should he have been given a much harsher punishment from the outset? Absolutely. But to pretend like they didn't do so because they weren't aware of the magnitude of the situation is just bogus and an insult to our intelligence.

I understood booze's position. I was curious if the forum members agreed with the indefinite suspension.

 

[Texas Ace]

I understood booze's position. I was curious if the forum members agreed with the indefinite suspension.

I don't agree with it being handed down retroactively, because I don't believe their stance on it is genuine.

It's more a result of public and social appeasement than anything else.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I don't agree with it being handed down retroactively, because I believe their stance on it is genuine.

It's more a result of public and social appeasement than anything else.

I don't disagree that it was a reaction to public sentiment but I am glad they reversed themselves and made it appropriate. Did they get it wrong initially? They obviously did and that was bad. Is the correction hypocritical? Absolutely but again I am glad they reversed themselves.

 

[Texas Ace]

I don't disagree that it was a reaction to public sentiment but I am glad they reversed themselves and made it appropriate. Did they get it wrong initially? They obviously did and that was bad. Is the correction hypocritical? Absolutely but again I am glad they reversed themselves.

I just wish they'd be honest about it.

Don't pretend like you didn't fully grasp the magnitude of the situation until you saw the tape. As we've said already, there is only one possible scenario that could have occurred in that elevator given what the facts were.

I have a problem with the NFL and Goodell trying to cover their asses with this excuse of "We don't know how bad it truly was until we saw the video". That's a cop out.

Be up front, admit you screwed up and say what most everyone else is saying and that is that you didn't use common sense.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I just wish they'd be honest about it.

Don't pretend like you didn't fully grasp the magnitude of the situation until you saw the tape. As we've said already, there is only one possible scenario that could have occurred in that elevator given what the facts were.

I have a problem with the NFL and Goodell trying to cover their asses with this excuse of "We don't know how bad it truly was until we saw the video". That's a cop out.

Be up front, admit you screwed up and say what most everyone else is saying and that is that you didn't use common sense.

It would be nice if honesty dominated leadership positions but the sad truth is the actions of the Commissioner is no different than a lot of other leadership positions. Does that make it right? Absolutely not but I am no more outraged by this reversal than I am by the entire political group as an example. They rarely reverse themselves unless their reelection is at stake. Public sentiment is what moves them as well.

 

[1bigfan13]

Am I assuming incorrectly that some of you disagree with the indefinite suspension?

I disagree with it because it's an overreaction which for some unknown reason exceeds the recently revamped domestic violence policy.

You want to amend Rice's punishment , fine. But do it within the guidelines of your policy which means 6 games since this was his first offense.

I don't get the "indefinite" suspension.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I disagree with it because it's an overreaction which for some unknown reason exceeds the recently revamped domestic violence policy.

You want to amend Rice's punishment , fine. But do it within the guidelines of your policy which means 6 games since this was his first offense.

I don't get the "indefinite" suspension.

I think the new policy is that it's actually a minimum of 6 games. Meaning in more brutal situations he has the authority to impose a longer sentence on first offenses.

 

[Cotton]

The National Organization for Women is calling for Goodell's resignation.

 

[Texas Ace]

The National Organization for Women is calling for Goodell's resignation.

 

[jsmith6919]

The National Organization for Women is calling for Goodell's resignation.

Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, has called for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to resign, citing Ray Rice's assault on his now-wife as just one of many examples of the league's failure to act against domestic violence.

"The NFL has lost its way. It doesn't have a Ray Rice problem; it has a violence against women problem," O'Neill said in a statement. "... 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."

In the release, NOW listed Rice, San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald, Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Greg Hardy and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as examples of cases the league has failed to act on.

"The NFL sets the example for college, high school, middle school and even elementary school football programs," O'Neill said. "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."

Goodell told CBS News that he doesn't believe his job is in jeopardy as a result of his handling of the Rice situation but admitted the league has a domestic violence problem.

Asked if he felt his job was on the line, Goodell answered: "No."

"I'm used to criticism. I'm used to that. Every day, I have to earn my stripes," he said in a portion of Tuesday's interview that aired on "CBS This Morning" on Wednesday. "Every day, I have to, to do a better job. And that's my responsibility to the game, to the NFL and to what I see as society.

"People expect a lot from the NFL. We accept that. We embrace that. That's our opportunity to make a difference, not just in the NFL but in society in general. We have that ability. We have that influence. And we have to do that. And every day, that's what we're going to strive to do."

In the interview with CBS News, Goodell acknowledged that the NFL has a domestic violence problem because "one case is too many."
http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/11500445/terry-oneill-president-national-organization-women-calls-nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-resign
_____________________

love this comment- "If he didn't know he should have" Roger Goodell on Sean Payton

 

[L.T. Fan]

What body is authorized to force Goodell to step down?