NFL Off Topic

[rangerrick012]

Re: NFL Off Topic

There wasn't, and they were both initially charged so whatever information the police had that we don't know seems to indicate they were both in the wrong.

Obviously, being a man (and a professional football player at that) makes him infinitely more wrong, but the idea that the league should trump law enforcement (in EVERY case, not just this one) always blows me with the comments around here. I did expect him to get a larger suspension, but I'm not really shocked that he didn't either. We don't have enough information to say... all we know is that he wasn't charged.

Well if the league didn't set precedent by suspending guys that were never prosecuted, I.e. big Ben and Pac man, then people wouldn't be so critical. Since its never been clearly laid out what is or isn't against the "personal conduct"policy either, at least to my knowledge.

[rangerrick012]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Show me where he punched her.

Don't worry.

I'll wait.

OK I'm sorry, he just slapped her unconscious. No biggie.

http://deadspin.com/report-police-have-video-of-ray-rice-knocking-fiancee-1527756119

Slap your wife. 2 games. Slap on the wrist. Seems legit.

[kehlis]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Show me where he punched her.

Don't worry.

I'll wait.

I don't remember all the details but was there any actual evidence that Ben sexually assaulted that girl?

I don't think your point is a fair one if not.

[gopher_guy]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Show me where he punched her.

Don't worry.

I'll wait.

I have to assume you're just arguing to argue?

I mean, everyone on the planet knows what happened in that elevator.

Man and woman walk into elevator alone. Woman comes out unconscious. Thanks to our friend "circumstantial evidence", we can pretty easily deduce that there is only one logical outcome.

If there was some freak accident, like her forgetting how to stand, and banging her head on the wall or something, Ray Rice and the Ravens would have come right out in front of it with that story. And if that happened, I'm sure all of our first reaction would be to grab her hair and pull her out of the elevator.....

[Sgt_Carnage]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Where did he "beat the piss" out of his wife? The only video we've seen shows him pulling her out of an elevator where they're both drunk.

If you want to jump to conclusions, sure. Suspend him for a year since we don't know what really happened in the elevator.

Makes total sense.

Yeah, I'm sure she just fell and hit her head in that elevator.

[mestevo]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Just because the legal system doesn't believe they can convict someone for a crime doesn't mean something improper didn't happen or that what they did suddenly becomes immune to scrutiny under other things they've agreed to, namely the Personal Conduct Policy in these incidents.

Via: http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...conduct-policy

Criminal offenses including, but not limited to, those involving:

• The use or threat of violence; domestic violence and other forms of partner abuse; theft and other property crimes; sex offenses; obstruction or resisting arrest; disorderly conduct; fraud; racketeering; and money laundering;
• Criminal offenses relating to steroids and prohibited substances, or substances of abuse;
• Violent or threatening behavior among employees, whether in or outside the workplace;
• Possession of a gun or other weapon in any workplace setting, including but not limited to stadiums, team facilities, training camp, locker rooms, team planes,
• buses, parking lots, etc., or unlawful possession of a weapon outside of the workplace;
• Conduct that imposes inherent danger to the safety and well being of another person; and
• Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players.

Much lower bar than 'beyond a reasonable doubt' a criminal investigation typically requires.

[wwharton]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Well if the league didn't set precedent by suspending guys that were never prosecuted, I.e. big Ben and Pac man, then people wouldn't be so critical. Since its never been clearly laid out what is or isn't against the "personal conduct"policy either, at least to my knowledge.

I have no problem with Rice being suspended... correction, I AGREE with Rice being suspended. I just said two posts ago that I thought he'd get 4 games. But they are acting based on the fact that he did something that looks bad on the league. They aren't deciding that he committed a crime beyond the extent of the judicial system's ruling. They never have and never will. Even cases like Vick, they take into account the amount of time the courts force the player off the field when inflicting further punishment.

The reason every one of these situations brings the same reaction is bc people think the NFL should be bringing trying these cases for a second time and coming down with harsher sentences based on the evidence that us uniformed have alone. The NFL is punishing Rice for getting in trouble with the law, not for hitting a woman. There's a reason they always wait for things to play out in court before deciding what, if anything, they will do in addition.

[NDAlum]

Re: NFL Off Topic

I think it just needs to be a case by case resolution to every matter!

[rangerrick012]

Re: NFL Off Topic

I have no problem with Rice being suspended... correction, I AGREE with Rice being suspended. I just said two posts ago that I thought he'd get 4 games. But they are acting based on the fact that he did something that looks bad on the league. They aren't deciding that he committed a crime beyond the extent of the judicial system's ruling. They never have and never will. Even cases like Vick, they take into account the amount of time the courts force the player off the field when inflicting further punishment.

The reason every one of these situations brings the same reaction is bc people think the NFL should be bringing trying these cases for a second time and coming down with harsher sentences based on the evidence that us uniformed have alone. The NFL is punishing Rice for getting in trouble with the law, not for hitting a woman. There's a reason they always wait for things to play out in court before deciding what, if anything, they will do in addition.

So I don't get what you're saying, and more importantly the league is saying, with this decision. You're right that we don't have all the info but at the very least we know something went down and Rice laid hands on his woman. Unless she's coming at you with a gun or a weapon, you don't hit a woman. What sort of message does it send with this light sentence (relatively speaking)?

[ubernoob]

Re: NFL Off Topic

So I don't get what you're saying, and more importantly the league is saying, with this decision. You're right that we don't have all the info but at the very least we know something went down and Rice laid hands on his woman. Unless she's coming at you with a gun or a weapon, you don't hit a woman. What sort of message does it send with this light sentence (relatively speaking)?

The NFL doesn't play moral arbiter. They hand out suspensions based on the punishment from the court of law.

That's the proper way to do it, for first time offenses at least. Blame the courts and all parties involved (Rice, her and the Ravens) if you want something harsher than what he got.

As for Gordon, Blackmon and such... They repeatedly violated policies. It's their own damn fault for being nothing short of miraculously stupid.

[TracerBullet]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Josh Gordon Went to Rehab

Hopefully it actually helps him.

[rangerrick012]

Re: NFL Off Topic

The NFL doesn't play moral arbiter. They hand out suspensions based on the punishment from the court of law.

Then explain the Pryor suspension. Or the fact that guys have been suspended for much longer for doing much less in a legal sense.

Goodell set himself up as a moral arbiter when he put the PC policy in place. It basically says that anything that damages 'the shield' as it were can lead to you getting punished. Dragging a woman unconscious from an elevator and presumably being the one that caused her to be unconscious doesn't 'damage the shield' enough to warrant more than 2 games?

[jmood88]

Re: NFL Off Topic

All this Ray Rice stuff is covering up the fact that the NFL and Panthers aren't planning on doing anything about the Greg Hardy situation until after he appeals his guilty convictions, which won't happen until next year.

[LambertandHam]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Josh Gordon Went to Rehab

Hopefully it actually helps him.

The guy has talent, hopefully the Browns will get him help.

[mercalnd]

Re: NFL Off Topic

Then explain the Pryor suspension.

As I recall, Pryor was not suspended by the NFL. He was suspended by the NCAA and the NFL just decided that it would uphold any NCAA suspensions for players that entered the draft instead of serving them.

I'm pretty sure that if the tattoo story had come out after he was already in the NFL, the NFL wouldn't have suspended him.