Thoughts on Ray Rice getting (only) a 2 game suspension

[newtogolf]

We're not disagreeing. That's why I lament the inconsitency we've seen over the years in the administering of fines and suspensions.

As for Josh Gordon, it isn't so much the penalty I protest versus the test itself. The World Anti-Doping Agency is the organization that set the 15 ng/L threshold. They have since changed that threshold to 150 ng/L. I blame the NFLPA for not amending their agreement to reflect the new standards. But Josh's "positive" test was inconclusive at best, even at the 15 mark. Two cups, one tests 16 nanograms, and the other tests 13 nanograms. That's inconclusive. Imagine you were on a jury and presented that evidence. Would that be concrete enough for you to send a guy up for a year? Not for me, especially when I knew he had passed 70 previous tests.

I am anti-drug but given the number of states legalizing marijuana I don't see how some professional sports can continue to justify the stiff penalties for using marijuana unless they change the policy on alcohol use as well.   .

[newtogolf]

Looks like Ray McDonald will be the first to test the leagues new policy on domestic abuse.  49'ers are going to have their entire team suspended at this rate, better suit up Drew.

Quote:

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested early Sunday morning on a felony domestic violence charge, according to San Jose police. McDonald posted $25,000 bail and was released from jail about six hours after he was booked.   McDonald, 29, was arrested just before 3 a.m. at a home in San Jose, police spokeswoman Heather Randol confirmed via the department's official Twitter account.  He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 15, the day after the Niners play a Sunday Night Football game against Chicago in Santa Clara.

To make matters worse I heard on the news this morning that the woman McDonald is accused of striking was pregnant.  The question is does the NFL suspend McDonald now or does it wait until the case is heard in court.

[RJH999]

Looks like Ray McDonald will be the first to test the leagues new policy on domestic abuse.  49'ers are going to have their entire team suspended at this rate, better suit up Drew. To make matters worse I heard on the news this morning that the women McDonald is accused of striking was pregnant.  The question is does the NFL suspend McDonald now or does it wait until the case is heard in court.

****.

[Gunther]

Looks like Ray McDonald will be the first to test the leagues new policy on domestic abuse.  49'ers are going to have their entire team suspended at this rate, better suit up Drew. To make matters worse I heard on the news this morning that the woman McDonald is accused of striking was pregnant.  The question is does the NFL suspend McDonald now or does it wait until the case is heard in court.

This is going to the issue, how they enforce it. For the record, suspend him now and not just cuz the Cowboys play them next weekend. My guess, however, is they'll wait until "more facts are known."

[RonTheSavage]

This is going to the issue, how they enforce it. For the record, suspend him now and not just cuz the Cowboys play them next weekend. My guess, however, is they'll wait until "more facts are known."

Yeah I would think that they wait until more facts are known. Yes he was arrested, but stranger things have happened, and yup she's ten weeks pregnant. So he can forget the 6 game suspension, it's automatically more than that. If he indeed hit her how stupid can you be?

[Golfingdad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

The question is does the NFL suspend McDonald now or does it wait until the case is heard in court.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunther


This is going to the issue, how they enforce it. For the record, suspend him now and not just cuz the Cowboys play them next weekend. My guess, however, is they'll wait until "more facts are known."

I would hope that they get all of their facts first.  Just because they established a stricter suspension policy for offenders doesn't mean that they should be more lenient on due process.  In fact, it's probably closer to the opposite.  Now that they are taking away nearly half of a season (and I agree that it'll probably be more [and should be] for hitting the pregnant lady) they better REALLY make sure that he's actually guilty before they suspend him.

BTW, if I'm Jim Harbaugh, I think I'm prohibiting anybody else on my team from ever being on Bentley Ridge Drive.

Quote:

The incident occurred on Bentley Ridge Drive, part of an upscale San Jose neighborhood. It is the same street where McDonald's teammate, star pass rusher Aldon Smith , was arrested for DUI following a single-car accident last September.

Seems like that might solve all of the teams problems.

[RJH999]

I would hope that they get all of their facts first.  Just because they established a stricter suspension policy for offenders doesn't mean that they should be more lenient on due process.  In fact, it's probably closer to the opposite.  Now that they are taking away nearly half of a season (and I agree that it'll probably be more [and should be] for hitting the pregnant lady) they better REALLY make sure that he's actually guilty before they suspend him. BTW, if I'm Jim Harbaugh, I think I'm prohibiting anybody else on my team from ever being on Bentley Ridge Drive. Seems like that might solve all of the teams problems. :beer:

DON'T GO TO SAN JOSE NINERS.

[mchepp]

BTW, if I'm Jim Harbaugh, I think I'm prohibiting anybody else on my team from ever being on Bentley Ridge Drive.

Seems like that might solve all of the teams problems.

Gonna probably be pretty hard to do. Many of the sports athletes who live in SJ, 49ers, Sharks, Earthquakes, live in that neighborhood.

[RJH999]

Gonna probably be pretty hard to do. Many of the sports athletes who live in SJ, 49ers, Sharks, Earthquakes, live in that neighborhood.

MOVE TO SANTA CLARA.

[Gunther]

Yeah I would think that they wait until more facts are known. Yes he was arrested, but stranger things have happened, and yup she's ten weeks pregnant. So he can forget the 6 game suspension, it's automatically more than that. If he indeed hit her how stupid can you be?

Interesting thought, I.e., more games because she is pregnant. Although I completely agree, not sure how the rule was written or will be administered. This is what I meant earlier about lawyers, semantics, extenuating circumstances, etc will create difficulty in enforcement. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[Golfingdad]

Interesting thought, I.e., more games because she is pregnant. Although I completely agree, not sure how the rule was written or will be administered. This is what I meant earlier about lawyers, semantics, extenuating circumstances, etc will create difficulty in enforcement. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

It's part of the rule ...

“Effective immediately, violations of the Personal Conduct Policy regarding assault, battery, domestic violence or sexual assault that involve physical force will be subject to a suspension without pay of six games for a first offense, with consideration given to mitigating factors, as well as a longer suspension when circumstances warrant. Among the circumstances that would merit a more severe penalty would be a prior incident before joining the NFL, or violence involving a weapon, choking, repeated striking, or when the act is committed against a pregnant woman or in the presence of a child.”

[newtogolf]

It's part of the rule ...

Exactly, I have to think it's 9 games minimum depending on how badly she was beaten.  If it was a punch or kick (especially to abdomen) I'd say he's gone for the season.

[Gunther]

It's part of the rule ...

Ah, ok, that helps, both my in clearing up my own ignorance, and in the ability to judiciously impose a penalty. Thanks!

[newtogolf]

The NFL has to mandate anger management training as part of their player development system.  These guys are taught from a young age to take out their aggressions on the guy on the other side of the line.  I know first hand, it's not always easy to turn off when you're in situations that elevate your adrenaline levels.  You want these guys to be finely tuned hitting machines, you have to teach them how to cope with situations where they can't hit their way out of a problem.

[newtogolf]

Admittedly, I wasn't a Goodell fan before today but after seeing the entire video he had the benefit of watching before deciding on Rice's suspension, I have to say this guy needs to retire and go fishing.  In the video, it shows Rice spitting on his fiancée then hitting her twice, once so hard she's knocked down and hits her head on the elevator railing.   Goodell created the domestic violence policy because he knew once this footage got out, he'd look like an idiot.  I don't see how he or the NFL could have come up with only 2 games after seeing this footage, she could have been seriously injured or even died from head trauma.

http://www.tmz.com/2014/09/08/ray-rice-elevator-knockout-fiancee-takes-crushing-punch-video/

[MS256]

Exactly, I have to think it's 9 games minimum depending on how badly she was beaten.  If it was a punch or kick (especially to abdomen) I'd say he's gone for the season.

I guess I'm a little more hard-nosed. If somebody punches or kicks a pregnant woman in the abdomen he would never, ever play in my league again (and I would hope they locked him away and lost the key forever).

I have absolutely no sympathy for somebody that would do that.

[David in FL]

I guess I'm a little more hard-nosed. If somebody punches or kicks a pregnant woman in the abdomen he would never, ever play in my league again (and I would hope they locked him away and lost the key forever).

I have absolutely no sympathy for somebody that would do that.

Exactly right!

[newtogolf]

I guess I'm a little more hard-nosed. If somebody punches or kicks a pregnant woman in the abdomen he would never, ever play in my league again (and I would hope they locked him away and lost the key forever).

I have absolutely no sympathy for somebody that would do that.

Exactly right!

I don't disagree, I'm just not sure the league has the ability to ban someone for their first offense