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

[Golfingdad]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/broncos-dl-terrance-knighton-says-ray-rice-should-be-thrown-out-of-nfl-155106245.html

I can't disagree with any of those guys.

I will say, though, that it's odd how visually we operate.  The previously known facts of this case were:

-Video showed an unconscious woman being dragged out of an elevator.

-Ray Rice admitted he'd done SOMETHING wrong because he apologized and accepted punishment for it.

Now, even prior to seeing the video (I still haven't watched it) what could we have possibly expected it to show that would be any less than what it did?

[saevel25]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/broncos-dl-terrance-knighton-says-ray-rice-should-be-thrown-out-of-nfl-155106245.html

Ray Rice should be gone from the NFL.

I can't disagree with any of those guys.

I will say, though, that it's odd how visually we operate.  The previously known facts of this case were:

-Video showed an unconscious woman being dragged out of an elevator.

-Ray Rice admitted he'd done SOMETHING wrong because he apologized and accepted punishment for it.

Now, even prior to seeing the video (I still haven't watched it) what could we have possibly expected it to show that would be any less than what it did?

I think it is just one of those things. I think visually seeing something has such a greater impact on a person than it does just hearing it. I think most of the time a person can't visually imagine exactly what happened or how ugly an action can be.

[Slice of Life]

Ray Rice should be gone from the NFL.

Agreed.

And knowing he did something is different from seeing him knock her the hell out.

[newtogolf]

I can't disagree with any of those guys.

I will say, though, that it's odd how visually we operate.  The previously known facts of this case were:

-Video showed an unconscious woman being dragged out of an elevator.

-Ray Rice admitted he'd done SOMETHING wrong because he apologized and accepted punishment for it.

Now, even prior to seeing the video (I still haven't watched it) what could we have possibly expected it to show that would be any less than what it did?

I agree to some point, but without video we had no idea what exactly happened.  Rumor was that his fiancée had gotten violent with him first, but none of us had any idea how violent.  We saw him drag his fiancée out of the elevator but had no idea if she was so inebriated that it was more due to alcohol rather than a violent strike.

After seeing the video, we see she wasn't all the violent or drunk and Ray antagonized the situation by spitting on her at least once, likely twice.  It removes all speculation and doubt as to Rice's behavior versus the he said / she said we had to go on when the NFL made their initial ruling.

What I don't understand is how the NFL ever thought 2 games was enough (yes I'm 100% convinced the NFL saw this video), how she could marry Rice after he did this and what her father thinks about her daughter marrying a guy that did this to his daughter.

[Slice of Life]

how she could marry Rice

I'll give you five reasons:

1. Money

2. Fame

3. Money

4. Money

5. Money

[newtogolf]

I'll give you five reasons:

1. Money

2. Fame

3. Money

4. Money

5. Money

Doesn't say much for her character either then.

[Slice of Life]

Doesn't say much for her character either then.

There's also the Maury answer "But I loooooove him".

Either way...terrible character or not...doesn't warrant a 230 lb brick house knocking you out...

[Jeremie Boop]

I can't disagree with any of those guys.

I will say, though, that it's odd how visually we operate.  The previously known facts of this case were:

-Video showed an unconscious woman being dragged out of an elevator.

-Ray Rice admitted he'd done SOMETHING wrong because he apologized and accepted punishment for it.

Now, even prior to seeing the video (I still haven't watched it) what could we have possibly expected it to show that would be any less than what it did?

I would say there are plenty of things that would have made him not look nearly as bad as people thought he was. Heck, only one of many reasonable scenarios is if she came at him and he pushed her away hard and she smacked her head getting knocked out. If that were what really happened I think most people would have figured it was an accident. However, what actually happened in the video leaves no doubt that the opposite is true. Having actual proof of the incident is key when rendering judgement.

[Golfingdad]

I agree to some point, but without video we had no idea what exactly happened.  Rumor was that his fiancée had gotten violent with him first, but none of us had any idea how violent.  We saw him drag his fiancée out of the elevator but had no idea if she was so inebriated that it was more due to alcohol rather than a violent strike.

We already knew she was knocked out and that he fessed up to having knocked her out.  This video (I finally watched it) is about as UN-violent (basically one punch) as I could imagine, considering those two facts.  Matt is correct that we as humans are much more impacted by seeing things than hearing about them.  (Like with the Sarah McLachlan and old Sally Struthers commercials)

After seeing the video, we see she wasn't all the violent or drunk and Ray antagonized the situation by spitting on her at least once, likely twice.  It removes all speculation and doubt as to Rice's behavior versus the he said / she said we had to go on when the NFL made their initial ruling.

Again, I think that his apology and acceptance of punishment (he likely wouldn't have done that if he wasn't in the wrong) along with video of a knocked out woman already removed any speculation and doubt  for most of us.

What I don't understand is how the NFL ever thought 2 games was enough (yes I'm 100% convinced the NFL saw this video)

Why?

how she could marry Rice after he did this

What does this have to do with anything?

[dsc123]

This is the best I can find about what the NFL said they saw, at the time of the suspension.

Quote:

On July 28, Adolpho Birch, the NFL's senior vice president of labor policy, was asked on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike" program if the league had any additional information or videos not made available to the public, and he would not say whether the NFL had seen the video from inside the elevator

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11486837/new-video-released-baltimore-ravens-ray-rice-hitting-fiancee

After the original suspension, Rice said:

Quote:

"It is disappointing that I will not be with my teammates for the first two games of the season, but that's my fault," Rice said in a statement released by the Ravens when he was suspended. "As I said earlier, I failed in many ways. But Janay and I have learned from this. We have become better as a couple and as parents. I am better because of everything we have experienced since that night. The counseling has helped tremendously.

What do you think it is that she learned?

[Slice of Life]

What do you think it is that she learned?

Not to talk back?

(Too soon?)

[Jeremie Boop]

What does this have to do with anything?

It could have been construed that what happened in the elevator wasn't as bad as many thought it was if she didn't see it as a reason not to marry the guy. However, as most know, people stay in abusive relationships all the time so it's not surprising that she stayed anyway.

[newtogolf]

We already knew she was knocked out and that he fessed up to having knocked her out.  This video (I finally watched it) is about as UN-violent (basically one punch) as I could imagine, considering those two facts.  Matt is correct that we as humans are much more impacted by seeing things than hearing about them.  (Like with the Sarah McLachlan and old Sally Struthers commercials)

Again, I think that his apology and acceptance of punishment (he likely wouldn't have done that if he wasn't in the wrong) along with video of a knocked out woman already removed any speculation and doubt  for most of us.

Clearly some of us on TST are more outraged today than they were when this incident was first reported, as are NFL players (based on number of tweets) who got to see it for the first time.  I was a bouncer, I've seen drunks get knocked out cold by a slight push and I've seen guys take bottles to the head and it not phase them.

The first video showing her unconscious body being dragged out of the elevator proved nothing except that she wasn't conscious.  He apologized because it helped his case, defendants apologize all the time if it means they will get a lesser sentence, even when they really aren't sorry.

[RJH999]

He has been cut.

[Slice of Life]

He has been cut.

Just came to post!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11489134/baltimore-ravens-cut-ray-rice-new-video-surfaces

[dsc123]

Wow, good on them.

So now that he's not playing for them anymore, they can start planning the statue?

[Gunther]

Yep, terminated the contract. Even Jerry Jones won't touch him now.

[Gunther]

Oh, and I'm with you @golfingdad, not gonna watch it. Huge MMA fan so don't mind seeing people getting smashed in the face but I have absolutely no stomach to see something like this.