Ray Rice cut/suspended indefinitely

To begin, I agree completely with what you're saying.

I'll add the following: The video abdicates the need for due process in public perception. There is NO doubt Rice slugged her.

Consistency IS the problem. Goodell has placed himself as judge, jury AND appellate. His mission is not justice, but rather to protect the wallet of the NFL. And cases such as this illustrate the arbitrary nature of one person serving in the role that he does.

To clarify, Ray Rice SHOULD be punished. But Rice's (now) wife did not/has not pressed charges. Rice can only be legally charged if 1) the victim desires to press charges or 2) a prosecutor decides to press charges on behalf of the state. #2 is very difficult to obtain a conviction if there aren't other witnesses. The video in this case can serve as very credible evidence of the battery. I suspect we'll see some state prosecutor about to charge Rice.

Now my problem. Goodell for a long period has administered the conduct policy in a fashion in which only allegations are sufficient to impose league punishment. Recently he has stated in Ray McDonald's case that he will allow the legal process to occur for any first time defender.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...mestic-violence-policy-ray-mcdonald/15049501/

Speaking at a youth flag football event Wednesday, Goodell said he'll wait for the legal process to play out for McDonald as he would with any other potential first offender among NFL personnel.

"I think the first thing we have to do is let the process play out, get the facts, and make sure you understand all the circumstances," Goodell said. "We don't (know the facts) right now and we're obviously following it very closely. But the policy will be applied uniformly across players, coaches, executives, commissioners. I think we made that very clear in the policy."

So we have Goodell stating a policy for McDonald that he didn't use in the first suspension for Rice and is again not waiting for any legal process to occur. Rice is/was a first time offender.

This is what happens when you allow a single person to serve as a judge, jury and appellate. All it takes according to Goodell's precedent is an allegation to allow him (the league) to suspend a player and their revenues.

Goodell has flip-flopped back and forth on the Rice issue, his actions guided by "damage control" rather than justice for the alleged perpetrator AND the victims. As long as the money keeps coming in.......

 

Goodell is the owners puppet and fair or not... I'm glad the thugs aren't getting away with shooting up strip clubs or slugging women with haymakers.

 

I should hope not. But due process is what distinguishes the civilized world. It's not perfect, but it is the best we've got. Believe it or not, an individual's perception can be biased. Without due process, you have vigilantism, mob mentality and "witch trials".

 

one BIG problem, and I did not learn this till I was an adult, is how much the DA has to do with it. If the DA decides, all by themselves, that something will be ignored then it is ignored - period. Dont matter what evidence is brought forth there is nothing at all a citizen can do to make the State enforce the law

 

Too bad the Baltimore Ravens and every other franchise is a for profit business.

Good luck to Ray Rice suing them for wrongful termination. Meanwhile he can search for gainful employment elsewhere.

 

I don't have any problem with Ray Rice's being punished. I have a problem with Goodell's inconsistent and arbitrary administration of the conduct policy. You appear to support Goodell' role as judge and jury and his record as chief administrator. I don't believe he is infallible.

 

Screw Ray Rice and screw the Ratbirds.

Ravens FO and Goodell reactive, not proactive to this situation. Unlike Adam Silver, who's done a great job.

 

gotta admit it totally screws the ratbirds so I totally will sit back and watch the dumpster fire

 

You can't be proactive. Something has to happen before anyone can administer any sort of punishment. Adam Silver couldn't punish Sterling before he said anything could he?

The best you can be is Preventative.