Why Ray Rice? Is it Goodells place to punish? - Gritblitzer's Blog

Gritblitzer's Blog

Why Ray Rice? Is it Goodells place to punish?

Posted on September 11, 2014 at 08:49 PM.

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Not sure if it's been hit on yet in this conversation as I haven't read the whole thing, but maybe a real discussion about this should take place about "why Ray Rice?" Not in the sense of why the outburst after Rice's actions, I get that, a video DOES sort of make the actions hit home when you see it actually take place.

Now to my question, why Ray Rice... Think about this, let's all assume that the reports about Goodell having the video before he actually placed the 2 game suspension ARE indeed true. For what reason did Goodell chose to cover for Ray Rice. I mean, what is so special about Ray Rice right now?

Goodell is the law and order commissioner, or at least that's the title he's always sort of been given. This guy has gone out of his way to lay the hammer in a lot of cases, more so earlier in his run than recently. So for what reason does he risk his job for a player of Ray Rice's stature? You can say it's because everyone believe(d)(s) Rice is a good guy, or he's a likeable personality, he gives back, etc. But that doesn't put enough on Goodells plate to where you have to cover for him by with-holding an extremely bad video like this from everyone. Much more so especially when you consider that once any set of eyes sees that video, eventually it's going to get back to the public and the media. You know 99.9% of the time that everything eventually gets back to the public when it comes to media usage such as cameras and recordings.

Now back to a more practical side of the conversation.

Ray Rices actions are inexcusable, I don't want to get that confused with what I'm about to say here. I don't stand for any sort of domestic violence, I hate it. It's something I feel pretty strongly about. The NFL completely flopped on their original 2 game sentence, they came out and admitted it. However, I feel what they are doing now is wrong. After they realized what the public thought about their goof up with Rices sentence in the league, they decided to go ahead and change the league guidelines on domestic violence. Again, everything is fine to this point, and I think it's great! What happens next though is where I take a strong side and believe the NFL is wrongfully pursuing this issue further than they need to at this point. (In terms of punishment standing and resources, not in terms of the impact of domestic violence). The Ray Rice video is released, and the NFL quick does a 360 and decides to indefinitely suspend Ray Rice.

Why is this wrong? A couple of reasons, and it also shows their new guidelines don't add up to the general publics standards, or even their own standards as the NFL.

1. They are now punishing Rice for the same offense twice. The original offense was deemed terrible, they gave him a 2 game suspension, which quickly caused a public out-cry among many circles.

2. The NFL suspends Ray Rice indefinitely, despite this being his first time offense. (See below). What does this mean? See reason 1. They are punishing rice as a two time offender despite this all being the same first offense?

Quote:


	Penalties against players will now be a six-game suspension for a first offense and a banishment of at least one year for a second offense � under league policy, the players don�t have to be convicted of a crime to be punished. Goodell�s letter also outlines plans for league personnel to "undergo comprehensive training to help them understand and identify risk factors associated with domestic violence and sexual assault."

This is all just a huge cluster-f*** at this point. The NFL is doing exactly the wrong thing in this case. They are caving to the pressure of public opinion and media outbursts that they have dealt with in the past many times. This is a much more touchy subject at this point, even still, the NFL needs to decipher the correct punishments among themselves and dole them out. This is Roger Goodells job, not the publics, to punish players. The NFL is quickly showing that they in fact are not leaders as a powerhouse like this should be, rather the same sheep that everyone else in the sports industry is quickly becoming.

There are so many roads Ray Rice could take at this point, and whats to say he and his group of people don't fight back? His lawyers could demand that he be considered an unrestricted free agent after week 2, and he would probably very well win that argument based on the fact that the NFL hasn't got the power to punish someone for the same offense twice, regardless of being a place of employment or not. They have about the same rights in terms of punishments as the US Justice system has. It's not something that's allowed. Now, let's say it goes this route, that's fine no one will sign him to a team, right? Right. Then his lawyers could very well try and and claim collusion among the 32 NFL owners. This entire situation could take a serious turn and begin spinning even more out of control than it already is if Ray Rice and his lawyers take serious steps toward trying to get his career back on track in a quick manor.

I don't call for Goodells head in this instance. I don't believe that he will lose his job either, the owners are wholeheartedly supporting Goodell, and they are after-all his bosses. It's not his job to right the wrongs of society, that's up to the police departments and just departments of the states offenses take place. Ray Rice shoudl be punished by the courts at this point, not at his job for what he does in the off-season. It's tiresome to watch people keep insisting that Goodell be the mule for the social justice people continuously demand he dole out. Goodells real job is to make the NFL more profitable.

So, while the courts did have their hands tied in this case, it's still up to them to punish Ray Rice to the nature that the public wants. It's not Goodells place or the owners' to keep Rice from playing in the league again.

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What are your thoughts on what seems to be the ever enlightening and quickly heightening saga that's unfolding before our eyes?