About this Ray Rice crap - and all the other NFL messes, too.
First, the necessary statement: I am in no way defending Ray Rice. His initial punishment was far too lenient. That, however, has become a secondary issue as the story moves forward.
The real issue is the NFL's coddling of its players. Actually, not just the NFL, but all pro sports.
Back to Ray Rice.
Here in Maryland the story has been percolating for a long time. It has been reported here is what is probably greater detail than it was nationally, at least at the start of it.
So the NFL gave him a lenient punishment. People were understandably angry about that. Along comes the TMZ (as scummy an organization as can be) video and suddenly there is "new evidence."
But that simply is not true.
Listening to our local news, contemporaneous to the event, we all heard the story of what happened in the elevator. Those stories are essentially what is shown on the TMZ video. Further, Rice told Goodell the same story when he was being questioned by the NFL.
Goodell and the NFL want it both ways. They wanted to get a star player back to playing. They underestimated the sensibilities of good people and the disgust with Rice's actions. They wanted a double dip.
Enter TMZ.
I hope Rice's original punishment is restored and that Goodell resigns. Rice will spend the rest of his career with that stench about him.
Or not. We'll see what the American public think about domestic violence. Really.
I suspect in a year or two this will all blow over and nothing will be changed. Sad, but as a people we have a record.
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