Ray Lewis on Ray Rice

[HRBAKER]

Interesting comments from someone who would be better served keeping his mouth shut on this one.

[packs]

The whole situation is totally confusing to me. I keep reading comments like "the video changed things" but in all honesty, what did the video change? Everyone already knew this "man" knocked his wife out. Everyone saw her laid out on the ground and him trying to figure out what to do now.

So now we've seen him knock her out. What did anyone think happened in that elevator before the video was released? Did the Ravens and the NFL think that maybe Ray Rice just sneezed and elbowed his wife by accident? This is exactly what should have happened in the first place. The NFL and Ravens are disgusting. They make this move only when the public forces them to, and its in the name of PR rather than taking the stance that the NFL will not accept this behavior.

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by packs

The whole situation is totally confusing to me. I keep reading comments like "the video changed things" but in all honesty, what did the video change? Everyone already knew this "man" knocked his wife out. Everyone saw her laid out on the ground and him trying to figure out what to do now.

So now we've seen him knock her out. What did anyone think happened in that elevator before the video was released? Did the Ravens and the NFL think that maybe Ray Rice just sneezed and elbowed his wife by accident? This is exactly what should have happened in the first place. The NFL and Ravens are disgusting. They make this move only when the public forces them to, and its in the name of PR rather than shining a light on an animal and taking the stance that the NFL will not accept this behavior.

+1. The video added nothing but confirmation of what was already known, and what Rice already admitted doing. He accepted full responsibility and offered no excuses. That of course doesn't make it right, but the video only titillates the masses. It might have been different had it shown him crowding her immediately upon entering the elevator and then wailing like a boxer. However, it was a simple one punch, as he had admitted. She came at him, he has no where to go, should have just taken it---I'm offering no excuses but again, this video did not change a damn thing.

Now of course there's the rush to see who can be the most outraged, and the hunt for those who don't express enough of it--they must be insensitive at best and part of the problem at worst. Further affirmation of our society today- extreme reactions only please, all others need not apply.

[Section103]

I don't disagree with anyone above that the video should not have changed things, but I will take a slightly different view and at least explain a bit of "why" things have changed. Most importantly, I had an inherent misplaced belief that the justice system was not failing so catastrophically. I knew something bad really happened, but I also didn't know all that happened. I knew that BOTH (yes BOTH) parties were charged with assault. Combine those two things with the belief that the justice system was working remotely appropriately, and Im inclined to at least not rush to judgment and outrage. I acknowledge nothing she could have done could have made Rice's actions justifiable. I have never even begun to justify or support Rice in any way. Both the fact that both parties were charged and not knowing "what really happened" is a completely different position from where I am today.

The biggest travesty in all of this is that the criminal system had all of this information all along and merely sent Rice to class. Its a travesty of justice. I don't really give a crap about the NFL or whether Rice plays again (I hope he doesn't). Most importantly, I find the actions of the legal system absolutely chilling.

[Runscott]

Only thing new in this video was how clearly it showed him accidentally kicking his unconscious fiancé... twice. You think you'd be more careful with an unconscious body lying out in public view.

This isn't going to change anything. Overpaid athletes feel entitled to act out on their emotions at a level that the rest of society says is clearly inappropriate. Always been that way - always will be. Ask Ray Lewis.

[packs]

Meanwhile Josh Gordon is suspended for an entire season for smoking weed and hurting no one and Aldon Smith receives a 9 game suspension for multiple DUIs and weapons charges.

And oh yeah, Greg Hardy was convicted of two counts of domestic violence and received no suspension at all. Think that happened a while ago? He was found guilty on July 16th. He also played on Sunday.

[Runscott]

Yeah, I don't think most people realize what 'domestic violence' actually is: it generally consists of clocking a woman, exactly (or worse) than Ray Rice did.

[packs]

The NFL is like some dated father who hates weed smoking hippies and thinks boys will boys every now and then.