NFL star dropped after footage is leaked of domestic assault

dark crystal

Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice has finally had his contract terminated after disturbing footage was released of him knocking his fiancee out in an elevator. The incident happened In February, when he was arrested, but received only a two month suspension and a fine at the time.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2747891/Shocking-new-video-shows-Ravens-star-Ray-Rice-punching-fianc-e-face-Atlantic-City-elevator-received-just-two-game-suspension.html

Good enough for him.

What disturbed me most about this story, was that this scumbag held a press conference with his (then) wife in May, where she ended up aplogising for her role in the incident. The team released a statement from her on the website relaying this apology. At the time, his manager called him 'one heck of a guy'.

Watching that video, he could easily have been facing a manslaughter charge instead of assault and yet instead he got a slapped wrist and an apology from the victim. I'm glad he's finally getting a fitting punishment from the league, but why should it have taken this video to make them finally do the right thing?

stefan idiot jones

Linebackers, great bunch of lads.

jimgoose

Suet-headed footballer makes prick of himself, hurts someone. I'll make sure the President is informed.

razorblunt

Ray Lewis, Ray Rice

All Ray's are evil!

foggy_lad

dark crystal wrote: »

but why should it have taken this video to make them finally do the right thing?

Simply because he was worth something to the club and they could spin the assault charge and arrest but when the video came out they could not argue with the plain truth of what he had done and got rid as a public relations exercise!

It boils down to him being worth x amount to the club and the public image was going to be damaged so much by the video he had to go so the club could save face.

Barely There

dark crystal wrote: »

What disturbed me most about this story, was that this scumbag held a press conference with his (then) wife in May, where she ended up aplogising for her role in the incident.

He seems a scumbag, but my sympathy for her is quite a bit diminished after reading that.

foggy_lad

Barely There wrote: »

He seems a scumbag, but my sympathy for her is quite a bit diminished after reading that.

Pressure was obviously put on her by him and the club to make him look better after the assault, it is not her fault! the scumbags here are him and the club.

seamus

foggy_lad wrote: »

It boils down to him being worth x amount to the club and the public image was going to be damaged so much by the video he had to go so the club could save face.

This, pretty much. When it's a story or a charge it's somewhat ethereal, nobody knows the exact circumstances, connotations can be made, sly accusations and assumptions can be made. All in the interests of protecting the brand.
But once the video comes out, all of the supposition and all of the connotations are gone. What you see is a big guy decking her completely unprovoked and showing little concern for her welfare even after she cracks her head on the handrail.

There's no coming back from that, the "brand" is destroyed and has to be binned.

super_furry

seamus wrote: »

There's no coming back from that, the "brand" is destroyed and has to be binned.

I dunno. I'd bet that there's some team willing to take a chance on him next year. There'll be all this talk of being a reformed character, having had counselling, making a donation to a women's shelter and begging for another chance but I've not doubt he'll be back.

angeldelight

Barely There wrote: »

He seems a scumbag, but my sympathy for her is quite a bit diminished after reading that.

Victims of domestic abuse often blame themselves - it shouldn't diminish anything!

osarusan

super_furry wrote: »

I dunno. I'd bet that there's some team willing to take a chance on him next year. There'll be all this talk of being a reformed character, having had counselling, making a donation to a women's shelter and begging for another chance but I've not doubt he'll be back.

He was banned by the NFL as well. They might be less tempted to get into that kind of talk.

It still wouldn't surprise me though.

Barely There

foggy_lad wrote: »

Pressure was obviously put on her by him and the club to make him look better after the assault, it is not her fault!

Course it is.

super_furry

osarusan wrote: »

He was banned by the NFL as well.

For just two games, which is where part of the outrage over this comes from really.

dark crystal

Barely There wrote: »

He seems a scumbag, but my sympathy for her is quite a bit diminished after reading that.

I was initially taken aback by the fact she married him afterwards, but you must remember how he probably acted in the month afterwards.

How sorry he was, how she shouldn't have provoked him, how he'll change, how their daughter would grow up without a father, how it would affect his career etc.

Domestic abuse victims rarely leave the first time. If it was the first time...

seamus

Barely There wrote: »

He seems a scumbag, but my sympathy for her is quite a bit diminished after reading that.

If anything it makes me feel more sympathetic for her.

Role reversal is very common in domestic abuse; the victim is intimidated into believing that they are the ones who provoke the reaction from their abuser and that they are in fact to blame every time they get hit. This results in then apologising to their abuser for "making" them act of character and hurt them. They're also lead to believe that if they make a complaint, that they are the ones who will be blamed and will lose everything.

Not only has this girl been bullied into that position by this scumbag, but his club is complicit in the intimidation and she's been forced to go and apologise to her abuser in a massively public arena.

The club itself should be fined or banned for allowing this to happen.

foggy_lad

He should have just bitten her on the shoulder and would have missed out on a few games, or maybe just get a warning if his first offence.

golfball37

What has what he does in his personal life got to do with his professional life?
Am being serious. If he has broken the law and gets prosecuted then let the chips fall where they may.

Why should someone lose their job over something like domestic violence? If their job was a social worker or carer I'd say fair enough but its his job to win football matches.
if the Ravens don't want him based on this thats their perogative but it shouldn't be up to Joe public.

foggy_lad

golfball37 wrote: »

What has what he does in his personal life got to do with his professional life?
Am being serious. If he has broken the law and gets prosecuted then let the chips fall where they may.

Why should someone lose their job over something like domestic violence? If their job was a social worker or carer I'd say fair enough but its his job to win football matches.
if the Ravens don't want him based on this thats their perogative but it shouldn't be up to Joe public.

His job first and foremost is to represent his club and to behave appropriately.

Barely There

seamus wrote: »

If anything it makes me feel more sympathetic for her.

Do you feel sympathetic for people who hand over money to fortune tellers and faith healers too?

Generally I tend not to feel overly sympathetic for weak minded, easily manipulated people.

I think she slapped him a couple times, then he waited til they were in a lift and knocked her out

golfball37

foggy_lad wrote: »

His job first and foremost is to represent his club and to behave appropriately.

As I said if the Ravens feel he should be cut then so be it. It shouldn't be up to a baying mob of Joe public though. Everyone detests domestic violence but it doesn't effect his ability to do his job.

foggy_lad

Barely There wrote: »

Course it is.

Barely There wrote: »

Do you feel sympathetic for people who hand over money to fortune tellers and faith healers too?

Generally I tend not to feel overly sympathetic for weak minded, easily manipulated people.

Are you saying it is her own fault she got assaulted by him because she was weak minded and not emotionally strong enough to stand up to him and the club management?

Holsten

golfball37 wrote: »

What has what he does in his personal life got to do with his professional life?
Am being serious. If he has broken the law and gets prosecuted then let the chips fall where they may.

Why should someone lose their job over something like domestic violence? If their job was a social worker or carer I'd say fair enough but its his job to win football matches.
if the Ravens don't want him based on this thats their perogative but it shouldn't be up to Joe public.

I agree, why should his professional life be completely ended over this?

Seems overboard in my view.

Barely There

foggy_lad wrote: »

Are you saying it is her own fault she got assaulted by him because she was weak minded and not emotionally strong enough to stand up to him and the club management?

If I want to know what I'm saying, I'll go back and read my posts - you should too.

Kaizersoze81

seamus wrote: »

What you see is a big guy decking her completely unprovoked

Hardly unprovoked. She slaps him in the face before they get into the lift. It's no excuse for his scumbag behaviour , but she is not entirely without blame in the incident.

DellyBelly

What I can't understand is why after getting belted that she went and married this multi millionaire football player....

foggy_lad

golfball37 wrote: »

As I said if the Ravens feel he should be cut then so be it. It shouldn't be up to a baying mob of Joe public though. Everyone detests domestic violence but it doesn't effect his ability to do his job.

It is always up to the public because they are what brings in money for the club. He acted in a way that upset the customers of the club and the advertisers who pay much more so he had to go. Really though it should have nothing to do with the club losing money or advertisers, he should have been sacked once the assault became public as it sends a message to all his fans including kids that hitting women is ok.

foggy_lad

Holsten wrote: »

I agree, why should his professional life be completely ended over this?

Seems overboard in my view.

Possibly because knocking out women in lifts is about as far from "professional" as it can get. He is a scumbag and as such should not be allowed to influence the young people who idolize these sporting stars, but the club also played a part in this whole saga so are not blameless and should also pay with fines and a ban for several games.

dark crystal

Kaizersoze81 wrote: »

Hardly unprovoked. She slaps him in the face before they get into the lift. It's no excuse for his scumbag behaviour , but she is not entirely without blame in the incident.

No she didn't.

He spat at her and she throws her arm out, not making contact with his face at all. He then slaps her in the lift, after which she charges towards him and he then knocks her out.

How is she to blame in that scenario?

dark crystal

DellyBelly wrote: »

What I can't understand is why after getting belted that she went and married this multi millionaire football player....

They have been a couple since High School. She isn't some gold digging sports groupie.

Holsten

foggy_lad wrote: »

Possibly because knocking out women in lifts is about as far from "professional" as it can get. He is a scumbag and as such should not be allowed to influence the young people who idolize these sporting stars, but the club also played a part in this whole saga so are not blameless and should also pay with fines and a ban for several games.

It has NOTHING to do with his ability on the field.

You really think these young people will think this behavior is ok? You're not giving them much credit.

Have them sort out their own issues between them, have her file criminal charges if needed but he should not lose his job over it. Madness.

ruthloss

Look at the vid. and see the way he treats her unconsious body, he even kicks one of her legs at one point.

No words to describe that kind of 'man.'

The Purveyor of Truth

Meanwhile, somewhere in Los Angeles, Solange Knowles thanks God she has a vagina.

Barely There

dark crystal wrote: »

No she didn't.

He spat at her and she throws her arm out, not making contact with his face at all. He then slaps her in the lift, after which she charges towards him and he then knocks her out.

How is she to blame in that scenario?

Given her subsequent behaviour, it would appear that she's perfectly happy to put up with a bit of domestic abuse as long as she can continue to enjoy the millionaire lifestyle.

I wouldn't waste your time shedding too many crocodile tears for her - they probably deserve each other.

dark crystal

Holsten wrote: »

It has NOTHING to do with his ability on the field.

You really think these young people will think this behavior is ok? You're not giving them much credit.

Look further down in the article of the signs of support planted outside team HQ.

Corkfeen

Barely There wrote: »

Given her subsequent behaviour, it would appear that she's perfectly happy to put up with a bit of domestic abuse as long as she can continue to enjoy the millionaire lifestyle.

I wouldn't waste your time shedding too many crocodile tears for her - they probably deserve each other.

It's not unusual for an abuse victim to stay with their abuser. I can't fathom how you think your victim blaming is okay. Seriously unsettling...

midlandsmissus

The victim blaming is severely unsettling AND ill informed on here.

Look at any abuse scenarios, there is alot of pschological damage that goes on. The victim is told they are useless, worthless, that it was their fault, that nobody else will have you, you're lucky I stay with you kind of thing.

People are absolutely worn down and beleive that they are terrible people.

It takes them alot of work and courage to be able to see it is not their fault and they can have a life without this person.

We have not all been in a domesticaly violent relationship, but some of us have been in an emotionally abusive relationship at some stage, be it a parent, boss whatever who told you you were useless and coudnt do anything right. It is very hard to make a stand against these people and years of emotional damage is done.

I feel so so sorry that they made her get up and apologise. Sick f*ckers.

Sounds like a lovely chap.

Also, she married him after this? Wtf.

midlandsmissus

rarnes1 wrote: »

Sounds like a lovely chap.

Also, she married him after this? Wtf.

Sigh. Has anyone researched domestic abuse?

midlandsmissus

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/why-janay-rice-and-other-domestic-violence-victims-dont-leave-18179/

blue note

midlandsmissus wrote: »

The victim blaming is severely unsettling AND ill informed on here.

Look at any abuse scenarios, there is alot of pschological damage that goes on. The victim is told they are useless, worthless, that it was their fault, that nobody else will have you, you're lucky I stay with you kind of thing.

People are absolutely worn down and beleive that they are terrible people.

It takes them alot of work and courage to be able to see it is not their fault and they can have a life without this person.

We have not all been in a domesticaly violent relationship, but some of us have been in an emotionally abusive relationship at some stage, be it a parent, boss whatever who told you you were useless and coudnt do anything right. It is very hard to make a stand against these people and years of emotional damage is done.

I feel so so sorry that they made her get up and apologise. Sick f*ckers.

There's a very sad amount of truth in this. Looking back at a relationship I'm not long out of I can identify with a lot of it, but it literally took years for me to come to terms with it.

Super-Rush

The mysoginistic cream of AH really rises to the top with threads like this, or is it the fact that shit floats?

Its no wonder women are afraid of their lives to report domestic violence.

Sure she was asking for it, like the rape victims.

The Purveyor of Truth

The Purveyor of Truth wrote: »

Meanwhile, somewhere in Los Angeles, Solange Knowles thanks God she has a vagina.

I forgot all about her knocking Jay-z out with a single punch and then kicking his unconscious body.

Completely slipped my mind.



*not excusing the psycho b*tch, but lets not pretend it's the same scale of violence either.

super_furry

The Purveyor of Truth wrote: »

Meanwhile, somewhere in Los Angeles, Solange Knowles thanks God she has a vagina.

There's more than a slight difference in slapping someone and kicking their shins than knocking them out with a punch that would trouble Tyson then dragging their unconscious body out of a lift.

Plus I think Solange's NFL team let her go too.

Da Shins Kelly

A lot of disturbing things about this - the measly original two match ban, the 'apology', the apparent attempt at a cover-up, the fact that the woman continues to be doubted in this case.

I saw a thread on Reddit a while back about this case, before the video came out. It was known that he had dragged her, unconscious from an elevator and still people were jumping to the 'she must have provoked him' line, a line the woman pretty much ended up trotting out herself, either from pressure from the club and her husband, or because physically abusive relationships are often emotionally manipulative too. It seems people have to see the bloody knife before they can even come to a sensible conclusion themselves. People knew well what was going on here some time ago, but as is often the case in the US, when it comes to sports stars, they'll be protected no matter what.

And even if she had slapped him first (which she didn't btw, he spat on her and was getting in her face before that), how much damage is that going to do coming from a woman her size against a fcuking 15 stone professional football player? He could have killed that woman, but sure it's her own fault for slapping him.

And honestly, it's pretty astounding the amount of people who still want to make excuses for him and criticize her for whatever reason, despite the fact that she was the one who was knocked out. Reeks of misogyny frankly, and wilful ignorance about the complexities of abusive relationships.

dgt

Reading things like this makes me sick. Not just the attack, but the other things associated with it. How utter garbage like this rise to fame has me baffled

jack presley

And because none of his beatings were caught on video, serial domestic abuser Floyd Mayweather boxes this weekend and people will quite happily hand over money to see him do so.

spiralism

Saying this as a big NFL fan, this has been handled horrifically by all involved.

The surprising thing is that he'd been squeaky clean prior to this.

The unbelievable part though is that the NFL banned him for two games initially, while also handing out a four game ban to one player for testing positive for MDMA and another for drinking while on holiday three years after a DUI. So by their logic a couple of beers at home or taking a yoke is twice as bad as decking a woman half your size and dragging her out of a lift. The brutality of it is shocking, the way her head hits the rail in the video, he could easily have killed her.

Then it takes TMZ releasing a video for the NFL to act further, a video they amazingly deny having seen while deciding the case. The NFL in deciding punishment over something like that claim to not have seen all the evidence when ****ing TMZ got their hands on it, absolute horse****. Smacks of cover up, he's a high profile player and Superbowl winner the season before last, they didn't want him gone and harming their brand and the Ravens didnt want to lose their star Running Back.

It's classically american though, where nobody gives a **** about violence but if sex or drugs are involved they go crazy.

The Purveyor of Truth

super_furry wrote: »

There's more than a slight difference in slapping someone and kicking their shins than knocking them out with a punch

Only because of the result. Both are vicious assaults and should be equally condemned.

Candie wrote: »

I forgot all about her knocking Jay-z out with a single punch and then kicking his unconscious body.

Completely slipped my mind.



*not excusing the psycho b*tch, but lets not pretend it's the same scale of violence either.

I'm saying she must thank God she is a woman as she kicked and punched a member of the opposite sex, repeatedly and violently. Were the sexes reversed, that scale of violence which she directed at Jay-Z would have caused some serious harm. Violence against women is condemned in our society (and rightly so) and in this case to such a degree that we see Obama releasing statements regarding it, yet when Solange got violent in a confined space to such a degree that she is being referred to as a "psycho bitch" (to use your words) as a result of it.. nothing but tumbleweeds in response. Hence my comment.

jimgoose

Candie wrote: »

I forgot all about her knocking Jay-z out with a single punch and then kicking his unconscious body...

That boy was extremely lucky it wasn't the wife that did that, or he'd have gone straight through the gable-end and landed in Minnesota. Have you seen the thighs on that one?? :pac:

jack presley

spiralism wrote: »

Saying this as a big NFL fan, this has been handled horrifically by all involved.

The surprising thing is that he'd been squeaky clean prior to this.

The unbelievable part though is that the NFL banned him for two games initially, while also handing out a four game ban to one player for testing positive for MDMA and another for drinking while on holiday three years after a DUI. So by their logic a couple of beers at home or taking a yoke is twice as bad as decking a woman half your size and dragging her out of a lift.

Then it takes TMZ releasing a video for them to act further, a video they amazingly deny having seen while deciding the case. The NFL in deciding punishment over something like that claim to not have seen all the evidence when ****ing TMZ got their hands on it, absolute horse****. Smacks of cover up, he's a high profile player and Superbowl winner the season before last, they didn't want him gone and harming their brand and the Ravens didnt want to lose their star Running Back.

It's classically american though, where nobody gives a **** about violence but if sex or drugs are involved they go crazy.

The most surprising thing is that the NFL claiming they didn't see the video. Even if they didn't, what do they think happened in the lift? And if they didn't, why didn't they?

The NFL have private investigators who find out if a potential fifth round draft pick ever stole a bar of chocolate or smoked a joint when he was 16 yet they didn't ask the casino for a copy of the tape?