NFL star dropped after footage is leaked of domestic assault

dark crystal · 09-09-2014 10:32AM #1

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 · 09-09-2014 10:41AM

Linebackers, great bunch of lads.

jimgoose · 09-09-2014 10:43AM

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

razorblunt · 09-09-2014 10:46AM

Ray Lewis, Ray Rice

All Ray's are evil!

foggy_lad · 09-09-2014 10:47AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:47AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:50AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:54AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:56AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:58AM

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 · 09-09-2014 10:59AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:01AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:01AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:04AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:04AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:06AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:06AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:08AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:09AM

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.

09-09-2014 11:10AM

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

golfball37 · 09-09-2014 11:10AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:12AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:12AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:14AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:15AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:16AM

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

foggy_lad · 09-09-2014 11:16AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:21AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:22AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:24AM

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 · 09-09-2014 11:25AM

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.

NFL star dropped after footage is leaked of domestic assault

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