OT: Ray Rice Assault Video released
This morning TMZ got a hold of, and released the full video of the Ray Rice incident from this past spring. Previously, there was only video of Ray Rice dragging his unconcious fiancee from the elevator.
It's pretty ugly. To summarize for anyone who doesn't want to watch it- Ray Rice and Janay Palmer enter the elevator. They appear to be arguing, the doors close, and Ray Rice hits her in the face. He backs up from her, and she steps toward him and then he punches her, and knocks her out.
Don't know if I saw it on here on not, but there were a few places where people were arguing that we didn't know the full story, and speculation maybe she attacked him. It's clearly not the case, and the fact that Roger Goodell supposedly had full access to this video when he made the suspension decision, and only chose Rice only got a 2-game suspension is disgusting.
Update: The NFL claims they've never seen the video until today:
"We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today."
September 8th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:01 AM ^
Yes. They may be greedy but they aren't stupid.
September 8th, 2014 at 10:53 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
If she's golddigging, fine. Let her walk away with everything and leave him in poverty and disgrace.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
Can we stop with the "she saw the dollars" argument?
Survivors of domestic violence often cannot mentally or physically remove themselves from their relationhips. This happens for the poor and rich. This sort of violence coming from someone who you grew to love is a really powerful, fucked up thing.
Sexual predators will groom their victims from an early age to accept their abuse as a natural state.Domesitic violence perpetrators do the exact same thing, but we call it "love."
September 8th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
You can't play that card when you have as many outs as this woman did. This is not the typical battered woman case. Everyone saw what happened, it's not like the abuse was a secret behind closed doors. By chosing to marry him a month removed from getting knocked out she's enabling any future abuse. Period.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
Yes, domestic abuse is very much a laugh out loud situation. It's a real laugh riot.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
The thing that's laughable isn't the punch. It's her marrying the scumbag a month removed from getting knocked out by him.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^
It's not laughable. It's a disturbingly common situation in abusive relationships.
September 8th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
It's pretty telling that the NFL didn't even try to obtain this video, which I have to imagine someone had access to (I mean, most elevators have cameras installed like this), until it was released by TMZ. I'm sure there will be harsher penalties handed down, but just as likely I'm sure we'll keep watching football in record numbers despite this incompetence.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ^
But people plaster over incidents like this when it relates to football way quicker than they do other sports. I enjoy football as much as the next guy, but it's weak responses to incidents such as this, plus the concussion issues that they ignored for years, plus the obvious performance enhancement abuse going on, plus all the off-season issues regarding players breaking laws, etc. that would undobutedly submarine other sports. I mean, imagine if basketball or baseball had these types of issues; fans would be gone in droves.
The vast majority of NFL players are good, upstanding members of society, as are most human beings. But my issue is that everyone bitches about the NFL in the offseason and the minute games start they get record ratings. Hell, Manziel's preseason games were the highest-rated programs on TV, and he's a backup QB.
And yes, fans can absolutely enjoy a sport despite its failings. And yet, I'm also allowed to voice my issues with the fact that the NFL bungled another high-profile issue with its players seemingly without any long-term reprecussions.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
The popular music industry has seen murders, rapes, OD's, etc and it still has huge numbers of fans.
September 8th, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^
And yet many of these musicians individually lose fans by the droves. I mean, we're still watching college football; people could also watch the CFL or local HS.
You also basically proved my point; nobody cares about the issues as long as they are entertained; I simply pointed out how its a little weird that people will complain about their failings in the offseason and then cheer those same people as soon as the games count.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
Back when the abuse story first broke and the NFL announced its punishment, Peter King, a senior SI writer, did a story on the investigation. Deadspin already went into detail on it, so I'll link to them, but essentially Peter King reported that the NFL viewed unreleased "inside the elevator" footage in the course of its investigation.
After watching that video, it's tough to think that there is any other "inside the elevator" video that (i) would be available and (ii) would not show what this video shows.
Either Peter King's reporting was wrong, or we're not getting the entire truth from the NFL. Not sure which, but as badly as the NFL looks right now, I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to save face.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
I think this was reported incorrectly. I think the NFL purposely avoided viewing the video and hid behind legalise by saying they requested the video but were denied by Rice's lawyer.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^
Correct me if I'm wrong but this video doesn't exactly add any previously unknown facts to the case so why does it matter that no one in Gooddell's office had never seen it?
September 8th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
Well before all anyone saw was just him taking her out of the elevator, right? Now there's video of him straight knocking her out. Legally speaking, I think this would allow the NFL to punish him much harder with this new evidence. Not sure they had anything to stand on before without this evidence
September 8th, 2014 at 11:08 AM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
What she did was hit him twice first. I can't pause or reverse the TMZ video, but after multiple viewings this is the sequence:
RR at top of screen looking at phone waiting for Janay
Janay walks past, as she does RR leans toward her and she smacks his face as she continues toward the elevator
In the elevator RR leans toward her and she again physically pushes/hits/elbows him away
RR defends this and in the process hits/smack/slaps her
She charges him and he knocks her out (video seems time lapsed so I cannot for sure make out him delivering a blow but I will assume that it was a true punch to the face)
These two seem very confortable being physically violent with one another, and I would guess these two have had physical altercations before. This is the life they chose being they are now married.
The point is based on the video she hit him twice before he responded and he only responded with extreme force when she charged at him.
I am not commenting on the proportionality of RR's response or the NFL's punishment.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
out of the elevator.
Oh wait.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
The question was what did she do and the answer, that we all can see on the video, is that she hit him first, twice - she started the physical altercation based on the video.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
But yes, I realize, that's why I plus one'd you.
His reaction was so disproportionate, however, that it really doesn't matter what she did (well, outside of her pulling a gun or knife on him). And your account of the incident doesn't reflect that.
More than that, you are not just recounting what you saw. You made massive assumptions and implied even more than that.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:22 PM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 1:33 PM ^
So we're back to the "she kinda asked for it" argument? Yes, everyone sees she "started" an altercation with Rice. Considering Rice then hit her hard enough to knock her out (and into the side of the elevator where her head bounced off the wall/railing), and then basically lied about it and dragged her out to the lobby, I'm not seeing your point unless you truly think it matters that a significantly smaller woman punched him first.
September 8th, 2014 at 6:36 PM ^
Do you believe that he would have hit her unprovoked? The fact is she is the physical aggressor in the entire video until she is incapacitated. Do women not have agency? Should they expect their actions to be free of consequences? Her actions, in this video, normalize and propagate violence. His response is extreme and the result is tragic, but to pretend that he acted in a vacumn is not to take domestic violence seriously. By your last sentence are you implying that men do not have the same rights as women? I have two sons, shall I teach them that they have no right not to be harmed if by a woman? That they have no right to self defense if from a woman? I also have two daughters, shall I teach them that they can act with impunity if physically assaulting a male? That they need not be concerned that they may physically harm a male? Do we not all belong to a civil society where it is incumbent on us not to resort to violence wantonly? Are women exempt from that?
September 8th, 2014 at 6:46 PM ^
A lot of people in this thread are falling into a benevolent sexism trap. The poor woman attacked him first in self defense and the guy's punch was so mezmerizing that she just HAD to marry the guy 1 month later. Victims of violence are completely helpless and can't cancel a wedding one month removed from getting knocked out and dragged out of an elevator.
September 8th, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
Benevolent sexism towards females = malevolent sexism towards males? Two sides of the same coin of double standards I suppose. Some of it is programming, some of it is the intellectual laziness of getting your opinions from bumper stickers. I would guess most of it is just the nature of the discussion attracted by the situation. The same way comments about child rapists inevitably turn into who can best describe the appropriate torturous extreme to which the accused ought to be subjected. At least we can all agree on Michigan football here, oh wait.
September 8th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
It does matter that she punched him first. They should both be going to jail. He should obviously get more time but she should be going too. Seeing it any other way is sexist IMO.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
I've definitely stooped to a new low where everything football related I somehow now tie to how it might help Michigan get an elite coach... In this case my knee-jerk reaction was "hopefully the NFL bans Rice a year and that helps cause the Ravens to suck so John Harbaugh comes to Michigan." It may be time for me to step away from the game for a while.
September 8th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
Absolutely disgusting behavior which I hope is "rewarded" with a very long prison term. But hey, we know how this usually works for professional athletes and celebrities...
September 8th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
Like this weekend wasn't bad enough. This is just repulsive.
Ravens fans are the new Raiders fans right? Ray Lewis killed a guy, statue. Ray Rice knocks out his wife, standing O
September 8th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
I don't know if Rice had any endorsement deals, but I suspect they are no longer in place.
Tough guy...NFL RB smacking a woman. Deserves to think about his manliness for a season.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 12:03 PM ^
I will be rooting that that both his knees get destroyed next time he steps on the field. Yes, I do wish ill on those who would do something like this.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
He just has to win one more Super Bowl and find God and he can get a statute next to Ray Lewis.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
the dude should be in prison.
September 8th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
For those wonderign about whether the NFL actually saw the tape:
http://deadspin.com/adam-schefter-is-fed-up-with-the-nfl-1631937239
September 8th, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
Lackey: Commissioner Goodell! Wes Welker was caught popping Molly!
Goodell: Suspend him for 2 games.
Lackey: Sir, Molly is a drug, not a woman.
Goodell: Better make it a four game suspension then.
Seriously, Rice should be done for the year, if not career. NFL enforcement is as bad or worse than the NCAA's.
September 8th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^
Ray Rice will never play football again. He should be in jail, but at least he will never set foot in the NFL again (i can't imagine any team signing him).
September 8th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^
Now of course, the conversation will revolve around which team would/could pick him up, if the Union determines he was wrongfully terminated. I found it intersting that on MIke and MIke this morning, they kept repeating that Ray couldn't be punished twice, and the Ravens had no grounds to re-punish him. Well, that was flat out incorrect. Bravo Baltimore. What a pile of S.
September 8th, 2014 at 2:32 PM ^
September 8th, 2014 at 2:46 PM ^
It would look terrible. I can't imagine any team, picks up an abuser, and risks the wrath of the public, as well as endorsements. I'd assume any company, who backs a team, would put themselves in great public ire, if they were to back a team that backs Ray R. Now, and it's a big NOW, what if he declares he's turned his life around, with the help of Jesus, and deserves another chance? I've noticed that Jesus...maybe because he's unable to speak for himself....tends to lend his assistance to those between a rock and a hard place.
September 8th, 2014 at 4:25 PM ^
Glad he was cut. My guess is that Bob Stoops will take a shot at him.
Seriously though, which team is going to try and get him? These athletes need to be reminded that it is a privledge to play in the NFL. Boot his ass for life.
September 8th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
Two points
1. He didn't even pull her all the way out of the elevator. Just left her there half in, half out.
2. Did Goodell do any kind of investigation? "Hey Ray, What happened in the elevator?
Option A. "I knocked her out" - Ok, don't need the video tape.
Option B " Ah, She had a bad reaction to something she ate".
What is the penalty for lying to the league office (plus knocking out a woman)?