UPDATE: Ray Rice was just released by the Ravens. Uh, see below. What did you think happened on the elevator?
Sorry, going on a rant here. With the release of more video of the title fight in a Las Vegas elevator a couple months ago between the 230 lb Ray Rice and his 105 lb fiancee, the blogosphere is abuzz with talk of revisiting and adding to the supposed punishment of Rice. While I have no idea if anything more comes of this, my question is, what the fuck did you think happened anyway? The NFL is disavowing any knowledge of the extra footage, but this matters? What do you think happened when 2 fully conscious people walk into an elevator, and moments later one is being dragged out of the elevator by her hair? You now have people coming out and saying “gee, this makes everything different.” I say, gee, get a fucking clue.
It goes part and parcel with the recent hooraw around Ray McDonald and his scrape with his pregnant girlfriend. Just taken at face value, you have a big party with a bunch of people there. At some point near the end of the party, a woman calls the cops because she feels threatened by her boyfriend. He just happens to be a football player. The cops show up, and notice bruises around her neck and on her arms. I imagine they check out RayMac for consistent injuries, but whatever. He gets arrested for suspicion of spousal abuse.
Here’s where the stupidity starts. Jim Harbaugh, in a dig at his brother, tells anyone and everyone in hearing distance that he would NEVER tolerate a player of his being an abuser of women. Remember, brother John welcomed back Ray Rice after his deal, and said we stand behind our player and will accept the NFL’s (fucking joke of a) punishment. When Ray McDonald gets dragged to jail, ol’ Jimmy is all of a sudden very interested in due diligence and letting the courts handle it.
How do the courts handle it? Well, look at Ray Rice. He and his (speed bag) fiancée promptly get married. And Rice has to attend some sort of anger management deal. In other words, no punishment. Was she under duress to marry him? No one knows that except for them. The NFL levies a huge 2 game suspension, and boom boom, everyone is happy. Except for the victims of domestic violence who rarely get any form of justice and usually get labeled as the cause of what they get. Will he continue to beat her? Another question we won’t get to know. Unless he’s stupid enough to get caught doing the same shit somewhere else, or worst case she eventually shoots him. Hey, just ask Steve McNair. Look, he may never do anything like this again, but if you believe the stats, most abusers don’t stop at just one. Like Lay’s potato chips.
The point being, no one seems to have trouble turning a blind eye to this. From the courts to the league to the owners, to their teammates. Which brings me to Jed York. And to a lesser degree, Trent Baalke. These are the guys who would be in the direct position to lay down some kind of suspension, sit-down, or punishment for RayMac’s alleged abuse. What does Jed do? Absolutely nothing. He has been as quiet is a church mouse. He and Trent Baalke are hiding behind the due process bullshit Harbaugh conveniently hid behind. Not a peep.
Would it kill Jed to sit down Ray McDonald for one game as the investigation proceeds? No. Plenty of other people in similar circumstances are suspended with pay pending an investigation into whatever the deal was. Everyone gets all bend over due process and ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but that all horseshit. What of the pregnant girl who was (apparently) strangled by her very large and very strong boyfriend? What of Ray Rice cold-cocking his fiancée with a punch that very well could have killed her? Lots of people come out and justify this behavior as if it’s boys being boys or whatever. I wonder what they’d say if they were the recipients of systematic and ongoing abuse as the rest of the world winked and laughed.
Forty Niners Forever 
great post Chuck. Of course, you are 100% correct.
My point in all this is the 49ers look like dogshit for not doing or saying anything about this. Jed looks like a pussy by not coming out with some kind of statement. Like he wants to be just like the rest of the blind-eye old-by network that permeates the NFL. Man up, Jed. Harbaugh looks like the hypocrite that he is for throwing his brother under the bus and now chanting due process.
Fuck the breast cancer awareness money they throw around, and the bullshit concussion protocols, and the goddamn fucking awful reffing going on in games these days. If I didn’t know better (and I don’t), I’d say the refs were under instruction to make the game closer than it was, going into the 3rd quarter. Games are becoming unwatchable with all the asinine penalties being levied. Ahmad Brooks got 3 facemask penalties in a row for shit that was fairly benign. At least in the trenches. And the 3 illegal contact penalties all came on 3rd down plays (one on 3rd and 21) that were not even close to being valid. Then, when Brandon Lloyd is wrapped up by a DB on a pass to the other side of the field which would have gained 42 yards, HE gets an offensive PI call?
But that’s a rant for another day.
And, in football news, LMJ was just released. The Niners are saying they released him so he can pursue ‘other opportunities.’
I’d imagine he’s on the phone with Chip Kelly right about now.
One case has the original video evidence of physical violence. One has a 911 call and an after the fact police report with no charges to date filed. If you can’t tell the difference you must have loved Nixon’s vision of America. Arrest ‘Em, then Hang ‘Em because if they’ve been arrested they’re guilty.
This is about the organization, not justice. Can you tell the difference? Where do I say he should be arrested before due process? ‘Suspended pending investigation’ is within the rights of any business in the US.
This make the Niners look like aiders and abettors. This is what I’m saying.
Teachers are suspended pending investigation all the time where it comes to sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. Cops in the case of discharging their weapons, or cases of excessive force.
Same deal.
Nope. There is already a disciplinary process in place. Ridiculously flawed, as the Rice, Gordon and Welker cases show, but in place.
Bullshit. The 49ers have the right to suspend RayMac based on what they have now.
The Ravens look like morons for welcoming Rice back how and when they did. Goodell looks like an idiot for his 2 game suspension of Rice.
What do they have? A police report from responding to a 911 call. Cops’ word. If the info that emerges in 7 days (including the medical report) shows otherwise, that’s a horse of a different color.
So, if some random cop arrests you today, you should be suspended from your job?
Nixon’s America.
If it’s for felony spousal abuse, sure. Duh. Are you fucking serious?
The video showed me (and anyone else with a fucking brain) nothing I didn’t already know. He admitted to doing what the video showed. The Ravens chose to do nothing. Which prompted brother Jim’s soapbox stand.
MacDonald better pray there’s no video of his alleged fight. If TMZ gets hold of it ……kiss career goodbye.
Cop’s word? So, this is a set-up? The cops and the chick are trying to extort money from RayMac. Got it. Run with that, RTF.
I ain’t any cop lover, and the militarization of the police force is scary as shit to me, but in a case like this, who do you believe? The cops, or the perp? You blame the victim? Right.
They showed up because she called, they saw bruises, they talked to everyone there, and they took RayMac away an a felony DV charge.
It is completely within the 49ers right to suspend him pending investigation.
Do you think ‘felony spousal abuse’ falls under a personal conduct clause when you get a job, RTF?
Jed York is probably asking his mother what now?
I don’t really care that much about the domestic violence case or cases… It’s unfortunate for the women involved, but regarding what’s right or the NFL creating a standard or disciplining players, I have absolutely no faith in that process. And the Ray Rice and Ray McDonald cases are totally separate but because of timing they’ll be viewed more as one case – and they shouldn’t be. They are totally difference cases with different circumstances.
What I am interested in is LaMicheal James being cut today. It seems as though there was no trade value for him or the 49ers would definitely trade him before cutting him. Then the issue is whether or not Harbaugh viewed James as a malcontent who was leaking stories to the press, creating a distraction, or whether or not Harbaugh just didn’t think he was good enough. Maybe it’s a Glenn Coffee situation where he’s leaving football, but that would be a retirement if I’m not mistaken. I think Harbaugh located the rat and killed him once and for all.
His first name was too long and pretentious. LaMicheal is a ridiculous name for a football player. He’s gone and who cares? Not a soul. Question that should be asked why was he drafted in the first place? What a waste of a pick!
Little scat backs were the thing at the time and James did have some promise. But, as it so happens with the draft this one turned out to be a dud.
I don’t think he ever really was a fit in the system here. They found someone else capable of returning kicks so what’s the point of keeping him around wondering why he can’t get on the field?
What lunacy! Rice lied about the circumstances and has been caught in the lie by the video and now has to find a new way to support his families. He didn’t go on a woman-beating rampage in the time since.
The same applies to RayMac. He’s not beating any more women in the time it’s taking to gather the facts of the case.
The league and the team would look pretty stupid to rush to punishment when there’s no compelling reason to risk being wrong about it.
A couple of guys were recently released from prison after thirty-some years being locked up for a rape they didn’t commit when DNA evidence cleared them. The prosecution and jury apparently acted on “what it looked like.” “Oh, sorry about your life boys, but you appeared to be guilty so we railroaded you and couldn’t get you locked away soon enough.”
ARREST=EVIDENCE now in Chuck’s Nixonian Utopia.
WHAT Felony Charges????? Are you seriously incapable of reading and remembering information?
NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED. None of your stupid insults change that.
The charge was suspicion of felony domestic violence. Fact.
Answer these 3 questions:
Do teachers get put on administrative leave if SUSPECTED of child abuse?
Do cops get put on administrative leave for SUSPISION of excessive force?
Does an employer have the right to implement personal conduct policies?
Let’s try this: THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. NOTHING
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE 49ERS RIGHT TO SUSPEND A PLAYER FOR PERSONAL CONDUCT VIOLATIONS.
They could have benched him, but didn’t. The Ravens could have benched Ray Rice but didn’t. The video comes out and they waffle and cave. Why? Because there is no way on God’s green earth they can sweep shit like that under the rug. The video showed nothing they didn’t already know, and the Rice didn’t admit to.
Oh, and by the way, Cops do sometimes lie on the stand. It really is the only way to put certain people away.
One guy is in Court right now in the local news……used a ski mask and bat to beat a woman whose car died in his neighborhood thinking she was an intruder. He’s no kid being 53 years old.
And you tell ME it was different circumstances? Incredibly laughable, NoFear.
Suspending a football player for one game = 25 years in prison for someone else. Was it their bosses that put them in jail?
Got it.
Answer this. Do cops get put on administrative leave after being accused of excessive force?
Do teachers get put on administrative leave when charged with pedophilia?
In Ray Rice’s case he ADMITTED to punching his wife in the face after shown the shorter video.
The longer video brings nothing new to light. At least for sentient beings. Nothing changed except for the perception.
RayMac? He was there, right? His GF was there, right? Amazing how many guys like to protect wife-beaters. Comes with the territory I suppose.
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Spitty, I get that the circumstances between the 2 cases are different. BUT, the responses by the teams are equally bad. As in the Sgt. Schultz defense.
Like I said, the video released today brings nothing new to light that wasn’t already known by everyone involved. Why does it have to be visual evidence that turns the tide when everyone knew what happened, and Rice admitted to EXACTLY what was shown in the video?
You want me to say I agree with your jumping to conclusions because there’s a chance you might end up being right? That’s ridiculous.
The comparison to cops or any other public service employment is completely different. They are acting in their jobs under color of authority.
You know what results from bringing a knee-jerk ton-of-bricks down on folks merely accused of something? A bunch of false accusations for myriad reasons. As I said, ridiculous.
Yeah, I’m protecting wife-beaters. Fuck you, too.
Yes, you are. As were the Ravens. They knew it, and chose to ignore it. Same with Jolly Roger and the league. There is NO denying that. The Niners are following the same path. Besides, position of authority has little bearing on this. It has to do with personal conduct clauses in the players contracts. These days I’d say every football player signs these.
If he’s fully cleared, and he missed a game. Boo hoo. Poor guy got a day off from bashing skulls. But if the Niners are letting a wife beater play, well, they look as bad as the Ravens do now. And as the entire league does for condoning this.
So why wasn’t LaMicheal James traded to the Ravens for at least some consideration? Because why would John Harbaugh want a malcontent? Replace one problem with another? No brother saddles his sibling with a discarded malcontent. Harbaugh cut the rat out of the ship. He was questioned last night by Lowell Cohn (sp?) about a lost locker, Harbaugh got pissed and feed up and he dumped James this morning. That just means more carries for my boy, Hyde.
Ray Mac has a personal conduct policy on his contract. The Niners are within their right to enforce it for what has occurred. They choose to ignore it.
This is the story in a nutshell.
Ray Mac has another police incident at this house labeled a disturbance. The news keeps growing…….