ATHLETIC ASSHOLES

[Duchess]

They need some goddamn guidelines set in stone. How the hell can they be so wishy washy. The Vikings organization now looks like they are managed by morons. Deactivated, activated, deactivated. Stupid fuckers. Another club punishes twice for the same offense while a different club lets their alleged abuser play only to pull him after the abuse stories stay in the headlines. The only thing I'm taking from all of this is that there are different rules for different caliber of players.

[username]

It's all George's fault.

[Duchess]

Can I say again just how much bullshit I think some of this is. I know I'm a broken record, I acknowledge that but this shit is making my head spin.

If each organization needs to punish their players in house, fine, whatever, if it's a legal matter, the same thing, fine, whatever, but now I'm reading that a group of 16 females senators have stuck their noses in. They have sent a letter to Roger Goodell saying they are "deeply concerned" about the league's new domestic violence policy. I don't give a rip who those women are, it's not their business. That's my opinion. They are not entitled to make it theirs simply because they are female.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's not just females -- male politicians, other male players, male sponsor representatives, male journalists and hosts...are all weighing in and some of them are suggesting or demanding what they think is appropriate action for the NFL to take in regards to domestic violence as well.

[Duchess]

Demanding - ain't that the fuckin' nerve.

I'll never agree that this is their business. I think it's for the courts & the NFL.

Verizon has no problem leaving their billion dollar account with the NFL and I hope others follow suit.

I think the suggestion (or comment) that you made the other day is a good one, a viable one and hopefully it's something they will come up with on their own. It's a privilege and an honor to play in the NFL, hopefully it will start being viewed as that by the players who don't already see it that way.

[Cutz]

Chip on your shoulder? Some chick kicked your chubby butt...am I right?

I don't have much junk in my trunk.

No, never been abused... just stirrin up shit.

[Duchess]

The authorities in Minnesota filed a petition on Friday seeking a protective order for the 4 yr. old son of Adrian Peterson. Honest to Christ, is this necessary? He switched his son as punishment, he didn't beat the fuck out of the kid to the point of being near death. I'm not condoning leaving marks or drawing blood but I'm not cool with authorities having the power to tell parents how they can discipline their children. That's bullshit in my opinion. I saw User say she had to investigate what she was allowed to do as a parent when it comes to meting out punishment. She shouldn't have had to do that.

I also have a problem with those who label players, entertainers, etc. as role models. Most of those people don't want that title. They don't want to be responsible for your kids, they just want to play ball or make music. They shouldn't have to live their lives to satisfy others.

[HairOfTheDog]

My question is, how did police let this shit go? They obviously saw the video. And Rice gets a pre-trial intervention program that will wipe it off his record? MUST our judicial system be so damn corrupt for rich assholes?

I think it's a standard court option for those charged with domestic abuse the first time in that jurisdiction.

I thought wrong, Cutz. It's a standard court option for first time misdemeanor or non-violent charges. A Pre-Trial Intervention program for charges like the ones for which Rice was ultimately indicted is only an option less than 1% of the time, though the stats aren't crystal clear. Source: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-foot...-1-of-time

Making the PTI option available to Rice was a major effort by top-notch Philadelphia defense attorney, Michael J. Diamondstein, and much negotiation with the second Atlantic County prosecutor in the case (James P. McClain). A big factor working in Rice's favor was his public displays of good character and charity work, of which there are many examples. Several of those close to Rice cited his good character and good works in letters to the court pleading for leniency -- according to this new in-depth piece by ESPN's Outside The Lines: http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/1...oodell-nfl

The ESPN piece cites "unnamed sources", but it seems credible to me overall; Raven's mgt has already denounced it. The police didn't let the shit go. But, according to the piece, prosecutor McClain eventually buckled and made exceptions for Ray Rice (I wonder if McClain's suffering any backlash in legal circles). And, Rice was honest with everyone in the NFL about having punched Janay in the face. So, Goodell knew what had happened even though he's being honest when he says he didn't see the video til Sept. 8 (seems to me that's because he didn't want to see it).

Interesting case. I'm curious to see how Ray Rice's suspension appeal plays out and if he takes other forms of legal action against the NFL and/or the Ravens.

[Duchess]

I read earlier today that the Raven's coach wanted to dump Ray in February (as well as two others that came after) but was vetoed by the owner. I can believe that.

Everyday I am tempted to send Hot D's solution to the NFL. It's better than anything they have come up with and it's fair.

[Cutz]

The ESPN piece claimed that the Ravens had seen both videos tho, right? And that the organization helped in the cover up?

I wouldn't see them denouncing Ray's good character and charity work.

[HairOfTheDog]

The ESPN piece claims that coach Harbaugh wanted to cut Rice when he first learned the full details of what went down.

According to ESPN journalists, it was the Ravens' Director of Security, Darren Sanders, who got a call from an Altantic police officer who was watching the video at the casino. Sanders quickly relayed the damning video's play-by-play to team executives in Baltimore.

It's not clear to me if anyone inside the Ravens org actually saw the video (later Rice's defense attorney saw it, of course), but it is clear that Sanders conveyed to the team's leaders that it was a punch to the face that laid-out Janay Palmer and that it was a very bad situation. Rice reportedly never claimed otherwise. The Ravens' leadership knew from the get-go that Janay Palmer didn't fall down drunk and hit her head and that she did not fall down after being slapped.

From there, according to the piece, Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti, president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome began extensive public and private campaigns pushing for leniency for Rice on several fronts: from the judicial system in Atlantic County, where Rice faced assault charges, to commissioner Goodell, to within their own building, where some were arguing immediately after the incident that Rice should be released.

Harbaugh eventually toed the line.

[Duchess]

Ravens' owner Steve Bisciotti

He's one of the owners I saw interviewed who publicly stated he had every intention of standing beside Goodell in support of him. He specifically said he had no issues with how everything was being handled.

There are a lot of pissed off people commenting today about Roger Goodell's statements yesterday. They are very unhappy and don't feel as if anything has been resolved.

[Carsman]

This is somewhat in a different vein. But having the same meddling effect of employer's getting involved in their employee's lives. I think of asshole Chuck Lorre who fired Charlie Sheen. Because Charlie got drunk one too many times (to Lorre's liking) in his hotel rooms, "on his own time"! It didn't affect Charlie's on screen performances, so why the fuck did Lorre care?
If the employer truly feels they have to get involved, they should see that their employee gets professional help, not fire them.

[Duchess]

I don't think the NFL has a clue what they are doing. There are different rules for different players. Some clubs wait and let it play out legally, others cut players right away. It pissed a lot of people off when a guy who tested positive for pot was suspended for an entire season while a guy who beats the shit out of someone has a suspension that lasts for 2 games.

I'm not positive about this because I had stopped paying attention but I'm pretty sure someone asked Roger why there were no black women on his domestic violence panel. If that's true then it's probably only a matter of time before someone tries to make a mountain out of that.

[HairOfTheDog]

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti held a press conference on Monday to address the ESPN article claiming that the Ravens tried to cover up and push Goodell for leniency in regards to the Ray Rice incident.

He claims that Ray Rice, his attorneys, and his friends are the anonymous sources cited in the article and they're only accusing the Ravens of lying because they want Rice reinstated.

Bisciotti says he'd still hire Rice in some kind of capacity with the Ravens in the future (like working in player development and such; a $100k a year job which can't be considered "hush money" because it would take Rice 250 years to earn the salary that Bisciotti took away from Rice).

He also said he regrets that the Ravens didn't push harder to get the elevator tape; he now thinks that the team should have refrained from letting Rice play until they saw the video. Here's a short bit from the 45 minute press conference.



In response, ESPN claims it interviewed various sources, including some on the team. They're standing by their "Outside The Lines" investigative article.

[Duchess]

I watched quite a bit of that interview yesterday. I found him to be sincere & believable and I thought he made a lot of sense. I think he's a very personable man.

He was asked what he would do if he were forced to sell and he just kinda sighed and said he'd sell. I have to say straight up, I think it's an awful thing in America that one can be forced to sell their business for something like this. I felt the same way about that old coot and his b'ball team.

[HairOfTheDog]

I found Bisciotti to be credible as well. He didn't speak like a politician or seem defensive, to me.

IMO, the truth probably lies somewhere between the Rice / ESPN version and the Bisciotti / Ravens version -- each minimizing some things that are unfavorable to their sides to position themselves most positively.

I don't think there is cause for a forced sell of the Ravens. I doubt that the NFL franchise ownership contracts would legally support such a demand and hope it's not pursued. Rice's crime was not something that happened on the field and the NFL did not break any laws in its handling of the situation. Rice had his day in court for his crime, with a judge making the call -- as it should be, IMO.

As for that old coot, Donald Sterling -- he violated a franchise contractual code of conduct and then kept on making it worse (due to stubborness or dementia -- doesn't really matter which). No crime was committed, but very few in the league would have been willing to play for him and sponsors quickly jumped ship. The NBA was within its contractual rights to force the sell and Sterling made shitloads of money off the deal. I understand your point about punishing him for a perceived racial slur made in private, but that's not what it's about to me. He made a lot of unprofessional and unwise moves that ended up with that leaked tape coming out; all of which reflected very poorly on the NBA and caused significant problems for the league. I know we'll never agree, but I have no problem with how it went down.

[HairOfTheDog]

I was glad to see this news today; I think the grand jury got it right.



Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart will not face charges in the on-track death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo announced Wednesday that a grand jury decided not to indict Stewart.

Full Story: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/no-charges-f...ack-death/

[Cutz]

agree

[Duchess]

I read the kid tested positive for pot. That doesn't mean anything one way or another to me, just posting what I read.