Police say Ray Rice is a big Lawrence Phillips fan

Working for a scumbag organization and its equally low-class fan base does no harm.

 

In degrees of career ending, Ray Rice has trumped Richie Incognito
which will make things difficult for Goodell and The Players Association.

 

Would you rather Ray Rice issue an empty apology written by team flacks? Because that's all you'll get. If you want "heartfelt," you're looking in the wrong place.

 

The same level of sickening depravity needed to torture and kill hundreds of dogs?

Or getting drunk and killing someone in your car?

Because the league and fans sure forgot about those pretty quickly.

 

When Paul Crew beat up his girlfriend, stole her car and drove it into
the drink that was pretty much history on his NFL career, on top of fixing
games.

 

Oh, I get that. I'm just being a dick.

Rice is a local hero in the area where I grew up. The level of football there is not great, and for folks like my brother who was a high school football star, it was a big deal when he made it to the NFL.

And, his public image appeared to be pretty good.

I'm sure we'll learn now -- and H.L. Mencken hinted at it already -- that all the journalists who covered him knew all along that he was an asshole.

 

The league is full of wife-beaters. The Hall of Fame has a few of them itself.

 

Is Rice still good enough to overcome this though? Especially when you factor in a suspension, or possibly even some jail time?

If they actually have video of this, they won't need her to cooperate with a prosecution. You've got to assume they will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.

 

Completely different.

First, keep in mind that it took Vick, what, three years of hard time to get his second chance. Second, sorry, but dogs aren't people. There is an animal rights lobby, for sure. They are vocal. But the human lobby is larger. And more vocal. It includes, well, everybody. The NFL can afford to piss off PETA. The NFL can't afford to alienate 50 percent of the population.

Plus - and I know this isn't politically correct, but I believe it to be true - there was a cultural context to the dog-fighting that permitted people to forgive or, at least, understand. Maybe it was paternalistic. Maybe it was even racist. But it was there. Nobody is going to think that Ray Rice doesn't know any better than to KO his fiancee. Nobody.

And the drunk driving thing isn't sick or depraved. It's reckless. It's irresponsible. It's criminal. But, ultimately, it's not intentional.

 

Don't forget Terrell Suggs allegedly pouring bleach on his fiance and child.

 

Not on tape he didn't.

 

I'm sorry if you were offended by what I wrote. It was disrespectful and not a reflection of my personal views. I look forward to putting it behind me and getting back to what I do best - posting on message boards.