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Ravens Fans Show Support For Rice; Speaking Thursday For First Time Since Apology

Ravens fans "showed support" for RB Ray Rice when he took the field for last night’s open workout at M&T Bank Stadium, but they "seemed to recognize that an outsized ovation would not be appropriate" in the wake his two-game suspension for domestic assault, according to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore SUN. Rice got "applause from segments of the crowd as he moved past several sections of the stands after entering the playing field, then got a bigger, general ovation when he was shown for the first time on the video board." He responded by "saluting the stands and patting his patting his chest." There were "no discernible boos, but the volume of his reception was not significantly louder than the ovations for some of the other popular players featured on the videoscreen." Rice seemed "comfortable on the sidelines, where he interacted playfully with some of the young children on the field." Though there had been "plenty of speculation about how he would be received, it was not surprising that he got a friendly response from the friendly crowd of Ravens fans attending the free workout" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 7/28). In Baltimore, Aaron Wilson reported Rice is "scheduled to speak with reporters Thursday at training camp, his first interview since a widely criticized apology news conference this spring that included his now-wife apologizing for her role in the incident" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 7/28). ESPN's Louis Riddick said it would be nice to know where the Ravens' organization is "with all of this as far as internally" ("NFL Insiders," ESPN, 7/28).

ATTACKING THE MESSENGER
: In Indianapolis, Bob Kravitz writes NFL VP/Labor Policy & Government Affairs Adolpho Birch's appearance yesterday on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" was "one of the most embarrassingly inept responses to questions I've ever heard, an endless loop of specious blatherings." Birch tried to "make the case not only that the Rice suspension was fair, but that it sent a strong message to NFL players that violence against women will not be tolerated." Kravitz: "Seriously, he said that." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in this case "comes off as shockingly lenient and tone-deaf to one of the most serious issues in our society -- violence against women" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/29). ESPN's Keith Olbermann noted Goodell still has "not commented on the nearly unanimous backlash against his decision last Thursday to impose the laugh and cry out loud two-game pat on the wrist" against Rice. However, he did send Birch, his "unfortunate senior vice president in charge of being a tackling dummy ... to make it all worse and worse and worse" ("Olbermann," ESPN2, 7/28). Dallas Morning News columnist Tim Cowlishaw said, "We haven't heard much before from Adolpho Birch on the national TV or national radio stage. I doubt we'll hear much from him in the future. He was just not up to answering these questions." ESPN's Bomani Jones: "The problem that Birch had was at a time where people needed the punishment to be explained he chose to try to justify it. ... Nobody wants to hear from Adolpho Birch" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 7/28).

REACTIONS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN: In Cleveland, Jeff Darcy writes the NFL's suspension of Rice is a "slap in the face of all women, especially victims of domestic abuse, the wives and daughters of NFL players, and the millions of women who make up the 44% of the NFL's fan base." Goodell and NFL officials are now "using the vaunted 'Shield' to cover their ears from the universal uproar over the lenient punishment they slapped Rice's wrist with," and it "explains why they've been tone-deaf in their responses to the public outrage and demand for an explanation and justification for the weak punishment" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/29). In Denver, Benjamin Hochman in an open letter to Goodell calls him a "sanctimonious coward." Hochman: "You looked at previous precedents for NFL domestic violence instead of trying to set the precedent for what happens in the future to someone if he does this" (DENVER POST, 7/29). But CSNBAYAREA.com's Ray Ratto wrote, "As we've said before, this isn't about crime or victims, it's about the player involved." Understand that, and "you understand the NFL" (CSNBAYAREA.com, 7/28).

QUOTH THE RAVEN
: Ravens Senior VP/Public & Community Relations Kevin Byrne on Friday posted an article on the team's official site under the headline, "I Like Ray Rice." Byrne wrote Rice "deserves the public and private flogging and the punishments that have come with it." But the Ravens organization knows "turning your back on a loved one in a time of need is not what families do" (BALTIMORERAVENS.com, 7/25). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Darin Gantt noted Byrne wrote 1,200 words "about what a great guy" Rice is. Byrne "understands that he's not going to change many minds, but apparently felt compelled to share some personal reflections about all the good things" Rice has done (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 7/25). 

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