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Leagues and Governing Bodies

NFL Reviewing New Ray Rice Video, Claims No One Saw Footage Prior To Suspension

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "is reviewing" a new video released early this morning showing Ravens RB Ray Rice "knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino elevator" this past February, according to a source cited by Bill Price of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The source said that Goodell did "not see the horrific video" prior to it being posted on TMZ around 4:00am ET today. The NFL issued a statement this morning that read, "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" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 9/8). In DC, Cindy Boren notes the new video is "only likely to raise new questions about the two-game punishment" Rice was given by the NFL (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/8). In Baltimore, James Briggs noted a previous video released by TMZ did not show what caused Janay Palmer "to become unconscious." However, the latest video "offers a more complete look at the incident" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/8). THE MMQB's Peter King writes if NFL officials saw this video before handing down its discipline, "all the scorn that’s been heaped on Roger Goodell and his colleagues will be deserved" (MMQB.SI.com, 9/8). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Darin Gantt writes of the new video, "Now that we’ve seen it, nothing changes the fact his two-game suspension was so light that the league realized its tremendous error and changed the policy immediately." The visual is "stark and troubling, and a chilling reminder of how egregious" Goodell’s "initial mistake was" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/8).

WHAT DID LEAGUE KNOW BEFOREHAND? ESPNW's Jane McManus reported she was told prior to Rice's suspension being announced that the NFL "had access to everything that the prosecutors had access to." She said, "I think you could ask, 'What was that pile of evidence and what specifically were those things?' I think those are things that are probably going to be asked of Roger Goodell." ESPN's Adam Schefter said, "If the NFL had seen that video and suspended Ray Rice two games, it's an embarrassment of the highest proportion. If it didn't see the video before, then it's time to go back and revisit (the suspension)" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/8). The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jeff Schultz wrote on Twitter, "Ray Rice decision is done. But @nflcommish needs to make statement saying whether he saw KO video before and explaining his decision." The N.Y. Post's Bart Hubbuch: "The NFL and Goodell HAD to know this video would come out eventually. It makes the two-game penalty that much more incredible." The Hartford Courant's Jeff Jacobs: "Goodell saw that video and gave Ray Rice 2 games? What word is beyond revolting?" Writer Amy K. Nelson: "There is no way the NFL didn't see the full Ray Rice video. Disgusting yet not shocking at all. Anything to protect the shield..." The Boston Globe's Chad Finn: "So much for the theory that Goodell went easy on Rice because the situation [in] the elevator was complicated. He should be ashamed."  ESPN's Jason Whitlock: "I don't see Rice playing professional football again. And Goodell's job is now on the line, too." The Bergen Record's Steve Popper: Not sure if Adam Silver has handled everything perfectly, but he looks awful good next to NFL's Roger Goodell right now" (TWITTER.com, 9/8).

TIME TO REVISIT THE PUNISHMENT: ESPN's Jemele Hill wrote, "I don't know who is more gutless -- Roger Goodell, the Ravens or law enforcement. Ray Rice shouldn't be playing at all this season" (TWITTER.com, 9/8). MSNBC's Joe Scarborough said, "Let me get this straight: This guy is going to play football this year, but a guy who smoked pot is banned for the year? A guy that took Molly is banned for more games? The NFL has to go back and revisit this. You're right, NFL -- you screwed up and you screwed up bad! But you know what, you don’t get off that easily. He needs to be out for the year." Scarborough: "This is a disgrace" (“Morning Joe,” MSNBC, 9/8). SI's Michael Rosenberg writes Goodell "should do whatever he can to re-evaluate the Rice suspension." Rosenberg: "Now he has evidence against Rice that he presumably didn’t have before. If he can find any way to use that to add to Rice’s suspension, he should" (SI.com, 9/8). But radio host Dan Patrick said, "I thought the penalty should have been stronger for Ray Rice, but you can't say now that he should never play again or the commissioner should step down. It should have happened before we even saw the video. You have active cases right now and we never see the video. You saw the video and now it’s easy for you. You can't pick and choose with this. That's what you're doing because you got to see the video. It's an important topic and I think the commissioner has at least addressed it. You get one shot and then after that you're gone" ("The Dan Patrick Show," 9/8).

OVERSHADOWING WEEK 1 ACTION: Despite yesterday being the first NFL Sunday of the season and featuring several close, exciting games, this morning's 9:00am edition of "SportsCenter" led with the Rice video being released. ESPN's Kevin Negandhi said the "big story this morning surrounds new video" of the incident. ESPN's Hannah Storm called the video "graphic and highly disturbing" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/8). Newsweek's John Walters wrote: "Mr. Goodell: Your season is in midst of its opening weekend, and no one is talking about the games. I think you may have a problem." The S.F. Chronicle's Ann Killion: "The nfl deserves the fact that no one talking about games right now. Barbaric" (TWITTER.com, 9/8).

WHOLE EPISODE A MARK AGAINST NFL: ESPN's Schefter said there is "not a lot that the league can say at this point that's going to undo the wrong that has been done here," and the handling of the Rice incident is "arguably the biggest black eye the league has ever had." Late NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle repeatedly said his decision to play the weekend following President Kennedy's assassination in '63 was "his biggest regret." Schefter: "Roger Goodell will look back on his time as the commissioner of the NFL and say this is easily the biggest regret. It is difficult to think of a point in NFL history where there's been as much of a black eye in the league as this particular incident" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/8).

RAVENS NEED TO DO MORE: In Baltimore, Mike Preston writes Goodell needs to "come out today with some answers," and top Ravens execs -- including Owner Steve Bisciotti, President Dick Cass and GM Ozzie Newsome -- "need to address the issue, too." While the league did not give Rice a "harsh penalty, the Ravens could have come up with one of their own." They instead "did absolutely nothing" and "even supported Rice." Preston: "I don't want to hear any more about the Ravens challenging anyone's integrity or the NFL talking about high standards" (BALTIMORESUN.com, 9/8). ESPN's Schefter noted the Ravens accompanied Rice to N.Y. "to the league meeting, opened their training facility for him to conduct a press conference, penned tributes to him on their website, supported him through this process." Schefter: "It is difficult to watch that video and bring those ideas together that anybody who could see anybody act like that could support any person" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/8). ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg wrote, "The day Rice actually took questions from the media, 30 Ravens stood behind us, I guess in support. Any regrets now? I bet some. I hope." FS1's Mike Hill: "The @nfl says they didn't see the video before issuing punishment. They have NOW. If the league won't do anything, it's time for the team to." Meanwhile, Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith wrote, "I'm gonna be physically sick when Ray Rice returns to a standing ovation in Baltimore. Please, Ravens fans. Don't." The N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola: “Are the good people of Baltimore still going to cheer for Ray Rice now that the video of him knocking out his wife has been released? Awful” (TWITTER.com, 9/8).

PART OF A LARGER IMAGE PROBLEM: Prior to the release of the Rice video, ESPN’s Hill said the NFL has an "image problem," but the "real question is do people care?" Hill: "The answer to that would be no, especially on an inaugural football Sunday.” N.Y. Daily News’ Mike Lupica asked, “Why would you think that the NFL has an image problem when they begin the season with 39 players suspended in some form or fashion? Of course they have an image problem. But Jemele’s right. No one cares.” The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan: “You heard one person in your acquaintance say, ‘I'm not going to watch because of those awful people that are in and who run the NFL?’ No. At 1:00 today eastern, people are going to go back doing what they’ve been doing now for 30 years. They’re going to watch those games." Lupica, on what the NFL does to fix their image problem: “I think that they are happy in some way, even though they would never admit this, that they have become a 12-month-a-year reality series” (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 9/7).

LEAVE IT ON THE FIELD
: ESPN's Tom Jackson addressed the spate of domestic violence issues within the league, including the ones pertaining to Rice and 49ers DE Ray McDonald, and wondered if some players "are finding it very difficult to take the violence that you need in between the lines and leave it in between the lines when they leave the stadium." Jackson: "They go home, they live their personal lives. I think for some of them it's very difficult. I know the league does a lot of preemptive things to try to help them. Maybe they need to do more” (“Sunday NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 9/7). 

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