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Steve Bisciotti Refutes ESPN Report On Ray Rice, Defends Integrity Of Ravens' Organization

Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti yesterday responded to the ESPN report that the organization engaged in a "pattern of misinformation and misdirection" in the handling of Ray Rice's arrest, offering an "emphatic response to what he perceived as an attack on his organization’s integrity," according to a front-page piece by Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore SUN. Bisciotti during a 50-minute press conference was a "mixture of stern, conversational, glib and apologetic." His message "may as well have been to his fan base, sponsors and stakeholders, who he hopes stick with the team during what he called the 'worst crisis' of his decade tenure" with the Ravens. Bisciotti "vehemently disputed several aspects of the report," including that he, President Dick Cass and GM Ozzie Newsome were "fully aware of the severity of Rice’s assault" and worked behind the scenes to gain leniency for him. Prior to the presser, the team "circulated a seven-page letter to its fans in which it disputed several aspects of the report." The disputed items included that Rice "told the truth to team officials about what happened in the elevator; that Ravens coach John Harbaugh wanted Rice released shortly after his arrest and was overruled by higher-ranking team officials; and that team officials lobbied" NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for a lighter punishment. Bisciotti said, "Almost everything in there is anonymous but it’s clear from the subject matter that it’s Ray’s attorney, it’s Ray’s agent and it’s Ray’s friends. They are building a case for reinstatement and the best way to build a case for reinstatement is to make everybody else look like they are lying." Meanwhile, Bisciotti made "one surprising admission, given that he says one of his biggest regrets in the situation was that the organization didn't push harder to obtain a copy of the tape." Bisciotti: "I lacked a whole lot of interest and had zero desire to see that tape" (Baltimore SUN, 9/23).

BISCIOTTI'S STRATEGY: In N.Y., Ken Belson notes Bisciotti "stood by the Ravens’ previous statements that the team had not seen the video" that showed Rice punching his then-fiancee, and he "denied that the team had known about the altercation hours after it occurred." Bisciotti: "People in my organization did their jobs." He added that no one "would be fired over the handling of the case" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/23). FS1's Peter Schrager said Bisciotti was "alone, emotional and fielding questions unedited." He depicted an owner and an organization "willing to go outside the comfort zone to defend the integrity of his and its name" ("Fox Sports Live," FS1, 9/22). In DC, Rick Maese writes Bisciotti was "defensive at times and direct at others Monday, saying repeatedly he regretted his own response to the news that his running back had been involved in a domestic violence incident" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/23).  In Baltimore, Mike Preston writes Bisciotti was "what you want an owner to be in this situation." Bisciotti was "feisty, defiant, combative and apologetic at times." If he "wasn't telling the truth he will have lost all integrity, and go down in history with other disgraced owners." The presser was "unprecedented for this owner, and it's hard to understand why he would leave himself so open to a major fall if he wasn't" telling the truth. If Bisciotti "was lying then there will be hell to pay" (Baltimore SUN, 9/23).

WHAT GOODELL SHOULD HAVE DONE? SI.com's Michael McCann wrote Bisciotti "adopted the opposite approach" of Goodell for his Friday news conference. Bisciotti sat, and "often sat back, during the entire press conference." He "wore no tie," and seemed "noticeably relaxed in spite of difficult questions." At times Bisciotti’s "candor may have gone too far for the NFL and Goodell." Bisciotti’s "relaxed demeanor also reflected the low stakes for him compared to those for Goodell" (SI.com, 9/22). ESPN's Chris Mortensen after talking to a "prominent player source" and other people around the league said, "That's the press conference that they wish Roger Goodell had had on Friday. They felt (Bisciotti) was honest. Whether you believe him or not, he felt honest, he felt genuine, human." ESPN's Tom Jackson said Bisciotti was "forthcoming" and talked "unscripted." Jackson: "He actually went beyond the normal questioning that the PR director was comfortable with and answered even more questions" ("Monday Night Countdown," ESPN, 9/22).

STANDING BEHIND THE REPORTING: ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., who co-wrote the original "OTL" report, this morning stood by the article and said both the NFL and the Ravens "did almost nothing to get this video and they had opportunities to get it." Van Natta: "One of the most important opportunities was in April when Michael Diamondstein (Rice's attorney) obtained a copy of the elevator video. We’re told he described it to Ravens President Dick Cass and said, ‘It was horrible and Ray Rice knocked her out.’ We’re told Dick Cass did not ask the defense lawyer for a copy of it when they were in this fact-finding process. Instead, he started talking to the defense lawyer about what would be the best outcome in the county of New Jersey in the criminal court system to be lenient on Ray Rice. Also, to find a way to make sure this video doesn’t get out” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 9/23).

OUT OF TOUCH? USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes it seemed that Bisciotti -- "and maybe others in positions of power withing the organization -- remains out of touch with the gravity of domestic violence issues." When Bisciotti said that he was "never interested enough to want to see the tape, you know there are serious problems" (USA TODAY, 9/23). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes as "pointless and condescending" as Goodell’s news conference was on Friday, he "at least had the good sense to not blame victims or make jokes about the situation." Bisciotti "did both, with a cavalier attitude that was as inappropriate as it was appalling" (USA TODAY, 9/23). Bisciotti said of Janay Rice, "She's still the one who's suffering the most. She's still suffering because now she has an unemployed husband." But YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Adelson wrote she is "not suffering the most because she has an unemployed husband." She is "suffering the most because she was punched in the face by the man she says she loves." This "isn't the first tone-deaf, borderline misogynistic comment we've heard from a member of the NFL community lately. It's just the latest, and perhaps the most revealing" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/22). In N.Y., Juliet Macur writes just three days after Goodell "played polished politician and answered reporters’ questions without saying anything meaningful," it was Bisciotti’s "turn with the shovel." Macur: "Here’s advice to Bisciotti and the NFL: less talking, more doing" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/23).

UNDER FURTHER REVIEW: ESPN.com's Chris Mortensen cited sources as saying that independent of the NFLPA's appeal of Ray Rice's indefinite suspension, the union is "planning to conduct its own fact-finding review of the incident and investigation." A source said that the NFLPA "will look for failures in due process and to understand 'what the league and the Ravens knew and when they knew it'" (ESPN.com, 9/22).

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