Attorney Richard Craig Smith, who is leading the NFLPA's investigation into the Ray Rice domestic violence case, on Friday night said that the NFL and Ravens "have not been cooperating," according to Rob Maaddi of the AP. Smith said that the league "has not provided documents and witnesses requested by the NFLPA's investigators, while the Ravens have refused any cooperation with similar requests." He added, "We cannot accept public statements that call for transparency, candor and openness and then not allow the investigators to do their jobs." Maaddi noted the union's investigation, "like a similar probe organized by the NFL, isn't a law enforcement inquiry and the parties involved aren't under any legal obligation to comply with requests." However, the league and union have each stated that they "wanted answers in the case" (AP, 10/24). ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Ravens have not been cooperating with the NFLPA investigation because they "believe cooperating with Robert Mueller in the NFL's investigation is more than enough.” Meanwhile, there are some people "who believe the NFL would like to settle this case before Roger Goodell would have to testify," though that "could be a very difficult proposition" (“Sunday NFL Countdown,” ESPN, 10/26). In Baltimore, Peter Schmuck writes the NFL, "with its uneven handling" of the Rice case, has "set a trap for itself and keeps falling into it." This "could be an important moment in the history of a players' union that was steamrollered by the NFL into accepting the so-called 'Goodell Doctrine.'" The NFLPA "is right to desire a more balanced and certain disciplinary system than the one that singled out Rice so dramatically after years of ambivalence to domestic violence" (Baltimore SUN, 10/26).
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: In Boston, Shira Springer writes if the NFL "dreamed up a woman to help league leaders address domestic violence issues, the powers that be couldn’t do better" than Senior Special Advisor to the Commissioner Lisa Friel. Her "gender, résumé, and lifelong football fandom check all the right boxes for the brand-obsessed league." Springer asked, "Can she make a real difference?" Friel said, "That senior level, that executive vice president level (in the NFL), until very recently was totally male. There’s a value to be brought by the other 50 percent of the population in this country to decisions. They now have, in addition to me, voices at the table that are going to give them somewhat of a different perspective than they have had in the past" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/26).
