NFL’s Action in Rice’s Domestic Violence Case Pathetic

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice two games Thursday for domestic violence. Not to be confused with the longer punishments that NFL players receive for smoking marijuana (among other offenses). Gee, maybe the NFL can find a way to incorporate Domestic Violence Awareness Month with the NFL’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative (both are in October). Maybe black eyes, bruises or bloodied faces for NFL cheerleaders? The league itself has suffered a black eye in some eyes by its lenient penalty regarding Rice. As others have noted: Wonder how Goodell would have responded if the abused female in the case was his daughter? It seems the NFL is putting money before morality. Not the best way to go through life.

Video below of model Bodine Koehler.

* Speaking of Rice’s punishment, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said: “It’s not a big deal. It’s just part of the process. We always said from the beginning that the circumstances would determine the consequences. There are consequences when you make a mistake like that. … I think that’s good for kids to understand it works that way, that’s how it works, that’s how it should be.” First of all, domestic violence and hitting women is a big deal. And, yes, it’s good for kids to know domestic violence can have minimal impact on your life — if you’re an NFL player of some note. In the real world, there are far more severe consequences. At some point, Harbaugh might want to visit the real world.

* Elsewhere on the Rice reaction front, ESPN’s Darren Rovell tweeted how much money Rice would not be earning because of his punishment. To their credit, many responded to Rovell by telling him what they thought of his tweet. And it wasn’t pretty, if you happened to be Rovell (which many people are happy they are not). One would like to think a Northwestern University alum such as Rovell would be intelligent enough to take a broader view of the NFL’s action rather than focus on the financial.

* Elsewhere in cyberspace, it was disturbing to read some of the comments on articles about Rice. People who seemed to think hitting a female is OK (presumably under certain circumstances). It must be those people that the NFL didn’t want to offend by suspending Rice for more than two games. Pathetic doesn’t begin to describe those justifying Rice’s behavior.

* And the philosophical question(s) of the day: How long does the NFL suspend a player who is caught smoking pot after committing domestic violence? And in the player’s defense, can he claim he was smoking weed as a way to show remorse for his violence off the field? And does that remorse entitle him to a reduced penalty? And if so, is that a reduction of the domestic violence or the marijuana? Or both?

* And this from Sam Ponder (the former Samantha Steele) on Twitter, where the ESPN broadcaster offered this: Blogs/websites that constantly disrespect women & objectify their bodies, then take a strong stand on the Ray Rice issue really confuse me. She would appear to confuse easily.

* Struggling right-hander Hector Noesi won a game as the White Sox defeated the host Minnesota Twins 5-2. It’s unclear what the bigger accomplishment was: limiting the Twins to three hits over 7 2/3 innings or dropping his earned-run average below 5.00 (it’s 4.99 and no fair rounding up).

* Speaking of struggling right-handers, Edwin Jackson was the losing pitcher in a 13-3 San Diego victory at Wrigley Field. If it’s any consolation to Cubs fans (and the uneducated guess here is that it is not), he wasn’t the worst Cubs pitcher of the evening.

* Eddie Vedder of music group Pearl Jam fame threw out the ceremonial first pitch. No word whether Theo Epstein and Co. have offered him a contract to be part of the team’s bullpen.

* Speaking of the Cubs braintrust (term is used loosely — mainly because there is a lack of brains, hence a braintrust at ElliottHarris.com), some of us can hardly wait till September rolls around and rosters expand. And the Cubs don’t bring up all their can’t-miss minor leaguers. And then the few they do don’t play much. And Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer justify the idleness because the Cubs are playing teams that are battling for the postseason.

* Recently demoted Mike Olt hit a three-run double in going 2-for-5. At Class AAA Iowa. Josh Vitters had a pinch-hit homer. At Class AAA Iowa. Javy Baez homered. Also at Class AAA Iowa. Just trying to provide some perspective on what it means to be successful in the minor leagues (and how it does not necessarily translate to big-league brilliance — or even mediocrity in the majors).

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