Ballerific Sports: How The NFL and Roger Goodell Still Got It Wrong

As I wrote this opinion piece Ray Rice had been released from the Ravens and suspended indefinitely from the NFL.

To say that I am disappointed in Roger (GODell) in an understatement.  Roger Goodell is the most powerful man in sports. Goodell, has been known to have a tough-as-nails approach when it comes to disciplining players of the NFL for their infractions/conduct detrimental to the “protection of the shield”. Roger, let me get this right, NOW you want to have REAL consequences in place for domestic violence? Roger, you make 44.2 million a year (Ultimate Balling Status) how do you get this wrong? Shame on all of the former commissioners as well, for not having policies put in place to punish offenders prior. This issue is bigger than football.

Roger Godell succeeded Paul Tagliabue as commissioner of the league of 2006. As soon as he took office players learned very quickly that “Roger don’t play dat.”  Just ask Michael Vick, Josh Gordon, Adam (Pacman) Jones, Plaxico Burress, and the list goes on and on with dozens of football players that have been suspended during his tenure. Plaxico Burress, shot himself and the embarrassment and stupidity behind that alone did not warrant him suspension or jail time. In the words of Antoine Dodson “you are really, really, dumb Plaxico.” Apparently, he is all for stiffer punishments in his decisions when it comes to violating the NFL’s drug policy. If the drug penalties were this stiff in the 80’s or 90’s there would not have been any NFL, most players were doing illegal drugs.

Roger Goodell has cleaned up the league and the NFL brand in most instances but it still has a real problem, regarding its relations with women. Women make up a huge part of the fan base. I seriously question his decisions with leniency regarding violence or sexual assault regarding women. I know that Pittsburg Steelers fans have forgotten about the trouble that Ben Roethlisberger had gotten into with two separate alleged sexual assault cases. A marriage and a baby has surely cleaned up his image.

The whole incident looks bad on the NFL, and the Baltimore Ravens organization. Announcements are all about timing. First, you drop the hammer on Josh Gordon and then the next day you release a new policy for domestic violence. TMZ knew that they had a bombshell in that video. It was a matter of timing on their part as well. Why didn’t they release that TKO part when they leaked the original footage? Initially, Ray Rice was in the clear, he had the full support of the NFL as well as the Baltimore Ravens organization. He was given a slap on the wrist, garnering a two game suspension. Now, everyone wants to wipe their hands of him. Now all of a sudden everyone is mad, when TMZ showed the punch heard around the world. Why is this such a problem now, when it should have been handled in February when this first happened? He also had admitted that he struck her, why do people needed visual evidence in order to take action? The act that took place in that elevator is a crime pure and simple. The NFL should have shown a zero tolerance policy when this news first broke. Don’t act like it matters now when it didn’t matter then. You have already showed the moral value of crimes against women.

Before TMZ released additional footage of the video of Ray Rice and his fiancée (now wife) Janay Palmer, I already knew what took place in that elevator was not a good situation. Janay walked into that elevator using her own two feet and had to be carried out. Janay Palmer needed a friend like Solange Knowles to be up in that elevator with her. Rayven Rice, is your father still your hero? I am sure that you will see this tape one you get older. Your father will probably be the future subject on an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary and he will probably never play in the NFL ever again.

I knew in my heart that Ray Rice has beaten that women before. Their relationship is comprised of “the cycle of violence.” What that video showed us was that something violence has taken place before in their relationship, it just had never been caught on video. I felt as if I was watching the old school Nintendo game “Mike Tyson’s Punch-out” and it was a definite TKO. Janay probably needed smelling salts to wake up from being knocked unconscious. Ray Rice never looked shocked that he acted that way or regretful. He looked as if he admired his handiwork.  I don’t care that she stood by him and married him. This is a moral issue. Violence against women is never okay. During my time as a college student, I volunteered as a sexual assault/domestic violence advocate. It was a truly rewarding and a sad experience. I came from a loving home with no domestic violence, so that was not the reality of my life. I had never witnessed the victim’s first-hand. I would get the page (no cell phones back then) to go to the hospital, and I would gather my pamphlets that explained our services and grab an extra changes of clothes for the survivor. The women are called “survivor’s” not “victims.” Sadly, I am sure that we all know a female that has been a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault. In college I stayed next door to a basketball player in my dorm. One day he told me “coach said if he ever heard about us putting our hands on a women, he would “beat our a$$es himself.” I appreciated that about his coach. During my time as a student there, I never heard of any athlete putting his hands on a woman.

Being in the sports media, I love football just as much as any fan, but as a women I am hurt, saddened, upset, and disappointed with how “The Shield” has handled this entire situation. Roger Goodell is the father of twin daughters, how do you explain this to them?

Ladies, love should never hurt. In our quest to be a Baller, be a Ballette, Wives, Girlfriends, or whatever to a man, them putting their hands on you is not okay. Please know that your value is worth more than that.

I have dated a lot of men that have been wrong matches for me but never once have any of them EVER put their hands on me. Two things that I don’t stand for are cheating and domestic violence. If a man ever chooses to put their hands on me, once I recover from the shock of being hit, it will be the last poor choice that they will ever make.  I hope you can get as good as you give, because I will be in jail.

Why have players been suspended longer for shooting themselves, dogfighting, drugs, etc. than for crimes against women? This is not the first incident and this will not be the last. The NFL truly got this wrong.

Roger, you and “The Shield” still have a whole lot more explaining to do…I’ll wait.