Ray Rice

[Marty Ward]

If it did come out that someone I KNOW cold-cocked his girlfriend, I would completely reevaluate my opinion of and relationship with him. It's unlikely I would delude myself into thinking it was a one time incident and I should give him a pass because he's an otherwise good guy. And even if I did choose to go that route, I'd totally get it if the guy lost his job because a video was released showing him punching a woman in the face and then acting like it was no big deal. I'd also get it if a lot of others seeing that video thought the guy was a woman beating scumbag.

What if it was your brother? Would he be a scumbag forever to you?

[mirth]

What if it was your brother? Would he be a scumbag forever to you?

Yes. What part of all this am I being unclear about to you?

[mirth]

Actually, I'm a very good judge of character and generally give scumbags a wide berth.

So even before this happened you thought Ray Rice was a scumbag because you knew he hit women?

Of course I thought he was a scumbag before this happened. He was a Baltimore Raven.

[Steelgrave]

So how many hits does he get? Is one the limit? Two? Does being drunk automatically count as a mulligan? If this was a video of just some guy punching out a woman, would you still defend him? I've gone 54 years and never struck a woman in my life and to the best of my knowledge, none of the people I count as friends have ever struck a woman either. I'm not sure how anyone can defend him and not feel slimy, but hey....it's a free country. And for the rest of us who aren't Raven fans, be glad you're not picking up Baltimore sports radio. Fans are still calling in,  making excuses for the guy. Hard to stomach.

[mirth]

Punching a woman in the face is not a mistake! Punching anyone in the face is not a mistake. It's a deliberate act of violence. How can you call it a mistake?!!

So if someone who has never hit a women before is stone drunk, gets into a heated argument and punches a woman they didn't make a mistake, it was some calculated move, some hidden inner desire?

If your version of events is what happened and Ray Rice is such a standup character guy, then why didn't he come clean with that story to begin with? Why all the lies and cover up? Why make his wife publicly apologize for "her part" in it? Why insinuate that she provoked him and then hit her head after he defended himself?

Those are not the actions of a "good guy" who made a one time mistake. Those are the actions of an abusive scumbag covering his ass.

[bayonetbrant]

FWIW - let's please make sure we keep this as civil as possible so we're keeping the focus on Ray Rice and his idiot actions, and please don't project those actions onto each other.  AFAIK, none of us are running around cold-cocking girlfriends in casino elevators, so make sure we keep the ire off of each other.

kthxbai!
 

[Marty Ward]

What if it was your brother? Would he be a scumbag forever to you?

Yes. What part of all this am I being unclear about to you?

That you would actually think your brother was a scumbag and have nothing to do with him if he hit a woman once in his life when he was in a drunken argument with her.

[Marty Ward]

So how many hits does he get? Is one the limit? Two? Does being drunk automatically count as a mulligan? If this was a video of just some guy punching out a woman, would you still defend him? I've gone 54 years and never struck a woman in my life and to the best of my knowledge, none of the people I count as friends have ever struck a woman either. I'm not sure how anyone can defend him and not feel slimy, but hey....it's a free country. And for the rest of us who aren't Raven fans, be glad you're not picking up Baltimore sports radio. Fans are still calling in,  making excuses for the guy. Hard to stomach.

Who is defending him? I think the punishment is correct and that he deserves it.

I do take issue with labeling him a scumbag without knowing if this was the first time, as I suspect, or if he has done it before. Every person that ever hit a woman had a first time. Some never did it again because it just wasn't who there were or they were so ashamed of what they did they never did it again or it was just a bad situation that got out of hand (read really drunk and in a bad argument). Some continued to do it. I can forgive someone who made a big mistake and only did it once. I have no sympathy for someone who does it twice.

Given that some studies show that 1 in 3 women have been subject to domestic abuse chances are high that someone you count as a friend has done it at least once, unless you have a very small circle of friends. Say it was 25 years ago and a 1 time incident, would you hold it against them knowing them as you do now?

[mirth]

What if it was your brother? Would he be a scumbag forever to you?

Yes. What part of all this am I being unclear about to you?

That you would actually think your brother was a scumbag and have nothing to do with him if he hit a woman once in his life when he was in a drunken argument with her.

I was unclear about that? Because if I had a brother and he did what Ray Rice did, he would in fact be a scumbag to me forever.

Let's also be clear. This:

if he hit a woman once in his life when he was in a drunken argument with her.

is not the situation with Ray Rice.

[Marty Ward]

If your version of events is what happened and Ray Rice is such a standup character guy, then why didn't he come clean with that story to begin with?

These are not 'my' versions of the events. These are the facts that I know. I could be wrong and if the facts come out that prove me wrong the I can admit it.

Do you have anything that would suggest he has done this before, an article about the cops going to his home to investigate a fight? A news article about him being out with his wife and them causing a disturbance? Any 'hushed' up charges revealed by an anonymous source?? If this was Suggs or Mayweather I'd be right there with you as there is previous history to suggest this is not the first time. 

[Marty Ward]

Let's also be clear. This:

if he hit a woman once in his life when he was in a drunken argument with her.

is not the situation with Ray Rice.

Do you have some information on this to share?

[mirth]

Let's also be clear. This:

if he hit a woman once in his life when he was in a drunken argument with her.

is not the situation with Ray Rice.

Do you have some information on this to share?

Watch the video that was released this week. Observe him punching his girlfriend in the face with such force that she immediately crumples unconscious. Watch him half-assedly attempt to drag her out of the elevator and then stand off to the side seemingly unconcerned while someone else stood over her and attended to her.

Review his actions and statements after the incident. The attempts to downplay and cover up what happened, the efforts to make it seem like the girlfriend was somehow responsible for him punching her out.

Based on all that I am comfortable saying this is not a case of a "good guy" making a one time mistake because he was drunk. I am also comfortable saying that even if that were the first time Ray Rice ever punched out a woman, he is still a scumbag. Why? BECAUSE HE PUNCHED OUT A WOMAN.

[Marty Ward]

Based on all that I am comfortable saying this is not a case of a "good guy" making a one time mistake because he was drunk. I am also comfortable saying that even if that were the first time Ray Rice ever punched out a woman, he is still a scumbag. Why? BECAUSE HE PUNCHED OUT A WOMAN.

You entitled to your opinion. Just don't be surprised if it turns out it is wrong.

[mirth]

Based on all that I am comfortable saying this is not a case of a "good guy" making a one time mistake because he was drunk. I am also comfortable saying that even if that were the first time Ray Rice ever punched out a woman, he is still a scumbag. Why? BECAUSE HE PUNCHED OUT A WOMAN.

You entitled to your opinion. Just don't be surprised if it turns out it is wrong.

Likewise.

[Marty Ward]

Based on all that I am comfortable saying this is not a case of a "good guy" making a one time mistake because he was drunk. I am also comfortable saying that even if that were the first time Ray Rice ever punched out a woman, he is still a scumbag. Why? BECAUSE HE PUNCHED OUT A WOMAN.

You entitled to your opinion. Just don't be surprised if it turns out it is wrong.

I won't be surprised if I am wrong. I'd be disappointed but all I know is what I know, which isn't everything.

Likewise.