Contextual Analysis-FINAL! . Ray Rice incident involving domestic violence and the NFL’s handling of it.

I am writing about the Ray Rice incident involving domestic violence and the NFL’s handling of it.  I believe this to be a very pertinent current event involving social media. 

Ray Rice has played the last six seasons in the NFL and was one of the best running backs in the league.  Rice was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.   He did a lot of public relations for the Baltimore Ravens and charity work for the city of Baltimore.  He and his fiancée, Janay Palmer, had a daughter, Rayven, whom he named after the team’s name.   He was a spokesman for one of the major team’s sponsors, M&T Bank.

Ironically, he “urged the state legislature in Annapolis to pass anti-bullying laws and played Santa Claus for the House of Ruth, a Baltimore shelter for victims of domestic violence.”

On February 15, 2014, Ray and his fiancée, Janay, had an altercation at the Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  What initially appeared in a video to be a possibly drunken and unconscious Janay being dragged via her shoulders out of an elevator by Ray Rice, turned out to be a brutal case of domestic violence.  Both Rice and Palmer were arrested and released on simple assault charges.  The charges were later dropped against Palmer.

ESPN.com related that just hours after Rice had knocked out Palmer with a left hook punch an Atlantic City police officer contacted Darren Sanders, the Baltimore Raven’s director of security, by phone and described in detail what he saw on the surveillance video from inside the elevator.  Sanders then “quickly relayed the damning video’s play-by-play to team executives in Baltimore.”  However, it is unclear as to whom exactly he spoke to.   This began a major nightmare for NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, and the largest crisis ever to face an NFL commissioner in the 94-year history of the league. 

Less than a week later, Baltimore Coach John Harbaugh said that Ray and Janay had issues but were getting counseling.   SBNation.com cited that in March the Raven’s owner, Steve Biscotti, talked up the character of Rice and his service for the team and in the community.  He promised that Rice would “definitely be back.”  

On March 27, Rice’s charges were upped to felony aggravated assault in the third degree by an Atlantic County grand jury which included a possible three to five year prison term.  The next day Ray and Janay got married.  I believe that this was a ploy used by the couple to try to convince everyone that he really loved her and that it had not been that bad of an incident. 

Supposedly, all along the NFL officials had been trying to obtain a copy of the video taken inside the elevator from the Revel Casino and law enforcement officers but were told they could not have it so they stopped asking.   According to ESPN.com, on April 1 the casino was subpoenaed to provide Rice’s attorney, Michael Diamondstein, with a copy.  He received the copy on the 5^th of April and then called Dick Cass, the Raven’s team president who was also a lawyer.  Diamondstein told Cass the video was really bad and that Janay had been knocked out by Ray.  He “advised Cass that the video, if released, would amount to a public relations disaster for the Ravens and for his client.”  They then devised a plan to get Rice accepted into a pre-trial intervention program which would exempt him from going to trial and clear him of the charges within six months.   The interesting point here is that the program was set up for first-time offenders who were charged for non-violent crimes.   Rice’s case was not non-violent, but he was an NFL player.

May 20, the Rices went to court and Judge Michael Donio granted Ray entrance into the program.  It was to be a one year program which included anger management classes.  In return, the felony aggravated assault charge would be dismissed. 

According to a report by Outside the Lines, “this pretrial intervention program was granted in less than one percent of all domestic violence cases.”

 Again, deliberate breaking of societal rules was permitted because big time athletes seem to be above the rules and money talks!

Three days later, at a news conference held by the Ravens, the Rices addressed the media in which Ray apologized to the public but not to his wife.  Janay apologized for the role she played in the situation and “the Ravens’ official Twitter account sent out this tweet:  ‘Janay Rice says she deeply regrets the role that she played the night of the incident.’”  Sadly enough, we find in our culture many women who believe that they deserved to be beaten and that it was their fault that the incident happened.

Experts in domestic violence immediately criticized the visual event stating that “the team insensitively propped up an abused woman next to her abuser for the cameras.” Both the Rices and the Ravens were highly criticized for holding such an event.

On June 16, a discipline hearing was held at the NFL’s headquarters in New York City with NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, taking charge.  ESPN.com reported that Raven general manager Ozzie Newsome, Cass, and two NFLPA representatives came with Ray and Janay Rice.  Joining Goodell was NFL general counsel Jeff Pash and the NFL’s senior vice-president of labor policy Adolpho Birch.  Janay, Cass, and Newsome all spoke on behalf of Ray.  According to four sources and with his wife sitting next to him, Ray told Goodell that he had hit her and knocked her out.

Goodell, at the end of the meeting, invited Ray and Janay to have a private talk with him in his office. 

Even after this meeting, the NFL did not try to get the inside elevator video which would have been the most important evidence for the case.  Right after the event first happened, the executives from the Raven’s were campaigning privately and publicly for minimal punishment within their own organization, judicially, and with commissioner Goodell.  Goodell had previously suspended two former Raven players one and two games each for similar domestic violence first-time offenses.  However, neither incident had been caught on video.  The idea seems to permeate the NFL that they are above the laws of the land and they can take over the judicial system when it comes to issuing out punishments which are fitting for their players.  They give a minor slap on the wrist, make sure that there is not much media coverage, and sweep the offense under the rug.

Commissioner Goodell suspended Rice for two games on July 24, after sources said that executives from the Ravens had advocated no more than a two-game suspension.

This started an upheaval of criticism on various fronts.  Extensive questions arose about Goodell’s judgment, investigation, and the evidence used.  There were NFL reporters who suggested that the video from inside the elevator had warranted the easygoing punishment.   Broadcasters and reporters were then led to ask the league’s officials exactly what, if anything, they had seen.  ESPN.com reported that “In an ESPN Radio interview on July 28, host Mike Greenberg twice asked Birch, the NFL’s labor policy vice president, whether Goodell had screened the inside-elevator video of Rice’s assault on his then-fiancee.”  Both times Birch cited privacy concerns on the part of the Rices and declined to answer.  Birch stated that Goodell and league officials believed that the two-game suspension was suitable after consideration of all of the conditions involved.  More anger evolved over the verdict. 

On July 31, Rice took media questions for the first time, taking responsibility for what happened and publicly apologizing.  His genuine words of remorse got positive reviews and the headline “Now the healing can begin” appeared in The Baltimore Sun.  Here we go again.  Because he was a big time NFL player all that is necessary for healing to begin is an apology.  This is such a double standard.  However, criticism over Goodell’s lenient suspension got worse.  M&T Bank’s vice-president over advertising, promotions, and sponsorships proclaimed that Coach Harbaugh would be the new face for the bank instead of Rice.

August 28, with pressure rising from domestic violence experts, players, and advocates of women’s rights, Goodell changed the league’s personal conduct policy in regards to domestic violence.  Due to the influence from social media, the hand of the commissioner was forced to make a stricter policy.  The policy change included a six game suspension without pay, for a first offense, and being banned from the NFL if a second incident occurred.  Goodell admitted that he had not got it right in the Rice case and committed to doing better.  However, the storm was just beginning.

A second video, taken from inside the elevator, captured Rice using a left-hand punch which knocked Palmer to the floor and rendered her unconscious.  This second video was released by TMZ on September 8 and went viral on the Internet.  The picture of Ray’s crushing punch to Janay’s face was played over and over again on ESPN and other national news shows.  It filled people’s social media feeds and the reaction of the public was quick, overwhelming, and not positive.  It reopened the question of correctness in Goodell’s suspension for Rice and how the league had handled the many other cases of domestic violence.  It also turned many other people against Rice including current and former players saying that he should be tossed from the league.

Within that very day, the Ravens terminated Rice’s contract and Rice was suspended by the NFL indefinitely.  Goodell now cited new evidence and said that the story Rice told him on June 16 was vague and did not match up with the video.  But why did he not get a copy of the video for the NFL to review before this all broke open?  On that same day, online articles went crazy posting comments against domestic violence.  As Leigh Steinberg wrote, “The NFL has failed in its duty to serve as a shining example of on and off field behavior with its handling of Ray Rice’s assault on his then-fiancee this past winter.  Domestic violence is a massive societal problem with millions of women being abused and left unprotected by a system that often victimizes them again.”  

According to SBNation.com, Janay Rice posted a statement on her Instagram account the next day saying that “reality is a nightmare in itself” and criticizing the media for causing pain to her family.  The White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, said in a statement “The president is the father of two daughters.  And like any American, he believes that domestic violence is contemptible and unacceptable in a civilized society.  Hitting a woman is not something a real man does, and that’s true whether or not an act of violence happens in the public eye, or, far too often, behind closed doors.  Stopping domestic violence is something that’s bigger than football and all of us have a responsibility to put a stop to it.”  

A letter was promptly sent to the Raven’s season-ticket holders, from owner Steve Bisciotti, apologizing for not investigating the incident more vigorously and saying that the team had not previously seen the video.  He also related that the Ravens would be donating $600,000 to the Baltimore shelter for battered women.   Here we go trying to put the fire out with money.

The next day, Goodell talked with CBS Evening News and said that he had never seen the full Rice video before it was released by TMZ on September 8. 

On September 10, The Associated Press, citing an unnamed law enforcement official, reported that the NFL was sent the full Rice video in April.  Former and current NFL players started to question Goodell on Twitter.  Goodell received massive criticism for the way he handled the situation and there were even calls for him to resign.  Ozzie Newsome stated to The Sun that the story told to him and Coach Harbaugh by Rice, after the incident occurred, was consistent with what the TMZ video showed.  Later that same night, the NFL announced that Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, would lead an investigation into how the Rice case was handled by the league.  Due to the media, now the NFL commissioner is really beginning to sweat and has to hire a FBI person to try to clear his name.

During the CBS broadcast of the Ravens-Steelers game on September 11, play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz stated that this was “arguably the darkest week in the history of the league.”  Rightly so as social media has brought forth and disseminated information which is being used to hold the league accountable to the social and cultural expectations of the general public.  Later in the week, Goodell gave the names of four women who would help the league in leading a new domestic violence initiative.  I believe this is just another ploy to make the NFL look good and, in the wake of the disaster, help persuade society that the NFL really cares about the issue. 

Through the years, the NFL has worked hard to increase their fan base so that they can generate more money.  Culturally, it seemed that football was a man’s sport.  It was macho to watch and participate in football games.  However, the league started long ago trying to change the football culture and recruit women fans by using social media advertising.   They teamed up with CoverGirl and had models wearing different NFL jerseys promoting the various teams.  The advertising campaign was called “Get Your Game Face On.”  Within a few days of the TMZ video release, NFL protesters hijacked the campaign and photo shopped the CoverGirl picture being used on social media to that of the woman representing the Raven’s team sporting a big black eye which seemed to generate shock waves online.  The jolting image was posted to Twitter and Facebook as the protesters demanded Goodell’s resignation and a boycott of the league.  CoverGirl then sponsored the campaign on the company’s Instagram and Facebook pages.  The picture took off on social media and was often included along with the hashtag #goodellmustgo.

  

Rice appealed the indefinite suspension on September 16.  Rice said that the NFL’s indefinite suspension was a heightened punishment for the original violation and therefore violated labor law.  He wanted immediate reinstatement and also filed a separate grievance against the team which challenged their right to end his contract early.  He wanted repayment from the team for the games he was not able to play in.  

Former United States District Judge Barbara Jones presided over the appeal held on November 5 and 6.  It was up to her to determine whether Ray Rice or Roger Goodell was telling the truth.  The judge mandated that all witnesses would testify under oath.  A gag order was placed on the case.  Goodell testified on the first day and the Rices testified on the second day.  Also testifying on the second day was the Raven’s general manager, Ozzie Newsome.  According to SBNation.com, Newsome “claimed under oath that Rice told Goodell during the June 16 sitdown that he hit Palmer in the elevator.”    This statement contradicted Goodell’s declaration that the story Rice told him on June 16 was vague and that he did not know that Rice had punched Palmer until the video was released on September 8. 

On November 28, Judge Jones ruled that NFL commissioner Goodell had inappropriately punished Rice twice.  She overturned the suspension calling it “arbitrary” and wrote, “I am not persuaded that Rice lied to, or misled, the NFL at his June interview, I find that the indefinite suspension was an abuse of discretion and must be vacated.” The Robert Mueller investigation of how this case was handled by the NFL is still ongoing.

Although Rice has won the appeal and is eligible to sign immediately with an NFL team, it will remain to be seen if a signing actually takes place in the near future.  For one thing, 13 weeks of football has already taken place.  A bigger problem for Ray Rice, though, is the fact that social media has made this incident big news and there would, no doubt, be major public backlash for any team which would sign him.  However, winning is very important to NFL teams and, now that supposedly justice has been served, the league can put Ray Rice in a football uniform get back to business as usual. 

As for NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, he still has his job.  I do not foresee him resigning from or losing his standing within the NFL.  After Rice won his appeal, “the players union called for changes to the discipline policy, including neutral arbitration for all cases .”  So Goodell may not be left to decide punishments for players, but he will inevitably still be the commissioner.

I believe the social media exacerbated the psychological context.  Emotions against what Ray Rice did to Janay Palmer and the original suspension, dictated by Roger Goodell, were aggravated due to the information which was continually being dispersed through social media.  Also, as Janay posted on Instagram, it kept reopening the wound for their family.  It may have also opened up bad memories for several people who have been victims of domestic violence.  For the temporal context, which involved the timing, I think social media affected it in both ways.  By letting people know, sometimes daily, how the case was evolving social media put pressure on those in charge to do something about it as speedily as possible.  I believe that this was a good thing.  However, it aggravated and provoked the public because many could see that the team, league, and Goodell were dragging their feet on coming to an appropriate punishment.  Originally, the social intervention which came as a result of social media aggravated the social context because it blatantly pointed out that there seems to be two different sets of roles and rules for NFL players and the average person.  This put the NFL on the hot seat because everyone could see that they had been allowing the players to get away with breaking societal rules and roles. 

As of now, the publicity seems to be helping because the NFL is taking a tougher stance on the issue of domestic violence, reporting of domestic violence is up, women are stepping up and talking about it, and it has impacted domestic violence awareness around the country.  Due to social media, the cultural context of this case has been ameliorated.  By bringing the issue to the forefront, it is helping people to talk about, educate, and redefine what masculinity really is.  Different groups are more adamantly promoting healthy relationship behaviors.   

If there might be a positive side to the domestic violence incident of Ray Rice and Janay Palmer, it could be the fact that thousands of people took to social media to tell the world about why they stayed or left abusive relationships.  Beginning with the first video going viral, people began blogging and tweeting on the story.  Domestic violence victims were included and took to Twitter creating #WhyIStayed and #WhyILeft.  They then proceeded to tweet very short, powerful accounts of why they had felt they could not leave their abusive relationship or how they were able to leave relationships which were abusive.  “The dialogue fueled more awareness and much-needed discussion surrounding domestic violence…..”  

Also, many tweets and blogs included statements of support and of disgust concerning the handling of the incident.  Some stated that the NFL was a business and should not have to be concerned about what the players did when they were off the field.  Others were totally outraged by the league apathy shown toward the incident.  Thousands of people expressed their views and ideas online concerning the incident.

From the very beginning, it seemed that the NFL was not really interested in finding out what actually took place between Ray Rice and Janay Palmer in the elevator.

They acted like they did not want to know the truth.  I think they pretended not to know certain things in order to not be held accountable.  The NFL made excuses saying that it was in the hands of the judicial system until the judicial system upped the charges to felony aggravated assault in the third degree.  Then the Raven’s team president, Dick Cass, got involved and was somehow able to get Rice into a program basically absconding him.  I do not believe this was an ethical thing to do.  It seems that there were several different occasions in which the NFL lacked veracity.  When Goodell took Ray and Janay back into his office to talk with them at the end of the discipline hearing, I got the feeling that it might end up in a he said, he said situation and sure enough it did.  It was the Rice’s word against Goodell’s and Goodell used this situation to help cover his reasoning when he changed the punishment.  Due to the social media coverage of the story and the league leader’s involvement, a huge amount of pressure was placed on the top officials.  I feel like veracity and integrity were compromised on many occasions.

Social media added great credibility to what actually happened in the incident.  Once the videos went viral on the Internet, there was little doubt left about what occurred inside the elevator and there was no denying who did what.  There were some parts of the unfolding story where reporters and online articles cited unnamed sources. 

Usually unnamed sources seem to discredit the message.  However, as Steve Buttry stated, “This is an important story about connections and influence in the league and how they mattered more than responding forcefully to an outrageous incident of domestic violence by an NFL star……the nature of the story justifies granting

confidentiality .”  I did run across a couple of articles that contradicted one or two of the times and dates regarding parts of the story, but for the most part, the online articles backed each other up and seemed to lend credibility to the story.  Also, Peter King reported on July 29 that in fact the NFL had seen the full video of the incident.

He retracted that report after the second video was released by TMZ on September 8.  

The original punishment handed down from Goodell was appalling.  He should be in hot water for making such an unacceptable reprimand in regards to a player acting in such an inhumane manner.  According to a previous Goodell punishment, Ray Rice would have been in more trouble for smoking pot than for knocking his fiancée unconscious.  There is something wrong with that kind of thinking.  I believe that Roger Goodell dropped the ball in this case.  He did not seem to want to know what really happened in the incident until pressure was put on him.  Goodell looks at only the business side of the NFL, not the human element.   I think that if Ray Rice was not a professional athlete he would have had to go to court and probably would have been sentenced to jail time.  However, because he was a big money football player, others were trying to protect him and make it seem like it was not a big deal.  They did not want him to have to miss very many games.  Basically, the NFL has been getting away with turning a blind eye to this kind of behavior for some time.  Only after the case blew up in the media did they begin to pursue the correct punishment and then it was too late because Goodell had messed up.  I applaud the social media for the positive effect it has had in this case.   I believe that there should be zero tolerance for domestic violence.  No one should hit another person.  Whether you are female or male, it is not acceptable.  This case makes me sick knowing that because of money, fame, and athletic status this kind of behavior has been excused in the past.  I am glad that social media brought this case out because otherwise it would have just been swept under the carpet with a little slap on the hand like so many of the previous incidents.  Domestic violence is unexcusable no matter who or what you are.   I think the incident was totally mishandled by the NFL from the top down.   I agree with Steve Buttry and believe that the main message of this story has to do with the NFL good ole boys and how their primary concern is covering their own butts and the secondary concern is the business of making money.  In all actuality, I do not believe that they sincerely care about domestic violence unless it is going to cost them their jobs or their business.   This story is about position, power, and money—not domestic violence.