NFL changing domestic violence rules

Jane McManus @janesports
The NFL announced sweeping new measures on domestic violence in a letter to owners today; Six games for 1st offense, lifetime ban for 2nd.

Jane McManus @janesports · 7s
On Ray Rice discipline: "I didn’t get it right," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell writes to owners.

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Wow..

I have no problem with this, but I am interested to see if it calls for convictions or only proof that the allegation did occur.

SPORTS HERNIA, I *TOLD* you the NFL wanted to give Rice harsher punishment!

You can say it, it's alright. No one will think any less of you. "Roland, you were right."

:lol:

Well at least they did something to fix it for the future. I would assume it's for conviction only. Or if caught on video camera like a dumbass rather then mere accusation.

There was a petition that circulated last week, must have had an impact.

In addition to focusing on domestic violence and sexual assault, we will continue to maintain strong policies regarding weapons offenses. We are similarly working to strengthen our response to impaired driving. We have sought – unsuccessfully – for several years to obtain the NFLPA’s agreement to more stringent discipline for DUI, including mandatory deactivation for the game immediately following an arrest and a minimum two-game suspension for a first violation of law.

That is from the memo sent out to owners.

Wonder how this affects the ruling on Aldon not delivered yet.

It's good to see that Goodell is capable of caving to outside pressure. Hopefully someone starts a new petition telling him the new officiating emphasis is hurting the game.

It's only fair that something as serious as domestic abuse would carry the same initial punishment as a DUI. But with a lifetime ban on a second offense, I genuinely wonder if the new rules will lead to these cases going unreported by girlfriends and wives who would rather keep it to themselves knowing that going to authorities would end their husband's careers (and of course, the gravy train that goes with it.)

According to this, the NFL had never handed down a suspension for domestic abuse prior to Goodell. If that list is accurate, non-substance offenses had only generated a handful of suspensions in NFL history before Goodell showed up. For better or worse, it's really interesting how little of a shit the previous commissioners gave about player conduct.

kearly":24uzqy98 said:

It's good to see that Goodell is capable of caving to outside pressure.

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Outside pressure? What makes you think the NFL didn't already want stiffer penalties for practically everything? (I'm talking about in recent years, here; like the last few.) That's what it has seemed like the NFL really wants, since the advent of Twitter and the massively increased public awareness about this kind of stuff.

Nice move in the right direction. Now we just have to stiffen up the penalties for Marijuana use.

RolandDeschain":2cvcq5i2 said:

Outside pressure?

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RolandDeschain":2cvcq5i2 said:

the advent of Twitter and the massively increased public awareness about this kind of stuff.

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RolandDeschain":3ld1rjkr said:

SPORTS HERNIA, I *TOLD* you the NFL wanted to give Rice harsher punishment!

You can say it, it's alright. No one will think any less of you. "Roland, you were right."

:lol:

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Well according to you, shouldn't the union have to sign off on this? Are were you just hiding behind the CBA like Rog..... Or does Rog have more power than you want to admit? 8)

RolandDeschain":ooui7axq said:

SPORTS HERNIA, I *TOLD* you the NFL wanted to give Rice harsher punishment!

You can say it, it's alright. No one will think any less of you. "Roland, you were right."

:lol:

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What exactly prevented him from dulling out harsher punishment? If you state precedent, then please enlighten me on how Big Ben was hit so hard without a conviction.

This is 100% PR based. They screwed up, and it was obvious. This is to hopefully rectify the majory backlash the shield took from handing out a punishment that no one else agreed with.

That being said, I still think there was a lot more to the story we just dont know, but the authorities and Goodell does. There was a camera inside the elevator, and the fact that that has not some how been leaked means someone really really really wanted to make sure it didnt. No charges filed by either his wife or the DA (who could have placed charges even without his wifes permission). The fact that they held a long meeting with his wife and goodell.

A 2 game suspension, with Goodell knowing full well that people would not understand it, tells me its was a compromise to a situation that they dont want us to know about.

My guess, if I was speaking from way way way outside the box, They were doing some sexual stuff that got rough in the elevator.

Wow, pretty strict rules there.

Cartire":rjpbo72m said:

My guess, if I was speaking from way way way outside the box, They were doing some sexual stuff that got rough in the elevator.

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She struck Rice and spit on him during a heated argument. After being spit on, Rice retaliated with an uppercut that knocked her out. This account comes from "tipsters" and is validated by the official police report.

I forget now where I read it but there was a report out that the NFLPA threatened legal action if Rice's ban was more than 2 games.

kearly":1gcybbwg said:

Cartire":1gcybbwg said:

My guess, if I was speaking from way way way outside the box, They were doing some sexual stuff that got rough in the elevator.

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She struck Rice and spit on him during a heated argument. After being spit on, Rice retaliated with an uppercut that knocked her out. This account comes from "tipsters" and is validated by the official police report.

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Its a good collaborated story. Seems like something the NFL would like to put out in the public to help justify their light sentencing. The fact that they didnt, tells me its a good story, and nothing more. Not saying her hitting him justifies his response. But if it was as simple as her just taking a swing and doing nothing to him, and he uppercuts her, I can not see at all how the DA doesnt press charges.

Tech Worlds":28oz44br said:

Nice move in the right direction. Now we just have to stiffen up the penalties for Marijuana use.

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Here is your stiffie.......

I don't give Goodell ANY credit for doing this after getting kicked in the nuts for the past month over his light Rice suspension.

From what I read, Goodell has full autonomy to discipline players when it comes to non PED/Substance related violations that fall outside the CBA. So sorry, good that he's making it right, but no credit for doing what should have been done in the first place.

Lol - Ok, Kearly. I thought you just meant outside pressure resulting from Rice's two-game suspension. I didn't realize you meant it in a much more broadly encompassing way going back years, so fair enough.

Sports Hernia":1xpxup02 said:

Well according to you, shouldn't the union have to sign off on this? Are were you just hiding behind the CBA like Rog..... Or does Rog have more power than you want to admit? 8)

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I hope you know my taunting post was just messing with you. However, I think the NFLPA really does have to agree to this, but they're pretty much forced to now that everybody is in love with the change from a public relations standpoint. You'd have to ask a sports attorney, to be honest; but from what I can tell in the CBA document, it does seem to require NFLPA approval? I'm guessing the NFL just came out with this like they did to pressure the NFLPA to agree to it, but who knows? I'm not claiming to be an expert on this.

Cartire":1xpxup02 said:

What exactly prevented him from dulling out harsher punishment? If you state precedent, then please enlighten me on how Big Ben was hit so hard without a conviction.

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I outlined this to Sports in another thread. (Regarding the harsher punishment angle.) As far as Big Ben goes, the NFL doesn't need a conviction. It's not a jury of anybody's peers. An employer can punish an employee for making them look bad. Employers must be cautious about how they do it, but Big Ben got suspended for a second accusation of a very bad nature, and nobody knows what the NFL might know about him or those situations that isn't public knowledge.

Cartire":1xpxup02 said:

This is 100% PR based. They screwed up, and it was obvious. This is to hopefully rectify the majory backlash the shield took from handing out a punishment that no one else agreed with.

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Of course it's PR-based, what isn't? It's the NFL. They have the best league image of any pro sport in the world, and they don't have that by accident. However, you're not correct on the "no one else agreed with" angle. I don't think his punishment was fair at all on its own merits, but I do think it was fair under the rules as they were at the time in the NFL/NFLPA/CBA. Do you understand the difference? Here are a couple of pieces demonstrating my point:

http://www.chicagonow.com/its-never-jus ... e-is-fair/
http://artherworldblog.wordpress.com/20 ... ment-fair/

Cartire":1xpxup02 said:

That being said, I still think there was a lot more to the story we just dont know, but the authorities and Goodell does.

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Aye, I'm sure. I also think that Goodell should (and does) have a lot of leeway in deciding punishment based on how sorry he thinks the player truly is about his behavior. Just like cops. If you get pulled over for speeding and mouth off to a cop, you should expect a much higher fine than if you're courteous and polite to that cop. Know what I'm sayin'? How sincere do you think Aldon is with him after the several different idiotic incidents he's had in his first three years in the league, whereas Ray Rice is entering his 7th and this is his first? I am absolutely NOT defending Rice's deplorable actions here, but you have to think about the big picture, know what I mean?

Interesting..... Now Rice wasn't charged with anything.... the video was damning but legaly nothing happened to him.

Now are we suspending people for being charged or for being accuesd?

Cause if all it takes is being accused. I can get a lady to swear Kap upper cutted her. I have a couple buddies on SPD that could draw up a fake police report. Boom 6 games!