Rozner: Force every NFL player to watch Rice video
It has been said that on every NFL Sunday, you'll see something you've never seen before.
Turns out, that applies to Monday as well.
First, TMZ released the sickening video of Ray Rice beating his wife-to-be in an elevator in Atlantic City, thus bringing even more heat on Rice, the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens.
After a morning of anger directed at all of the above, the Ravens announced on Twitter at 1:20 Chicago time they had terminated Rice's contract.
Once again late to the show, the NFL responded 19 minutes later by declaring Rice suspended indefinitely, based “on new video evidence.”
This is the same NFL that gave Rice a whopping two-game suspension before coming under attack from, well, the world, and being forced to change its suspension policy regarding domestic violence.
The fact that commissioner Roger Goodell only reacted to public pressure — and not the act itself — is disturbing, but even after admitting he got it wrong with Rice, Goodell continues to trip all over himself.
The “evidence” is nothing “new.” We already knew precisely what Rice did because he told us what he did and — more significant — he told the NFL what he did.
Furthermore, does anyone believe that the NFL and Goodell had not previously seen the video? This is the most powerful man in sports in charge of the most profitable game in the world. He has access to information about every player in the game, and those about to be drafted into his league.
And he couldn't get the video? Does anyone really believe that?
The hotel had the video. Police had the video. TMZ got the video. And you have to assume the grand jury was given the video when — on March 27 — it indicted Rice on an aggravated assault charge.
And the NFL says it only saw it Monday? This is no laughing matter, but that statement is laughable.
Basically, what the NFL said Monday is it didn't care too much about Rice beating his wife until there was public outrage, and then they changed their suspension policy.
But it still didn't matter all that much until people saw the video and starting throwing up in their Fruit Loops Monday morning. Now, suddenly, the NFL cares a lot.
It's ridiculous that Rice got only two games to start with. It's embarrassing that the NFL changed its policy only after that. It's a joke that Rice was eligible to start practicing this Friday. And it's pathetic that it took TMZ to get the Ravens to respond properly Monday.
What's even worse was Goodell chasing the story again and being forced to suspend Rice indefinitely after the Ravens tossed Rice out onto to the street. He did so knowing the Ravens did the dirty work and that no sane NFL owner is going to take a chance on Rice after every female NFL fan has seen video of Rice knocking out his wife.
There's simply no way to view Goodell or the NFL as genuine, especially in regard to domestic violence. Every action over the last few months has been the result of public pressure and nothing else.
But what the league can do now is show the video of Rice hitting his wife to every player in every NFL locker room. And then show it again. And again. And again.
Every player registering for the draft must watch it. Over and over and over again.
When players look away in disgust, they should be forced to watch and not allowed to dress or be drafted until they've seen it very clearly. At that point, they should be required to sign a document acknowledging that they've seen it, understand the consequences and that a first offense now carries a lifetime ban.
Not a six-game suspension. No second chances.
Why do you need a second chance to understand that hitting a woman is not OK?
This is not a third-world country, and it is never OK.
Roger Goodell has been humiliated by this entire fiasco and there may be nothing he can do to repair his image or make female fans believe he cares at all about domestic violence.
But he can, in good faith, try to change what is a terrible problem in the NFL — and in society in general — and at least attempt to ensure it doesn't happen again, while educating tens of millions of male NFL fans in the process.
He can do that — if he genuinely cares at all.
brozner@dailyherald.com
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