Ray Rice and Abuse in Football - We're Surprised, Really?

By Elizabeth Nelson

If you're a bleeding heart liberal, do not read this blog, look away now.

We all love to watch hard hitting football. Coaches tell the men, "rage, knock your opponent off their feet and take off their heads on the field," but we expect them to be "gentle giants" off the field, but is this expectation too high for some, that they just can't "flip the switch" and turn off this testosterone so easy? Okay, Ray Rice punches (not "beats") his fiancée and people want to "ban" him from football for life? WHY? Jay Z not only beats up on Beyonce but brags about it, and I don't hear people calling for a boycott of his shi**y "music."    

If you're willing to play judge and jury, oh righteous one, you'd better get ready to put the entire NFL on trial: Dez Bryant wide receiver with the Cowboys accused of domestic violence, Miami Dolphins Receiver Chad Johnson was arrested for domestic violence, 49ers Defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested last month on allegations of domestic violence against his fiancée

Then we have Ex-nfl players, defensive lineman Reggie Roger of the Detroit Lions is pleading "not guilty" to domestic charges of beating his wife and Keyshawn Johnson, formerly of NY Jets, Tampa Bay Bucks & Cowboys who was arrested in April of Assaulting his Ex-Wife.  What about OJ Simpson, we all remember his infamous abuse story.  

I won't even start on Basketball or the courts would be empty. 
This behavior didn't just happen after they "retired" kids, this was a problem they had while they were playing, but was hidden in the closet.  Now that the NFL is threatening to take the men's careers and the millions that go with it, Mrs. Rice's Instagram comment this morning, defending her husband's actions,career and livelihood, further proves that these battered football wives, fiancées and girlfriends will only continue to suffer in silence, because now it will affect them in more ways than one. What a fabulous solution, NFL.  Why offer them anger management and counseling, because communication has never helped any relationship succeed. 

Instead, we're going to tell this man he can't ever play football again and we're going to take away millions, a lifestyle and the fame that they've grown accustomed to.  Do you think it's going to make his marriage or anger better?  I'm sure Michael Vick is happy he only got caught making money killing and hurt dogs fighting them, because now he's back on the field playing and making a lot of money today. 

So, who are we to "hold Rice accountable" and be judge and jury in his life and career, when even the woman he hit married him, after the fact? Isn't that her place, as the "victim" here? Just because she's not pressing charges and he's not "going to do hard time, like Vick," you're not happy? Get over it, he didn't hit you or anyone you know.  

It's not for us to hold him accountable, it's not our life.  Again, she married him, and even defends him, after he hit her (again), she made her choice.  All the NFL can or should do, is start him, and any other player in this position, in a program to help fix the issue while they are off the bench for the six games they are cooling off, otherwise we will see more spouses like Nicole Brown Simpson.