Ray Rice's Meaningless Suspension.

Ray Rice is not a good man. He is shown on video knocking his then-girlfriend, now fiance, unconscious with his own fist. Not once all summer did the National Football League media call Rice a 'distraction' to the Ravens, the new favorite buzzword for the National Football League. Johnny Manziel parties too much therefore he is a distraction. Michael Sam is a homosexual thus a distraction. But Rice beats the living hell out of his significant other, and yet somehow he isn't a part of this new distraction-based fraternity. The NFL has a serious problem on their hands, and it is unclear how they can fix it. 

NFL decided to suspend Rice a mere two games. That's all. Two out of the 16 games meaning Rice will be suspended for only 12.5 percent of the season. Ben Roethlisberger and Pacman Jones were both suspended more games for being accused of doing something versus actually getting charged with a crime. NFL is suspending players for more games when it comes to smoking marijuana versus clear and present domestic violence abuse. That's the thing about this whole Rice ordeal, this isn't a 'He said, she said' debate with a domestic violence dispute rather a video of  him actually doing it. It makes little to none sense why the NFL decided two games was the proper punishment. 

I called for a half-year suspension a couple months ago because it fit the crime. He violated the personal conduct policy which drew a six-game suspension with Roethlisberger then adding a two games for the disgusting nature of the violation. Two games is nothing. That's a simple brush off the shoulder. And it sends a message that domestic violence is okay with their players. They could drag their wives across a hotel floor and only get suspended for 12.5 percent of the season. If they suspended him for half the season taking away his pay and his livelihood, NFL presents a clear message that this cannot be tolerated in the sport. Instead, Roger Goodell now needs to answer a boatload of questions regarding women and football. 

Scarborough Research shows 45 percent of the football fans are women. 33 percent of the viewing audience is women. That's a major chunk of their fanbase. They need to tread lightly here in this situation. NFL now has a Public Relations disaster on their hands. NFL needs to find a way to fix things even if that task is likely impossible at this point. Adam Hatlak, a SnoTap contributor, mentioned to me 'I wish they wouldn't have suspended versus just giving him two games.'  Adam has a point. If you're going to be tone deaf about the ordeal, do nothing rather than give him a couple meaningless games off that will not even affect the Baltimore Ravens in the long run. NFL thought they were showing awareness by giving Rice a couple games. 

I have no idea how the NFL recovers from the entire issue with Rice. People in the media and around the NFL will act like nothing happened by October when the NFL supposedly honors women by wearing pink. 

Novel idea.  

Charlie.