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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 19, 2014 19:21:22 GMT -5
Ray Rice's lawyer saw the in the elevator video back in April. He told Dick Cass it was "f---ing horrible". Cass did not ask to see the video. There's not much doubt why. Instead, when he discovered that the pretrial intervention program would keep that video from becoming public, he and other executives pushed for that, writing letters extolling Ray's virtues to New Jersey prosecutors. They played the prosecutors, then as soon as the tape came out they cut Ray loose, making the prosecutors look like asshats. Shortly after the team cut Rice, Bisciotti sent a pair of text messages to him: Hey Ray, just want to let you know, we loved you as a player, it was great having you here. Hopefully all these things are going to die down. I wish the best for you and Janay.
When you're done with football, I'd like you to know you have a job waiting for you with the Ravens helping young guys getting acclimated to the league.What could Bisciotti have meant by this offer? Keep quiet and I'll look after you? It's certainly inconsistent with the team's public stance. Newsome admitted that what Ray told them happened was true: "Ray didn't lie to me." Rice told two friends that Newsome is the only member of the organization with him he would have any future dealings, the only one he regards as willing to tell the truth. Goodell doesn't look any better: Goodell's assertion that Ray gave him an ambiguous account, and later that the video was "starkly different" from that account appear to be falsehoods, based on the statements of four witnesses. The article also asserts, with some backing, that Goodell plays favorites and has mishandled other disciplinary matters. Muller's investigation will be overseen by Mara and Rooney, two good friends of Goodell. Prediction: it will be a whitewash. ArticleIt seems clear that the league and the Ravens mishandled this entire situation from the very beginning.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 21, 2014 9:38:59 GMT -5
I agree. Disappointing to say the least. So ready to move on from all of this.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 21, 2014 15:31:14 GMT -5
I agree. Disappointing to say the least. So ready to move on from all of this. I think before we can move on, the Ravens need to acknowledge that they made serious errors, they need to hold a press conference in which the various officials, from Bis on down, apologize to the fans for their bungling of this, and they need to show how it is not going to happen again. Rice might win his appeal and discover he is kryptonite for the 31 teams he might still be willing to play for. (He has said that of the Ravens' officials, Ozzie is the only one he'd have anything to do with henceforth).
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Post by vosa on Sept 21, 2014 16:21:00 GMT -5
Seems to me Dante Stallworth's crime was a touch more serious than Ray's and the punishment a lot less severe. I guess that's because the NFL's policy on players who break the law is "evolving".
I offer this modest suggestion to the NFL - any player convicted of a crime is gone - immediately and permanently.
Our educational system believes in this kind of no tolerance/no judgment policy. If it's good enough for our children shouldn't it be good enough for the NFL, the MLB, the NBA, the NHL?
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Post by oscar on Sept 22, 2014 6:41:27 GMT -5
Seems to me Dante Stallworth's crime was a touch more serious than Ray's and the punishment a lot less severe. I guess that's because the NFL's policy on players who break the law is "evolving". I offer this modest suggestion to the NFL - any player convicted of a crime is gone - immediately and permanently. Our educational system believes in this kind of no tolerance/no judgment policy. If it's good enough for our children shouldn't it be good enough for the NFL, the MLB, the NBA, the NHL? My biggest issue is not the cover up, it is the words of the comish-"we hold our selves, the owners, my self, to a higher standard" and in the case of the Saints; "ignorance is no excuse, you should have known" and the words of Steeler President, Rooney on Goodell; " one mistake should not end a good man's career." Yet players are suspened for a season, others, indefinately, for one mistake but the owners- Ziggy Wolf, the Browns situation last year, Jones and his sexual "misconduct", and many more, who all get a pass, all gets swept under the rug. I know, I've been watching the NFl a long time, I know all of this, players actions included, have gone on since the begining, but if they are going to change, let them keep to their words:"we hold our selves to a higher standard." Biscotti is or was out of the country this week end, so hearing from him today at the press conference is not likely.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 8:03:00 GMT -5
I agree. Disappointing to say the least. So ready to move on from all of this. I think before we can move on, the Ravens need to acknowledge that they made serious errors, they need to hold a press conference in which the various officials, from Bis on down, apologize to the fans for their bungling of this, and they need to show how it is not going to happen again. Rice might win his appeal and discover he is kryptonite for the 31 teams he might still be willing to play for. (He has said that of the Ravens' officials, Ozzie is the only one he'd have anything to do with henceforth). Biscotti has already done this.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 16:04:43 GMT -5
Biscotti just gored ESPN for their inaccurate, slanted story from OTL. Watching the OTL reporter trying to defend it afterwards was telling, and honestly, deserved. ESPN might have messed with the wrong owner. Looks like if any heads are rolling soon, it's certainly not within the Ravens org - it's going to be within ESPN. Here is a link to the Ravens written response - profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/22/statement-from-ravens-regarding-espn-report/The press conference was rather intense. Switched over to ESPN to watch Bob Ley and Don Van Natta respond, and it was interesting. First, Natta really didn't, or couldn't refute much of anything, and then tried again to question Biscotti's integrity, particularly about Rice's suspension and whether the Ravens asked for special favors, etc, repeatedly misquoting what Biscotti had said about it in the conference. Van Natta supposedly has won two Pulitzer Prizes...yet, I've seen better, and more honest reporting from high school students. ESPN might have just sunken to an all-time low with this article and story. What was REALLY interesting is how ESPN reacted, and how the guys on NFL reacted - VASTLY different. On NFLN(who is connected to ESPN as well, as they mentioned), they seemed pretty frank, and just talked about what was said. On ESPN they seemed to go into complete self-defense mode. This is going to be ugly - most likely for ESPN, and quite possibly CBS who apparently omitted 29 out of 34 questions in their edit of their interview with Biscotti last week. One thing is for sure - as much as some say you cannot trust the NFL, or the Ravens, you can certainly not trust the press of today's hack, tabloid journalism. We live in the era of TMZ and social media, and everyone else trying to keep up, sacrificing their journalistic integrity for clicks and shock value. I don't know that it will happen, but if I were Biscotti, and certainly he has the money and resources to do so, I would hit ESPN hard, and bring them to their knees.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 16:37:51 GMT -5
Man, after reading the Raven's response in that link I provided, I have never been so utterly disgusted with a news outlet. Just the misquotes and misconstrued garbage from Rice and Biscotti's texts is particularly disgusting, and damning of EPSN's "journalists".
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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 22, 2014 16:45:22 GMT -5
Let me just point out that Bisciotti has no more credibility than Rice. Before the team bungled this, sure. Now? No.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 16:54:38 GMT -5
Let me just point out that Bisciotti has no more credibility than Rice. Before the team bungled this, sure. Now? No. I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous to say.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 22, 2014 17:00:06 GMT -5
Let me just point out that Bisciotti has no more credibility than Rice. Before the team bungled this, sure. Now? No. I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous to say. I understand you're a superfan. But they mishandled this from the getgo. They have no credibility with me.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 17:07:27 GMT -5
I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous to say. I understand you're a superfan. But they mishandled this from the getgo. They have no credibility with me. Ok, personal shot at me aside(what's up with that, Mr Mod?) - yes, they mishandled it - but they broke no rules, and no laws. Biscotti admits to that much. But to say Biscotti, a respected owner and businessman who by all accounts is a fair, and likeable guy with integrity, who's only real mistake was his blind love for Rice, has no more credibility than Rice himself, an acknowledged woman beater, who is now looking for leniency on his appeal, that is QUITE a stretch.
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Post by husagafella on Sept 22, 2014 17:37:27 GMT -5
Still drinking the purple kool aid I see.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 18:02:27 GMT -5
Still drinking the purple kool aid I see. Feel free to quote any pro-Ravens "bias". I reported what I saw, feel free to dispute a single thing I said in my post. If there is any bias, it's not pro-Ravens, it's anti-ESPN, which you'll find that I have done so in the past for many reasons outside of the Ravens and Orioles. Continue to keep playing this little game if you like though
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Post by husagafella on Sept 22, 2014 18:35:51 GMT -5
Too funny. Ravens good. Every else bad. You took the Ravens story hook, line and sinker and discount anything else. ESPN stands by its story and its sources. There are 2 sides to every story and the truth usually lies somewhere in between the two
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 18:53:04 GMT -5
Too funny. Ravens good. Every else bad. You took the Ravens story hook, line and sinker and discount anything else. ESPN stands by its story and its sources. There are 2 sides to every story and the truth usually lies somewhere in between the two Actually, I listened to Biscotti, read the article, and listened to Van Natta defend the article and made a summary judgement. Feel free to dispute anything I've said. Of course ESPN stands by it's story and sources, they have no choice. Did you listen to either man speak, read either article, or are you just talking out of your anus?
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Post by alienrace on Sept 22, 2014 19:12:12 GMT -5
It's rather telling that the national media didn't run with the original article on Friday. Pretty much everyone outside of ESPN's offices thinks that the article was garbage. Kevin Van Valkenburg, who incidently used to be a Ravens beat reporter, and is a friend of Ray Rice's, was a major contributor, and had been putting some tweets out suggesting there was a bombshell Friday, hours before the article was released. Some of the article was proven false immediately by fans when it claimed AQ Shipley had seen something(problem was Shipley was no longer a Raven at the time, and was an Indianapolis Colt!), and was edited. KVV backed off his initial claims, and is AWOL today apparently. It's also telling that the "researchers" didn't consult with the Ravens brass that was involved, but instead took out of context quotes from earlier articles, and in some cases just "extrapolated" (aka, made stuff up). You all can tell me I am "buying the Ravens story, hook line and sinker", or that I am a "superfan", or that I am "drinking the koolaid", if you like, but aside from throwing out personal insults, how about you debate the rebuttal that the Ravens presented? You don't hurt my feelings, because frankly I don't know either of you personally, and quite honestly the personal insults only serve to just not make me care much at all about your opinions. Just saying that ESPN is "standing by their sources" isn't cutting it. Their sources are comprised of Ray Rice's attorney, friends, and people who want him to be reinstated. Some of it is second hand hearsay even in the context it's presented. The texts between Rice and Biscotti are not only rewritten to suit the agenda, but the context of them is blatantly lied about. Can you honestly defend ESPN's stance on that aspect? They made some serious accusations, such as Biscotti bribing Rice in those texts, so Biscotti provided the actual texts(which could EASILY be proven to be accurate. So let's debate, if you like. Or you all can just throw out insults, if that's all you have
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Post by husagafella on Sept 22, 2014 19:30:32 GMT -5
Not worth it.
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Post by davinci on Sept 23, 2014 6:48:07 GMT -5
Dayum, the dude who was here at 1am asking where da haters are now is talking about throwing out insults? You're right, too funny.
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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 23, 2014 7:10:27 GMT -5
Ok, personal shot at me aside(what's up with that, Mr Mod?) - yes, they mishandled it - but they broke no rules, and no laws. Biscotti admits to that much. But to say Biscotti, a respected owner and businessman who by all accounts is a fair, and likeable guy with integrity, who's only real mistake was his blind love for Rice, has no more credibility than Rice himself, an acknowledged woman beater, who is now looking for leniency on his appeal, that is QUITE a stretch. If you regard "superfan" as in insult - it was not meant as such, but merely as a summary of your consistently pro-Ravens stance - report the post and the Sheriff will look at it. I like the Ravens too, but I like a lot of things that I am willing to recognize aren't perfect and can be criticized. Both sides, to me, because of their many mistakes, have zero credibility. Rice lost his when it became apparent he was a *very* different person than we thought. The Ravens lost theirs by bungling this entire affair from the beginning. Now, both sides must earn it back. In particular, I don't know that Biscotti is any of the things you say he is. Bis' company, now Allegis Group, got sued awhile back by some employees, and lost. He's may not be as nice a guy as you think, but he's getting a pass from a lot of people because he brought football back to this town.
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Post by alienrace on Sept 23, 2014 8:57:10 GMT -5
Just saying that Biscotti and Rice have no credibility with you does not really address the issue - which is that ESPN OTL wrote an investigative article that was not only slanted, but apparently(clearly) contained a number of half-truths, mistruths, and other items that were exaggerated, and in some cases, completely fabricated. Whether or not you like Biscotti, or the Ravens for that matter is irrelevant. They clearly are not perfect - and they've repeatedly admitted that they've made numerous mistakes(or "bungled" it, as you've put it). That's not what the conference was about. The conference was to address the article which accused the organization of willfully misdirecting and misleading the NFL. Biscotti is not a stupid man, he didn't get to be a billionaire by being so - he wasn't going to "get on the stand" as it were, and lie. He had nothing to gain by lying at this point. The ESPN story was already dying off, nobody was picking it up. Ask yourself why? The Ravens could have just let it die, but it's clear that the Ravens organization, and Biscotti in particular, were not just upset with their integrity being questioned, but that the article contained many errors, and they were more than happy to point them out. Do you honestly think they'd have put that rebuttal down in WRITING, with many of the rebuttals that can be easily verified to be fact or false via phone records, etc? Like I said, like them or not, the Ravens organization isn't THAT stupid to completely jeopardize themselves by lying about those items. The only thing that has been fairly consistent in this whole thing is the Ravens account of it - they have not wavered here. The fact is, an "investigative" article that accused the Ravens of malicious wrongdoing was written with "sources" who comprised of Ray Rice's lawyer, agents, and friends, and they did not interview the key people in the Ravens organization that they were writing about - Cass, Byrne, Newsome, Biscotti, and most importantly, Darren Sanders. At best the article was irresponsible hack journalism, at worst it was an agenda driven piece designed to make the Ravens look like the antagonists in the affair, and paint Ray Rice as some sort of victim. If the latter is the case, then the writers(Van Valkenburg, Van Natta, etc) have a problem, as does ESPN. It's interesting to note that ESPN has backed off of talking about the article, that Van Valkenburg has not responded to questions. It should also be noted that when Van Valkenburg was a Ravens beat writer, he and Ray Rice developed a close relationship. Simply saying both sides have zero credibility without addressing these issues is basically saying "Talk to the hand". It sounds like you neither read the original article, the rebuttal, or saw the press conferences and interviews. It makes one sound like the ignorant "Ray Lewis is a murderer" types, who have no clue about the actual facts of the situation. Tabloid, hack journalism has become the norm, and shouldn't be tolerated. ESPN needs to be careful - it's not like the NFL couldn't hurt them badly down the road(i.e, Monday Night Football). It will be interesting to see how this unfolds, particularly when Moeller's report is released, and the focus shifts back to Goodell and the NFL. Investigative articles should be fair and balanced, and never should contain exaggerations, speculations, and mistruths being passed as facts. I generally don't like Mike Preston, but he pretty much nails it in this article - www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-preston-ravens-column-0923-20140922,0,3203098.column
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2014 23:03:04 GMT -5
Ok, personal shot at me aside(what's up with that, Mr Mod?) - yes, they mishandled it - but they broke no rules, and no laws. Biscotti admits to that much. But to say Biscotti, a respected owner and businessman who by all accounts is a fair, and likeable guy with integrity, who's only real mistake was his blind love for Rice, has no more credibility than Rice himself, an acknowledged woman beater, who is now looking for leniency on his appeal, that is QUITE a stretch. If you regard "superfan" as in insult - it was not meant as such, but merely as a summary of your consistently pro-Ravens stance - report the post and the Sheriff will look at it. I like the Ravens too, but I like a lot of things that I am willing to recognize aren't perfect and can be criticized. Both sides, to me, because of their many mistakes, have zero credibility. Rice lost his when it became apparent he was a *very* different person than we thought. The Ravens lost theirs by bungling this entire affair from the beginning. Now, both sides must earn it back. In particular, I don't know that Biscotti is any of the things you say he is. Bis' company, now Allegis Group, got sued awhile back by some employees, and lost. He's may not be as nice a guy as you think, but he's getting a pass from a lot of people because he brought football back to this town. I think that distinction belongs to Art Modell.
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Post by highmc2 on Sept 23, 2014 23:55:24 GMT -5
ESPN has turned professional sports into cheap reality TV. A real life soap opera.
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Post by davinci on Sept 24, 2014 8:25:35 GMT -5
ESPN has turned professional sports into cheap reality TV. A real life soap opera. Give the people what they want! I say shutdown the NFL and replace it with the Lingerie Football League!
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Post by Evil Yoda on Sept 24, 2014 9:04:53 GMT -5
I think that distinction belongs to Art Modell. Bisciotti pumped a lot of money into the club buying that first half, he's a big part of why Modell could move here. Modell was all but bankrupt, and when Cleveland chose not to help him out, he went looking for suitors and found one in Bis.
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