When the video of Ray Rice dragging his now-wife Janay Palmer out of a New Jersey casino elevator surfaced, everyone wondered what kind of punishment the Ravens running back would receive from commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL.
After meeting with the couple, Goodell levied a two-game suspension for Rice’s violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy following his arrest for domestic violence.
Many were expecting a minimum of four games and the general consensus is the NFL went light on Rice for what was obviously a serious incident.
The reaction on social media was largely one of outrage. An interview of Adolpho Birch, the NFL’s senior V.P. of labor policy and government affairs, on ESPN’s Mike & Mike was almost unanimously not received well as Birch attempted to justify the length of the suspension.
Among those critical of Rice’s punishment is Maine Governor Paul LePage, who wrote a scathing letter to Roger Goodell.
LePage wrote, via the Associated Press, the NFL is sending the message that it’s ok “for professional athletes to beat women, just for the sake of ratings” by the punishment handed out.
The Governor also indicated he would boycott the NFL (although to what degree is not known) and that Rice should have been suspended for three years.
“As a matter of fact, the team should have taken him out in the back shed and taken care of him,” LePage said, again via the AP.
While Rice was given a warm reception at a Ravens open practice at M&T Bank Stadium, the sentiment outside of Baltimore is quite the opposite. He isn’t alone in feeling the heat, however. Roger Goodell’s handling of Rice’s incident from a disciplinary standpoint has more than a few people echoing the thoughts of Paul LePage.
