The NFL Now Says It Never Saw The Video In the Elevator.

ESPN – Asked if the team had any comment on the new Rice video, a Ravens spokesman said, “not at this time.” The NFLPA echoed that sentiment in an email to ESPN. “We have no comment at this time. Thank you,” the email read. Rice was suspended by Goodell for two games on July 25. He was also fined more than $500,000 (two game checks from this season and one from 2013). Said league spokesman Brian McCarthy regarding the video: “We requested from law enforcement any and all information about the incident, including the video from inside the elevator. That video was not made available to us and no one in our office has seen it until today.” A Revel Hotel & Casino spokesperson tells ABC News that the hotel did give a copy of the video posted by TMZ Sports to the police after the incident. The hotel says it did not give it to TMZ.

Well you could see this move coming a mile away. After all what else could the NFL say at this point? That they saw the video and only gave Rice 2 games? You’re better off rolling the dice with lying and hoping people down rat you out down the line. Either way it’s tough to believe anything the league office says right now. Like how does TMZ get their hands on this but the NFL couldn’t? Plus Revel has already confirmed they turned the video over to the police. Everybody knows casinos have videos in the elevators. So even if we play along with the NFL’s lie here that they didn’t see the video the next logical question is why not? You know the tape exists. You know Revel has it. You know the police must have it. If they didn’t give it to you wouldn’t you ask for it? They are almost equally culpable if they made the decision pretending the elevator footage didn’t exist.

My guess is that the NFL is just lying through their teeth right now. They knew this footage was going to leak 2 weeks ago and that’s why Goodell started trying to lay the groundwork for admitting he fucked up. Unfortunately it’s way too late. The only options now are for the Ravens to cut Ray Rice immediately and for Goodell to step down.  The ONLY reason the NFL is acting contrite is because of public outrage.  Because in case you forget this is what they originally said about the punishment handed out.

“Listen, I think if you are any player and you think that based on this decision that it’s OK to go out and commit that kind of conduct, I think that is something that I would suggest to you that no player is going to go out and do that,” Birch said Monday. “So in terms of sending a message about what the league stands for, we’ve done that. We can talk about the degree of discipline, we can talk about whether or not third parties need to be involved. I would suggest to you that a third party has been involved in this matter and that was the court that reviewed it, the prosecutor that reviewed it. “But if it is a question about what the principle of the league is and what standards we stand by, that cannot be questioned. I think it is absolutely clear to all involved that the NFL does not condone domestic violence in any way and will not tolerate it in our league. I don’t know how you can reach a conclusion other than that although I certainly respect the opinion.” “The discipline that was taken by the NFL is the only discipline that occurred, with respect to Mr. Rice, in this case,” Birch said. “I think that, were he not an NFL player, I don’t know that he would be able to receive any punishment from any other source. “On balance, we reviewed all the materials, listened to the persons we listened to, took the input of the Players Association. When we looked on balance at all of that, we believe that discipline we issued is appropriate. It is multiple games and hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think that’s fair to say that doesn’t reflect that you condone the behavior. I think we can put that to rest.

This whole incident is eerily similar to the way Centerplate handled their CEO getting caught kicking a dog on an elevator.  Ray Rice knocked out his fiancée out plain and simple. The fact the NFL tried to poo poo it and sweep it under the rug is almost as bad as the crime itself. Now Goodell has to go. It’s the only way to put this mess behind the NFL. As long as Goodell is in charge supporting the NFL sort of feels like you’re supporting domestic abuse.