Quote Originally Posted by QBME;797343[B
]It seems to me that the NFL's real predicament does not lie in whether or not anybody saw the video[/B]. They knew exactly what happened, as it is in the complaint/summons issued by the DA back in February. It states clearly that Rice struck her with his hand, rendering her unconscious. Not quite as vicious a description as a sucker punch left hook, but still. The problem is the NFL decided that a knock out punch of a woman deserves a 2 game suspension - they thought 2 games is a very penal action in the high and mighty NFL. They totally underestimated the public opinion back lash when the video came out, and now have to squirm their way out of it.

Who knows what logic they used to come to that conclusion. Perhaps they monitored various boards and forums such as this one to gauge reaction and establish severity. Look at the initial posts in this thread, not much hue and cry going on. And besides, they are the high and mighty NFL that sponsors the "Pink Out" in the month October to support awareness of breast cancer, they love and respect women. Therein lies the real issue - how to justify the 2 games when they absolutely knew what happened. When it is all said and done, the video is inconsequential. The video now becomes the perfect distraction from the base issue of the NFL's original underestimation of the public perception of domestic violence. The video lets them begin the witch hunt. Someone is going to take a fall and I doubt it's Roger.
I think the NFL's real predicament is that it has made a lot of enemies outside of HQ with the way it has dealt with media, deigning to hand out very carefully controlled crumbs of information, and often doing so with an air of haughty superiority. Well, now there is tangible evidence out there indicating that a particular absurdity handed down by the NFL in the name of "discipline", on a case that many seemed to feel merited at least as much punishment as a marijuana conviction, confirms what many have felt about the league's dealings with respect to personal conduct -- that it has been arbitrary at best and favorable to certain teams and owners at worst.

Now that there is some real evidence that the NFL screwed up, everyone is gleefully demanding their pound of flesh for every past grievance they've had with NFL HQ.