[OPINION] Greg Hardy, Jerry Jones Have Sealed Ray Rice's Fate
By Samuel Njoku
There's a good reason why Ray Rice will never play football again. It's not because he averaged less than four yards a carry during his final season in Baltimore. It's not because he hasn't seen the football field in well over two years. It's because he hit a woman. February 15, 2014 was the day Rice struck his then fiancé inside a Atlantic City Casino elevator. What came next was a series of events that led to the termination of his contract and his alienation from the National Football League.
Since then, Rice has done things to repair his image. He's been vocal about domestic violence and has used his mistake to put a spotlight on the issue. Rice seems genuinely sorry about the entire situation. So why isn't Rice playing football?
Because he hit a woman.
Many choose to forget, but not forgive. Take Greg Hardy for instance: He was involved in a domestic violence case of his own. News broke that he reportedly choked his girlfriend on a futon covered with assault rifles nearly three months after Ray Rice's incident. But because of the huge need the NFL has for premium pass rushers, men like Jerry Jones choose to forget about what was done. But now, photos of bruises around his victim were released, and it's horrifying to say the least.
The cries for justice are louder now than they've ever been. There's no way we can forgive such a heinous act as the one committed by Hardy over two years ago. But what's really changed in all that time? What did we really expect to see from that photo? The photograph didn't just show an image of a battered woman. It was an image of what society has turned itself into. We've become dependent on visual evidence from photos and videos to condemn reprehensible acts when the proof is right in front of us. When we learned of Hardy's actions two years ago, we were upset. But with the photos coming out and backing up exactly what we already knew, we're mortified. Sound familiar?
Ray Rice went through a similar situation with the Ravens two years ago. But the outcome was much different. The Ravens were quick to release Rice, following a sea of outrage from protesters across the globe. Hardy, however, has the support of one of the most powerful men in sports.
"We as an organization take this very seriously," stated Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. "We do not condone domestic violence. We entered into the agreement with Greg's [Hardy]fully understanding that there would be scrutiny and criticism. We have given Greg a second chance. He is a member of our team and someone who is grateful for the opportunity he has been given to move forward with his life and his career."
That's a far cry from the stance Jones took with Ray Rice two years ago when he stated that spousal abuse was "intolerable." The total lack of remorse from Hardy through this whole ordeal has been downright disgusting. The total lack of action on the part of Jerry Jones may be even worse. The entire situation is completely unforgivable -- but we'll forget. On Sunday we'll cheer when Hardy records the game-winning sack. Jones will high-five his executives when the Cowboys pick up another victory and Ray Rice will never play football again.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.