Ray Rice Discusses Recent Arrest With Ravens Coach
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The scandal surrounding what happened between Ray Rice and his longtime girlfriend in Atlantic City continues. Police are looking for more witnesses and WJZ's media partner, the Baltimore Sun, reports the running back has given his account to Coach John Harbaugh.
Mike Hellgren has the fallout and how this affects Ray Rice's brand.
Ravens star Ray Rice has crafted a wholesome image as a role model and a good guy who wore a milk mustache while clowning around with the mayor.
He's used his celebrity to pitch for some big companies but Rice's arrest for domestic violence and questions swirling around what happened inside the Atlantic City casino during a fight with his fiancée could shatter what he's built.
"He's not Ray Rice the person to us. He's Ray Rice the brand," said Dr. Ryan King-White. "I've followed him since Rutgers."
Dr. King-White is a sports management professor at Towson University. He says Rice's handlers are working overtime to minimize damage.
"His image is crafted by agents and they have his long-term interests at heart, in part because their wallets depend on what his long-term interest is," King-White said.
Ravens management is being cautious.
"Well, I don't know the situation," said Ozzie Newsome Monday.
The difference in this case: the assault--in which the running back's fiancée was also charged--was caught on the casino's cameras.
What could really be detrimental for Rice is if that video ever gets out or any other images showing what happened early Saturday morning.
"Then if he runs for the 1,500 yards but we see him violently treat his fiancée, then we might not be able to get that out of our minds," King-White said.
Even Rice himself knows how one poor move can change your life.
"I've seen some guys with the same dream as me, wanting to make it in the NFL, but they made one or two bad decisions in their life and that dream became a total nightmare," Rice said in May 2012.
Rice and Palmer are scheduled to appear in court next week.
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