The Baltimore Ravens are going through criticism for making the choice to honor former operating again Ray Rice as a “legend of the sport” on Sunday earlier than the crew hosts the Miami Dolphins.
Rice was a star operating again for the Ravens till he was launched in the course of the 2014 season following a much-publicized home violence incident wherein he was caught on movie punching his then-fiance (and present spouse) earlier than dragging her out of an elevator.
He was arrested for the assault after which suspended for 2 video games by the NFL. The Ravens launched him and he by no means performed one other down within the league.
Lengthy-time NFL author Mike Freeman of USA At the moment argued that the Ravens are making “a horrible mistake” by honoring Rice.
The Ravens’ reasoning for doing so is that Rice has labored to make amends for the incident and has been energetic locally, together with doing work with home violence teams.
Mentioned Ravens President Sashi Brown in a team statement:
“He was additionally persistently locally, giving again. Importantly, after Ray’s incident he owned it. On his personal accord, Ray undertook crucial work inside himself and to convey consciousness to and educate others on home violence. Nothing will change his previous or make it proper, however Ray’s work has allowed him to atone for his actions and rebuild relationships personally and professionally, together with with the Ravens.”
Rice was additionally quoted as saying that he understands why he was let go by the crew and that he hopes folks can see the place he’s now and that he’s not the identical particular person he was 10 years in the past.
The easiest way for Rice to obtain a second probability is to really put within the work to appropriate the errors of his previous. The Ravens insist that he has performed that. However it’s nonetheless going to be laborious for a big share of most people to simply accept that and take their phrase for it.
Honoring him as a “legend of the sport” is certainly going to lift eyebrows and open the crew as much as criticism given his exit from the group (and the league).