In late July, during the Baltimore Ravens' training camp, Ray Rice was asked about the night of Feb. 15 when he was caught on video dragging his wife off an elevator and into a hallway of an Atlantic City, N.J., casino.
"My actions that night were totally inexcusable," he said.
He was 100 percent correct about that. His actions were beyond despicable, even shocking, considering he had a great reputation that he destroyed in that moment.
There is never a reason for a man to hit a female. She can hit, spit, beat, cheat or anything else, and the only correct answer is to walk away.
Granted, they were on an elevator and there wasn't any place to walk that night when Janay Palmer -- Rice's fiancee at the time who is now his wife -- threw a weak slap/punch at Rice, but he had a lot more options that punching her lights out, which was his first choice.
The video leaves absolutely no doubt Rice was wrong.
Originally Rice received a two-game suspension, but when another video was released this week that showed him knocking her unconscious in the elevator. He was fired by the Baltimore Ravens and given an indefinite suspension by the NFL.
Rice was arrested after the Atlantic City incident and entered a diversion program that required him to undergo counseling. Upon completion of the program, all charges will be dropped against him. Atlantic County officials said in February they had other videos.
The whole thing is sickening, especially his actions, but his fiancee obviously thought it was OK to try and jump someone bigger and stronger than her. Compared to his actions that is a minor issue, but one she needs to deal with too.
Several years ago, back when the Kroger on Arkansas 10 still faced Arkansas 10, I came out of the store late one afternoon and as I walked to my car I heard a woman scream for help.
About 30 yards away a car was rolling slowly away from the store and there was a guy grabbing at the female driver through a rolled-down window. She screamed for help a second time.
Thinking it was a carjacking or robbery I yelled "Hey!" at the top of my lungs.
He turned and looked. She yelled, "Mind your own business."
She stopped the car, he got in, and I got in mine and left as fast as I could.
I have no idea what she was thinking, but I'd guess she had seen enough red flags to know she was not in a healthy situation. If your boyfriend punches a hole in a wall because his favorite team lost, that's a big red flag.
Regardless, that guy's actions were obviously frightening to her on some level.
Rice was totally wrong. There is no reason to ever hit or bully a woman, and I hope Rice and his wife get some counseling for their sakes, but mostly for the sake of their 2-year-old daughter.
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On a much more positive note about good male role models, the Mount St. Mary Academy Dads Club and the school's booster club are hosting the 10th annual TeePot Golf Classic to raise funds to help students in need.
The four-person scramble will be Oct. 10 at the Country Club of Arkansas in Maumelle. Flights tee off at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. It is $500 for a four-person team, and that includes lunch and gifts for each player. There are also prizes for closest to the pin, longest drive and a hole in one.
This has long been a fun and successful event for Mount St. Mary and its students. More information is available by contacting Mount St. Mary at (501) 664-8006 or by emailing mlenggenhager@mtstmary.edu.
Sports on 09/10/2014