Few, if any, in the media are better at delivering compelling rhetoric than Keith Olbermann. This is one of his best ever.
Olbermann completely shredded NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell over his handling and ultimately, his decision to suspend Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games for his role in a domestic assault incident that led to charges being brought against him.
Olbermann labeled Goodell's comments made Friday before ceremonies related to the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies Saturday as "pathetic" and "a thorough, consistent, self-congratulatory tone-deafness" and "almost enabling" reaction to the incident.
He picks apart the embattled commissioner in such a way every inconsistency uttered is magnified and even the instances in which Goodell flat-out lies (or exposes very little comprehension of past incidents) are pointed out, leading anyone listening to Goodell's answers to lose any remaining trust they may have had in the man, his office or the future of the biggest spectator sport in North America.
Olbermann ends his rant advising Goodell it's time he resigned.
"We have a very firm policy in place in the NFL that domestic violence is not acceptable," Goodell said. Olbermann took him to task, fairly questioning the firmness of the domestic abuse policy, considering Rice received a two-game suspension while Albert Hayesworth received a five-game suspension stomping on the head of helmetless Andre Gurode.
Goodell generally and generically addressed the myth previous offenses are and are not given credence when rendering his decision, a point Olbermann brought up by reminding his audience about Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
When asked why Rice's suspension was "half of Ben Roethlisberger's (it officially was a third of Roethlisberger's)," Goodell responded, "Because Ray Rice did not have another incident. There were several cases, as you know, there was a series of cases and other cases and we take that into account."
He looked as awkward saying that as it reads. Worse, even.
Needless to say, it's not worth mentioning to the man masquerading as a competent leader of a multi-billion dollar industry there were no "cases" with Ben Roethlisberger. He wasn't charged with anything. As Olbermann points out, there was a civil lawsuit filed but it never saw a courtroom and there was an investigation that resulted in no charges against the Steelers quarterback.
Painting the two situations as similar is, putting it lightly, ignorant to his own ruling. Putting it more realistically, it's a flat-out lie, and he should know it. Other leaders get brought up on impeachment charges for such blatant disregard for the truth.
Rice was charged with a crime. A serious one. To whatever end he apologizes for his actions, and if he wants to truly be an ambassador against domestic violence, that's a step in the right direction, and I sincerely hope he follows through on that. Ben Roethlisberger was not charged with a crime. He was suspended for six games, But that's not the real focus here, is it?
"I think what's important here is that Ray has taken responsibility for this," Goodell said.
Not in an effort to take too much of what Goodell is saying out of context, but I find it extremely difficult to believe a reasonably-minded person feels the most important aspect of this is the man accused of attacking his fiance taking responsibility for his actions (something Olbermann points out hasn't happened specifically). That pales in comparison to the fact he had actions for which to account in the first place.
The length of the suspension seems suspicious in and of itself. Considering the massive losses the commissioner has taken in the past (the SpyGate case that had the commissioner he replaced overrule his decision, the late-to-the-party sensitivity and regulation of the game due to head injuries being the two primary examples), it would seem reasonable his main goal was to get a punishment Rice wouldn't appeal.
And indeed he has not, despite the overwhelming and, frankly, troubling amount of back-pats he's received from his owner.
It's a case if incredibly poor public relations dictating the delivery of a message that now has become more of the story than the incident itself. If Ray Rice didn't play the first four games of this season, it wouldn't change what happened. Same for three or five. A stronger message could have been sent, and many will argue it should have been.
But Goodell's horrendously poor message is a slap in the face of victims of domestic violence, and the emphasis on the fact Rice apparently owned up to what happened (he pleaded not guilty in court) is, quite frankly, a pathetic attempt by a poor leader to establish his discipline at something meriting respect. The thought appears to be the league can get one player to not appeal one of his punishments, and he's managed to screw that up as well.