Ray Rice Wins Appeal, Eligible To Play Immediately

Ray Rice Wins Appeal, Eligible To Play Immediately

There are two key findings put forth by the former U.S. District Judge:

1. Before imposing the second penalty, Goodell had already told Rice that the change in policy could not affect Rice retroactively; therefore, Rice had already served the proper suspension, based on the policy in effect when the infraction was committed, and the second penalty amounted to double jeopardy.
   
2. There was no new evidence which would allow the commissioner to present the second penalty as a revision of the first sentence rather than an additional penalty. While the judge did not say outright that Goodell lied about Rice's description of the incident, that's just about the only possible conclusion that can be drawn. Goodell claimed that Rice misled him about the incident, and that the second tape showed something very different from Rice's earlier statements to the commissioner's office. The judge noted, with unexpected candor and directness: "Rice did not lie or mislead the NFL at the June 16 meeting." (Or, in other words, the commissioner DID lie in the statement he made to justify the second penalty.)
   

"Because Rice did not mislead the commissioner and because there were no new facts on which the commissioner could base his increased suspension, I find that the imposition of the indefinite suspension was arbitrary. I therefore vacate the second penalty imposed on Rice."

Other matters:

• The judge did not address the possibility that Goodell also lied about the NFL never having received the second tape. That evidence was superfluous to the ruling once the other determinations had been made.
  
• The fact that Rice has been reinstated does not mean he will be suiting up any time soon. As of this moment he does not actually have a job. CBS Sports claims the Colts will be his "most likely destination."
  
• Job or no job, fantasy owners were adding Rice to their teams within seconds of the decision being announced.
  
• Whether Rice is entitled to back pay will be determined in a separate hearing, based on a grievance filed against the Ravens rather than against the NFL. (The Ravens released him when he was "suspended for life.")
  
• Will Bill Simmons now get an apology from ESPN? Don't hold your breath for that one, but Simmons was suspended essentially for saying exactly what the judge wrote in her opinion (and what was, of course, totally obvious to everyone)!