Just do the Right Thing...Whatever That Is

[DOUGHBOYS]

Statistics are that a woman is assaulted every nine seconds in America. Seven million women per year.
Most of us though, don't even know, personally, somebody that has assaulted a woman.
So, when an athlete is accused of domestic violence, we are taken back.
Our minds hold athletes to a higher standard. We see what they do for a living. If somebody saw what we do for a living, they too would probably think us incapable of such an act.
But of course, we have no clue what goes on in our own neighbors household, let alone an athlete's.

Worse than an athlete being accused of domestic abuse, is the actual abuse being caught on camera. Even after being accused of assaulting a woman, Ray Rice was thought first, as a good running back and second, as somebody who would inflict violence on a woman.
After the video was released, he was just thought of as a wife (girl friend) beater.
Somebody who would hit a woman with a closed fist.
Case closed.

Rice's girl friend, now wife, tried to tell the world that she stood behind her man. It came off as Hilary Clinton backing her husband after getting his 'cigar smoked'.
The act was done for the public. A matter of public record public consumed.
What women say after an act by a man, benign, compared to the act itself.
In 2006, pitcher Brett Myers of the Philadelphia Phillies punched his wife. It was on a Boston street with a lot of witnesses.
The Phillies did not penalize Myers. No suspension. Not even a benching. He was even granted some time off to 'patch things up' with his wife.
Later that year, his wife did not want to prefer charges and the matter was dropped, much to the prosecuter's chagrin.
In 2007, after a bad game, Myers called a reporter "a retard" and threatened to "knock him out" as the two were separated by other members of the press.
Again, no response from the Phillies or Major League Baseball.

Fast forward to almost 10 years later.
The NFL has tried an off field punishing of players who fall out of line.
It has been historically miserable.
Without the video, Ray Rice was slapped on the wrist.
With the video, a year's suspension. Most of us knowing that Rice's chances of seeing the field again, dim at best.
Ben Roethlisberger has been accused more than once of abusing women. The NFL suspended him for six games (reduced to four games).
The most interesting fact of Roethlisberger's case(s), is that it is the only case in which a player has been suspended without charges being filed.

Now, Major League Baseball tackles the off field problems of players through suspensions.
Aroldis Chapman, presumably, their first case.
It's alleged that Chapman pushed and choked his girl friend while firing his pistol eight times in his garage.
As in the Roethlisberger case, no charges were filed.
And, as with the NFL, MLB does not need the proof that a prosecuter would need to win a case.

Major League Baseball is noted for miniscule punishments to its players.
Juan Marichal struck Johnny Roseboro over the head with a bat.
Marichal was fined $1,750 (around $15,000 in today's money) and suspended eight games.
Many players have received automatic suspensions for steroids.
That system found faulty in that even if caught, players make more money by still using performance enhancing drugs.

The ultimate decision made by MLB in the Chapman case will be intriguing. Effecting many groups.
The players union in baseball is much, much stronger than that of football. If Chapman's penalty is deemed large by the union, they will balk.
The Yankees are in a tenuous 'winning' situation.
If the suspension of Chapman is less than 44 games, they will have Chapman closing games for over three quarters of the season. If the suspension is more than 44 games, they retain the rights to Chapman for an additional season.
Women's rights groups want Chapman's suspension, long.
Yankees fans want Chapman's suspension, short.
Most, just want Major League Baseball to do the 'right thing'.
But, as the NFL has found, most do not agree on what the right thing is.

[jdryan]

That is one great Post.. this feed is better then the Boston Herald some days, I've been reading this for a couple years great read....

[DOUGHBOYS]

THANKS Jody.
Much appreciated.

[Ando]

The MLBPA is the most strongest union in the country. Chapman will not be suspended for this without some sort of conviction. Just one man's opin.