Ray Rice Won't Be Playing in the CFL

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South Pender
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Just saw this on Pro Football Talk. Glad Mark Cohon got out in front of this definitively--and with the right decision.

No refuge for Ray Rice to be found north of border, CFL to honor NFL suspension
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on September 8, 2014, 11:32 PM EDT

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice will not be able to move north of the border to play in Canada while suspended from the National Football League.

According to the Canadian Press, Canadian Football League commissioner Mark Cohon released a statement Monday saying they would honor the suspension of Rice handed down by the NFL after video of Rice’s domestic violence incident became public. Per the report, the league has sent direction to its teams that Rice will not be allowed to sign with any of the league’s nine teams.

Suspended NFL players have been able to play in the CFL before. Running back Ricky Williams played a season with the Toronto Argonauts after being suspended for the entire 2006 season.

However, Cohon apparently invoked a clause that allowed him to make Rice ineligible to play in the CFL.
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sj-roc
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South Pender wrote:Just saw this on Pro Football Talk. Glad Mark Cohon got out in front of this definitively--and with the right decision.

No refuge for Ray Rice to be found north of border, CFL to honor NFL suspension
Posted by Curtis Crabtree on September 8, 2014, 11:32 PM EDT

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice will not be able to move north of the border to play in Canada while suspended from the National Football League.

According to the Canadian Press, Canadian Football League commissioner Mark Cohon released a statement Monday saying they would honor the suspension of Rice handed down by the NFL after video of Rice’s domestic violence incident became public. Per the report, the league has sent direction to its teams that Rice will not be allowed to sign with any of the league’s nine teams.

Suspended NFL players have been able to play in the CFL before. Running back Ricky Williams played a season with the Toronto Argonauts after being suspended for the entire 2006 season.

However, Cohon apparently invoked a clause that allowed him to make Rice ineligible to play in the CFL.
As it should be, although this doesn't seem to be a "Ricky Williams rule" case as RR is no longer under contract to the Ravens. Otherwise it could have created a LaVon Brazill-type of scenario. And not completely consistent with how Chad Johnson was/is allowed to suit up in Mtl as this article from Yahoo!'s 55-yard-line blog notes, but laudable nonetheless.

CFL changes its rules to keep Ray Rice out in perhaps the league's first ban of a player
CFL changes its rules to keep Ray Rice out in perhaps the league's first ban of a player
By Andrew Bucholtz | 55 Yard Line – 2 hours 13 minutes ago

Former Baltimore Ravens' RB Ray Rice has been banned from the CFL. Rice, seen on the sidelines in an August NFL preseason game, may be the first player to receive that distinction.Former Baltimore Ravens' RB Ray Rice has been banned from the CFL. Rice, seen on the sidelines in an August NFL …The CFL took a step perhaps without precedent in the league's history Monday, with commissioner Mark Cohon issuing a statement that former Baltimore Ravens' running back Ray Rice would not be allowed to play north of the border. Rice was cut by the Ravens and put under indefinite suspension by the NFL Monday following TMZ's release of video footage of the domestic violence incident he was involved with in February. However, while NFL suspensions have been upheld by the CFL while the player is still under contract with an NFL team (the infamous "Ricky Williams Rule", which is what's currently keeping Josh Gordon out of football), the league clarified in late August that CFL teams are typically permitted to sign players suspended by the NFL, but without contracts with NFL teams. Toronto Argonauts' receiver LaVon Brazill is in that situation right now; the NFL suspended him, the Colts cut him, and the Argonauts signed him. It seems unlikely any CFL team would have followed suit and signed Rice given how toxic he is right now, but Cohon's decision to change the league rules and specifically ban Rice from playing north of the border is still incredibly unusual. It's also very smart.

Going back to the CFL's official formation in 1958, it doesn't appear the league has ever formally banned a player league-wide. There have been plenty of players who have gotten into serious trouble off the field, been released and never played another down in the Canadian game, including Trevis Smith (who was sentenced to five and a half years in jail for knowingly exposing women to HIV), Adam Braidwood (currently in jail for offences ranging from sexual assualt to forcible confinement) and Yonus Davis (who just got out of jail for his involvement in a drug scheme that saw him caught with 67 pounds of ecstasy and wants to try the CFL again, but isn't finding many takers). Even Arland Bruce III (who's currently suing the league over concussions) might have a case that he's been unofficially banned; he recorded 851 receiving yards last season, but hasn't found a landing place since Montreal released him following his homophobic Instagram comments. (That also might have something to do with his age and colourful history, though.) However, there have been no reports of any of those players being officially banned from the CFL, and about the only thing that even has been reported as potentially triggering a lifetime ban is a fourth violation of the league's drug policy (which has never happened). Each team usuallly makes its own decisions on discipline, and that approach usually works.

In the case of Rice, though, this seems like a smart and proactive move from the league office, even if it is taking some criticism as inconsistent. Rice's actions, the NFL's initially-light two game suspension for them, and the release of this video in particular have created a firestorm of such magnitude that even attempting to sign him would create an incredible backlash. Yes, Rice has been one of the NFL's best running backs over the last few years, and his mix of rushing and receiving ability would absolutely land him on a CFL roster if off-field issues weren't a consideration. (That would only matter if he wanted the job, though; not everyone who was on a 5-year, $35 million NFL contract would want to go make $100,000 to $200,000 at best in the CFL, even if he's not owed any further money by the Ravens.) Off-field issues very much are a consideration here, though, and signing Rice (or even adding him to a negotiation list) would spur huge protests against the team involved and the CFL in general. It would look awful for a league that has teams trying to be leaders against domestic violence to go after a player as controversial as Rice.

From this corner, Cohon's decision to ban Rice from the league is a logical move. It shouldn't be seen as a precedent-setting decision or a move to be in lockstep with the NFL's disciplinary policies, though, as the latter approach in particular would be problematic. Generally, issuing disciplinary rulings based on a specific player's case is a bad idea; it opens the door to all kinds of criticism for inconsistency (which the CFL won't be immune from here given the league's current employment of Chad Johnson), and that's been such a huge part of why the NFL's discipline has been under fire. However, the Rice case (and in the public furor it's created) is clearly outside the norm, and it demands unconventional action. The downside of Rice even being considered by a CFL team would outweigh the upside so significantly and have such negative implications for the league as a whole that it had to be nipped in the bud, and that makes the commissioner's decision to make an unprecdented move here not only justifiable, but praiseworthy.
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sj-roc wrote:As it should be, although this doesn't seem to be a "Ricky Williams rule" case as RR is no longer under contract to the Ravens. Otherwise it could have created a LaVon Brazill-type of scenario. And not completely consistent with how Chad Johnson was/is allowed to suit up in Mtl as this article from Yahoo!'s 55-yard-line blog notes, but laudable nonetheless.
An interesting aspect on Rice (according to a guest on Tim & Sid this morning) is that it took the Ravens dumping Rice's of contract to allow the NFL to indefinitely suspend him. Had his contract not been dropped by the Ravens then the NFL would be restricted to discipline allowable by the CBA. In the case of Johnson he was released by the Dolphins immediately following his arrest for domestic violence. He ultimately pled no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery charges and received probation. Where Rice has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL Johnson was never suspended. Being released by Miami was the only NFL "discipline" handed out to Johnson for his legal issues.
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I do think IN TIME, Rice may be re-instated but most teams still would probably not want to touch this. I thought Michael Vick was DONE but he was able to get another chance (and has done well as a result, IMO). The defensive coach Gregg Williams who had the BOUNTY-GATE problems? Again, thought he'd be done but he's back coaching after serving his suspension. The head coach of the Saints was suspended ONE SEASON but Williams was suspended indefinately. Well, thats been served now.

I was disgusted when seeing the video of Rice knocking his then fiancee unconcious. I'm glad the NFL and the Ravens took strong action, finally, in this matter. I wonder when/if we'll hear from Rice & his wife?

I think Bounty-gate, the Dolphins Bully-gate and now Rices selfinflicted issues are signs the NFL is being forced to adapt. Would any of these been issues in the past? Maybe but I'm not so sure.

I'm certainly glad Rice will not be playing in the CFL......
dupsdell1
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why would the CFL want him , that would make the CFL lose a lot of credibility , ( remember what happened with Ricky Williams )

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The "he can play in Canada" nonsense is nothing more than a built in way to get clickbait.

I had no problem with Ricky Williams playing in Canada. But since then, the league consistently has chosen to honor NFL suspensions. No reason to make an exception in this case.
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Toppy Vann
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notahomer wrote:I do think IN TIME, Rice may be re-instated but most teams still would probably not want to touch this. I thought Michael Vick was DONE but he was able to get another chance (and has done well as a result, IMO). The defensive coach Gregg Williams who had the BOUNTY-GATE problems? Again, thought he'd be done but he's back coaching after serving his suspension. The head coach of the Saints was suspended ONE SEASON but Williams was suspended indefinately. Well, thats been served now.

I was disgusted when seeing the video of Rice knocking his then fiancee unconcious. I'm glad the NFL and the Ravens took strong action, finally, in this matter. I wonder when/if we'll hear from Rice & his wife?

I think Bounty-gate, the Dolphins Bully-gate and now Rices selfinflicted issues are signs the NFL is being forced to adapt. Would any of these been issues in the past? Maybe but I'm not so sure.

I'm certainly glad Rice will not be playing in the CFL......
People need to work and if they pay for their mistakes then redemption like Vick is always possible.

He made a very, very bad mistake and he's not the first NFL player or the last.
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