Ray Rice- 2 times 8 would have been better

April 17, 1963 - Green Bay Packers halfback Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras probably would have taken even money that they would never be suspended for betting on NFL games. But they would have lost that wager as NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspends the two stars indefinitely for betting on league games and associating with gamblers or "known hoodlums."

Rozelle also fines five other Detroit Lions - Joe Schmidt, Wayne Walker, John Gordy, Gary Lowe and Sam Williams - $2,000 each for betting $50 on the Packers in the 1962 championship game against the Giants. Since the Packers covered the six-point spread in beating the Giants 16-7, the players are $1,950 losers. Forthright in admitting to his mistake, Hornung's image went relatively untarnished, and in 1964 his suspension, and Karras's, were re-evaluated by the League. Both returned for the 1964 season.


On this date in 1967, an accidental rocket launch aboard the USS Forrestal (CV-59) in the Gulf of Tonkin resulted in a fire and explosions that killed 134 servicemen. It was determined that over 25 fire extinguishers that were brought to the scene to distinguish the fire were empty. This was due to improper usage by fellow sailors of “cooling soda cans “with just one blast of CO-2. This brought about an immediate order of punishment for those who tampered with fire apparatus of reduction in pay and 30 days in the brig. No exceptions. Warm soda beats 30 days in the hole.

NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell fumbled away a golden opportunity to make a statement following the smack down of Ray Rice’s fiancée in the elevator at the Atlantic City casino. There is no excuse of such a light sentence of a two game suspension. To compound matters, Ray Rice was cheered loudly at the Baltimore Ravens practice on Monday.

Fans seem to care only about win and losses. There is a solution to fixing this problem for Roger, however.

Pro Bowl DT, Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers led his team in 2013 with 15 sacks. He does not want to “be a distraction” to his team during training camp. On July 15, a district judge in Mecklenburg County convicted Hardy in a non-jury trial on charges stemming from an alleged assault on his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, last May at his residence. Judge Becky Thorne Tin found Hardy guilty of assault on a female and communicating threats. She sentenced him to 60 days in prison that was suspended and 18 months of probation.

Hardy appealed the decision, and under North Carolina law he is entitled to a jury trial that may not begin until after the NFL season.
Dear Greg,
Please come to NFL Headquarters 345 Park Ave. NY, NY following the completion of the 2014 season, of which you will not be a part of. “I don’t want you to be a distraction, either”. -Roger
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.

Follow me on Twitter at @_prmurphy

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