NFL security fumbles away golden opportunity
The NFL has given ABC News a detailed account of the league's attempts to obtain information about the night that Ray Rice was arrested for assault, and it portrays NFL security as a stunningly incompetent organization. As told to ABC News by NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, the NFL attempted to obtain information four separate times.
The "gift that keeps on giving" is meant to invoke the feelings people get when they receive a present. It appears that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell kissed that present goodbye.
The league's account contradicts information provided to ABC News by the the Atlantic City Police Department. An assistant city attorney in Atlantic City, Benjamin Kaufman, told ABC News he could find no record of any communication between the NFL and either the police or City Hall.
ABC News has also learned that there is no record the NFL made any effort to contact the two specific agencies that had copies of the video: the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey Gaming Enforcement Division. Both agencies, in response to records requests, told ABC News they have nothing on file confirming contact with the NFL.
On September 9th, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was interviewed by CBS News correspondent, Norah O' Donnell. Roger had been in the witness protection program for 12 days prior to the interview. Neither Roger nor his security team had seen the second videotape.
How is NFL looking into new AP report? Source says "our security dept will be diong everything we can to determine if this is true."
— Norah O'Donnell (@NorahODonnell) September 10, 2014NFL security department botched an easy assignment to obtain a tape that they didn't need. The first tape showed Janay Palmer laid out on the floor outside the elevator with Ray Rice standing over her. Did they really have to see the punch to determine that she was out cold?
Their response to do nothing and wait for law enforcement to handle the situation shows their incompetence. Were they waiting for the referee to count to 10 so the fight would be official? The punch was on February 15th. I guess if you wait four months before doing something, the problem generally goes away.
ESPN: Interviewed 20 sources and found a pattern of misinformation by the Ravens and scant investigation by NFL http://t.co/4RBA4AXbIr
— Norah O'Donnell (@NorahODonnell) September 20, 2014The 6th director of the FBI, Robert Mueller has been has been chosen to oversee the inner workings of the NFL and NFL security. Mueller joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served as an officer for three years, leading a rifle platoon of the 3rd Marine Division during the Vietnam War. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals, the Purple Heart and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.
NFL security needs to get its story straight. " I pity the fool" that lies to Robert Mueller.
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.
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