Worst Reaction To Ray Rice Incident? Politico Reporter Glenn Thrush May Take Prize
The firing of Ray Rice by the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens Monday, after a video emerged showing Rice knocking his then-fiancée out cold with a single punch, was met with almost universal approval. But Washington D.C. journalist Glenn Thrush, of the online political news site Politico, took a different approach in a tweet posted after the news that the Ravens had cut Rice was made public.
Inconvenient truth: In terminating Ray Rice, Ravens cut income to Rice’s wife whom they now care so deeply about. http://t.co/Pe7VJeuJqh
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) September 8, 2014
Thrush appeared to be implying that the Ravens would have been doing Ray Rice’s wife, Janay, a service by continuing to employ Rice, despite his blatant act of callous violence against her, so that the couple could collect the remaining $10 million on Ray Rice’s contract.
Despite losing his job and his income from pro football, Rice still currently has an estimated net worth of $14 million. At the time the Ravens terminated his contract Monday, Ray Rice had already earned $38 million in NFL salary and bonus payments since beginning his NFL career in 2008. The Ravens selected him 55th in NFL draft that year, out of Rutgers University. He has earned millions more from various endorsement deals.
Most responses to Thrush’s tweet were pointed, to say the least.
@GlennThrush Wow. Horrible analysis. Just pitiful. Like arguing the DA who puts the wife beater away is taking away her husband. #idiot — Matt O’Brien (@Mattfobrien) September 8, 2014
@GlennThrush How is that different than with any other case of domestic violence. I guess women should just shut up and take it, eh?
— Dave Leibowitz (@davesplash) September 8, 2014
.@GlennThrush Your crocodile tears of concern for Ray Rice’s wife is heartwarming. #SMH — Bill Wong (@ten24get) September 8, 2014
But Thrush on Tuesday remained puzzled by the hostile response to his implied suggestion that the money Janay Rice could receive from her husband’s pro football career was more important then imposing any consequences for Rice’s actions.
After Janay Rice herself posted a message on the social media platform Instagram, perversely blaming the media for the “nightmare” she and her family were currently experiencing, Thrush took her message as vindication.
“To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret everyday is a horrible thing,” she wrote. “To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass off for all his life just to gain ratings is a horrific,” Jayay Rice wrote.
Thrush quickly posted his own Tweet.
Janay Rice, today, making the point I was attacked for previewing yesterday http://t.co/XrPZ9QfbEi,
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) September 9, 2014
And that tweet was again met with critical replies.
@GlennThrush Odd that you think that a battered wife reached the same conclusion, w/same reasoning, and thus validates your opinion. Doltish
— Boost Alpha (@boost321) September 9, 2014
@GlennThrush are you aware “domestic violence” calls are most dangerous for police? And 9 outta 10 victims won’t press charges? 1/2
— valerie (@valsocal) September 9, 2014
But in the race for worst response to the Ray Rice affair, Thrush’s tweets may have been topped by a number of people who complained that TMZ, the site that released the video of the elevator incident, had ruined their fantasy football teams.
[Images via Google Images]
