Ray Rice- I dont care how much he was provoked. He is A LOT stronger then his wife. He could have easily restrained her or did what Jay Z when Solange went crazy on him. He knocked her out! He could have killed her and he showed zero remorse or even concern that he knocked her out. And I can bet that isnt the first time he has done that to her.

If she was some big woman pounding on her, I can maybe understand his stance a little more. But no. He is strong and he used that to his advantage to knock her out.

Adrian Peterson- His son (who he never met) was just killed last year due to child abuse. So it saddens me to see that he wasn't a little more careful or thoughtful when "disciplining" his child.

I dont think a child needs to have bruises, welts, scars or sores to be taught how to be behave. I think that is excessive force.

Again another man who is strong and using that to harm someone.

I was just talking about this with my therapist today! I think what Adrian Peterson did was a million times worse than the Ray Rice situation. I'm APPALLED that Ray Rice got cut from a team and banned from the NFL (is he?) while Adrian Peterson will be allowed to play again this week. What on earth can a 4 year old do to warrant that kind of beating? I am not against spanking in the least, but to leave that many marks on a 4 year old is beyond comprehension. A 4 year old is at his parents' mercy, so that is much worse than what Ray Rice did. I think Rice deserved some punishment, but his wife is also capable of leaving. She still married him a month after the incident, which she didn't need to do.

I agree that both of these should be settled in a court of law.

~HOWEVER~

these people are also sports personas, and whether they like it or not, are "role models" for some kids. If your football inspired 9 year old told you tomorrow, "I wanna be just like Ray Rice" would you think of his football abilities, or the fact that he smacked his wife? Is that someone you want your child to emulate? Would you want him to wear his Ray Rice jersey?

I've felt strongly about this for a long time -- pro sports players who do stupid shit... all the way back to Darryl Strawberry and his penchant for massive amounts of cocaine (actually, you could go even further back to Mickey Mantle and his love of alcohol). Whether these players like it or not, there are kids who idolize them. And if they see a video of them snorting coke, or hitting their wife, or doing whatever stupid stuff, yet still get the money and adoration associated with being a pro athlete, without consequences, what moral is passed on to kids? That if you're a pro athlete, you can be famous and above the law?

'Roid Rage, probably.

It really bothers me about the abuse stories. Mainly because of my DH's abusive childhood. He always has to bring out a story or two. I'd rather not hear about them.

He said that AP's son was too young for that kind of abuse. I asked him when he got his first whipping with a switch. He said he never did. His dad used a belt for as long as he can remember (i.e., younger than four!).

Then he said that you should never tell your mom that hitting you with a wooden spoon doesn't hurt. As an aside, he said it DIDN'T because he was used to his dad's belt! His mother broke a wooden spoon paddling him and that was when he said it didn't hurt. So then, she went and got the metal ice cream scooper and used that instead. He said THAT left blisters (he meant welts, I'm sure). I thought it was only his dad that was so mean to him. I am not sure what age he was but it was preschool. Another example of people who should never have been parents.

The AP abuse story bothers me more everytime I hear a new detail. It's just horrible. Hitting his scrotum, leaves in his mouth, it's just terrible. I'm pregnant with a boy so I can hardly stomach the details how could u?

She hit him? Are you for real? That is some serious victim blaming. She barely tapped him, and actually he spit ON HER twice. He did not need to hit her, let alone knock her unconscious.

So what if she married him? That doesn't give him the right to beat her up. She is a victim of domestic abuse and probably terrified of him.

The NFL needs a no tolerance policy. They need to clean house.

And people need to stop victim blaming.

@imaSmom thank you. The victim blaming is so so upsetting. Ray Rice is a football player. He beat the shit out of his wife. Please the blame on the right person.