Jim Harbaugh Says Ray McDonald Will Play On Sunday

http://deadspin.com/jim-harbaugh-sa...-youre-off-his-1629719728/1631228066/+barryap


Niners DT Ray McDonald will start on Sunday, exactly one week after he arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after an incident with his pregnant fiancée.

"We've been pretty clear on that," Harbaugh said when asked why McDonald will play. "Two principles are woven together here. I just feel like the way the facts are, and what's known, he has the liberty to play in the game."

That team wont do anything until they absolutely have to. Above Reproach

Not really surprised by this. I mean, it's not like Harbaugh would actually keep his word about his view on men who beat women. Clearly he meant every word on how someone who does that is done in his book. :roll:

Not surprised at all given he and his team is "Above Reproach" doncha know?

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

lvnginhwktwn":3121ayeu said:

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

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No, but Pete wouldn't have said such asinine things and I'm just a fan not somebody in charge of the team. Then again with the physical evidence I wouldn't be that bent out shape regardless of my preference for due process.

lvnginhwktwn":14a1di7n said:

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

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Yes. If there was no physical evidence of the crime then that would be a different story, that isn't the case with Ray though.

lvnginhwktwn":5o2ksep3 said:

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

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People here were coming down on Lynch as well, thats not really the issue, The issue is the stance Harbaugh took initially about things and is now backtracking. If the stance would have been we will treat each case on it's own merit and left out the above reproach aspect then people would not be giving his so much grief.

lvnginhwktwn":xa9kdkln said:

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

Click to expand...

http://deadspin.com/jim-harbaugh-says-domestic-violence-means-youre-off-his-1629719728

The Niners were a little less clear on whether McDonald will remain active as team security, police, and perhaps eventually prosecutors complete their investigation. GM Trent Baalke held a contentious press conference with reporters, in which he repeatedly dodged questions about McDonald's status for Sunday's season opener.

-Q: What's the process to determine whether Ray McDonald plays Sunday or if he ever plays again for the 49ers?

-BAALKE: Well, right now it's a legal matter. There's such a thing called due process, and we intend on letting that play out.

-Q: Is the way you handled the Aldon Smith matter, when he was allowed to play two days after his arrest last year, a precedent for this matter?

-BAALKE: I don't think Aldon's case has anything to do with this case. They are separate issues and they will be dealt with separately.

-Q: Do you and the organization share Harbaugh's stance that there's no room on the team for someone guilty of domestic violence?

-BAALKE:: I think this–this is certainly something that hits home for me. I've got two daughters myself. It's certainly, domestic violence is unacceptable, and it certainly won't be tolerated.

-Q: Will McDonald play Sunday against the Cowboys?

-BAALKE: That remains to be seen. Once again, it's due process.
There is no playbook on how to deal with players going through the legal process—only that due process, which refers to state prosecution, doesn't apply in a private workplace. The NFL pretty much set that precedent when it announced Ben Roethlisberger's six-game suspension (later knocked down to four) less than a week after prosecutors decided not to charge him.

The 49ers, too, have something of a precedent here: last season they let LB Aldon Smith play two days after a DUI arrest, then shipped him off to rehab right after the game. (Smith returned to action five weeks later, despite racking up felony gun charges for an earlier incident in the meantime. He's serving a nine-game suspension to start this year.)

Just to be clear.. Above reproach = Above the Law? Do as they please backs turned rose tinted glasses on ? Correct?

Cowardly move by Harbaugh and the 49ers.

They will also have Chris Culliver starting at corner, even though he faces felony charges in Santa Clara over a hit and run and allegedly threatening the victim with brass knuckles.

It's a motley crew, indeed, but hardly above reproach.

Unfortunately, McDonald hasn't been found guilty of anything, yet. He is charged. If he is found guilty, I would think the Niners would stay the course of what they said about someone being Guilty of domestic violence not being on the team. Another unfortunate thing, is this process is going to take awhile. I say we beat their asses whether McDonald is on the team or not. It will happen

"Above reproach*"


*unless it might hurt us in an actual game situation, then our morals are more flexible than a gymnast.

They are only above reproach or have "zero tolerance" when it doesn't involve key starters on their d-line. The fact that they played Aldon two days after his second DUI and now this sends the message that "winning at all costs" is more important than any high moral standard they had supposedly set for themselves.

The correct course of action would have been to bench the player at least one week until more "facts" are gathered as to how the woman got the bruises on her arms and neck... while, at the same time sending the message that they are, in fact, above reproach.

hawknation2014":1ak0deca said:

Cowardly move by Harbaugh and the 49ers.

They will also have Chris Culliver starting at corner, even though he faces felony charges in Santa Clara over a hit and run and allegedly threatening the victim with brass knuckles.

It's a motley crew, indeed, but hardly above reproach.

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Coach seems pretty convinced that the woman who called the cops was the aggressor and caused the injuries to herself while attacking Mcdonald. This is America, so Ray obviously went to jail cause thats how they handle domestic violence. I'm guessing that there are multiple witnesses who have corroborated what happened backing up Ray's story. Should Lynch have been immediately suspended when that BS story came out about him? NO . Pissed off woman claiming domestic violence is a major problem in america, while woman who commit domestic violence are rarely, if ever, charged. Ray is guilty of being physically big and male, probably not much else.

As far as this whole "above reproach" thing that gets regurgitated here on an hourly basis. Harbaugh was saying that in reference to Seattle knowingly taking banned drugs to give themselves an unfair advantage over other teams. That was clearly going on in Seattle after Harbaugh showed up in 2011 and started winning a bunch of games. ZERO 49ers players have been caught cheating under Harbaugh. Sneaky Pete obviously has a bit more tolerance on cheating in his programs, its cool though cause hell just bolt when it blows up on his team like he has before.
In all honesty, I dont think seattle players are doping anymore. The 49ers players have certainly had a run of bad decisions but on top of that, no team in the NFL has had more false accusations and misinformation put out about them than the 49ers. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see some clown act like Cohn write a story about seeing Baalke and Harbaugh wrestiling over the last donought which would clearly mean they are destined for failure. If the niners suck on the field then that would be the only real indication that there are true problems in the program.

hoxrox":3i4tit1e said:

They are only above reproach or have "zero tolerance" when it doesn't involve key starters on their d-line. The fact that they played Aldon two days after his second DUI and now this sends the message that "winning at all costs" is more important than any high moral standard they had supposedly set for themselves.

The correct course of action would have been to bench the player at least one week until more "facts" are gathered as to how the woman got the bruises on her arms and neck... while, at the same time sending the message that they are, in fact, above reproach.

Click to expand...

Suspending Ray for any length of time if he is innocent would be setting a horrible precedent in the NFL. How many more false accusations will be coming down the pipeline if that were to happen. Players shouldn't have to walk around on eggshells because any women could come along and claim domestic violence causing an automatic suspension. Visible injuries you say? Woman bruise very easily, plain and simple. My wife probably has 2 or 3 bruises from bumping into tables or whatnot simply because she bruises easily. Not to mention if my wife were to attack me, she would definitely end up getting bruised up trying to hit me while all I would be doing is defending myself. It just the difference between men and women, I wont likely bruise unless I'm hit by a car.

4freakin9":25dczopt said:

hoxrox":25dczopt said:

They are only above reproach or have "zero tolerance" when it doesn't involve key starters on their d-line. The fact that they played Aldon two days after his second DUI and now this sends the message that "winning at all costs" is more important than any high moral standard they had supposedly set for themselves.

The correct course of action would have been to bench the player at least one week until more "facts" are gathered as to how the woman got the bruises on her arms and neck... while, at the same time sending the message that they are, in fact, above reproach.

Click to expand...

Suspending Ray for any length of time if he is innocent would be setting a horrible precedent in the NFL. How many more false accusations will be coming down the pipeline if that were to happen. Players shouldn't have to walk around on eggshells because any women could come along and claim domestic violence causing an automatic suspension. Visible injuries you say? Woman bruise very easily, plain and simple. My wife probably has 2 or 3 bruises from bumping into tables or whatnot simply because she bruises easily. Not to mention if my wife were to attack me, she would definitely end up getting bruised up trying to hit me while all I would be doing is defending myself. It just the difference between men and women, I wont likely bruise unless I'm hit by a car.

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Does your wife often "bump into tables"? Could explain why you are so keen on victim blaming.

lvnginhwktwn":344jp7oy said:

So if this was a Hawk you'd be ok with him being benched until DA decision, trial, etc.?

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This is why the Niner's are imploding, No one has to take credit for their actions and it's starting to generate through the beliefs of their fans. I read all the excuses and the "What probley happened was" And it makes me sick. This is a F-ing game and fans are putting that above the fact that a player was arrested, on felony D.V. charges against his pregnant girlfriend.

I would be more sickened by this if it was Seattle, in fact I would be ashamed, not that it was one of our players, but that our head office was sweeping this under the rug. I have a 14 year old, "that I'm trying to teach values too" and who is a huge football fan, and this behavior by players and front offices doesn't help.

NJSeaHawk":10xe8x8s said:

http://deadspin.com/jim-harbaugh-sa...-youre-off-his-1629719728/1631228066/+barryap


Niners DT Ray McDonald will start on Sunday, exactly one week after he arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after an incident with his pregnant fiancée.

"We've been pretty clear on that," Harbaugh said when asked why McDonald will play. "Two principles are woven together here. I just feel like the way the facts are, and what's known, he has the liberty to play in the game."

Click to expand...

I don't have a problem with it, for a few reasons. First being that stuff like this can happen in regular life and the offender doesn't just automatically be prevented from his job.

If the results are that damning enough to McDonald, I want him to have the money to pay for it, mostly because of the victim.

Aside from sending Smith to rehab, the Niners have not really been the kind of org to be worried about their image. They can always save some face by saying "we didn't have the details" even if they do have them.

I figure personally that Mcdonald probably inflicted damage to this gal trying to control her, but the neck? That is going to be an interesting piece of the case. The team likely knows what the details are and with lawyers have determined that in the regional court (that has been very team friendly) that Mcdonald will win his case if they even pursue it. It is of little risk, especially if the charges are dropped and as we know, this happens all the time in these kind of cases, but with that magistrate it is even more likely.

I would be very surprised if it gets pursued, regardless if McDonald actually hurt his girl or not. That if this actually sees a courtroom that RG will take the action on his own.

What a classless franchise.