The Baltimore Ravens and its owner Steve Bisciotti went on full-defensive mode Monday regarding an ESPN report via Don Van Natta Jr. and Kevin Van Valkenburg that outlined the team’s mishandling of Ray Rice’s domestic violence situation.
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Among the claims that Bisciotti made in defense of himself and the team is that the ESPN report was shaped by those close to Rice and people biased towards the running back.
From ESPN.com’s news services:
"Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has refuted an ESPN investigative report into the team’s handling of Ray Rice’s domestic abuse case, claiming that the story was “manufactured” around the accounts of the running back’s inner circle.Bisciotti addressed the ESPN “Outside the Lines” report during a news conference Monday, saying he believes that Rice’s camp is attempting to “build a case for reinstatement.”“The majority of the sources [from the report] are people that work for Ray,” Bisciotti said. “Almost everything in there is anonymous, but it’s clear from the subject matter that it’s Ray’s attorney, it’s Ray’s agent, it’s Ray’s friends.”"
It didn’t take long after Bisciotti’s comments for ESPN to stand by its reporters.
Regarding our @OTLonESPN report Friday by @KVanValkenburg & Pulitzer Prize winner @DVNJr: "We stand by our reporting."
— Josh Krulewitz (@jksports) September 22, 2014
Considering how Baltimore handled Rice’s situation, few will give them the benefit of the doubt and believe them over ESPN.
The Ravens released Rice earlier this month after video surfaced via TMZ Sports showing him knocking out his then-fiancee in February.
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