OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti criticized a report that suggests he and other team officials tried to persuade the NFL to be lenient on Ray Rice after the running back was arrested for knocking out his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City elevator. Bisciotti spoke Monday after ESPN reported last week that the owner, president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome pushed Commissioner Roger Goodell for leniency for their star running back. "Their accusations didnt jibe with what we know is fact," said Bisciotti, who denied asking for leniency and said he expected Rice to be suspended 4-6 games. The owner also said, "Whats obvious is the majority of the sources work for Ray. ... They are building a case for reinstatement." Rice was originally suspended two-games, but after a video surfaced on Sept. 8 showing the violent attack, he was released by the team and suspended indefinitely by the league. He has appealed his suspension. "As I stated in our letter to you on September 9, we did not do all we should have done, and no amount of explanation can remedy that. But there has been no misdirection or misinformation by the Ravens," Bisciotti said in a statement released before the news conference. "We have stated what we knew and what we thought throughout - from the original report of the incident, to the release of the first videotape, to the release of the second videotape, which revealed a much harsher reality," Bisciotti added in the released statement. "As we said in our response to ESPNs questions on Friday, it was our understanding based on Rays account that in the course of a physical altercation between the two of them he slapped Janay with an open hand, and that she hit her head against the elevator rail or wall as she fell to the ground." Rice punched Janay Palmer in a casino elevator on Feb. 15. He was arrested on assault charges, and a police summons stated that Rice had struck Palmer with his hand, rendering her unconscious. Rice has been accepted into New Jerseys pretrial intervention program, which enabled him to avoid jail time and could result in having the charge expunged from his record after he meets the requirements. Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome reiterated in the teams statement Monday that Rice had been honest with him. "When I met with Ray to discuss the incident, I asked him one question: "Did you hit her?" He responded: "Yes," Newsome said. "Ray and I didnt discuss details beyond that, because in my mind if he hit her, no matter the circumstances or explanation, he needed to own the situation. I immediately focused on Ray taking responsibility and making amends. "I later said Ray didnt lie to me because he told me he hit her, and that is what the video later showed--although the video was much more violent than what I had pictured." According to the ESPN report, the Ravens believed this would "fortify the teams argument to Goodell that Rice should be given a suspension of fewer games." Rice was originally handed a two-game suspension in late July under the NFLs personal conduct policy after he was charged with assault for the Feb. 15 attack. Within weeks, in the wake of harsh criticism from around the country, Goodell acknowledged in a letter to all 32 NFL owners that he "didnt get it right." Rice had already served the first game of that suspension when the video surfaced. There remains questions as to whether the NFL had access to the video, and the ESPN report said Cass never asked for a copy of the video. The Associated Press has reported the video was sent to NFL offices in April, and the league subsequently hired former FBI director Robert Mueller to look into how the NFL sought and handled evidence in the domestic violence case. Within weeks, in the wake of harsh criticism from around the country, Goodell acknowledged in a letter to all 32 NFL owners that he "didnt get it right." Rice had already served the first game of that suspension when the video surfaced. There remains questions as to whether the NFL had access to the video, and the ESPN report said Cass never asked for a copy of the video. The Associated Press has reported the video was sent to NFL offices in April, and the league subsequently hired former FBI director Robert Mueller to look into how the NFL sought and handled evidence in the domestic violence case. Cheap Nike Air Vapormax . The club says Fridays surgery was successful. Holiday, a former Eastern Conference All-Star acquired from Philadelphia last summer, has not played because of the shin injury since Jan. Nike Air Vapormax Discount . Speaking with TSN 1050 following Brendan Shanahans introductory press conference, the Leafs GM also addressed the clubs perceived leadership issues and the type of working relationship that can be expected within Torontos front office. http://www.cheapairvapormaxsale.com/. Greece was on the wrong end of a 3-0 rout to Colombia in its first game of the tournament. They surrendered a goal in just the sixth minute of the contest, and despite some promising attacking play, failed to crawl back into the match. Japan, on the other hand, struck first in its match with Ivory Coast, with Keisuke Honda putting his side into the lead in the 16th minute. White Nike Air Vapormax . It was considered unlikely that Rielly would be loaned to Canada for the tournament, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden, though a stretch of three straight games in the press box made it something of a debate. Nike Air Vapormax Outlet . The alleged sexual assault is believed to have happened over the weekend of Feb. 1, when the hockey team was in Thunder Bay for two games against Lakehead University. The criminal investigation branch of the Thunder Bay Police Service is leading the investigation with help from Ottawa police.JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Wes Welker swears he doesnt dwell on his costly drop in the Super Bowl two years ago that could have sealed New Englands win over the New York Giants and made up for losing to them four years earlier. "You know what? I dont even think about it," Welker said as he prepared for his third Super Bowl, his first with the Denver Broncos. "The past is the past, what happened, happened, and Im just looking forward to this one and going out there and playing my best game and doing what I can to help my team win." Welker said getting to the big game and coming up short two times is what drives him. "I think its the reason I get up in the morning in the off-season and even now," he said after helping the Broncos beat his old team for the AFC title, securing a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Welker tied a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions for 103 yards six years ago but the Patriots perfect season ended when Eli Manning threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left to give the Giants a 17-14 win. The teams met again four years later in Indianapolis and Welker caught seven passes for 60 yards and ran twice for 21 more, but it was the catch he didnt make that haunts Patriots fans to this day. The Patriots led 17-15 with four minutes left and were on the Giants 44 when Tom Brady found Welker wide open 23 yards downfield. The pass, however, was high and slightly behind Welker, who got both hands on the ball but couldnt make the catch. The Giants got the ball back and drove for the winning touchdown. "Sure, I mean it motivates you during the off-season. It motivates you when youre working out, it motivates you through the year," Welker said.dddddddddddd "Just that feeling of losing that game, I mean its heartbreaking. It takes a few weeks just to get over it. It definitely sticks with you and motivates you for the future and definitely blessed to have this opportunity again." Welker joined Peyton Manning in Denver in the off-season after six seasons with Brady and was Denvers leading receiver until missing the final 3 1/2 games after sustaining his second concussion in a three-week span. He still ended up with 778 yards on 73 catches and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Wearing a bigger helmet to protect against further head injury, hes caught 10 passes for 76 yards and a TD in the playoffs. He had four catches for 38 yards against New England in the AFC Championship and his hard hit took out Patriots top cornerback Aqib Talib on a pick play at the line of scrimmage. The next day, Patriots coach Bill Belichick suggested Welker deliberately tried to hurt Talib and complained to the league about it. The NFL said no infraction had occurred. Welkers teammates said Belichick was just using Welker as a smoke screen and a scapegoat to hide deficiencies in his teams defence and the fact that Welkers replacement in New England, Danny Amendola, dropped the only pass thrown to him in the title game. Welker stayed above the fray, saying he was just happy to be back in the Super Bowl. "Im very blessed to have this opportunity again and thats all you really ask for," he said. "Its all you work for during the off-season is to get to this point and now you just want to finish it." ' ' '