GENE SIMMONS: It's Sad That RAY RICE's Wife 'Isn't Copping To Fact She Was Abused'

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has commented on the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's decision to suspend former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice indefinitely after video surfaced of Rice coldcocking his then-fiancée (now wife) at an Atlantic City, New Jersey casino earlier this year.

During an appearance on this past Friday's (September 12) edition of the 94WIP "Mike & Ike Show", Simmons, who is a co-owner of the Arena Football League team the LA Kiss along with his KISS bandmate Paul Stanley, was asked by hosts Michael Barkann and Ike Reese if he would ever want to own an NFL team. "It's not appealing, and I'll tell you why," Simmons said. "Because the politics there are so much and mired in nonsense."

He added: "I think elevators should be padded, don't you?"

Asked how he would have handled the Ray Rice situation and whether he thinks Goodell was aware of the existence of the shocking video of Rice knocking out his fiancée inside a casino elevator, Simmons replied: "We're all in the peanut gallery. None of us know the specifics expect what we saw on TV. And if the NFL knew about it, whether it is the commissioner or anybody else, they're held accountable. But the saddest part of all is that — and look, I'm not involved, we're just watching it on TV, so we really don't know all the details — but it's sad that Rice's wife or fiancée isn't copping to the fact that she was abused. More than abused — knocked out, the physical stuff."

He continued: "That guy needs… Well, my opinion is, if he was in jail for a day and became somebody's girlfriend, maybe he'd knew what abuse is like, but that's another story.

"I'm against physical violence of anybody. You raise your hand to somebody, you should he held accountable, not just in the legal system.

"It's unsportsmanlike. You know, there is such a thing as sportsmanlike behavior."

According to Simmons, Rice's behavior never would have been tolerated on his watch.

"Anybody on the [LA Kiss] team caught doing anything illegal or anyting like that is gone," the KISS bassist/vocalist explained. "In fact, one of the first moves we made [as owners of LA Kiss] is to make a serious offer to hire Tim Tebow [American football quarterback who is currently a free agent]. It was a serious offer, and media, unfortutely, played it up.

"Here's a guy who's a devout Christian, who, religion is very important in his life, and people make fun of it. Really? You're picking on him because he's a Christian? He never tortured a dog, never knocked out his girlfriend in an elevator, is not up for murder of anybody, allegedly. And this is the guy you pick on? Why? 'Cause he's a Christian? Really?

"Sometimes the media just riles me up.

"If anything, you should hold him up as an example. This is a good guy. I've met him. Especially because he's a Christian. You should go, 'Wow! How come there aren't more people like that?'"