NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Courtney Greene, former Ray Rice teammate at New Rochelle High School and Rutgers University and NFL player, has requested that his #36 Jacksonville Jaguars jersey be removed as well from the gymnasium wall at New Rochelle High School.
As was first reported by Talk of the Sound, Ray Rice’s #27 Baltimore Ravens was removed from gym wall early Wednesday morning, two days after a video showing Rice punching his girlfriend in an Atlantic City hotel elevator.
In an emotional appeal on behalf of his close friend, Greene, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks and played three seasons with the Jags, posted to his mrgreen36 Instagram account earlier today.
“My brother Is going through some of the worse days of his life, and yet tnstead of praytng for him or at least his famtly you choose to find more ways to hurt him and everything he’s worked hard for,” wrote Greene. “I in no way condone anything that transpired, but I will not sit back and just let my friend be crucified alone.”
“I am beyond disappointed In the action taken by NRHS and with that said if you chose to remove Rays jersey, I request that mine be removed as well!!!!!” wrote Greene.
“Ray has done so much for the school and the city as a whole for you to turn your back on him at this trying time Is just adding insult to injury and makes me question just how genuine the support really was up until a few days ago. You do not have to agree with someone’s actions to support them when they need it most.”
The Instagram message, posted to a private account, was screen captured and retweeted by the son of New Rochelle High School Head Football Coach Lou DeRienzo along with photos posted to Twitter by Talk of the Sound depicting a “before and after” shot of the wall where Rice’s #27 Baltimore Ravens jersey hung near Greene’s jersey.
“Everyone should take the time to read this before bashing Ray and posting an opinion,” tweeted Louie DeRienzo, a former New Rochelle High School player as well, current a linebacker at Southern Connecticut State University.
Everyone should take the time to read this before bashing Ray and posting an opinion.. Thank you @MrGrEeNe36 pic.twitter.com/RSqnX3qHxO
— Louis DiRienzo (@LouieD_5) September 11, 2014
Entire text of Greene’s Instagram post follows:
mrgreene36 Why kick a man while he’s down? My brother Is going through some of the worse days of his life, and yet tnstead of praytng for him or at least his famtly you choose to find more ways to hurt him and everything he’s worked hard for. We have all done some messed up things In our lives but does one isolated event define who you are as a person? We are put on this earth to grow and learn from our mistakes. But what good is that when you’re not given the chance for redemptton. I in no way condone anythtng that transpired, but I will not sit back and just let my friend be crucified alone. I am beyond disappointed In the action taken by NRHS and with that said if you chose to remove Rays jersey, I request that mtne be removed as well!!!!! Ray has done so much for the school and the city as a whole for you to turn your back on him at this trying time Is just adding insult to injury and makes me question just how genuine the support really was up until a few days ago. You do not have to agree with someone’s actions to support them when they need it most ….