Ben Roethlisberger accused of sexual assault by another woman

[jinkazama]

Roger Goodell is walking down a slippery slope IMO...

He certainly is but its a slope he's created and currently he's the only guy that can ski on it.  Goodell is judge, jury, and executioner and he's set an impossible precedent for players.  In our 21st century ultra exposed world any player who stumbles out of a bar drunk, gets into a fight, gets a speeding ticket, or jay walks and its made public is subject to the league's "personal conduct policy".  Ben is punk bia...who should be in a criminal court but he isn't.  Because he isn't, I only support him being suspended by the NFL to illustrate that Goodell has too much damn power.  If Pitt wants to suspend him fine but the league should have checks and balances in place for stuff like this, not leave one man to rule over a vague and broad disclipline policy.  

If Ben wasn't in agreement with what he and Goodell talked about he would have had the NFLPA at his side during the hearing.  If the suspension is deemed "unfair" by any stretch of the imagination, the PU will be fighting on Ben's behalf. 
No chance in heck the NFLPA appeals this.  They should based on principle, but can't you just see the headlines...NFLPA rushes to the defense of player accused of sexual assault...The NFL, where potential rapists get a better shake than the alleged victims...

The PR hit the NFLPA would take wouldn't be worth it, they'll let Ben fry for this. 

 

[uptown roamer]

I'm all for suspending him, but damn this is a little bit much.

I thought two, maybe three games tops, but 4 to 6? Whatever "sends the message", I guess...

 

[craftsy21]

No chance in heck the NFLPA appeals this.  They should based onprinciple, but can't you just see the headlines...NFLPA rushes to thedefense of player accused of sexual assault...The NFL, where potentialrapists get a better shake than the alleged victims...

The PR hit the NFLPA would take wouldn't be worth it, they'll let Ben fry for this. 


That's where their job is.  It's not the union's job to determine guilt, they are there to protect the players from unfair treatment by the league.  Does this punishment fall in line with the agreements they've established?  Everyone continues talking about how Goodell can do whatever he wants, but if the players were to get upset by him overstepping his power they could easily organize a strike and shut the league down the next day.  While Goodell certainly is in charge, the players ultimately run the league.

I'm not suggesting they will strike - but Goodell can't just do whatever he wants, despite what some are leading us to believe.  There IS a system of checks and balances there, it's called the players union.

 

[ill i am]

I had some $@!% typed out but Craftsy said it in fewer words than I did...

Originally Posted by Craftsy21

You're right, he's absolutely within his rights as commish to protect the image of the league.  But the fact does remain - Ben is officially guilty of nothing except looking bad in the press. That's a pretty harsh suspension for somebody that hasn't even been charged, let alone proven guilty of any wrong-doing.  It sets one hell of a standard you now have to uphold anytime any other player's name comes up in the news.  Before you had the idea that if you were charged with a crime, you were held accountable.  Now you have to make sure you aren't even a suspect?  What's next, you get a fine for appearing in a photograph at a non-league approved event? 

I agree that Ben has tarnished the image of the NFL by appearing in all this non-sense and putting himself in terrible situations - but you have to be very careful when you start drawing these lines based on just image alone... that %!## is purely opinion based.

I'm not a Steelers fan so I could give a $@!% about Ben getting suspended...at the end of the day, the pattern of behavior is what did him in. No fire but too much smoke. My issue is where do you draw the line now? Before it was "we'll let it play out in the court of law and review it from there"...but that's not the case anymore. The standard that Goodell has now set with this case WILL be applied to any questionable incidents down the line involving other NFL players.

Roger Goodell is well within his right to act here, I understand that...but with no guidelines set on his player conduct policy, IMO he has too much leeway to do as he pleases. "Tarnished the image of the NFL" can be applied to too many scenarios and when you start picking and choosing...you're setting yourself up for backlash.

Antonio Cromartie got 5 paternity suits in the last couple of years and was missing child support payments...that could be looked at as "tarnishing the image of the NFL"...you gonna suspend his @$% too? Or because it's not getting the same media attention as the Ben case it doesn't warrant receiving a punishment? 

Originally Posted by JinKazama

If Pitt wants to suspend him fine but the league should have checks and balances in place for stuff like this, not leave one man to rule over a vague and broad disclipline policy.  

Word.

 

[chester the cheetah]

Paternity suits =/= being a serial rapist. Until Cro gets accused of donkey punching a chick in a bathroom, they aren't even close.

 

[sirius lee handsome]

Well I'm surprised about this Goodell judgment, but I think there's going to be people contesting this decision. The argument being that it's not uniform with the way Goodell has judged other situations meaning that in other situations the players suspended have been charged of criminal behavior by law enforcement authorities.

 

[dmxfury]

I'm guessing it ends up at 4? Who knows, Steelers can win some games without him

 

[craftsy21]

Originally Posted by Chester the Cheetah

Paternity suits =/= being a serial rapist. Until Cro gets accused of donkey punching a chick in a bathroom, they aren't even close.

he's not being suspended for being a rapist though, it's for making the league look bad.  Is Cro making the league look good by being a deadbeat dad?

 

[scott frost]

If that police report isnt public knowledge, this suspension probably isnt as extreme. Some pretty damning (sp?) info in there.

 

[deuce king]

 Ben is officially guilty of nothing except looking bad in the press. That's a pretty harsh suspension for somebody that hasn't even been charged, let alone proven guilty of any wrong-doing.  It sets one hell of a standard you now have to uphold anytime any other player's name comes up in the news.  Before you had the idea that if you were charged with a crime, you were held accountable.  Now you have to make sure you aren't even a suspect?  What's next, you get a fine for appearing in a photograph at a non-league approved event? 

I agree that Ben has tarnished the image of the NFL by appearing in all this non-sense and putting himself in terrible situations - but you have to be very careful when you start drawing these lines based on just image alone... that %!## is purely opinion based.



100% Truth.  Like I said before, wait till TMZ launches TMZ Sports and how they will catch football players staggering out of clubs or how now this opens the doors for groupies to accuse football players of rape only to have no charges filed against them.  What happens then in these two cases, do players get suspended then as well. 

 

[chester the cheetah]

There's always been deadbeat dads in professional sports, but when's the last time you saw a player accused of rape two times in 8 months? Especially one who is the face of a franchise?

 

[fade on you]

Guys we gotta keep in mind here, this isn't the first time this has happened...did anything happen to him previously? No. How many times can you expect Goodell to put up with his behavior and it go unwarranted? If the suspension came from the first incident i would understand some outrage from it, but this, not so much.
  

 

[ill i am]

Originally Posted by Chester the Cheetah

Paternity suits =/= being a serial rapist. Until Cro gets accused of donkey punching a chick in a bathroom, they aren't even close.

Goodell's not suspending Ben for being a "serial rapist" though (you'd think that would carry more than 4-6 game suspension

)...

Is Cromartie not "tarnishing the NFL's image" by having all these paternity suits against him and missing child support payments? I didn't say they have to be close...as long as it falls under those vague %*! terms in the player conduct policy, it's grounds for some type of punishment, no?

 

[dmxfury]

Goodell loves his power though, that's for sure. He has probably handed out more suspensions in his reign already than Tagliabue ever did

 

[jinkazama]

Everyone continues talking about how Goodell can do whatever he wants, but if the players were to get upset by him overstepping his power they could easily organize a strike and shut the league down the next day.  While Goodell certainly is in charge, the players ultimately run the league.

I'm not suggesting they will strike - but Goodell can't just do whatever he wants, despite what some are leading us to believe.  There IS a system of checks and balances there, it's called the players union.




The only problem with that logic is strike = no pay, and any disent by the NFLPA over this will be seen as them rushing to defend a jerk.  Furthermore, of all the issues the NFLPA would choose to take a stand on it'd be for a guy who got too agreesive with a female?!  No way the majority of the players would risk going without a check over Ben's punishment...No way the NFLPA organizes any type of defense for a dude that got accused of sexual assault..it's just not going to happen especially with the details of the case in public.  Goodell would destroy them in the court of public opinion if they tried this. 

 

[deuce king]

Is Cromartie not "tarnishing the NFL's image" by having all these paternity suits against him and missing child support payments? I didn't say they have to be close...as long as it falls under those vague %*! terms in the player conduct policy, it's grounds for some type of punishment, no?



Exactly, glad somebody besides myself and a few others on here actually understand what's going on or what could possibly happen to other players in the future.  Goodell just gave alot of power to all these female groupies out here with this ruling.   

Guys we gotta keep in mind here, this isn't the first time this has happened...did anything happen to him previously? No. How many times can you expect Goodell to put up with his behavior and it go unwarranted? If the suspension came from the first incident i would understand some outrage from it, but this, not so much.

You still don't understand that alot of chicks claim rape or sexual assault especially when a famous athlete is involved do you??

 

[RyGuy45]

NFL Players don't care as much as you think. The vast majority never get in trouble. Ever. And they laugh at some of these guys. Not saying all of them "dont care" but I would be shocked to see any sort of player mutiny over 1 or 2 suspensions. That's what they pay the union heads to worry about.

Also as far as the Goodell suspension we gotta remember the commish likely knows more than we do. He also had a face to face meeting with Ben where we the public have no idea what was asked and answered. That wasn't some formality meeting. It would not shock me in the slightest for Goodell to say "all answers never leave this room and you are not on trial here. But I do not want to find out down the road you lied to my face." And then proceeded to ask him specific questions (who knows maybe "did you honestly parade around that bar with your ___ out of your pants?") and perhaps Ben said yes I did. And yes I did have my bodyguard block the door so no one could go inside the women's restroom. Then Roger asks him "Do you personally think this conduct is right for a grown man in your position?" And so on.

Goodell then has enough to say this cannot be happening with our face of the NFL QBs. I need to set an example. He gets 4-6 games which later translates into like 3-4.

 

[doublejs07]

Originally Posted by dmxfury

I'm guessing it ends up at 4? Who knows, Steelers can win some games without him

Did you and Craftsy see this?

From Schefter:

.Pittsburgh has begun contacting teams to trade Ben Roethlisberger for a top 10 pick. At least one team considering it. Story far from done. 
  

 

[craftsy21]

Originally Posted by RyGuy45

NFL Players don't care as much as you think. The vast majority never get in trouble. Ever. And they laugh at some of these guys. Not saying all of them "dont care" but I would be shocked to see any sort of player mutiny over 1 or 2 suspensions. That's what they pay the union heads to worry about.

Also as far as the Goodell suspension we gotta remember the commish likely knows more than we do. He also had a face to face meeting with Ben where we the public have no idea what was asked and answered. That wasn't some formality meeting. It would not shock me in the slightest for Goodell to say "all answers never leave this room and you are not on trial here. But I do not want to find out down the road you lied to my face." And then proceeded to ask him specific questions (who knows maybe "did you honestly parade around that bar with your ___ out of your pants?") and perhaps Ben said yes I did. And yes I did have my bodyguard block the door so no one could go inside the women's restroom. Then Roger asks him "Do you personally think this conduct is right for a grown man in your position?" And so on.

Goodell then has enough to say this cannot be happening with our face of the NFL QBs. I need to set an example. He gets 4-6 games which later translates into like 3-4.

i HIGHLY doubt that's how the meeting went down.  For one thing - as far as the details of that night, it's none of Goodell's business - Ben doesn't have to tell him +$!* in all honesty, because he's not even on trial for anything.  Goodell might hold the keys to the kingdom, but he has to watch his own **$ also and can't be going all rogue on everybody in the league.  I already think he may have pushed his luck a bit here with this suspension in terms of how the union will see it.

The only problem with that logic is strike = no pay, and any disent bythe NFLPA over this will be seen as them rushing to defend a jerk. Furthermore, of all the issues the NFLPA would choose to take a standon it'd be for a guy who got too agreesive with a female?!  No waythe majority of the players would risk going without a check over Ben'spunishment...No way the NFLPA organizes any type of defense for a dudethat got accused of sexual assault..it's just not going to happenespecially with the details of the case in public.  Goodell woulddestroy them in the court of public opinion if they tried this.

NFLPA doesn't need to worry about the image of anything though.  They are there to protect the well-being of their players, and it doesn't really matter what the issue is or how an individual player in the union feels about it - if the union strikes, they're all in it together.  It's not really about what Ben did or didn't do anyways, that's missing the point.  It's about whether the punishment fits the "crime".  The union standing up for Ben isn't saying "we support rape", it's saying "our player was treated unfairly by the league".  I think most reasonable people would understand what the role of a union is in a case like that.

There's alwaysbeen deadbeat dads in professional sports, but when's the last time yousaw a player accused of rape two times in 8 months? Especially one whois the face of a franchise?

And there's always been guys who push the limit with females in pro sports.  Do they both hurt the image of the league?  Absolutely.  So why not treat them the same way?  This is the slippery slope everyone speaks of - what is and isn't acceptable now?

 

[craftsy21]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by dmxfury

I'm guessing it ends up at 4? Who knows, Steelers can win some games without him

Did you and Craftsy see this?

From Schefter:

.Pittsburgh has begun contacting teams to trade Ben Roethlisberger for a top 10 pick. At least one team considering it. Story far from done. 
  

Would be idiotic, but I'm hearing the rumors also.  I suppose I should come to grips with the fact that this season is going down the drain in a hurry, but it's hard to accept that the team is going to throw away a franchise QB when we have enough pieces in place to make a run at the title again this year and next.  Still - Ben is worth more than just a top 10 pick, I think they'd be really dumb to move him.

 

[deuce king]

Also as far as the Goodell suspension we gotta remember the commish likely knows more than we do. He also had a face to face meeting with Ben where we the public have no idea what was asked and answered. That wasn't some formality meeting. It would not shock me in the slightest for Goodell to say "all answers never leave this room and you are not on trial here. But I do not want to find out down the road you lied to my face." And then proceeded to ask him specific questions (who knows maybe "did you honestly parade around that bar with your ___ out of your pants?") and perhaps Ben said yes I did. And yes I did have my bodyguard block the door so no one could go inside the women's restroom. Then Roger asks him "Do you personally think this conduct is right for a grown man in your position?" And so on.

I honestly don't think YOU even believe that trail of events occuring yourself.  If Ben didn't even talk to the cops about the incident, why would he run his mouth to the football commissioner about the details of the case.   Again, that's why you have a lawyer to handle situations like that for you.  From my standpoint, Ben shouldn't be suspended at all, as of NOW he is innocent of any and all crimes.

 

[dmxfury]

Double I saw that but don't really believe it, I think the Rooneys keep sending messages to Ben to show how serious they are, but crazier things have happened

 

[RyGuy45]

i HIGHLY doubt that's how the meeting went down.  For one thing - as far as the details of that night, it's none of Goodell's business - Ben doesn't have to tell him +$!* in all honesty, because he's not even on trial for anything.  Goodell might hold the keys to the kingdom, but he has to watch his own **$ also and can't be going all rogue on everybody in the league.  I already think he may have pushed his luck a bit here with this suspension in terms of how the union will see it.

I agree what I wrote could be extreme. But bottom line is we do not know what was discussed there or what Ben copped to. It will never leave the room. We don't have to speculate the worst (copping to everything and more) but we certainly are well within our boundaries to assume Roger knows more than we do and/or had Ben say things to him he never said to the media in his "statement."

Especially when Roger got his cronies working the case, aka that task force or whatever who already has been down there doing their own investigation and questions.

But I agree 4-6 games is on the high-end, and I say he never sees more than 4 if that.  And I also agree that 500 page police report did not help Ben's case.

 

[dland24]

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by dmxfury

I'm guessing it ends up at 4? Who knows, Steelers can win some games without him

Did you and Craftsy see this?

From Schefter:

.Pittsburgh has begun contacting teams to trade Ben Roethlisberger for a top 10 pick. At least one team considering it. Story far from done. 
  

PLease end up on the Raiders.....please end up on the Raiders.....

 

[fade on you]

Originally Posted by Deuce King

 

Guys we gotta keep in mind here, this isn't the first time this has happened...did anything happen to him previously? No. How many times can you expect Goodell to put up with his behavior and it go unwarranted? If the suspension came from the first incident i would understand some outrage from it, but this, not so much.

You still don't understand that alot of chicks claim rape or sexual assault especially when a famous athlete is involved do you??


If you want to use this argument as a valid point, please enlighten me as to why there are not more incidences like this happening? Why are chicks not claiming rape all the time with these famous athletes? What, Ben is an exception? They unfairly target him for these "claims"?