The Steelers should officially be worried

[psuasskicker]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/11/ben-roethlisberger-sexual_n_494475.html


Ben Roethlisberger has admitted to having "sexual contact" with the woman who accuses him of sexual assault, according to KDKA in Pittsburgh. The Steelers quarterback denies having sexual intercourse with the accuser.

According to the report, Roethlisberger claims the woman fell and hurt her head following their sexual contact. She immediately visited a hospital and accused the two-time Super Bowl champion of the assault.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/03/tv-station-ben-roethlisberger-told-cops-he-had-consensual-contact-with-accuser/1


Pittsburgh defense attorney Bob Del Greco told KDKA that Garland likely won't allow Roethlisberger to speak to police unless it's part of an effort to discover more of the police investigation.

He told the station the head injury could pose problems for the Roethlisberger defense team.

"Why does she have the bump on the head and theoretically, why do we have your DNA and why did she come to the hospital for this matter, because if it was a consensual matter and she bumped her head, she could have certainly have gone to the hospital and said, 'I bumped my head.'

"It almost seems to put the onus on the accused or the perpetrator, the defense to tell the prosecutor to say why isn't this so and why shouldn't I bring these charges."

So now we know Roethlisberger did in fact have sexual contact, and that the alleged victim has a head injury for which she immediately went to the hospital and claimed sexual assault. This looks very, very bad for Ben, and the attorney is right that now that this info has come out, the burden is essentially going to be shifted to him to prove that he's innocent in the matter.

I hope it's not true. But this could be a very serious matter for Ben, and for the Steelers.

- C -

[TL24x7]

Count me among those (and my guess is I'll be in the minority) who hopes that these allegations are about as truthful as those made by Terrell Suggs' girlfriend about No. 55 and this goes away for Ben.

Clearly Ben is a knucklehead for placing himself in these situations time and again but I hope the truth prevails and I hope the truth is that Roethlisberger is innocent.

If he's not innocent, then I hope there's no elitist treatment.

If he is, I'm happy.

I don't want to kick the Steelers' asses without him on the field!

[RavenScallywag]

I think regardless of whether he's innocent or guilty, the fact that he put himself in that situation WHILE STILL HAVING A PENDING CIVIL SUIT FOR RAPE ALLEGATIONS certifies him a grade A moron.

Someone mentioned that the Rooney family could be getting short on patience with Big Ben. They appreciate winning, but they are also a franchise that tries to remove itself from idiotic behavior.

[ace2die]

aghhh... I don't even know what to say. I... um...

The head injury and the DNA (if it is sampled and proven to match) is enough evidence for charges of sexual assault. You would have to think the league would be forced to discipline Ben in this situation. All that is needed is someone to say she objected to further "sexual contact' than he pushed her, then she fell... I am trying not to allow my 'I can't stand this guy' attitude show threw but I think he has done enough not right here that discipline is necessary.

[baltimore_hokie]

I don't really care what happens one way or another with the case, but I am very happy that we now have something to throw back in their face when they call Ray a murderer.

[Losac]

Sorry but while I truly do feel for the woman involved if this was a true sexual assault, as no one deserves that, I am having a serious case of Schadenfreude as to Ben. After all the shit we have heard and continue to hear about supporting "criminals and thugs" like Ray and Jamal from Steeler fans, let them see what it feels like to have it happen to one of their own. Even though all the facts of Ray's case show that he didn't stab anybody, and even police admitted no evidence showed he did, they still think Ray actually got away with murder. Well, let them defend their boneheaded, mongoloid quarterback who apparently thinks the word "no" doesn't apply to him.


Someone mentioned that the Rooney family could be getting short on patience with Big Ben. They appreciate winning, but they are also a franchise that tries to remove itself from idiotic behavior.

The Rooneys aren't going to cut ties with Rapistberger unless he is found guilty or gets prison time out of this like the Michael Vick situation. He's their franchise QB and they have a lot of money invested in him. You will see the double standard involved with star players vs the no names. The Steelers have already shown themselves to be hypocrites by releasing Cedrick Wilson while keeping James Harrison after both were arrested around the same time for similar charges of domestic violence. They'll support the former DPOY, but a scrub like Wilson gets kicked to the curb.

[psuasskicker]

You would have to think the league would be forced to discipline Ben in this situation. ... I think he has done enough not right here that discipline is necessary.

I don't think that's at all clear yet. If charges are filed but he's found innocent and/or charges dropped, he may still not be disciplined. Certainly he'll be talked to, and disipline will be threatened. Where he might be disciplined is in conduct unbecoming of the league, for simply putting himself in a situation where he was having sexual contact in a public place. But that would be the case regardless of whether charges are actually filed or not.

The bigger issue right now is that he could have a very serious fight on his hands. This no longer seems like it's just he-said-she-said. The head injury is serious, and can and will go a long way in this case, particularly if the rumors we heard about other girls in the party with him saying he was acting stuck up and like an asshole. Put the whole thing together, and while it's probably not enough for a conviction yet, it's starting to get very damning. And as more seems to be coming out by the day, you have to really wonder what else is going to be discovered.

I hope he didn't do what he's accused of. But it's starting to look like it's a very legit possibility he did, and it's looking almost probable at this point that he's going to wind up getting charged.

- C -

[4G63]

I don't really care what happens one way or another with the case, but I am very happy that we now have something to throw back in their face when they call Ray a murderer.

:iagree: 100%

[Rxdoxx]

I am having a serious case of Schadenfreude as to Ben.

Too early for me to pass anything on roth.

What I am anticipating is a media circus affecting the team, agony over how to use their draft picks, and watching every back-up QB with something left in the tank committed elsewhere. If it comes to a head just after the season starts, you may see the Roman Holiday unfold.

[Jeremiah W]

Even if he did not cross the crime line, he failed the moron test on this.

What is consentual sexual "contact" at a club any way? I really wonder exaclty what he has admitted to already or how his lawyer is going to come up with reasonable doubt. It almost seems unreasonable that he did not cross some sort of crime line unless the girl is completly making the whole thing up and he has admitted that something happened. Not in his hotel room with a chick who was supposed to be fixing the TV.

Rapistburger has a lot of splainin to do.

As far as the steelers go, I did not think they played a lot worse without him. they missed Troy P on D a lot more than they missed Big Jen over the last couple years. Leftwich actually looked good enough to get a bunch of cash from Tampa and Dennis Dixon almost beat us with much faster feet throws. With that turnstyle O line and run after catch Wrs, Dixon may be a better fit. It sort of sounds like Troy Smith over Flacco, and from a passing perspective it may be, but Dixon made a lot of good throws and his speed to the edge forced us to play soft contain rush and zone blitz or max cover which opened up the run a little bit.

With Ben, you pretty much know how to play him and how to stop the Steelers for 3 3/4. It is that last 2 min drive that gives teams the most trouble or the steeler defense, not a Peyton Manning like move the chains and score drive after drive early in the game. With or without him I still think those pesky Bungles are more of a matchup problem. They have CBs who match up 1 on 1 and a run game that blocks our front 7 and opens up play action, the steelers do not.

[Everything_Ravens]

this situation is now going to bring validity to his civil case and vice versa. He's about to get hit with a 2 for 1!

And as far as the division goes, i don’t know if anyone’s noticed but the bingles are the team to beat anyway. Jen or no jen they are on the downward

[Losac]

And as far as the division goes, i don’t know if anyone’s noticed but the bingles are the team to beat anyway. Jen or no jen they are on the downward

I think it's looking like WE are the team to beat in the division.

Boldin > Antonio Bryant

[Jeremiah W]

I think it's looking like WE are the team to beat in the division.

Boldin > Antonio Bryant

They did beat us twice last year. I think we should have won the home game and could have won the road game, but they outplayed us twice before stinking it up in the playoffs. In the regular season they should be a tougher matchup than the Steelers with or without Big Jen just because of how the matchups have played out.

The bengals run game was down right dominant last year before Benson and Henry got hurt. The CBs allowed them to shut us down as well. That should change with our upgraded Wrs, and they got us when our DL and OL were a lot less than 100%, but they pushed us around last year no doubt about it.

The Steelers have gotten off the hook a few times recently but the Ravens have outplayed them in every matchup recently.

[Dade]

So Rapistberger says he had consensual "sexual contact" but not intercourse. This is were he can get into a lot trouble. Some states have actually put a time limit on from when she says no. For example in Maryland is 5 seconds. You can be in the middle of sexual contact or intercourse, as soon as she says no you have 5 seconds to disengage. Rapistberger admitting sexual contact is very damning to his case.

On 1st Take today Skip Bayless say the commish needs to come out right now and suspend Ben for at least the first game of the season, for being stupid enough to try and get some in a womens bathroom in a bar while you still have a civil case for sexual assualt going on.

I kinda agree with that.

[baltimore_hokie]

On 1st Take today Skip Bayless say the commish needs to come out right now and suspend Ben for at least the first game of the season, for being stupid enough to try and get some in a womens bathroom in a bar while you still have a civil case for sexual assualt going on.

I kinda agree with that.

Considering there's a good chance we will play the Steelers in Week 1, I'm torn on whether or not I would want this to happen.

[Mista T]

The head injury and the DNA (if it is sampled and proven to match) is enough evidence for charges of sexual assault.

I don't think it's that simple. I have yet to read anything connecting the head injury to the alleged sexual assault. Did he knock her to the ground as she resisted him? Or did she bang her head on something as she tried to stand up after giving him a BJ?

Just based on other stories on that Huffington report page, I would expect Garland to make something out of these statements:


"He was as nice as any athlete that I have ever met. (http://deadspin.com/5487565/big-bens-night-out-in-millyvegas-what-the-bartenders-saw) People were all over him, guys and girls. His body guards kept some people away to let him have a good time. This situation is sad and I feel for the guy. He was out having a good time just like everybody else and now this is blowing up."


one of the Milledgeville bartenders said the charges against Roethlisberger were "bullshit" and that "she was all over him that night.... wonder why he pursued??? she saw $$$ signs."


"ben roethlisberger was here last night hanging out at the bars in Milledgeville... he was molested by girls everywhere he went."


There have been no battery charges files. So far, it still sounds like a "he said, she said" case.

[riprulz8]

I always go back and forth with the idea of "I want to beat our opponents at full strength so that we truly did beat their best."

In principal, it sounds like the honorable, warrior mentality. However, I also want my team to win on the field no matter what the circumstances. And if Ben being out gives us a better chance to win and get to the playoffs/Superbowl, then so be it.

SteAler* fans, as they did last year at M&T, will make excuses if we beat them sans Ben, but in the long run, if it brings us a Lombardi, I won't have an issue with it.

[Rochardrik]

When I saw the title of this post, I thought it was referring to the fact that we have receivers to burn their corners! Man, I am soooo happy....Now, about the actual thread subject.....
The fact that the police have asked for a dna sample.... does that mean they found foreign ... uh, matter... in the girl...., and want to see if it matches Jen's? Or did she have skin under her nails?... in either case, it would seem the case against him just got a little stronger.....possibly.

[CRZA938]

I don't think that's at all clear yet. If charges are filed but he's found innocent and/or charges dropped, he may still not be disciplined. Certainly he'll be talked to, and disipline will be threatened. Where he might be disciplined is in conduct unbecoming of the league, for simply putting himself in a situation where he was having sexual contact in a public place.

- C -

Especially when that public place is a college bar. Ben and the Steelers most definitely have reasons to be concerned.

[Mike B]

Count me among those (and my guess is I'll be in the minority) who hopes that these allegations are about as truthful as those made by Terrell Suggs' girlfriend about No. 55 and this goes away for Ben.

Clearly Ben is a knucklehead for placing himself in these situations time and again but I hope the truth prevails and I hope the truth is that Roethlisberger is innocent.

If he's not innocent, then I hope there's no elitist treatment.

If he is, I'm happy.

I don't want to kick the Steelers' asses without him on the field!

My thoughts exactly. If he is guilty then he gets what he deserves. If this is, some one trying to make some money then my hope is he gets by it. What I want to see for Ben is his enormous head buried under a Ravens pass rush.

[festivus]

Ben Roethlisberger has admitted to having "sexual contact" with the woman who accuses him of sexual assault, according to KDKA in Pittsburgh. The Steelers quarterback denies having sexual intercourse with the accuser.

According to the report, Roethlisberger claims the woman fell and hurt her head following their sexual contact. She immediately visited a hospital and accused the two-time Super Bowl champion of the assault.

Too much story. I call bullshit and I'm done trying to think Roethlisberger is not a piece of garbage.

The courts will do what they do but this statement looks to me like a liar at work.