If Roethlisberger skates, Goodell will face a race debate
Ben Roethlisberger read a statement Monday, giving a generic apology for his behavior.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has shown little tolerance for players who don’t walk the line like good little clones. So I’m going to assume he will treat the NFL’s latest “suspected” felon the same way as he has others. Otherwise, he’s setting himself up for a mini race riot.
Ben Roethlisberger is innocent of sexual assault. Or, I should say, the district attorney in Milledgeville announced he won’t bring charges because he doesn’t believe he can prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. (Often in cases like this, the alleged victim also was drinking so it makes things difficult to prove. And sometimes, the alleged victim also gets an envelope full of cash to suddenly not cooperate with police. I’m not saying that’s what happened. I’m just saying that happens.)
Back to Goodell. He has suspended players in the past who were arrested but not convicted of crimes. Most notable on the list: Adam “Pacman” Jones and
Unfortunately, this is one of the faces of the NFL.
Chris Henry. You’ll recall that he also told Michael Vick not to report to Falcons training camp, even while Vick was denying guilt and long before he pled to dog-fighting charges.
Jones, Henry and Vick all are African American. Roethlisberger is white.
I understand the arguments on both sides of the suspension debate.
♦ For suspension: The NFL is like any other employer. The “conduct detrimental to the league” excuse works for any company that wishes to fire or suspend an employee who is prone to excessive knuckleheadedness.
♦ Against suspension: If a man isn’t convicted of a crime, the NFL has no right to punish him.
The problem here is that Goodell already has set precedent. He can’t go back now. There is enough circumstantial evidence of Roethlisberger excessively imbibing. There are now at least two cases where a woman has brought sex assault allegations against him (he faces a civil suit stemming from an alleged incident in Lake Tahoe, Nev., in 2008).
As a Super Bowl winning quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Roethlisberger is making both the NFL and one of its centerpiece franchises look bad. For Goodell, this should be am easy call.
When Goodell suspended Jones and Henry in 2007, he sent letters to the two players that read in part: “Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct warrants significant sanction.”
Is there any difference in this case?
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291 comments Add your comment
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:30 pm
florida falcon
Its just the truth man. Vick was THE MAN in this city, hell he STILL IS the man in this city, it damn sure ain’t Matt ” The Noodle” Ryan…Vick is the best player that the Falcons have ever had….apparently he wasn’t able to handle all of the adulation…money…fame…that came with it…which led to arrogance. that tends to be what brings ALL elite athletes to their knees. Tiger, for instance…said it himself that he though he was “entitled” to schlong all those women…Vick didn’t think he would get caught because he had money. The list goes on and on.
My thing is I like to see people redeem themselves..it just happened to happen to my favorite NFL player. I was pulling for A-rod…many others….yet I’m a racist for supporting Vick. You tell me
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:31 pm
Matt “Choke” Ryan
What up man…long time no see. The falcon section is DEAD unless the convo is about Vick,lol
Intellibird
April 13th, 2010
10:32 pm
Can I have my “first” post removed from this blog? I no longer wish to be associated with it. I guess Schultz fell asleep at his computer, thus the absence of a moderator.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:32 pm
It’s now 4 years into the post Mora era – can we please get a freakin playoff win? Even a serial rapist can bring at least a freakin playoff win.
Damn CHOKE earn that 72 million boy!
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:34 pm
Here’s a parting shot for you falcon fans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEq0m_6FrI
Enjoy.
junebaby
April 13th, 2010
10:34 pm
Choke.., no if it was T.O. the white peoples party would have left their trailer park and showed up in their little white hoodies and togas(only in a mob). all ten of them would have passed out pamplets, then went to stoned mountain, saluted effigys of j.b. stoner and passed around the meth pipe.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:35 pm
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:31 pm
Matt “Choke” Ryan
What up man…long time no see. The falcon section is DEAD unless the convo is about Vick,lol
——————————————
These fools couldn’t blow their nose without Vick………. ha ha ha
Now that McNabb is gone, Vick will score even more touchdowns this season against the CHOKE and you will hear that famous chant again……….
WE WANT VICK
WE WANT VICK
WE WANT VICK
nick manning
April 13th, 2010
10:35 pm
young lady in the second photo has HORRIBLE FAKE TAN!
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:36 pm
Matt “Choke” Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:32 pm
It’s now 4 years into the post Mora era – can we please get a freakin playoff win? Even a serial rapist can bring at least a freakin playoff win.
Damn CHOKE earn that 72 million boy!
—————————————————————-
LOL!!!!!!!!!! That right….haven’t won a playoff game since Vick played here. That noodle can’t win a playoff game carrying the team on his back like a good qb does when he has to.
Dan
April 13th, 2010
10:37 pm
Roethlisberger should be suspended for idiotic behavior, but that is just me – but before you heartily agree and ask where we can get a rope to help string him up, name me a player whom Goodell has suspended for misconduct (aka other than for failing drug test) without at least being arrested (aka probable cause) for having allegedly committed a crime.
If Roethlisberger is being suspended because it is time to light up a high profile white guy even though it is the first time a misconduct suspension has not involved na arrest, who is being discriminated against based on race?
Take your time
Matt "Choke" Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:37 pm
junebaby
You know that’s the truth!
You know it’s a damn shame when a dog is valued more than a white woman……..
HA HA HA
Vick Supporter
April 13th, 2010
10:38 pm
WE WANT VICK
WE WANT VICK
WE WANT VICK
———————
One of the greatest moments in falcon history…begging for the opposing team’s QB to play, LMAO
Matt "Choke" Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:41 pm
A quick fact:
In CHOKE’S last 16 games started, he has 18 picks.
Good luck in 2010 with that accuracy…………..
HA HA HA
In Philly Kolb is the 2nd coming of the CHOKE and Vick will be starting by week 3.
Hello
April 13th, 2010
10:41 pm
How is Vick going to score while he’s holding Kevin Kolbs water bottle ?
florida falcon
April 13th, 2010
10:42 pm
I hear ya, Vick wasn’t the 1st and sure isn’t the last player to get brought down by “hubris”. And It’s sure your right to pull for Vick, having read into your words I see that you were deeply hurt by Vick’s screw up. Vick was “the man” in Atlanta and he sure as hell was the most electrifying player in the NFL. OHH-What could have been! Vicks decision hurt dogs, us, the fans, the city, the team, his family but most of all himself. Only time will tell if he will redeem himself, but NOT to you or I, but to our maker! So we ALL, have to atone for our decisions. But in the sports world, I for one will respect your right to cheer for Vick the player on the filed and I have my right to jeer that same player on the field. As a man, I cannot judge Tiger, Vick or anyone. I can only judge myself when I look in the mirror. As far as YOU being a racist for supporting Vick, the answer is based on blind support. And by your statements Today, In my humble opinion, you sir, are not a racist.
HardTruthSoldier ..
April 13th, 2010
10:44 pm
Why make this a Black White issue when this is clearly a issue of another woman trying to extort Millions from an athlete! Have men become so trivial in there thinking that half of ya’ll will agree with anything they say or do? Roger Godell has become the face of the NFL, and he wants clearly for everybody to know this, so he once again waves his majic wand to let the world know he’s the man. Pete Rozelle never wanted the attention and never wanted the rest of the world to know that he reprimanded anyone. Rothlisberger is clearly a victim, but he doe’s need to exercise his self to some discipline. Stop being stupid Ben and grow up.
crabapplejoe
April 13th, 2010
10:44 pm
@JSS: So you are now in charge of picking which bars a grown man can choose to go into…..Dam@ that’s funny man. So you have now officially instructed a grown man who makes millions of dollars a year to go to the Mellow Mushroom for fun rather than a “hot” club in Millegeville…now that’s funny I don’t care who you are. And yes, if you are a twenty-something and venture to bars in Athens or Millegeville you are probably looking to meet twenty-somethings of the opposite sex (or, maybe in your case, the same sex)….did it myself once upon a time. Never got arrested…didn’t harm my career and I had a good bit of fun. Sorry you never tried it. LMAO at the hypocrisy.
t-height
April 13th, 2010
10:46 pm
I’m wondering why people on this board is so over dramatic about other people problem. I see a lot of racist people on this page. Most of you people show your true colors behind a computer but will be back in the opposing race face tomorrow acting as if you are the best person in the world and their best friend. Its really shame that racism is so deep inside of some of you people. Do any of you guys ever say to yourself, why do i hate so much, not just hate something but another race. I can understand if you get tired of some people saying certain things or using race as an excuse but hate them is ridiculous and strong. Everybody is talking about Ben not being charged and the other players being charged makes a big difference. If you look into the justice system, you will notice that a non white person is 1000 times more likely times to be charged, convicted, and given a harsher sentence. This isn’t something being said to talk about race, this is a factually documented by American criminologist. I want to let those of you that haven’t read into the case but are giving you opinions for your own reasons, but the doctor that checked the victim stated that she had bruising, cuts and semen inside of her but there wasn’t enough to test. I thought any little amount of sperm can be tested. Also big ben has a vacation house in the area, so the D.A.and the city of milledgeville don’t want to ruin the money he could bring to the city. When Pacman was suspended the second time, he wasn’t charged with anything.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
April 13th, 2010
10:47 pm
Hello
April 13th, 2010
10:41 pm
How is Vick going to score while he’s holding Kevin Kolbs water bottle ?
==============================================================
Like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Ql4UU-p9c
Enjoy
dufferdawg
April 13th, 2010
10:52 pm
since when is getting drunk and getting laid a crime…my god…most male athletes engage in these activities…there were no charges so get a freaking clue Schultz…and the NFL needs a governing body not just super ego maniac to run their organization…
florida falcon
April 13th, 2010
10:57 pm
Hey Crabapple- I’m not saying anything but, the words you typed didn’t look right! Here is your quote-”, the same sex)….did it myself once upon a time. Never got arrested…” Just sayin’
Dan
April 13th, 2010
10:59 pm
Jeff sez – “There is enough circumstantial evidence of Roethlisberger excessively imbibing”
Alrighty – if “circumstantial evidence” of “excessively imbibing” now is the test for suspension, unless a squad of Tim Tebows plays for you I doubt there is team that will not face significant suspensions based on that “standard”
Of course, no such standard for suspension exists, but why let facts get in the way of an argument that unless you come up with new standards for suspension to nail Roethlisberger you are a racist.
Hello
April 13th, 2010
10:59 pm
Choke, Kolb = REAL QB. Vick = run like hell out of the pocket because I don’t know how to check
down if the first option is covered.
The Cynical White Boy
April 13th, 2010
11:02 pm
Doesn’t matter. Guys like Big Ben will keep right on treating women as objects just as long as they are women in this world who go “ga ga” over power and money.
Good damn luck to the NFL if it thinks it can change something that’s been going on between men and women since Old Testament times.
florida falcon
April 13th, 2010
11:07 pm
@Cynicalwhiteboy- There’s nothing like money grubbing hos! That reminds me, time to pay allimony! Damn!
not really me
April 13th, 2010
11:08 pm
ugly blogging folks ……… ahhh i’ll skip this discussion today!
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:09 pm
Ben is an idiot, suspend him. Going to college towns, getting #hitfaced and following a woman into a ladies restroom makes the NFL look bad. Ben is an employee and has the a responsibility to carry himself a certain way if he wants to have the privilege of playing in the NFL.
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:10 pm
It has been 12 years since the Falcons got to the Superbowl!!! I miss Chris Chandler, and all the intangables he had as a winning QB.
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:12 pm
I like Vick, I cheered for him when he played against the Falcons. If a guy has paid a price, it is him. I wish him the best.
JSS
April 13th, 2010
11:15 pm
FLA Falcon…
Don’t try to explain sense to man (Crabapple) who thinks that little hole in the wall next to the GCSU campus is a “hot club.” Dude is a “grown man,” you can’t be doing that… Tone it down, don’t to make it “rain” with shoots of booze to a bunch of college girls… I grew up in Middle GA, everyone except the Baldwin Co. DA knows the deal… You want to party, call a party planner, and bring in some professionals like the rest of the scumbags do up on the Lake…
Terrell
April 13th, 2010
11:19 pm
The argument by JS is that the others were suspended before they were charged. I’m not saying that I would think Goodell is racist or this is to protect the white guy. I understand that he wasn’t convicted but when you read the letter he sent to Henry and Jones no where did he state that they were convicted but he said their actions were not acceptable and Ben’s actions were not acceptable so if we are going by that then he should be suspended.
three jack
April 13th, 2010
11:21 pm
get over it…he’s a young, big time qb, loaded with cash and horny…some bimbo gives it up and you want him to be suspended..are you kidding me!?
if the nfl is worried about image, then stop all the excessive individual celebrations during games. a qb getting laid is not exactly ‘breaking news’…
junebaby
April 13th, 2010
11:26 pm
Mr Charlie…, i agree with you! wouldn’t it be nice to have a time machine to take us back to 1998. the run that year was really electric, and people were a lot nicer. sometimes i think message boards were the worst thing ever thought of. i know most of the people here are good people, but when it’s bad, it’s very very bad. during the superbowl run, it seems the whole city, blacks and whites were behind the falcons. it was such fun. now i just don’t know. man! i really miss that team. we’re living in bad times now!
JSS
April 13th, 2010
11:27 pm
@Crabapple Doh
Oh when I was 28, I was dating a woman who was 30… It is called “Growing up!” Only thing a young girl could do is play with my nieces, nephews and their friends at Freaknik or the old Music Midtown…
Marie
April 13th, 2010
11:28 pm
Let me begin by stating that I am (well was) a huge Big Ben fan and really hate to see this happening to the Steelers. I also consider myself to be a reasonable female who doesn’t scream sexism, sexual harrassment, and other nonesense at the first sign on impropriety. I honestly think young women need to behave themselves with some respect and stop putting themselves n comprimising situations with men. You don’t go out drinking to the point of intoxication with a bunch of horny guys hanging around. I’m sorry you’re just asking for problems.
Having said that in this case I do believe Roger Goddell needs to come down hard and severe on Ben. I’m not saying this because of some precedent which has been set with AA players; because while you can talk about Chris Henry, Pacman Jones, Michael Vick, etc., you can also point out the fact that Brandon Marshall has never been disciplined by the commissioner although there definitely appears to be propensity for having knock out drag out fights with his significant other.
While having sex with an intoxicated individual is not a crime in GA. This type of behavior is certainly illegal in other states because a person that is so intoxicated with drugs and/or alcohol simply cannot give consent. It can be reasonably assumed from what the DA stated that Ben supplied alcohol to a young underage woman, observed her going into a bathroom, decided to follow her in there to have sexual relations with her and placed his bodyguards outside the door (now was that to keep others from entering or her frome leaving). And we know that this young woman based on a statement given to the police was too intoxicated to give consent to Ben.
However, in his statement Ben flat out lied to the police and said this young woman fell and hit her head or something — not even initially admitting that he had sexual intercourse with her. Why lie if you did nothing wrong Ben? Why lie if this was really consensual sex? I am not saying he raped this young woman in the sense of some violent act we associate with rape. But again this woman was clearly too stoned to consent and he knew it.
And for all these folks that want to label this young woman as a skank and a gold-digger; I simply do not think a young woman so intoxicated that she didn’t know whether she had been sexually assaulted or not — was in any way thinking that far in advance that she could get some money out of this. I find her credible because she went to an officer that night not long after this event happened because I believe she strongly felt that she had not consented to have sex with him.
Fine the DA has said no crime. However, consider if this same act had occurred by a young male college student at this college or any college across the US. If this young woman had pressed a case with the college’s disciplinarian board the young man would be facing expulsion from school. And if Big Ben wants to act like a college frat boy then I think Roger Goddell should apply the same harsh penalty that any young college-aged man would be facing right now.
And I do not like that fact that this jerk has made no public apology to this woman or her family. He acts as if he had done NOTHING wrong. Sorry Ben even if this wasn’t rape — it is boorish behavior to watch a woman get stoned drunk and then follow her in a bathroom in order to sex her up.
Roger Goddell do yo thing!!!
florida falcon
April 13th, 2010
11:30 pm
Hey these guys are “hooking up” all the time, that isn’t the problem. The problem seems to be that this is the 2nd time some bimbo has complained to the cops while it involved the big dumb QB. Where there is smoke, there is fire. These “ladies” give it up all the time, and to a man every blogger here (including me) wishes we could live the life, however. Big dummy, is (alledgedly) doing something wrong. Twice!
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:32 pm
Ben will get suspended, don’t know why you even bothered to write this article. Why not write about sports, like the braves, instead of trying to rile up people with racial drivel?
florida falcon
April 13th, 2010
11:33 pm
Yeah Shultz- you race baiter! I took the bait!
Ben Rothlesburger
April 13th, 2010
11:34 pm
White people don’t punish white folks I made a deal with the Milledgevile DA and the NFL commissioner we will make it look good watch and see….(sound of Vincent Price laughing in the background)
OJ got his justice imma get mine too
puff
April 13th, 2010
11:34 pm
Best line I’ve seen on big ben – “turns out he’s as dumb as he looks”
Hello
April 13th, 2010
11:40 pm
I agree with Fla.Falcon and Mr. Charlie. Goddell is definetly going to suspend Rothlisberger, so this whole column is nothing but race baiting on JS’s behalf. Just when I thought he turned the corner to real journalism.
crabapplejoe
April 13th, 2010
11:43 pm
Really…so none of you when you were in your twenties went to bars looking to hook up with members of the oppostite sex (or in JSS and Florida Falcons case the same sex) who were also in their twenties. Wow, ya’ll missed some good times. And I assume all of you men (like JSS) are married to women older than you or exactly the same age. And remember, when you get a hankerin’ to have a good time with your buddies then JSS insists that you go to the Mellow Mushroom or a “happy ending” spa…but never a club in Millegeville…if you do that you get suspended. Its now referred to as the “Mellow Mushroom/Spa” rule in the NFL. Stick to those two venues and your fine according to Commissioner JSS. And don’t ever think that JSS has a little jealousy going over Big Ben having a good time when he refers to Ben’s neighbors in this fashion: “You want to party, call a party planner, and bring in some professionals like the rest of the scumbags do up on the Lake”. So now everyone on Lake Oconee with a little money is a “scumbag” and they should all be hangin’ with JSS and his buddies at the Mellow Mushroom or getting an illegal HJ at the spa…..too funny…and sad.
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:51 pm
Crabb, there is a difference than hanging out and partying with younger woman, and getting #hitfaced and following a woman into the womans room. In addition, Some professions require that one maintains a certain conduct in public if you wish to have the privilege of working in that profession. Ben is a big boy, and if he wants to play, he’s gonna pay. He will get suspended for 4 games. You don’t get called to the commissioners office and not get suspended.
Mr Charlie
April 13th, 2010
11:55 pm
I would not be suprised of Ben gets traded either.
Bill
April 13th, 2010
11:55 pm
Everyone knows Ben is not innocent.
Money talks and Ben Walks. If it was you or me we would be in jail.
Moron on the loose
April 14th, 2010
12:05 am
What kind of moron wears a shirt that says Drink Like A Champion, then takes a photo that looks like he’s been on a 27 year drinking binge?
TheAntiMe
April 14th, 2010
12:21 am
Send that horndog to his room for at least 3 games.
TheAntiMe
April 14th, 2010
12:24 am
While Ben is suspended maybe he and Tiger can go clubbing?
crabapplejoe
April 14th, 2010
12:31 am
@Mr. Charlie: I totally agree with you…in the future any NFL player that steps into a bar (other than a Mellow Mushroom or a “health spa”), that has women patrons younger than the NFL star, should be immediately suspended for four games. Its the only logical thing for the NFL to do.
Thankfully, Big Ben is the only NFL star who goes clubbin’ so we won’t need to worry about any future suspenisons. As I recall, Micael Irving spent most of his weekends at church on the way to a HOF induction….
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger meets with commissioner Roger … (Midnight Update) | Internet Buzz
April 14th, 2010
12:35 am
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