Poll: What will be the end result of the Ben case

[Super Dave]

While I can somewhat understand those who believe he should never be a Steeler again if he is charged/arrested/convicted, those who think the Steelers should cut ties with him if he is not guilty simply blow my mind...

Especially because, of all people, they are also the ones who are old enough to have followed the Steelers from the careers of Terry Bradshaw to Ben Roethlisberger...and everyone in-between.

Franchise quarterbacks don't exactly grow on trees in Western Pennsylvania anymore. And the Steelers are in the business of winning. Since nobody has done it more often than Roethlisberger within his first 5 years in the NFL, I doubt that the Rooneys are dumb enough to do as you wish.

Not sure if this was addressed at me.....but the question was what do I think will happen, not what I want to happen.

I saw Steeler Management take one in the ass over spygate, all for the good of the league, then basically tell the fans to [FILTH] off. They will do what they want to do. My greatest fear is that they cut Ben just to make a statement.

[Parasite]

First option.

[Sean]

Not sure if this was addressed at me.....but the question was what do I think will happen, not what I want to happen.

I saw Steeler Management take one in the ass over spygate, all for the good of the league, then basically tell the fans to [FILTH] off. They will do what they want to do. My greatest fear is that they cut Ben just to make a statement.

It was addressed to you, but also to everyone else who thinks just like you.

Winning puts more people in seats than "making a statement". While I have no doubt that Ben Roethlisberger's lifestyle is going to change, whether it be his own doing or under the pressure of the Steelers' front office (hopefully both), I can see Roethlisberger being on a MUCH shorter leash.

If the Steelers' cut him, there are 20+ teams who will line up for his services within a few seconds of catching the news.

[hook]

Ben settles out of court, no charges filed, maybe a 1 game suspension and we hear about it for years from all fans who hate the Steelers.

[bigtwnvin]

Ben Roethlisberger found guilty in the court of public opinion.... pshaw. Did Ben do something dumb? Maybe but so far it appears Ben flapping his gums to the law about Ms. Georgia in the can doing a flop and he "may have had contact with her", seems to be the biggest boo boo of all.
Nobody has facts and like the Reno case, Ben seems to have had "contact" with yet another filly having at least enough legal coaching to collect a paycheck by putting their face in public and accusing a dumb jock with a fat gut and a fat bank account of hanky panky.
Abandon Ben as the Steelers franchise QB?? That's the Rooney family's decision they own his contract.
How about Ben spends a lot of his personal dough in legal fees and PI fees and this winds up being a horrible set up by a 20 year old and her scheming friends and Ben is guilty of nothing but making poor choices (again) and he sees how the media and jagoffs like Steigerwald really are and he tells the Rooneys he wants traded. You dickheadz would collectlively poop in your skivies. :-0

[Super Dave]

It was addressed to you, but also to everyone else who thinks just like you.

Winning puts more people in seats than "making a statement". While I have no doubt that Ben Roethlisberger's lifestyle is going to change, whether it be his own doing or under the pressure of the Steelers' front office (hopefully both), I can see Roethlisberger being on a MUCH shorter leash.

If the Steelers' cut him, there are 20+ teams who will line up for his services within a few seconds of catching the news.

No [FILTH]ing [FILTH], thats why I said in a previous post that The Steelers owe it to their fans, the PSL Owners, and the taxpayers, to not cut him, to get max value out of him because there will be a demand for him, if they feel they need to rid themselves of him.

You mention a much shorter leash, what exactly does that mean? If this happens again, then what? What does the shorter leash imply in that scenario?

Again the thread asks what I think will happen, not what I would want to happen.

I think that in a small, provincial town like Pittsburgh, the heat on the Steelers in a 24 hour newscycle during the internet age, could dictate a scenario where Ben has to be traded, and in fact, we may be reaching critical mass on that issue.

This thing needs to be cleared up ASAP

[thesteelcity]

from a football standpoint, no Steeler fan should want him gone or cut. That would be stupid. If the Rooney's just don't or can't deal with his behavior and neg. publicity he is bringing to the org, then they need to be smart about moving him. Again, that would be devastating, from a football aspect. On the personal side, a lot needs to happen, to improve his good gracings with the Rooney's and Steeler fans. A lot of damage has happened in the past week, no matter the outcome.

[Big Daddy Slim]

ben settles out of court, is suspended by the Steelers, and in his spare time he gets a flavor flav/bret michaels-style reality show on VH-1 where 20 skanks will live under the same roof competing for his love, and week by week one will be eliminated til he finds that one special hoochie to spend two weeks of bliss with until they conveniently break-up in time to film the next season...someone get me some tissue.

[LeXX75]

Ben goes to Tiger for advice on women...ends up dating Elin Nordegren...

[TWEEK1106]

i doubt this will affect him in any way.

[Beaker]

I think ben will be back to play QB this season. I also think he may have to settle out of court. The problem is, the longer this goes without him being cleared, the more likely he will be charged. Prosecuters will not want to file charges until and unless they have all their i's dotted and t's crossed. It can take several weeks for them to do so as they investigate. If the charges were baseless, I think they wouldve said so by now. I think now that there is something there, but the hang up is whether or not there's enough to prosecute effectively. I also thought it was a red flag when ben admitted contact, but that she "fell and hit her head". Sounds too much like a wife beater saying "she ran into a door".

[SteelerScott]

The Rooneys would only let Ben go if was found GUILTY of rape in LakeTahoe and SexualAssault in GA.
I don't think either will happen.

I do expect a lengthy written apology in the next month. Hopefully, he reads the script a little better than Tiger.

[scrapdog]

I also thought it was a red flag when ben admitted contact, but that she "fell and hit her head". Sounds too much like a wife beater saying "she ran into a door".

This is what I have the biggest problem with. I don't buy into your assertion that others have echoed too that Ben is some sort of “monster” when it comes to women. He is though too much of a “party boy” that needs to grow up and act his age and most importantly, exude the kind of upstanding character that exemplifies being an elite NFL athlete.

I do believe he is a victim of circumstance (it's what I believe in my heart). I also believe this to be true in the McNulty case too.

Based on what is known so far, Ben seemingly was going to have some sort of consensual sexual contact with her (BJ, actual intercourse, whatever) in this small bathroom and before that could happen, she had a mishap where she slipped and hurt herself from her own doing. It was already established she had been drinking and that she was in his company going back to the 1st bar that Ben was at watching the Pitt game. Who knows if she even had anything to eat....any amount of alcohol for a girl that size can have huge effects.

Again to quote this....

According to KDKA, Roethlisberger admitted last Friday -- the day of the alleged incident -- to having contact with the woman at the Capital City nightclub, but he said it wasn't consummated (means to me that they were going to "do it", but her clumsy ass fell hurting herself).

Now, is it going to be her contention that it was Ben's doing that caused her to get hurt? Comes down to the ole he-said she-said. That's why Ben hired investigators so they can gather everything they can to paint the most accurate picture of her as a person and her actions leading up to the “incident”

I really hope he comes out of this unscathed for the most part and that he wakes the [FILTH] up. I too hope this girl will be ok but my feelings are ambivalent when it comes to her.

[steelhurt]

The thing that bothers me the most is the fact that the guy is 28 years old when most players are married with families. Didn't this guy sow enogh wild oates as a teen and young adult in his early 20's? Why is he even in a place like that filled with 20 and 21 year old college students? With his celebrity status wouldn't you think he'd have no problem dating professional women his own age with possibly even the prospect of marriage. This is a 28 year old man trapped with a 19 year old's mentality. If the Rooneys do anything for this guy please get him some behavior counseling. Its obvious that his upringing was horrendous to be acting this way. What must his father and step mother be thinking? Geez! Did they not teach him anything about respecting others and knowing how to carry yourself and conduct one's self.

I like Ben as a QB. He has done so much for us and hopefully it continues, but as a person I'm more disappointed and angry at him.Disappointed because I expected so much more from him. Angry because he continues to put himself in terrible situations and for being so damn arrogant to be in that situation with the Nevada case still looming

Ben, wake up now. Not just for the Steeler's sake but for your sake as a human being. 20 years from now you are going to regret all of this and what possibly could have been. Stop acting the fool and start acting your age and carry yourself as someone that others particulary the kids, will look up to.

What happens with the case,the league and Mr.Rooney I do not profess to have a clue. Ben has left his well being in the hands of so many and thats never good. We as fans can do nothing but wait it out and accept the outcome, whatever that may be.I'm more concerned for Ben the person than Ben the QB.

[Sean]

No [FILTH]ing [FILTH], thats why I said in a previous post that The Steelers owe it to their fans, the PSL Owners, and the taxpayers, to not cut him, to get max value out of him because there will be a demand for him, if they feel they need to rid themselves of him.

You mention a much shorter leash, what exactly does that mean? If this happens again, then what? What does the shorter leash imply in that scenario?

Again the thread asks what I think will happen, not what I would want to happen.

I think that in a small, provincial town like Pittsburgh, the heat on the Steelers in a 24 hour newscycle during the internet age, could dictate a scenario where Ben has to be traded, and in fact, we may be reaching critical mass on that issue.

This thing needs to be cleared up ASAP

A "much shorter leash" means that the Steelers' brass meet with him prior to OTAs next week and say, "We will stand behind you during your off-the-field issues, but another blip on the radar ends your career in Pittsburgh. No questions asked. Call it tough love, if you will, as we only want what's best for you as a person first, player second. But this is your final warning. Make the necessary adjustment to ensure that you do not put yourself, and the Steelers' name, in the spotlight like this again."

As soon as that meeting is over, Ben Roethlisberger needs to make another public statement declaring his innocence once again and being much more sincere in his apology to the fans and his team.

After that, if Roethlisberger is seriously free of any wrong-doing as the law is written--which I tend to believe is the case--then he needs to focus on football and his teammates while his lawyers earn their paychecks.

And if the people of Pittsburgh had the power to make personnel changes with the Steelers, I will single-handedly spearhead the charge to keep Willie Gay out of Pittsburgh this season. Chances are that James Farrior would have already been cut. Same with Lawrence Timmons perhaps. Any member of the offensive line. Bruce Arians would have been long gone. And so forth.

[slashsteel]

The Rooneys would only let Ben go if was found GUILTY of rape in LakeTahoe and SexualAssault in GA.
I don't think either will happen.

Both huh? I am sure being convicted of rape would be enough, but maybe they would let him slide with one civil case not going in his favor. But past that I wouldnt bank on too much.....

[Steelersrule]

A "much shorter leash" means that the Steelers' brass meet with him prior to OTAs next week and say, "We will stand behind you during your off-the-field issues, but another blip on the radar ends your career in Pittsburgh. No questions asked. Call it tough love, if you will, as we only want what's best for you as a person first, player second. But this is your final warning. Make the necessary adjustment to ensure that you do not put yourself, and the Steelers' name, in the spotlight like this again."

As soon as that meeting is over, Ben Roethlisberger needs to make another public statement declaring his innocence once again and being much more sincere in his apology to the fans and his team.

After that, if Roethlisberger is seriously free of any wrong-doing as the law is written--which I tend to believe is the case--then he needs to focus on football and his teammates while his lawyers earn their paychecks.

And if the people of Pittsburgh had the power to make personnel changes with the Steelers, I will single-handedly spearhead the charge to keep Willie Gay out of Pittsburgh this season. Chances are that James Farrior would have already been cut. Same with Lawrence Timmons perhaps. Any member of the offensive line. Bruce Arians would have been long gone. And so forth.

I am pretty sure Ben has met with the Rooney's and they have expressed their displeasure already.

As far as any public statement, Ben needs to keep his mouth shut, and his face out of sight. Out of sight equals out of mind.

[Lunar]

Ben needs to hit on blind women.

[FAB802]

If he would just keep it real and make it rain on some hoes in a strip club he wouldn't be having all these problems. We need to bring in PacMan as a consultant.

[ronburgundy]

Option 1. I'm thinking there isn't enough evidence to prove it wasn't consensual and make the case stick. Still doesn't help his image though.