It’s safe to say that the Ravens have been through their share of questionable activity over the years. As we speak, former Raven Michael McCrary is having to deal with a restraining order placed on him by his wife. A few weeks earlier, we were hearing crazy things about Terrell Suggs.
With that in mind, how do we approach the sexual assault charges against Big Ben?
This is the 2nd time within a year that this has happened to the guy. At the very least, the dude is hanging out with sketchy characters. At the most, it could spell doom for the face of the Ravens most hated rivals.
Honestly, if this guy has a problem, I hope he gets help. This is not good for him or his team or the league. I would hate to see the Steelers suffer because of this guy’s off the field issues. I want the Steelers to suffer because the Ravens are the superior team and are dominating the division.
Sadler,
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Rooneyville. In general, the Stillers try to ensure that their franchise faces are squeaky clean. Sure, they had role players like Santonio Holmes who had run ins with the law, but never their franchise QB.
It's easy to preach about doing the right thing and letting go of the guys who tarnish your image until it becomes your two-time super bowl winning QB.
Rooneyville will have to put up or put on the old spin…
The Stillers will defend him because as you said, he's a two time SB winning QB and initially they will try to work with him in his inability to understand the meaning of the word "No". This is showing a trend which cannot be overlooked with todays scrutiny and media. I would image they will sit him down and tell him enough is enough, start to live your life right or your out of here. That being said, there are those of you I have posted with that would overlook this and only care what happens on the field. Maybe because I have a military background, character should mean as much as the end result. How you got there matters as much as getting there. I realize I'm in the minority on this topic but we should care how the athletes on the Ravens live their lives. We all make mistakes but there are consequences for those mistakes, at least for those of us who don't have million dollar contracts or connections in other areas. There is a three strike rule for repeat criminals to spend long prison sentences, if not life. Why do these guys deserve more than you or I?
Pole,
The older I get, the more in tune with these thoughts I become.
Pole
Ben is a moron. And I think you have twisted things just a bit with how some of us (well, me) view these situations. I find what many of these athletes do reprehensible. I really do. But it's one of those things where I, as a fan, have no choice in the matter. Well, I have a choice. That would be to stop following the teams and stop being a fan. But that's not a choice I want to make. I have come to the realization that many of these guys don't in fact play by the same rules. I don't agree with it. But again, what is there to do about it? In my personal life I would never associate myself with a significant percentage of pro athletes.
I know people who live in Pittsburgh that cannot stand the guy. His nightlife exploits have made the rounds up there big time. I just read a quote from another girl at the bar that night. She basically said that she went up to him and wanted a picture. Once he realized that's all she wanted he called her an expletive and moved on to another girl who he, as she said, "aggressively hit on".
The simple answer to your question is they don't deserve anything more than us. The sad reality is that they do get more chances than the average Joe.
It's not good that this is happening all over again for Roethlisberger. I wondering what the reaction to his behavior will be and how this whole thing will play out.
I am disappointed with the news about McCrary though. I ran into him at a Starbucks in Hunt Valley a few years ago and he was the nicest guy…of course everyone says that though don't they?
Yea they do Zach.
I have seen him out in a more "adult" setting and seen a side of him that's not very nice.
That whole situation seems extremely volatile.
Pole – Your using your military background? You were a cook that had psychiatric problems when you gave all your men food poisoning…. I do agree with you though on your points…
You know, we all watched every offseason to see how many Bungals got arrested. Now we watch to see what Brainless Ben does stupid in the off season. Remember the helmetless motorcycle accident? Heck, I ride motorcycles, been in Pa. with it where there is no law to wear it, but I kept the thing on. I just think Ben is stupid.
2488,
Pole was, indeed, a cracker jack cook with the Fighting 103rd during the conflict in Korea. He accidentally poisoned his troops and didn't cook again for years.
I don't know what else to say other than what has already been said. Big Ben has had a pretty successful career to date, but appears to be on a very self destructive path. I think the guy needs help. Certainly the women around him need help.
The first time this came around, I thought it might be a woman just trying to get some money with a settlement. Now I have definite doubts.
To me, how the commissioner handles this will determine how much of a "star system" exists in the NFL, and how seriously the NFL takes sexual assault cases under its new conduct policy. If this turns out to be true; that he forced himself on a woman, this needs to be handled at least as harshly as Donte Stallworth, whose crime, albeit horrible, was at least partially accidental. Don't tell me that Ben "needs help" to get his act together, or that he needs to learn. His victims, if they are victims, are the ones who need help. Keep the focus where it belongs.
This is absolutely disgusting behavior- while we need to wait until all the facts come out, I hope the commissioner doesn't tip-toe his way around this investigation because he has a star quarterback on his hands. Alas, sometimes I think that if Peyton Manning blew up a bus full of orphans the league would give him no more than a $50K fine and a "stern" warning.
It will be interesting to see how the commissioner handles this case. I wonder what the NFL will do to one of their poster boys if the evidence leans heavily towards guilty in these allegations.
Sheila,
You are absolutely correct in stating the women are the alleged victims. I hope you didn’t misconstrue my message when I said Ben needs help. I mean that in the sense that he is a complete moron and should have his head examined. Not that he is in need of counselling to fight his “addiction” ala Tiger Woods.
No, I just have a problem with people who say "Oh, this is just Ben being stupid." If he did what he is accused of, he is not "stupid". He is a criminal, plain and simple. The whole "boys will be boys, this is just like his idiotic decision not to wear a motorcycle helmet" argument is ridiculous. The motorcycle was stupid- this would be malicious, and frankly, evil. He would have to go away for a long, long, time, like any other rapist.
However, I know that we don't know anything yet and I might be jumping the gun. But to me it is just disgusting to even think about.
The word "addiction" gets thrown around a lot in the athletic community. It's an easy way to redirect the blame for the mistakes these guys make.
My prediction? Right now Big Ben’s legal team is putting together a substantial monetary offer that will make this whole thing go away. The Stillers will imply that the woman was a publicity hound and or a gold digger. Big Ben will skate once again.
When I hear things like this I tend to believe the negative side of people before the facts come out. More often then not ,it's true. I believe Ben is guilty and hopefully he will spend some time behind bars with his boyfriend Bubba. Either he'll learn what "no" means, or he'll find out what it feels like to be sexually assaulted, like his victims.
Amen Pole. And for anyone that is still following this story, it seems to be getting more serious. Roethlisberger admitted "contact" with the accuser.
That's not good…