I don't get this. If you're going to punish someone for being a freaking rapist, I can't imagine doing anything less than booting them entirely.

"Well, you can't play in six whole football games, you ne'er do well."

Di Atribe: I hate to take Ben's side here, but he was never convicted.

Then why punish him at all? This whole 4 vs. 6 weeks thing is asinine.

Cagey B: Then why punish him at all?

Because he caused a negative-publicity shiatstorm. As long as you stay out of the papers (relatively speaking), you can drive drunk, punch people in strip clubs, carry guns illegally, whatever you want. As long as you don't get your own ticker category on ESPN's "bottom line", as long as people aren't calling for your head, Goodell doesn't care because out of sight, out of mind.

Cagey B: I don't get this. If you're going to punish someone for being a freaking rapist, I can't imagine doing anything less than booting them entirely.

I believe in an eye for an eye... Ben should be repeatedly anally raped in a prison bathroom, then sold to a gang for a carton of smokes.

I don't see why Goodell didn't just suspend him for four games in the first place. He pretty much just came out and and said it would only be four games anyway unless Ben went on a rape spree during training camp. Either man up and suspend him for six, or say four in the first place. I don't see what his "good behavior" was other than not getting girls drunk in dive bars. It just makes the NFL look like a joke when they handle it this way.

Goddell should have left the suspension at 6. By the time, the Steelers start out 0-4, their season will be lost anyway.

Di Atribe: Cagey B: I don't get this. If you're going to punish someone for being a freaking rapist, I can't imagine doing anything less than booting them entirely.

"Well, you can't play in six whole football games, you ne'er do well."

I hate to take Ben's side here, but he was never convicted.

I feel dirty now. I should go wash.


/with beer


There is much hearsay to confirm that he is both an overwhelming asshole and a rapist (separately). Hearsay is generally not accepted in court but when there's a mountain of it it's often accurate.

Funny thing is none of this would have been an issue if he'd died in his cocky motorcycle accident.

Actually, 6 games is harsh for some never actually charged of a crime. Though, plying underage (20) women with alcohol and demanding a BJ in bar restroom is far from model citizen behavior. I suppose 4 games is about right.

CD_Ridge: Actually, 6 games is harsh for some never actually charged of a crime. Though, plying underage (20) women with alcohol and demanding a BJ in bar restroom is far from model citizen behavior. I suppose 4 games is about right.

Agreed, because he's a famous football player a quarter season layoff that costs him (2 millionish?) is completely acceptable in lieu of jail time.

OK, here is the deal...the violation he was suspended for is a conduct violation imposed by the NFL. He was not suspended for any legal violation. Fine, we get that. But to suspend him for six and then lower it to four just because he asked for it to be lowered is undermining your own authority and credibility. The NFL is showing itself to be the joke that everyone has secretly suspected it of being for the last 20 years...an arbitrary "make it up as you go" organization concerned with nothing more than its own self-preservation. Goodell really blew it here, and it is going to come back to haunt the NFL in the future.

Football used to be a really great game. Then the unions got involved and it became less so, but college football was still a great game. Until the union money influence trickled down to the universities. Now I watch mostly high school football, which isn't as good, but still relies on what we used to call "heart" to win games fairly often. And that is what made the game watchable in the first place...not "parity" or points or superstars, but heart.

How odd, Goodell reduces Bad Ben's ban on the very same day that the Stealers' backup QB has an MRI that reveals a torn MCL! Shucks, that sure is a coincidence!

I don't understand the timing. The actual suspension hasn't even started yet, and it's getting reduced already for 'good behavior'??? Wouldn't it make more sense for him to actually go through the first 4 weeks first and then decide to reduce it? Goodell is going to look like a jackass if Ben farks up in the next month.

ElwoodCuse: Cagey B: Then why punish him at all?

Because he caused a negative-publicity shiatstorm. As long as you stay out of the papers (relatively speaking), you can drive drunk, punch people in strip clubs, carry guns illegally, whatever you want. As long as you don't get your own ticker category on ESPN's "bottom line", as long as people aren't calling for your head, Goodell doesn't care because out of sight, out of mind.

Who caused it? Rothlisberger caused it? Grow up.

I'm not even a fan of the Steelers. But he deserved 0 games.

Keep your conservative judgement and stone throwing out of my NFL please.

jamming your junk into the face of an unsuspecting drunk woman ten years younger than you does not a bad quarterback make

don't lose sight of what is really important

Balchinian: OK, here is the deal...the violation he was suspended for is a conduct violation imposed by the NFL. He was not suspended for any legal violation. Fine, we get that. But to suspend him for six and then lower it to four just because he asked for it to be lowered is undermining your own authority and credibility. The NFL is showing itself to be the joke that everyone has secretly suspected it of being for the last 20 years...an arbitrary "make it up as you go" organization concerned with nothing more than its own self-preservation. Goodell really blew it here, and it is going to come back to haunt the NFL in the future.

Football used to be a really great game. Then the unions got involved and it became less so, but college football was still a great game. Until the union money influence trickled down to the universities. Now I watch mostly high school football, which isn't as good, but still relies on what we used to call "heart" to win games fairly often. And that is what made the game watchable in the first place...not "parity" or points or superstars, but heart.

I really don't want to jump in the middle of this, but I have to point out a factual error here. When the suspension was first announced -- by the league -- it was a six game suspension that could be reduced to four based on evaluations/not farking up between then and now. Ben filed his petition to say that he met the requirements for the 4 game suspension and the league agreed. This was all part of the original deal that was laid out when the ruling was first made.

The_Sponge: F*ck you Roger.

But at the same time, it's a football league. The cops and lawyers worked out the criminal shiat, Roger's a stooge to make football look respectable.

GO RAVENS

Douches all around.

Didn't we just do this thread this morning?

/and yesterday?

//and...?

Dired: Convicted? Hell, he wasn't even charged. All we have is he-said-she-said when everyone involved was drunk, and for that people are sure of guilt or innocence? They couldn't even find a DA looking for some face time to even bring in a grand jury. Oh well, hopefully Proposition 304 will pass soon.

It does help when many of the accused companions happen to be off duty cops from the town where the crime is alleged to occurred. Particularly if at least one of the officers was accused of being an accomplice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwcdtLyYvmg&sns=em

Wolverines: He wasn't charged with a crime so wtf is up with the hate? Innocent until proven guilty, amirite?

And hey, if the cop who got fired managed to convince the victim not to file a complaint until the next day or get a rape kit done until 24 hours later, and the bar owner had just happened to clean the bathroom from floor to ceiling with bleach that night for the first time in a decade, then he's totally innocent, amirite? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Wink, wink. Bros before hos, amirite?

Whether or not Ben deserves this suspension for doing whatever to this woman.... he certainly deserves it for being a dumbass.

/Go Ravens.

Fark you Ben.

If he was a black player he'd have been banned for alot longer. Oh to be a marketable white player in the NFL......

Wonder if we could just have one Roethelisberger hate thread that was bumped into the Sports tab each day so we didn't have to start over every day?

In lieu of that, let me preempt all future threads with the following easy reference chart of comments that will inevitably appear in all Rothelisberger/Steeler threads:

1. Ben Rapistberger LAWL
2. He's innocent until proven guilty!/He's guilty of being stupid and/or conduct policy violation.
3. He totally raped that virginal young choir girl and its a huge conspiracy involving multiple private citizens with no prior attachment to Roethlisberger, the District Attorney's Office and the NFL to keep him from doing the time he deserves
4. She was a slut and asking for it.
5. The STEELERS SUCK/6 Superbowl rings!

I think that should about cover it. These things are worse than the evolution and global warming threads, the same crap and tired arguments in every thread. Anything for page views I guess, squeeze a little more out of ESPN.

inclemency: Di Atribe: Cagey B: I don't get this. If you're going to punish someone for being a freaking rapist, I can't imagine doing anything less than booting them entirely.

"Well, you can't play in six whole football games, you ne'er do well."

I hate to take Ben's side here, but he was never convicted.

I feel dirty now. I should go wash.


/with beer


There is much hearsay to confirm that he is both an overwhelming asshole and a rapist (separately). Hearsay is generally not accepted in court but when there's a mountain of it it's often accurate.

Funny thing is none of this would have been an issue if he'd died in his cocky motorcycle accident.

Haven't you heard/said about a certain celebrity political talking head embarking on some shenanigans in 1990?

ragekage: Haven't you heard/said about a certain celebrity political talking head embarking on some shenanigans in 1990?

How dare you trivialize what happened to that poor woman as "shenanigans."

The proper word is "tomfoolery."

orsonwagon

That doesn't look like a Caesar at all.

Cagey B: Di Atribe: I hate to take Ben's side here, but he was never convicted.

Then why punish him at all? This whole 4 vs. 6 weeks thing is asinine.


Easy. You can't kick a guy out of the league when he hasn't even been charged... but you can suspend him for a violation of the conduct policy.

and suspensions are commonly reduced if the player participates in a program... same as like with regular people in the real world.

Dr Dreidel: But at the same time, it's a football league. The cops and lawyers worked out the criminal shiat, Roger's a stooge to make football look respectable.

goodell isn't stupid. the list of current and former nfl players charged with or convicted of spousal abuse is quite long. They have to leave some players for the games you know

ragekage: Haven't you heard/said about a certain celebrity political talking head embarking on some shenanigans in 1990?

I think that this is just a bit different.

justtray: Who caused it? Rothlisberger caused it? Grow up.

I'm not even a fan of the Steelers. But he deserved 0 games.

Keep your conservative judgement and stone throwing out of my NFL please.

Calm down dude, I agree with you 100% (and I'm also not a Steelers fan). I'm just saying how Goodell rolls.

Obscure Simpsons Quote: Wonder if we could just have one Roethelisberger hate thread that was bumped into the Sports tab each day so we didn't have to start over every day?

In lieu of that, let me preempt all future threads with the following easy reference chart of comments that will inevitably appear in all Rothelisberger/Steeler threads:

1. Ben Rapistberger LAWL
2. He's innocent until proven guilty!/He's guilty of being stupid and/or conduct policy violation.
3. He totally raped that virginal young choir girl and its a huge conspiracy involving multiple private citizens with no prior attachment to Roethlisberger, the District Attorney's Office and the NFL to keep him from doing the time he deserves
4. She was a slut and asking for it.
5. The STEELERS SUCK/6 Superbowl rings!

I think that should about cover it. These things are worse than the evolution and global warming threads, the same crap and tired arguments in every thread. Anything for page views I guess, squeeze a little more out of ESPN.

Oh, you poor poor baby! I'm disgusted that someone made you click on the link to this thread under duress!

Oh, they didn't? Then STFU.

Winston Churchill: jamming your junk into the face of an unsuspecting drunk woman ten years younger than you does not a bad quarterback make

don't lose sight of what is really important

f*cking kill yourself

pestluvr: Obscure Simpsons Quote: Wonder if we could just have one Roethelisberger hate thread that was bumped into the Sports tab each day so we didn't have to start over every day?

In lieu of that, let me preempt all future threads with the following easy reference chart of comments that will inevitably appear in all Rothelisberger/Steeler threads:

1. Ben Rapistberger LAWL
2. He's innocent until proven guilty!/He's guilty of being stupid and/or conduct policy violation.
3. He totally raped that virginal young choir girl and its a huge conspiracy involving multiple private citizens with no prior attachment to Roethlisberger, the District Attorney's Office and the NFL to keep him from doing the time he deserves
4. She was a slut and asking for it.
5. The STEELERS SUCK/6 Superbowl rings!

I think that should about cover it. These things are worse than the evolution and global warming threads, the same crap and tired arguments in every thread. Anything for page views I guess, squeeze a little more out of ESPN.

Oh, you poor poor baby! I'm disgusted that someone made you click on the link to this thread under duress!

Oh, they didn't? Then STFU.

He forgot the squirrels.

The worst part is why the suspension was cut.

FTA:

The news came after the quarterback's Friday meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell who apparently was persuaded by Roethlisberger, and Steelers owner Art Rooney who accompanied the bad boy QB, that the Big Ben was a changed man.

The commissioner could take the position that Roethlisberger was never convicted and all the charges were based on hearsay, so the suspension is dropped altogether. Now of course the commissioner didn't do that because he'd get a lot of crap. So by keeping the suspension and then reducing it, you're saying: "yes he sexual assaulted her, but he feels really bad about it, so let's have a little pity for Ben."

thornhill: all the charges were based on hearsay

Just because you've "heard" people "say" the term "hearsay" before doesn't mean you're qualified to use it. Hearsay has a very specific definition, and it certainly doesn't apply here.