would you let your daughter go out with big ben?

[jimmy]

as a steeler fan, i would be conflicted, but...

i would probably have to shoot him right on the porch. 

[gorillagogo]

Right now I'd rather see the Steelers dump Roethlisberger and go 4-12 next year than root for Big Ben.

[PMike]

Right now I'd rather see the Steelers dump Roethlisberger and go 4-12 next year than root for Big Ben.

I don't have a daughter, but no way would I let them date.

I, too, wish that he would be traded.  Why trade Holmes and not Roethlisberger?  The Steeler image is the issue, right?  I heard (or read) somewhere today that the Steelers have received some offers for him in the range of a 1st round pick for this year AND a future number 1 or a couple two's.  Those offers coming from lower teams meaning a very high pick this year for the Steelers (top 5 rumored).  I'd jump at that in a heartbeat.

Mike

[scrapiron]

Right now I'd rather see the Steelers dump Roethlisberger and go 4-12 next year than root for Big Ben.

I don't have a daughter, but no way would I let them date.

I, too, wish that he would be traded.  Why trade Holmes and not Roethlisberger?  The Steeler image is the issue, right?  I heard (or read) somewhere today that the Steelers have received some offers for him in the range of a 1st round pick for this year AND a future number 1 or a couple two's.  Those offers coming from lower teams meaning a very high pick this year for the Steelers (top 5 rumored).  I'd jump at that in a heartbeat.

Mike

Why don't they trade Ben?  I think I can answer that.  First, Holmes was in the last year of his contract so it was a lot easier to trade or simply cut him and not pay the price.  With the money invested in Ben for the next half dozen years or so, it is harder to trade him. If they actually were offered multiple number one picks for Ben, I think they would do it without hesitation.   Second, while Ben has been stupid, he has broken no criminal laws.  Holmes has used illegal drugs and been caught.  There is a difference in doing wrong and being accused of doing wrong.  As of yet, there is no evidence that Ben did wrong.  Ok, he appears to have provided alcohol to a minor, but given that she was drinking before he met her, he might justifiably assumed that she was of age.  Beyond that we don't know what happened, and the charges in the civil case against him are still quite suspicious. 

Now, if I had a daughter would I let them date?  Yes, because first it would be her choice, and second I would have raised her with the proper values that she would not have been in the situation which the college girl placed herself.  Also, I would make it clear to any man dating my daughter that if he did anything wrong, he would pay for it out of his hide.  How's that country song go about the dad cleaning his shotgun in front of his daughter's date and letting him know he'd still be doing it when he brought her home? 

[gorillagogo]

If the Steelers decided to trade Roethlisberger, I highly doubt they'd have any difficulty whatsoever. I was joking with some friends that the Steelers should deal him to the Rams for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

[jimmy]

well, i agree that they won't be trading ben. and i'm not sure they should. he hasn't been proven guilty of anything except being an a-hole.

if the offer is real and they get #1 this year and #1 next, the front office would be silly not to entertain the thought. while i don't think dixon is any kind of answer, he could certainly play the position well enough to game manage. of course, if he got the team to the play-offs it would prove the idiots who claimed ben was only a game manager anyway.

another thing to consider is this- how well is ben going to age? his style is reckless and that is a beautiful thing about his game, but he gets hammered. he would probably get hammered with a great line, not the average line he has now. how is he going to hold up for another 2 or 3 years? if you can get 4 first round picks into the system in the next two years, your looking at a fantastic chance of building up the franchise for the next decade. only one problem...who's going to throw the ball?

[scrapiron]

If the Steelers decided to trade Roethlisberger, I highly doubt they'd have any difficulty whatsoever. I was joking with some friends that the Steelers should deal him to the Rams for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

That is the rumor that the Rams made the offer, but it is totally unsubstantiated.

[gorillagogo]

If the Steelers decided to trade Roethlisberger, I highly doubt they'd have any difficulty whatsoever. I was joking with some friends that the Steelers should deal him to the Rams for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

That is the rumor that the Rams made the offer, but it is totally unsubstantiated.

To be clear, I didn't think there was a legitimate chance that such a trade had been offered or would be. I was just talking with some friends, and this was one of those "If I had my way..." type of suggestions.

[scrapiron]

I think it was on prosports daily that I read the rumor, and they were repeating it as a rumor started by jon fedko. 

[PMike]

well, i agree that they won't be trading ben. and i'm not sure they should. he hasn't been proven guilty of anything except being an a-hole.

if the offer is real and they get #1 this year and #1 next, the front office would be silly not to entertain the thought. while i don't think dixon is any kind of answer, he could certainly play the position well enough to game manage. of course, if he got the team to the play-offs it would prove the idiots who claimed ben was only a game manager anyway.

another thing to consider is this- how well is ben going to age? his style is reckless and that is a beautiful thing about his game, but he gets hammered. he would probably get hammered with a great line, not the average line he has now. how is he going to hold up for another 2 or 3 years? if you can get 4 first round picks into the system in the next two years, your looking at a fantastic chance of building up the franchise for the next decade. only one problem...who's going to throw the ball?

I know I am taking your statement a bit out of context, but...  Reckless?  You mean like recklessly driving motorcycles until you nearly kill yourself?

[jimmy]

yes, you are taking it out of context but the greater point has validity. he has shown a disturbing lack of common sense in his personal life. of course, it could be this lack of common sense it also what tells him to hold the ball for an extra second while 1200 pounds of hateful defenders try and kill him. and of course, why he has two super bowl rings.

[SpeedyG]

I think it would be pretty exciting if they traded Ben, but I don't see it happening.  Football is a results oriented game and Ben definitely delivers on the field.  Still, Ben is turning into a black eye for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I've never heard a single good thing about the guy, to be honest.  He lives about 5 minutes down the street from me and I have seen him at Buffalo Wild Wings a couple of times with his giant bodyguards.  He never acknowledges fans and basically walks around like he is God.  If you even try to get close to him, his bodyguards will literally push you away.  Multiple waitresses have told me he is an arrogant a$$hole.

[GoBucs21]

Right now I'd rather see the Steelers dump Roethlisberger and go 4-12 next year than root for Big Ben.

I don't have a daughter, but no way would I let them date.

I, too, wish that he would be traded.  Why trade Holmes and not Roethlisberger?  The Steeler image is the issue, right?  I heard (or read) somewhere today that the Steelers have received some offers for him in the range of a 1st round pick for this year AND a future number 1 or a couple two's.  Those offers coming from lower teams meaning a very high pick this year for the Steelers (top 5 rumored).  I'd jump at that in a heartbeat.

Mike

Why don't they trade Ben?  I think I can answer that.  First, Holmes was in the last year of his contract so it was a lot easier to trade or simply cut him and not pay the price.  With the money invested in Ben for the next half dozen years or so, it is harder to trade him. If they actually were offered multiple number one picks for Ben, I think they would do it without hesitation.   Second, while Ben has been stupid, he has broken no criminal laws.  Holmes has used illegal drugs and been caught.  There is a difference in doing wrong and being accused of doing wrong.  As of yet, there is no evidence that Ben did wrong.  Ok, he appears to have provided alcohol to a minor, but given that she was drinking before he met her, he might justifiably assumed that she was of age.  Beyond that we don't know what happened, and the charges in the civil case against him are still quite suspicious. 

Now, if I had a daughter would I let them date?  Yes, because first it would be her choice, and second I would have raised her with the proper values that she would not have been in the situation which the college girl placed herself.  Also, I would make it clear to any man dating my daughter that if he did anything wrong, he would pay for it out of his hide.  How's that country song go about the dad cleaning his shotgun in front of his daughter's date and letting him know he'd still be doing it when he brought her home? 

In your first paragraph you state that Ben has been convicted of doing nothing wrong and I guess are implying nothing can or should be done.  In the second paragraph however, you warn any potential suitor that if harm is done to your daughter, you will react. 

Would you wait for charges to be filed first? 

Would you wait for a trial and conviction?

Or would you take your daughter's word and react right away?

[scrapiron]

Right now I'd rather see the Steelers dump Roethlisberger and go 4-12 next year than root for Big Ben.

I don't have a daughter, but no way would I let them date.

I, too, wish that he would be traded.  Why trade Holmes and not Roethlisberger?  The Steeler image is the issue, right?  I heard (or read) somewhere today that the Steelers have received some offers for him in the range of a 1st round pick for this year AND a future number 1 or a couple two's.  Those offers coming from lower teams meaning a very high pick this year for the Steelers (top 5 rumored).  I'd jump at that in a heartbeat.

Mike

Why don't they trade Ben?  I think I can answer that.  First, Holmes was in the last year of his contract so it was a lot easier to trade or simply cut him and not pay the price.  With the money invested in Ben for the next half dozen years or so, it is harder to trade him. If they actually were offered multiple number one picks for Ben, I think they would do it without hesitation.   Second, while Ben has been stupid, he has broken no criminal laws.  Holmes has used illegal drugs and been caught.  There is a difference in doing wrong and being accused of doing wrong.  As of yet, there is no evidence that Ben did wrong.  Ok, he appears to have provided alcohol to a minor, but given that she was drinking before he met her, he might justifiably assumed that she was of age.  Beyond that we don't know what happened, and the charges in the civil case against him are still quite suspicious. 

Now, if I had a daughter would I let them date?  Yes, because first it would be her choice, and second I would have raised her with the proper values that she would not have been in the situation which the college girl placed herself.  Also, I would make it clear to any man dating my daughter that if he did anything wrong, he would pay for it out of his hide.  How's that country song go about the dad cleaning his shotgun in front of his daughter's date and letting him know he'd still be doing it when he brought her home? 

In your first paragraph you state that Ben has been convicted of doing nothing wrong and I guess are implying nothing can or should be done.  In the second paragraph however, you warn any potential suitor that if harm is done to your daughter, you will react. 

Would you wait for charges to be filed first? 

Would you wait for a trial and conviction?

Or would you take your daughter's word and react right away?

Once again someone is trying to twist my words.  I never said anything about convictions.  What I have written is that to the best of anyone's knowledge he has not broken any laws (with the exception of giving a minor alcohol, and the bar is also complicit in that).  To the best of our knowledge, he has never sexually assaulted anyone.  That said, what can be done?  The NFL and the team can discipline him and deservedly so.

You seem to infer there is some sort of contradiction between my first paragraph about reality and the second that is hypothetical. There is not.   Your subsequent questions regarding my hypothetical actions are simply ridiculous.   

[gorillagogo]

What I have written is that to the best of anyone's knowledge he has not broken any laws (with the exception of giving a minor alcohol, and the bar is also complicit in that).  To the best of our knowledge, he has never sexually assaulted anyone. 

I think, given all the evidence that's come out, there's a greater than 80% chance that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted this girl. The reality of how these things play out, though, is that even if it were 100% likely that he sexually assaulted her there would still be a good chance he'd beat a conviction in court, and the proceedings would only make the entire situation worse for the victim as she would be dragged through the mud by Ben's attorneys.

Personally, the most troubling aspect of this whole story, to me, is the behavior of the police. First you have Ben's bodyguards, who were off-duty police officers, allegedly dragging this girl into a secluded area and then physically restraining her friends from helping her once Roethlisberger started having sex with her. Then you have the local cop that the girls first reported the situation to. He tried to talk them out of it, and when they persisted he pretty much downplayed the entire thing, calling them a bunch of "b%ches" for having the audacity to report that their friend was raped. It's clear he didn't care whether Roethlisberger raped the girl or not, and he was rightfully fired after his actions came to light.