Ben Roethlisburger Sexual Assault...Silence of the Media Damning

[Bullet1987]

Ok. If this were ANY other athlete, the MSM would already have forced this guy out of Pittsburgh and jobless. If this were say, Donovan McNabb, he would be getting crucified right now. Yet, we're talking about Big Ben here, 2-time Superbowl champion...good ol'boy, so the sports media is treating this with such kid gloves that it's embarrassing. Some people say it's because he hasn't been charged with anything yet...well when has that stopped the media before? It didn't stop their assault on Kobe Bryant. They're simply allowing this to be swept under the rug when this is now the 2nd time he's been in trouble for something sex-related. Someone please tell me how this ISN'T a double standard.

[dkf]

1. I'd say it's because he's not as big as Tiger Woods.

[Bullet1987]

2. I disagree

He's one of the most recognizable QBs in the NFL, playing on one of the most popular and well-known teams in the NFL.

[dkf]

I wouldn't recognize the Man if he was in front of my face.

Those helmets obscure everything.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. Big...as in famous or Big... as in... ? n/t

[PRETZEL]

4. Read any of the Pittsburgh papers

or sports web sites that focus on Pittsburgh sports.

They are by no means sweeping this under the carpet. He's being vilified there.

But in a sense I can agree that the coverage Kobe got vs. Ben isn't the same. Maybe the media learned from the over the top coverage of Kobe. Doesn't make what they did to Kobe right though.

[Bullet1987]

5. I doubt it...Tiger Woods got plenty of over-the-top

coverage. As does ANY other athlete that even so much as runs a red light. In the NFL, that may get you suspended. As far as the Pittsburgh papers...that's to be expected. It's local. I'm talking about ESPN and the NFL Network. Non-sports media even gets involved when it's a well known figure involved like Kobe or Tiger.

[reflection]

6. This Steeler fan agrees with the Kobe comparison.

It's a clear double standard. Ben is in deep trouble. At best, he's going to lose a huge wad of money. At worst, he's headed for prison.

Shame on you Ben. You're either an idiot or a sexual predator.

[PRETZEL]

9. He might very well be,

I'm not defending Ben.

I just want to make sure that I'm making my opinions based on what I know from the investigation, not from rumors.

[NoodleyAppendage]

7. He's white. There's no tantilizing "race" angle for the media to trump-up. n/t

J

[Myrina]

11. ... and that's just the response the OP was hoping to see ...

:eyes:

[NoodleyAppendage]

16. Well...does that make it a false reason? Come on.

Get your head out of the sand. If this was a black athlete assualting a white woman, there would be a media firestorm.

J

[Botany]

8. Ben is guilty of being an idiot and putting himself in a bad situation .....

.... time after time but he as of yet to charged w/ any crime.

You know that guilty until proven innocent thing ..... or something like that.

Trust me there is tons of media following the story and they will pounce if
anything comes out bad on Roethlisburger.

[devilgrrl]

10. My Brother-in-law (huge Steelers fans) says he's one of hugest assholes he's ever met... EVER!

My Bro-in-law is a pretty laid-back kinda of guy too. Has nothing nice to say about Big Ben because Big Ben is a Big Asshole. And I believe him.

[DrDan]

12. huh? I saw the story several times this morning already

hardly being swept under the table.

No - no double-standard.

[Romulox]

13. Something weird about Pittsburgh and pro sports. Pens get kid glove treatment, too...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10070/1041933-61.stm

[PRETZEL]

17. Cooke's been suspended before

for cheap shots.

[Romulox]

19. Should've been suspended again. Pens have the stink of teacher's pet on 'em. nt

[PRETZEL]

21. I've seen the hit,

read the interviews and what not.

It was a cheap shot in my opinion.

Only problem was that it was actually from what I understand under the rules a legal hit. Cooke didn't use his elbow, Savard did have his head down.

Like I said, I didn't like what Cooke did, but from what I've seen, it wasn't an illegal hit.

[Romulox]

23. The NHL disciplinary rule book is as malleable as Play Dough--they could've suspended him,

if they wanted to. Without any specific knowledge, I betcha I can find an "intent to injure" grounds for suspension in the NHL rulebook.

The Cooke hit was classless, unsportsmanlike, and unprofessional. These young men are athletes, businessmen, and colleagues. They need to be encouraged to look out for one another (within the confines of great competition) rather than to injure one another. As I get older, I remember so many great players taken out before their prime by head injuries. It needs to end, and this was a perfect place to draw a line.

[PRETZEL]

24. I'm not going to disagree at all

about the hit being classless, unsportsmanlike and unprofessional. Cooke does have a reputation for that at times.

I think this will be addressed on the ice in a couple of weeks when they play up in Boston.

However, I'm not sure I'd like the league getting so bothced down in trying to enforce intent to injure penalties.

[Romulox]

25. Another Todd Bertuzzi type incident isn't good for the league.

And this inconsistency will remain as long as Gary Bettman is in charge. It's his trademark.

[PRETZEL]

26. More so Colin Campbell

he's the one making those calls.

Inconsistency is very true.

Many of the Pens fans while not attempting to exonerate Cooke, take as an example the hit that Mike Richards of the Flyers hit on a guy named Booth of Florida.

http://thepuckdoctors.com/2009/10/mike-richards-hit-on-david-booth-clean-or-dirty/

[saltpoint]

14. He hasn't been convicted yet so far as I know.

The story seems to be on the cable news sites.

[trumad]

15. Your Op is misleading

the story is on every sports page in America.

What---you want it on the CNN front page?

[joeybee12]

18. Turn on ESPN...you're just not looking hard enough...n/t

[FarCenter]

20. He doesn't make much from endorsements -- has no national image

from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2010-03-08-roethlisberger-image_N.htm

"Endorsements generated $2.5 million of Roethlisberger's total $15.3 million payday in 2009, according to Sports Illustrated's "Fortunate 50" list of America's top-earning athletes."

---

Tiger Woods was a big national story outside of the sports press because he was a major advertising figure and brought in a huge amount of money via endorsements.

Follow the money.

[theHandpuppet]

22. Well, look at it this way

If he ends up going to jail it almost assures him of a career with the Bengals.

[tonysam]

27. There are and were lots and lots of articles in the Nevada papers

beginning with the Andrea McNulty lawsuit.

[Upton]

28. He hasn't been convicted or even charged..

What do you want...a presumption of guilt just because he makes more money than you?

[conscious evolution]

29. No shortage of coverage here in MVille

The satellite trucks setting up on the streets downtown are getting to be a pain in the ass.

Here are some links to local papers
http://news.mywebpal.com/index.cfm?pnpid=1039 This paper happens to be located right across the street from the club where this happened.
http://unionrecorder.com/

BTW,in case no one is familar with this area,we vote blue here.Milledgeville is an oasis in a sea of red.
Lake Oconee,on the other hand,is where all of the reichwingers live.

[Dulcinea]

30. No one wants a repeat of the Duke lacrosse team situation.

It turned out the Duke lacrosse team was innocent after being vilified by the media.

Big Ben is also innocent until proven guilty. That said, he's either monumentally stupid or running around molesting women. We shall see.

[RamboLiberal]

31. Not being swept under the rug in Pittsburgh

He's being both vilified and defended on talk radio, newspapers & news stations. More vilified. The problem with this story is there are few details about what really took place and some conflicting stories so far. Authorities in Georgia, the victim and Ben and his lawyer are not doing a lot of talking so far. Details are just dribbling out.

If charges are filed I bet there will be more talk.

Also even though Ben is a 2 time Super Bowl winning QB being in Pittsburgh and not being very handsome he gets no where near the publicity of the Mannings, Brady, Romo, Vick or other name QB or NFL players. With rare exception if you play in Pittsburgh while being extremely famous here you will not get the acclaim that you would playing in a Big Market.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

32. Or in ATL...

I have heard about it a few times...

sP

[MrScorpio]

33. I can just imagine the reaction had he abused some puppies. nt