I just got pretty much serious for "Big Ben"...

It isn't just "he said she said" in the "Big Ben" case anymore, and as much as I enjoy seeing him play the game he shouldn't think this is an "acceptable" way for a man to "have fun".

Accuser says Roethlisberger's 'bodyguards' complicit in alleged rape..

NFL.com Wire Reports

Ben Roethlisberger's accuser gave Milledgeville, Ga., police a detailed, written account of how the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback's "bodyguards" were actively involved in him allegedly raping her, according to public documents obtained Thursday by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Associated Press.

In one of two statements the accuser gave to police, the 20-year-old college student said the "bodyguards" -- later identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as off-duty police officers Ed Joyner and Anthony Barravecchio -- prevented her friends from getting to her while she was in a small bathroom with Roethlisberger on March 5 at the Capital City nightclub.

"He said, Hey,' and he started talking to [redacted] (nothing in particular), and his bodyguards took him back to the 'room' w/ bathroom," the woman wrote in her statement. "I said, 'I don't know if this is a good idea,' and he said, 'It's OK.' He had sex w/me and meanwhile his bodyguards told my friends they couldn't pass them to get to me."
The statements were included in the Roethlisberger case file that the GBI made public Thursday under the state's open-records law. The case officially was closed Wednesday.

Roethlisberger, who learned this week that Georgia authorities wouldn't charge him after their monthlong investigation into the sexual-assault allegation, made "crude, sexual remarks" and called the woman a "tease" during a night of bar-hopping before the incident, she said. The woman also said Roethlisberger told her, and her friends, to take numerous shots of alcohol. Then one of his bodyguards escorted her into a hallway at the nightclub, sat her on a stool and left. She said Roethlisberger walked down the hallway and exposed himself.

"I told him it wasn't OK, no, we don't need to do this and I proceeded to get up and try to leave," she said. According to the woman's statement, Roethlisberger then followed her into a nearby bathroom and shut the door. "I still said no, this is not OK, and he then had sex with me," she wrote. "He said it was OK. He then left without saying anything."
Nicole Biancofiore, one of the woman's friends who also provided an account to police, said the woman "was dragged by a bodyguard to the back room in Capital (City). She was extremely intoxicated and not aware of what was happening." Biancofiore also said she saw another friend, Aliesha Scholten, try to open the locked bathroom door, but "she was taken away by a bodyguard of Ben's."

Another one of the woman's friends, Ann Marie Lubatti, said she "approached the other security guard and told him that she [the accuser] was in no shape to be back there with Ben Roethlisberger. He couldn't look me in the eye, and told me he didn't know what was going on. My friend went to open the door, and it was locked."

The GBI identified that bodyguard as Joyner and determined the man who led Roethlisberger's accuser down the hallway was Barravecchio. Joyner is a Pennsylvania trooper, and Barravecchio is an officer in Coraopolis, Pa., a Pittsburgh suburb. Attorney Michael Santicola, who represents Barravecchio but said Joyner also is a longtime friend, confirmed March 10 that the two officers were present, but not in an official capacity. He said the two men are friends with Roethlisberger and didn't witness any criminal activity or inappropriate behavior. He said the officers "have no memory" of meeting his accuser.

Lt. Myra A. Taylor, a spokeswoman for Pennsylvania State Police, said Thursday night that the agency is receiving a copy of the investigative report from Georgia authorities. "We will thoroughly review the report and determine if there is a violation of Department regulations on the part of Trooper Edward Joyner," she said.

According to the investigators' summary of events, Roethlisberger's friend, Brad Aurila, had a conversation with the quarterback when they returned to his house that night and asked him why police showed up at the nightclub. In an interview with police, Aurila said Roethlisberger told him nothing had happened and that he "was in the back with a girl" and they were "messing around." Aurila said he "took 'messing around' to mean 'kissing, whatever.'" Roethlisberger was surrounded by women, according to statements made by the accuser's friends.

"At the back of Capital City, the room was blocked off for him and females only," Biancofiore wrote in a statement to police. After the accuser emerged from the bar and told Biancofiore and Lubatti about the encounter, the women left. "I walked up to the first cop car we saw and told them what happened," Lubatti said in a statement.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is reviewing the matter, and Steelers president Art Rooney II said Thursday that the league and team probably won't settle on any punishment until after next week's draft.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

See:

Accuser says Roethlisberger's 'bodyguards' complicit in alleged rape

 

I think he should take Terry Bradshaw's advice.

 

That lead in title should have said "It" not "I"!!!

While "boys will be boys", and if you have a lot of money and rep to throw around, sometimes it doesn’t pay off.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Wednesday that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be suspended six games without pay for violating the league's personal-conduct policy and must undergo a "comprehensive behavioral evaluation by medical professionals." (bold mine)

The suspension could be reduced to four games for good behavior after the behavioral evaluation is completed. Roethlisberger can't attend any Steelers offseason activity until he completes the evaluation

… "The Personal Conduct Policy makes clear that I may impose discipline 'even where the conduct does not result in conviction of a crime' as, for example, where the conduct 'imposes inherent danger to the safety and well being of another person'," Goodell wrote.

"As the District Attorney concluded, the extensive investigatory record shows that you contributed to the irresponsible consumption of alcohol by purchasing (or facilitating the purchase of) alcoholic beverages for underage college students, at least some of whom were likely already intoxicated. There is no question that the excessive consumption of alcohol that evening put the students and yourself at risk.

"The Personal Conduct Policy also states that discipline is appropriate for conduct that 'undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players.' By any measure, your conduct satisfies that standard."

See:

Goodell suspends Roethlisberger for six games, orders evaluation

 

An addendum to my original post, I too feel that sometimes young men with too much money and too much public prestige can get themselves into problems they wouldnt be in without the other two.

Their personality alters somehow from "who they are, into somebody else", like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde even if not that extreme, and alcohol may be the solvent in this case.

Here is a great opinion piece from an NFL commentator (Steve Wyche):

As tough of a suspension as Goodell handed out to a player who was not charged with a crime, he did extend help. If Roethlisberger doesn't adhere to it fully, football will be taken away from him. If he does, then that's a sign that the sport, his teammates, his family and most importantly, himself, are priorities.

Roethlisberger is not expected to fight against the punishment, which is probably the smart play. His image is mud now and to continue talking about what did or didn't happen in a bathroom stall with a 20-year-old college student might continue to dredge up things nobody wants to hear about, especially the NFL and the Steelers.

Another issue that needs to be addressed with Roethlisberger's punishment was the role that alcohol played. Goodell is very serious about cracking down on alcohol-related problems, and there is no doubt that one of the reasons for the severity of Roethlisberger's discipline was that alcohol was a component in his behavior that night in Milledgeville, Ga.

"The extensive investigatory record shows that you contributed to the irresponsible consumption of alcohol by purchasing (or facilitating the purchase of) alcoholic beverages for underage college students, at least some of whom were likely already intoxicated," Goodell stated in his letter to Roethlisberger.

"There is no question that the excessive consumption of alcohol that evening put the students and yourself at risk. The personal conduct policy also states that discipline is appropriate for conduct that 'undermines or puts at risk the integrity and reputation of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL players.'

"By any measure, your conduct satisfies that standard." If alcohol, drugs or guns are involved in anything the league considers unbecoming to its personal conduct code -- which is very wide-ranging -- the greater the chance for severe discipline.

The unnerving part about all this is that this punishment might not deter other players from pushing the envelope when they're facing similar situations.

The sense of entitlement some players feel will always lead to a few pushing the envelope. Add liquor and the usual late-night carousing of youth, and the potential is there for trouble. (bold mine)

Most players, coaches and NFL employees get it. They're grownups, and we have to carry ourselves in the appropriate manner. There are only a small group of people who expose themselves, and thus, the league, to wrongdoing and image decay. In our world, though, that small group carries a lot of sway.
Goto:

Fallout far from over for suspended Roethlisberger, Steelers


I wish Ben the best, and hope that this doesn't take away a possible great career in pro-football in the NFL. His talent is obvious, his character is the only question.

 

It's insanity, there isn't enough evidence to bring up charges

 

Nope, not criminal charges. The only one which MIGHT be a charge is a misdemanor, "contributing to the deliquency of a minor". The girl was under 21, and he may have provided her with alcohol. Other than that, very little.

All we American boys have been in our twenties, but which man among us wouldn’t like to be 28 years old; 6’5", 240 lbs and have more than a million dollars on call and SINGLE, in a college bar?


I dare you to think that you would be a saint in those circumstances. If you think you could be, you wouldn't have made it to the place where you could be tempted. Being a non-saint in public and being caught doing it is the problem here, not the fact that he was simply an over indulged human male who forgot the future for the present pleasure.

 

Amen, whoever said that athletes need to be role models, parents should be role models. Let's say he does get suspended, how could that happen if he technically didn't do anything.

 

Read the post complete, he is suspended by the league for "conduct", not criminal action. He did "technically" do something detremental to the league, and for that he will be punished.

When he signed his contract with the Steelers, he also agreed to the NFL's conduct policies. Criminality has nothing to do with acceptable conduct, although it is included. Even the Player's Union is behind this call, and they don't roll over on these things at all.

This problem with player conduct has been accelarating since WAY back in time, and only since felony charges and deaths has the league really taken a good stance.

Another thing to consider here, he wasn't charged with the misdomeanor in GA., since he could just plead guilty to that charge and it would be "case closed". By not bringing charges, the State of Georgia allows the offended party to bring civil charges against Ben R. with more ease, whereas if he had already been charged with and sentenced in a minor charge the problem would be on the accuser.

Every state in the Union has differing levels of accountability, and whether it is a felony or a misdomenor. But if a guy is found guilty of a misdomenor, that is pretty tough case to bring litigation against. I mean that is like a parking ticket. However, with this "suspension" and harsh treatment by the NFL, the possiblity of a civil suit is left up in the air.

It may cost Ben more in the long run than just this episode, and his future career. Remember he has one pending in Nevada as well, again with no criminal charges.

 

I understand it is not a legal issue but a conduct issue, I just think thats ridiculous, it's not like he was smoking pot and got a dirty UA, its a moral issue, and the only reason the NFL has a moral conduct policy is because their afraid it will affect their bottom line if their athletes are portrayed as immoral to greater America and little kids won't be allowed by their parents to buy Roethlisberger jerseys

 

I'm not disagreeing with you, just pointing out that it isn't a criminal issue, he did nothing which could be prosecuted as criminal at any level beyond misdemenor level is all. By not charging him the girl in question will be free to sue him in civil court with less hassle is all I am pointing out.

Like any entertainer, he signs on to a "morals/conduct" clause for the right (not privilege) to play in this professional sport, and to not bring disgrace upon said "entertainment business". This call by the NFL, and the player's union BTW, they "wash their hands" of the matter and cannot be included as "co-defendents", nor accused of "protecting a valuable property" at the expense of the justice system.

It is of course a "self protective" measure, I never claimed it wasn't. But, that said a 28 year old guy, should be able to remember which side of the bread his butter is on, and who put it there. And act accordingly in public. To do otherwise is flat out "dumb as a bag of hair".

 

much hoopla might be gained here due to the world coverage on Mr. Woods and Sandra B's ex, so even if Ben is not guilty the die has been cast.

sad enough the media has to pick on some to barf on

pays to keep your pants on too

 

keeping one's pants on in a college bar is especially good advice!

 

no doubt Clint, thanks for the salute'

think again as it is good but the media coverage on Tiger was devastating; just watch there will be more being under the watchful eye of news organizations even if not guilty,.

I'm waiting for the next congressman to fall, some bozo will come out of the woodwork for the right about of monies and declare she was violated by some 78 year old political veteran over 25 years ago .............

 

On a football note- Ben should have been way more careful, but if[/] he did not do what the accuser said in both instances, he need's to find ways to let loose off the football field removing himself from places where this stuff can happen. He just like many people put themselves in the places.

Side note, look at Steven Segal, haven't heard of any movies he has done in years, now he has a tv show called cops and a fat guy and now 2 or 3 ladies have come out saying he groped them and such.

Maybe there are some[/] women out there who see Tiger's and Jesse Jame's Mistresses and the publicity surrounding them and crave their 15 minuets.

But as one of the posters said earlier, the NFL is a multi million business who generate millions of dollars on jersey sales and ticket sales so they will do anything they can to protect their image as a family friendly business.

 

Just found a cute 'toon on this subject.

I giggled at least.

 

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