Extra Points

When it comes to this Big Ben fiasco, it seems that I always speak too soon. I write that the NFL should lower the boom on Roethlisberger after his second rape charge. The charge gets dropped. I write that Steelers fans should be relieved that Big Ben's name was cleared and that a lot of the hatred they have against their QB is unwarranted. The police report from the night's events comes out and further vilifies Big Ben. So, you had to excuse me if I decided to wait a little bit before reacting to the release of the victim's finally-sober re-telling of her incident with Big Ben, out of fear that something else will be revealed that may trump everything I'm about to say.

After reading the summarized version of the victim's story, two things came to mind. One, it's hard to stick to my "Look, I like Ben Roethlisberger" line from last week's piece. Two, the play-by-play is a bit too detailed to be made up, which is my natural reaction when sexual assault charges are brought against a high-profile celebrity. That, to me, was the biggest wrench thrown in the victim's cry for justice: the precedent of morally-inept girls looking to make a dollar off of a big name and some trumped up charges. In this scenario though, it appears the victim has a legitimate beef. The Milledgeville police department, at least from everything I've read, dropped the ball so hard that it deflated. For one, they didn't stop the club janitor from scrubbing the crime scene, which might make trying to find evidence of rape a wee bit difficult. There's also the actions of Officer Jerry Blash, who resigned this week amid controversy that he treated the victim's initial statements like the typical ramblings of an incoherent drunk as well as took time out to pose for pictures with Roethlisberger the night of the incident.

Blash's nonchalance is among the several sketchy elements in this case. There was the fact that any video evidence of the incident was dubbed over accidentally by the club's recording equipment. The victim's family legitimate mistrust of the Millegdeville PD and their subsequent refusal for a second interview. There was the lack of DNA from either Roethlisberger or the victim, which could be attributed to the fact the scene was scrubbed with Pine-Sol and Clorox before it was fully examined. These are all incidents that can be put off as accidental, but it's also something that can be feasted on by conspiracy theorists. After all, Big Ben's entourage was made up of mostly off-duty cops, and they allegedly were the ones who not only brought the victim to a private hallway for Big Ben to do his thing but also shielded the victim's friends from seeing what's going on. You don't think cops would protect other cops? It may be the best protection Roethlisberger has received in his entire football career. There's also the motives of the club. The victim in question was 20 years old, clearly under the drinking age. Why wouldn't you want evidence of underage drinking in your bar removed, especially if you know that a. cops already think the victim's allegations are bullshit and b. the tremendous amount of backlash that would occur if something like this got out in, say, a trial would inevitably force you to close up shop? If forced to choose between saving your business and helping out a young woman who may or may not have been assaulted on your property, who's side are you taking? There's no eyewitnesses and the only real testimony that sides with the victim's story is that of her friends, who weren't in that bathroom with their friend and Big Ben and obviously are going to side with the victim.

Look, do I think Big Ben raped that woman? I'm leaning toward yes. There's just far too many accidental hiccups on the part of the people who would benefit more from Roethlisberger's innocence than his conviction. When dealing with a high-profile case like this in a small podunk town, all it takes is paying off the right people to get things to lean your way. It's not what you know, it's what you can prove in court, as the cliche goes and there is no way Big Ben gets jail time if this went to trial.

Now, there's the issue of the backlash from the release of the police report. Message boards, blogs, and such are blowing up with the outrage of a nation feeling like a celebrity getting away with a crime. My response to them? What else is new? O.J. Simpson got away with double murder. Kobe Bryant may have gotten away with rape. Donte Stallworth did 30 days for running over someone with his car while drunk. Not everyone gets the book thrown at them like Plaxico Burress and Michael Vick. Since Roethlisberger was a young phenom going from the high school ranks, he was probably(like most star athletes) given preferential treatment. How many times do you think the man has heard the word "No" in his life? He, like many other rich and powerful men, are used to getting their way by any means necessary. If you're going to point daggers at anyone in this case or any other of its liking, point them at the ones who continue to allow this to happen. The coaches and teachers and other authorities who treated him with kid gloves. The cops who get bought out. The prosecutors, victims and witnesses who crack under the spotlight. The way this case was handled, the victim had two choices: go to trial and get embarrassed and villianized by a celebrity's high profile representation or bow out early and hope the public sides with you. So far, the victim is reaping the benefits of choosing the latter option(as well as a possible monetary gift from her assailant to not to go to trial). Public support has been the consolation prize for her injustice.

As for the justice that awaits Big Ben, I always found a two-game suspension to be apt. Many want four, or even eight, games after the release of these new reports but you can't tack on punishment for charges that were eventually dropped just because new details were presented after the fact. There was no additional flags on the play. The ref didn't blow a whistle for a foul. You don't get extra free throws on a missed call. Of course, that may not matter to the Rooney family, who haven't exactly thrown their backing behind their franchise quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger may have dodged this latest bullet on a technicality, but I don't think he's dodging the trading block. I've flip-flopped on this matter for a few days and the more I read about this case as well as the Steelers' statements in regard to a Roethlisberger trade, the more I think he's getting dealt. When you hear things like the Steelers would "listen intently" to trade offers, that means they've already come to grips with the idea of moving Roethlisberger. When you hear that the team believes assumed top overall pick Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford is a "sure thing", a week before the Draft, you start to think something could happen. The biggest obstacle, as I wrote last week, will be compensation and finding a team willing to take Big Ben's baggage. The Rams are about to be under new ownership, be it Shahid Khan or Stan Kroenke. Do you think these new owners want to start their new regime by acquiring a QB twice accused of rape within a year? You also have to look at it from the Steelers end. As bad as this police report makes Ben look, there's still the fact that the charges were dropped and he may have very well been innocent in this case as well as the beef in Las Vegas. You really want to trade away your two-time Super Bowl winning QB when it's possible that these charges could have been bullshit(again, I'm not saying they ARE bullshit, but as of right now, Ben Roethlisberger is 1-0 with one to go and he hasn't spent a second in jail)?

It will be the biggest question over the next four days leading up to the NFL Draft and certainly a huge story throughout this upcoming season and, if my timing on these matters are any indication, you should expect an answer sooner rather than later.