Well, I made the promise to not talk about Ben Roethlisberger until real news came up. So, here we are. Roger Goodell(Sheriff) has slapped Ben with a 6 game suspension which includes no pay, and no contact with the team for anything. Also, he must attend various behavioral classes.
Wonderful, can we all now go back to realizing why this is going to suck for the season? The Steelers traded for Byron Leftwich yesterday for a 7th round draft pick. Then today, they re-signed Leftwich through the 2011 season. Which, it’s now obvious why they did that. They new his suspension was looming, and now they have the option to figure out what the new to do about the future. Which, Adam Schefter reported on Twitter, that the Steelers were open to hearing all trade discussions pertaining to Ben.
However, let’s talk about the actual information Ben received in his letter informing him about the suspension, from NFL.com:
“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 stated in his letter to Roethlisberger. “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.”
Read below as the following are more excerpts from the letter Goodell sent to Ben:
“I recognize that the allegations in Georgia were disputed and that they did not result in criminal charges being filed against you. My decision today is not based on a finding that you violated Georgia law, or on a conclusion that differs from that of the local prosecutor. That said, you are held to a higher standard as an NFL player, and there is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans.”
“Your conduct raises sufficient concerns that I believe effective intervention now is the best step for your personal and professional welfare.”
“I believe it is essential that you take full advantage of the resources available to you. My ultimate disposition in this matter will be influenced by the extent to which you do so, what you learn as a result, and a demonstrated commitment to making positive change in your life.”
“In your six years in the NFL, you have first thrilled and now disappointed a great many people. I urge you to take full advantage of this opportunity to get your life and career back on track.”
So reading through the information provided at hand, it’s obvious that Goodell has made it clear that this suspension isn’t because of what transpired in Georgia, but what’s been happening for the past six years.
Personally, this is all a train wreck, and it will eventually lead to Ben being traded, which I hope not. The Steelers are in win now mode. They have about 2-3 years left in their defense now the way it stands and then it’s time to rebuild. Trading away a franchise quarterback is such a bad move it’s not even funny.
We’ve found something that is hard to find, that’s more than obvious. I for one will be shaking my head if he’s traded. He’s not your hero, he’s not your moral officer. Hell, he even shouldn’t be a role model. If your kids look up to him as a role model, you’ve failed as parents. You’ve failed at instructing them who the real heroes are. Sure, this is a mess, a mess time will heal, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Trading away one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the league is just moronic.
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