04/19/24
February 01, 2011
Roethlisberger: 'I Want to Be a Role Model': At his first Super Bowl press conference Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said, "I want to be a role model. I want people to look up to me. I like when kids wear my jersey." Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a recent interview that when the NFL was investigating the rape allegations against Roethlisberger, he talked to two dozen players and "not a single player went to his defense."
Too late, Ben. At this point, the best you can hope for is to be a role model for reformed behavior, like for offenders and such. You'd be a hit at programs for the incarcerated. Make a difference there and atone for your bad behavior, instead of avoiding the subject.
posted by Uncle Toby at 01:46 PM on February 01, 2011
He is a role model and poster boy for boorish behavior and sexual misconduct.
posted by Atheist at 02:17 PM on February 01, 2011
Said Roethlisberger: "We all make mistakes. It's how can you bounce back from the mistakes. It's like a football game. You throw interceptions, you lose a game, you've got to bounce back and find a way it doesn't happen again."
I'm going to have to remember this line the next time I'm at fault in a car accident. "Hey, we all make mistakes! Now excuse me while I bounce back and move on!"
I think I would have a lot more respect from this recycled pablum rhetoric about moving on from mistakes, if it weren't so readily used by those whose mistakes have harmed others, and whose "moving on" process is conspicuously missing anything that would help their victims.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:38 PM on February 01, 2011
To have a victim, you have to have a crime.
posted by Debo270 at 02:49 PM on February 01, 2011
To have a victim, you have to have a crime.
Not even close to true. Would that be a standard you'd want yourself held to?
posted by yerfatma at 03:06 PM on February 01, 2011
To have a victim, you have to have a crime.
Simplistic thinking at its best! Do you really believe that?
posted by dyams at 03:32 PM on February 01, 2011
There's many well compensated non-victims in Ben's recent past.
posted by cixelsyd at 04:32 PM on February 01, 2011
Not speaking for debo270 as I'm not 100% what his thoughts were, however, given that the first 4 posts all referred to sexual misconduct/rape/assault/victims, I think it's a fair concept to think that if there was a victim(s) of such things perhaps a crime had been committed and thus should have been prosecuted.
Did the system work in Ben's favor? Perhaps. Given that his teammates didn't rush to his defense tells me something, maybe not that he's guilty of a crime, but that certainly seems plausible.
posted by dviking at 05:25 PM on February 01, 2011
There's many well compensated non-victims in Ben's recent past.
Got a cite? Particularly for the "many", "well-compensated" and "non-victims" parts?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:18 PM on February 01, 2011
As we have this discussion, it strikes me that Roethlisberger's accuser would spark a media firestorm if she gave a press conference this week telling her story. Did he pay her a civil settlement?
To have a victim, you have to have a crime.
Crimes vary by jurisdiction. Some things we'd all regard as a crime today -- such as a husband raping his wife when she does not consent to sex -- did not start to become illegal in the U.S. until the '70s.
posted by rcade at 06:25 PM on February 01, 2011
"I think everyone was behind Ben all along."
I'm guessing that's the option most likely to keep one's virginity intact.
I know I've mentioned it before, so instead of beating a dead horse, I'll simply repeat that there wasn't a bar employee in Oxford, OH who had a good thing to say about Ben when I was there a few years back.
posted by tahoemoj at 06:53 PM on February 01, 2011
did not start to become illegal in the U.S. until the '70s.
Okay, so as long as the victim is less than 40 years old we're covered? Anyway, I get that one can be a victim without a crime being committed, just don't think that's relevant to this situation.
posted by dviking at 06:56 PM on February 01, 2011
Or in the other parts of the world where it's still OK to rape your wife.
Roethlisberger was not charged with a crime, so in the eyes of the justice system there's no crime victim.
But we're not just talking about criminal justice. Roethlisberger's show of contrition is because everybody knows he wronged somebody.
posted by rcade at 07:12 PM on February 01, 2011
Too late, Ben. At this point, the best you can hope for is to be a role model for reformed behavior, like for offenders and such.
+1.
I have been struck during the post-season game commentary and some of the to this how much he has been praised for his actions so far this year, and that the media seemed to be trying to overlook his actions in the off-season. Now, in SB week, something he did in the offseason is an issue. I understand why, but I don't like it-either it was an issue or it wasn't. I feel it was, but talking heads seemed to not want to bring it up during the year.
posted by Bonkers at 07:35 PM on February 01, 2011
Okay, so as long as the victim is less than 40 years old we're covered?
dviking, I'm pretty sure rcade's point is that an act can be legal (i.e., forcing your wife to have sex against her will, which was as rcade says perfectly legal in the US until relatively recently...despicable, but legal) and still have a victim.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:35 PM on February 01, 2011
Many workplaces have 'Days Without Accident' signs. Sometimes, I imagine that Ben's locker has a 'Days Without Sexual Misconduct' sign.
posted by Joey Michaels at 07:38 PM on February 01, 2011
Whenever I think of "role model", the next term that comes to me is "whippin' it out". Bill Clinton would be so proud. I can hear him now.
"I like this boy. He really knows how to have a good time. He might be President one day."
posted by gradioc at 08:57 PM on February 01, 2011
I understand why, but I don't like it-either it was an issue or it wasn't.
I blame it on voracious Super Bowl media hunger and the fact that a lot of people who will watch this game only know one thing that happened to Ben Roethlisberger over the past 12 months.
The most disgusted I've ever been at sports broadcasters was hearing Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms whitewash Ray Lewis' involvement in two murders. They praised him for "planning" to talk to the families of the two dead men. Not actually talking to them -- just planning to do it someday.
posted by rcade at 09:03 PM on February 01, 2011
Got a cite
lbb, strictly speculation on my behalf ...
There's only 2 or 3 sexual assaults documented that ever went before the courts, and no criminal convictions. Strongly suspect compensation of some form prevented further legal action from the non-victims.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:46 PM on February 01, 2011
lbb, I was joking...not that this is really a joking matter.
Another item that isn't a joking matter is this f---ing weather we're having in Dallas. Jerry Jones and the NFL must have pissed off Mother Nature big time. Not sure how big of hurt it will put in overall revenues, but it has got to be hurting many of the activities going on. I was planning on checking a few things out this week, staying home now. Supposed to get down to 8 overnight...crazy for Dallas.
posted by dviking at 10:57 PM on February 01, 2011
Sounds like good Steeler - Packer weather, although it will no doubt hurt those high priced outdoor patio game viewing parties planned for the stadium grounds (a revenue ruse that seems more like the brainchild of daughter Charlotte than Jerry).
Can't wait till the SB gets held in NY/NJ in a few years and it's 2 above and a couple of balmy weather aqua teams show up to play in the big one.
posted by beaverboard at 12:24 AM on February 02, 2011
Yeah, what beaverboard said. The big-money "fans" will hate it, the teams will just shrug and play.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:49 AM on February 02, 2011
Ben is guilty of poor judgement and has a reputation around the city as being a real Douchbag. That being siad, I will sit and laugh if Goodell has to hand him or Harrison the Superbowl MVP trophy. Roger may burst into flames.
posted by Debo270 at 09:53 AM on February 02, 2011
the teams will just shrug and play.
If you're talking about this Super Bowl, yes, the teams will shrug, but then again, the game will be indoors.
Just talked to a manager of a venue in downtown Fort Worth...traffic was at 15% of what the NFL told them to expect. For him, not too big of deal as beer/liquor has a pretty long shelf life, for some of his neighbors a big lose due to food costs. We're having power outage issues now, so, another fun day in Super Bowl land.
posted by dviking at 10:52 AM on February 02, 2011
Yeah, talk is cheap, Ben. It'll be interesting if they win the Super Bowl and he starts on his off-season drunk tour.
Just avoid raping and assaulting women and you'll be off to a good start.