April 07, 2011

Ben Roethlisberger Getting Married: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is getting married July 23 to Ashley Harlan, 26, a physician's assistant he met during training camp in 2005. "I'm a happier person, I'm in a happy place, but a lot of that has to do with her," he said.

posted by rcade to football at 06:07 PM - 18 comments

I was reading the story earlier today and as I scrolled down through the details of their dating and friendship, I said to my self:

"Please don't let him refer to it as a...oh, damn he did it. He called it an on again-off again relationship."

It's not that he can't win, it's just harder to win than it once was.

posted by beaverboard at 09:04 PM on April 07, 2011

I give it a year.

posted by dyams at 10:36 PM on April 07, 2011

I give it a year, then another six months, then two years after eight months off.

posted by Joey Michaels at 10:37 PM on April 07, 2011

nice touch that they're asking all of the guests to donate to a charity instead of giving gifts. That'll make it easier on everyone later on when the marriage fails...at least you helped a good cause.

posted by dviking at 12:29 AM on April 08, 2011

If Ben goes back to Milledgeville, Ga., I'll assume the relationship is off again.

posted by roberts at 07:28 AM on April 08, 2011

It is cool that a blind woman can have a career as a physician's assistant.

posted by yerfatma at 09:39 AM on April 08, 2011

Why are people assuming that Roethlisberger is going to fuck this up? Most people do grow up eventually. Even Mike Tyson is sounding like a responsible adult these days.

posted by rcade at 09:57 AM on April 08, 2011

Why are people assuming that Roethlisberger is going to fuck this up?

What has he ever done to instill confidence in anyone that he can settle into a faithful marriage (if that is indeed what they have agreed upon)? Even if he's not being accused of raping women or forcing them into sexual acts, it seems fairly apparent he likes to mess around with random women, and even with his past, as a NFL quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, I am going to assume there are still MANY chicks all over him wherever he goes.

It's not out of the realm he may stay married for quite some time, but that won't necessarily mean he isn't still banging females wherever he goes. As with any famous athlete, I'm sure what we actually hear about is merely the tip of the iceberg. Look at all the women Tiger Woods was screwing before we found all this stuff out about him.

posted by dyams at 10:05 AM on April 08, 2011

Even Mike Tyson is sounding like a responsible adult these days.

Really? He's a mugger, a wife-beater and a convicted rapist (and thats off the top of my head). He has to do more than sound lucid on a few interviews to be considered a "responsible adult."

posted by cjets at 01:07 PM on April 08, 2011

"Even Mike Tyson is sounding like a responsible adult these days."

That is sure throwing around terms like responsible and adult pretty loosely. I might have said something like even Mike Tyson seems to have curtailed his criminal behavior these days, or even Mike Tyson can avoid criminal convictions for relatively short period of time.

Rothlisberger's on and off girlfriend must be pretty forgiving which probably makes her a good match for him as she obviously is good at turning the other cheek with regularity.

posted by Atheist at 01:25 PM on April 08, 2011

I said Tyson is sounding like a responsible adult, and if you've read or seen anything about him lately, I think you'd agree. Don't read more into it than what I said.

I can understand why people adopt cynicism as the default position when evaluating a story like this, but there are plenty of examples of people who fuck up and turn their lives around. All I am saying is give redemption a chance.

posted by rcade at 01:45 PM on April 08, 2011

Rothlisberger's on and off girlfriend must be pretty forgiving

Or gullible

or maybe that was one of the "off " times.

posted by Debo270 at 02:01 PM on April 08, 2011

If Ben goes back to Milledgeville, Ga

That's where they're taking their Honeymoon.

posted by cjets at 02:18 PM on April 08, 2011

I can understand why people adopt cynicism as the default position when evaluating a story like this, but there are plenty of examples of people who fuck up and turn their lives around. All I am saying is give redemption a chance.

I agree, but he is only one year out from all of his troubles. That isn't much time to deal with your problems and decide to make the biggest commitment of your life. Some people treat marriage as if it is something that will change them and settle them down. Those things don't usually work out so well.

posted by bperk at 03:41 PM on April 08, 2011

Why are people assuming that Roethlisberger is going to fuck this up?

Why else would you post this story if you didn't think this would be the reaction? Did you think it would result in posts wishing the couple all the best in their married life together and asking where cards and gifts could be sent?

posted by dyams at 04:07 PM on April 08, 2011

Some people treat marriage as if it is something that will change them and settle them down.

That's a charitable view. I think it's a PR move and she is what the Gay community used to refer to as a "beard."

All I am saying is give redemption a chance.

Why? At least Vick and Tyson "paid their debt to society." Why should I feel charitable to a man-child who may or may not have raped multiple women and gotten his cop buddies to help in an alleged rape and possibly cover it up?

Why should I feel anything but contempt for someone who wins the genetic lottery and gets chance after chance that us working stiffs wouldn't get in a million years?

posted by cjets at 04:08 PM on April 08, 2011

Did you think it would result in posts wishing the couple all the best in their married life together and asking where cards and gifts could be sent?

Heh. Great post Dyams.

posted by cjets at 04:10 PM on April 08, 2011

Why else would you post this story if you didn't think this would be the reaction?

Because it was interesting.

Why should I feel charitable to a man-child who may or may not have raped multiple women and gotten his cop buddies to help in an alleged rape and possibly cover it up?

I wasn't looking for charitable responses. I was just wondering why people have such absolute certitude that he hasn't turn his life around. Josh Hamilton is celebrated for turning his around. So far it seems like I'm the only one who even entertains the possibility that Roethisberger has -- and it's not because I'm a fan of the guy.

posted by rcade at 04:41 PM on April 08, 2011

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