OT - Roethlisberger accused of sexual assault....again.

[chuckleslove]

Obviously no one will know the truth other than Ben and the girl, and they also might be hazy on the details due to both having consumed alcohol, but at the very least it is questionable, the way I've read the story and accounts it seems down right disgusting and unacceptable and to me like the girl was paid off or doesn't want to be dragged through the media. I'm obviously drawing some conclusions on my own with how I feel about it.

[MikeIsGood]

Sorry if GBPH...

Adam Schefter/ESPN - The Steelers have began calling teams with a top-10 pick in Thursday's Draft with the hopes of trading Ben Roethlisberger.

It has been reported that Roethlisberger will be suspended for the first 4-6 games of the 2010 season.

All of the teams that were interested in acquiring Donovan McNabb will be in the market for Roethlisberger

Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z0llGqcwNG

It may be all talk, but IF they do go this route (big IF), then much respect for the Steelers. They clearly would not be messing around and would be sticking to their guns.

[Newz]

Ben is a hell of a player, but the Steelers are one of the top 3 football organizations of all-time. I have no doubts that they could continue to compete and would be able to find a solid enough QB to continue to win.

[LarryHarris]

It may be all talk, but IF they do go this route (big IF), then much respect for the Steelers. They clearly would not be messing around and would be sticking to their guns.

I don't know if I'd be willing to go even close to that far. I feel like they are almost compelled to move him, or at least leak stories about it, because they moved Holmes for being a knucklehead.

Perhaps they aren't serious about moving Ben (I don't think they are, at least), but it looks good from a PR standpoint if they explore it. Then they can say that the deal just wasn't there and they weren't willing to give up a franchise QB for pennies on the dollar.

I think one thing that helps Ben here is that this didn't happen in Pittsburgh. Had that happened, he would have had to be moved without a doubt.

[Ayt]

Goodell must not have liked what he read in that police report very much. Six games surprises me, but I haven't read the report myself.

[MikeIsGood]

It may be all talk, but IF they do go this route (big IF), then much respect for the Steelers. They clearly would not be messing around and would be sticking to their guns.

I don't know if I'd be willing to go even close to that far. I feel like they are almost compelled to move him, or at least leak stories about it, because they moved Holmes for being a knucklehead.

Perhaps they aren't serious about moving Ben (I don't think they are, at least), but it looks good from a PR standpoint if they explore it. Then they can say that the deal just wasn't there and they weren't willing to give up a franchise QB for pennies on the dollar.

Really not sure what you're getting at here. I'm not talking about just exploring stuff, or possibly leaking stories to look good from a PR standpoint. I'm talking about if they ACTUALLY were to trade him, props to them for sticking to their guns.

I'm really not sure what you're not 'willing to go even close to that far' about.

[LarryHarris]

What I am saying is that it seems like you are kind of lionizing them for "sticking to their guns." I feel like they've put themselves into a corner where they are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Regardless of which decision they make, it is impossible for me to praise them because they are kind of in a no-win position right now, which is of their own doing.

[MikeIsGood]

You couldn't praise them if they were to trade a franchise quarterback - that has led them to Superbowls - on moral grounds? That'd be the definition of sticking to their guns. They wouldn't be overlooking Ben because the franchise QB can be so hard to get ahold of. They'd be shipping him out of town.

I'm not talking here about putting out feelers or coming to the conclusion that 'the return we'd get would just be too crippling for our franchise.' I'm talking about trading a 28 year old Superbowl QB.

[LarryHarris]

You couldn't praise them if they were to trade a franchise quarterback - that has led them to Superbowls - on moral grounds? That'd be the definition of sticking to their guns. They wouldn't be overlooking Ben because the franchise QB can be so hard to get ahold of. They'd be shipping him out of town.

I'm not talking here about putting out feelers or coming to the conclusion that 'the return we'd get would just be too crippling for our franchise.' I'm talking about trading a 28 year old Superbowl QB.

I see what you are saying, however, I feel like we aren't getting a real idea of what they would have done, had the Holmes trade not went down, which would have been much more telling. If they don't talk about trading him or actually trade him, the chatter around the city will turn negative about the team.

There are certain racial undertones and well as undertones regarding QBs being potentially allowed to get away with more that would cripple the season potentially.

So they make a show of shopping him, the fans think about the potential difficulties of life after Big Ben and then most of them just decide to move beyond it. I think that is what the organization hopes.

But I can't praise them for putting themselves into this corner...

[MikeIsGood]

I see what you are saying, however, I feel like we aren't getting a real idea of what they would have done, had the Holmes trade not went down, which would have been much more telling. If they don't talk about trading him or actually trade him, the chatter around the city will turn negative about the team.

There are certain racial undertones and well as undertones regarding QBs being potentially allowed to get away with more that would cripple the season potentially.

So they make a show of shopping him, the fans think about the potential difficulties of life after Big Ben and then most of them just decide to move beyond it. I think that is what the organization hopes.

But I can't praise them for putting themselves into this corner...

But this is just beside the point, because it's not what I'm talking about here. I'm not talking about making a show to get fans to whatever and etc. I'm talking about if they actually, literally, ship him out. Not what could be happening - and let's be honest, probably is happening - but if they were to actually ship him out of town.

And to me it has nothing to do with them backing themselves into a corner. It's not praising them for putting themselves into this position. It's what they'd do as a result of it - trading a relatively young, Superbowl QB on moral grounds. I think that deserves props. If you disagree, that's fine.

[LarryHarris]

But this is just beside the point, because it's not what I'm talking about here. I'm not talking about making a show to get fans to whatever and etc. I'm talking about if they actually, literally, ship him out. Not what could be happening - and let's be honest, probably is happening - but if they were to actually ship him out of town.

And to me it has nothing to do with them backing themselves into a corner. It's not praising them for putting themselves into this position. It's what they'd do as a result of it - trading a relatively young, Superbowl QB on moral grounds. I think that deserves props. If you disagree, that's fine.

I guess what I am trying to propose is that it wouldn't entirely be based on moral grounds because of things that have happened with another player before this incident with Ben. I think we both agree that he probably will not be moved and that this is a show, where we disagree is basically about how telling that action would be.

[chuckleslove]

There are some rumblings around twitter that Big Ben to Oakland is about to be a done deal. But I haven't seen it from any of the big name guys yet so who knows how good this information is.

[LarryHarris]

There are some rumblings around twitter that Big Ben to Oakland is about to be a done deal. But I haven't seen it from any of the big name guys yet so who knows how good this information is.

Weird, the wiretap says they are unwilling to give up the 8th pick. I'd be shocked if they moved Ben. Shocked!

[Wiscfan92]

Madness if he goes to the Raiders, complete madness.