Pittsburgh Review-Journal columnist Joe Starkey has a dream. In it, his hometown quarterback wouldn't get punished more for pesky rape accusations than, say, Vince "Allegedly Fights in Strip Clubs" Young or Tom "Allegedly Fights Everywhere, Hits Women" Cable.
Roethlisberger twice was accused of sexual assault within a year. He was not arrested, let alone charged with a crime, though a civil suit out of Nevada remains unresolved. Goodell hit Roethlisberger with a conditional six-game suspension for a "pattern of behavior" and "bad judgments," which apparently included furnishing alcohol to minors.
To be fair, he also delves into the NFL's DUI-suspension disparities.
To be unfair, he kinda deifies a "not arrested, let alone charged with a crime" accused rapist in the process.
To be sarcastic, the fine people of Steeler Nation will never forget.
LATROBE, Pa. – On the morning of Ben Roethlisberger's redemption, a 68-year-old grandmother from Pittsburgh's south side drove to the local Giant Eagle grocery store and purchased a piece of poster board. On it she scrawled her valentine to a man accused twice of sexual assault, who allegedly exposed himself to a young woman in a Georgia bathroom and became the most scorned man in a town that wanted dearly to embrace him.
"We support you Big Ben" Kathy Najdzinski wrote on her sign. "Prayers and love."
"He's like one of my children," she said.
Starkey: NFL justice a joke [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
For Big Ben, it starts with Baby Steps [Yahoo]
For Roethlisberger, Feelings of Anxiety Fade With the Sound of Cheers [New York Times]