Roethlisberger Sees Suspension Reduced

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roehtlisberger met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell today and had his six-game suspension reduced to four games.  That really wasn’t a surprise, although I was holding out hope Goodell would stick to his guns and keep it at six games.

The thing I love is that I hear Roethlisberger was looking for an even greater reduction to three games.  Nope.  Goodell wouldn’t have it.  Listen, the original deal was if you behave, comply with what was being asked of him, he would see a reduction to four games.  What made him think he could ask for three?  This guy is lucky he isn’t sitting in a state prison right now.  From the sounds of it, he probably would still be out creating trouble if hadn’t been caught.  To his credit, he has behaved,  but he’s darn lucky to get the reduction and have the opportunity to be playing at all this season.

I can’t sit here and say I know all the facts.  I don’t.  However, I see a disturbing trend with two women’s complaints.  I have to think there is no coincidence that he had two relatively similar complaints against him.  There are rumors of how he has behaved in the private company of women and quite frankly it is so disturbing, I don’t care to repeat the allegations.  They are just that though since no charges were filed, allegations.

However the NFL recognized the trend and immediately suspended Big Ben.  He had a pattern of behavior and it needed to stop.  For his sake and others, I hope it has.  Big Ben has a lot of amends to make to his fans, his teammates, and to the NFL. Apparently he has done some of that.  Obviously he still has a lot of work to do.

He has all the talent in the world.  However I will take a million Derek Anderson’s before him.  Character is everything.  Perception is everything.  I just hope someday Big Ben realizes all of that.  He needs to thank his lucky stars he still has a job and a sweet paycheck to go with it….except for the next four weeks.