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An Open Invitation To Those Who Think Ben Is Guilty


It's like Christmas has come early for Steelers haters.  Since the news of McNulty's claims against Ben broke earlier this week, I've seen tons of joyous posts by babeparili and others like him who've already determined that Ben is guilty, calling him vile names in the process (in all fairness, I've also see a lot of posts tearing McNulty to pieces, that's not appropriate, either).  All of that has made me want to extend this invitation.

 

For those of you visitors who say Ben is guilty, I invite you and challenge you to explain your belief on this post.  To explain the reasons you believe Ben did what McNulty alleges.  I will respond to as many of these as I can (the ones that merit responses, anyway), and I don't anticipate having to launch more attacks against the victim.  Let's see if you can rise above mere namecalling and actually support the statements you've been making.

 

Just fyi, I've posted a similar challenge on the Sports Illustrated website late last night, it's already received over 120 hits and not one person has attempted to articulate an argument that Ben is likely to have done what he's accused of.

 

Call this a friendly challenge to see if you haters who come to this site can do a better job of justifying your claims.

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Good Idea but...

Why post that here?

"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Jul 22, 2009 4:38 PM EDT reply actions  

I posted it here because (1) the haters have been coming to this site as well, and (2) I have no desire or interest in checking out their sites. I guess I’m fine with them getting together on their own teams’ sites to revel in something negative befalling a Steeler player, but to me it’s different if they come to a Steeler site to “raise a ruckus” (esp this one, I love BTSC) I can’t really stop them, I guess, but I want to challenge them to see if they can justify their claims and their namecalling. My guess is, they won’t be able to.

Of course, nothing obligates them to accept my challenge to try and articulate a reasonable grounds for believing that Ben did what he’s accused of. They could still put up any number of posts calling Ben a rapist and not deigning to justify it. I can’t stop that, either, but I tell you what, I think they will have made it clear that they are cowards with no credibility at that point (surprise, surprise).

Personally, I find it telling I haven’t had a single person take me up on this challenge on the Sports Illustrated blog, either. At least, not yet.

by gcn on Jul 22, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

I see

"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Jul 22, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

Just got finished

reading the fanposts on Stampede Blue, and Cincy Jungle…those ignoramuses are seriously why I HATE idiot fans from other teams. They are LOVING this on those other sites. Makes me sick to my stomach, since if this shit happened to Carson Palmer, Tom Brady, or Peyton, and WE did that, they would be all over us. Guess it just shows how classless those people are.

Thank you drive through...

by Steel Spike on Jul 22, 2009 4:55 PM EDT reply actions  

And of course

Babeparilli is all over this too. I really wish someone would destroy that morons computer, break his fingers, and have a restraining order put on him to never post on a sports blog again.

Thank you drive through...

by Steel Spike on Jul 22, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions  

If someone proves himself to be a gutless coward by making all kinds of vile statements and then avoiding or running away from opportunities to justify the talk, then I think those statements (and that person’s credibility) have zero value.

by gcn on Jul 22, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions  

Let them hate

Makes it all the sweeter when they’re wrong.

"That Troy Polamaga guy looks like Predator"-A keen observation during Superbowl 43. Thanks to Walterfootball.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Jul 22, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

just remember

what is it “let haters hate it makes it better when we win” isn’t that it i know i’m close but I may have a few words wrong

by WVPiratesfan on Jul 22, 2009 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

I remembered

don’t mine the haters, hater only hate

great picture i must say it makes him more likable its the everyman picture that no QB’s other than Matt Lienart has had since Joe willie Namath

by WVPiratesfan on Jul 22, 2009 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions  

Are you going to tell me that if something like this happened to Palmer that there would not be fans of other teams doing the same thing? Doesn’t matter what team they are a fan of, it just comes down to the person in general.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions  

Maybe other fans would, but not me. I would be equally as stunned if these allegations came out against Carson, if not more so.

My "game-manager" QB just won the Super Bowl, while your stat-whore of a quarterback sat on his couch and watched!

by Ladi Izz on Jul 23, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

siants fans aren't talking about it

lets give saints fans a big round of applause

by WVPiratesfan on Jul 22, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions  

I'm frankly stunned

at how many so-called “Steelers fans” who’re ready to defend and protect this sociopathic nutjob girl simply because she files some civil suit. Any idiot can file a civil suit for any reason. I could see it if Ben had ANY history of negative behavior, but he absolutely does not. And reading the documentation is like reading bad fiction IMHO. None of it adds up, or is consistent with a traumatic event. Sounds more like low-budget daytime soap-opera TV to me.

Where is all the sympathy for Ben? Why is no one saying “Man, i bet he’s tore up about this..”? Why is the man always presumed capable of such a thing and the woman presumed to be telling the truth just because she cries "rape?

There is absolutey NO WAY Roethlisberger did anything remotely like what she says. None of her story makes the least bit of sense. She is using the public’s emotion against Ben and is, IMHO, raping HIM by means of destroying his spotless reputation. The sheer timing of this lawsuit screams “fast settlement plan” to me.

It’s amazing how quickly so much is being said about how she should be treated fairly, but how fairly is she treating Ben? Unless, or until, she can PROVE anything at all occured she’s nothing more than a head-case with an agenda- and rightly so.

I guess some people are just so anxious to make politically-correct statements that they’ll abandon any loyalty or appreciation for someone who’s unfairly made into an easy target.

As of right now Ben has done exactly ZERO wrong in the eyes of the law, but the court of public opinion has condemned him to castration, suspension, ostracization and the Fourth Ring of Hell already.

 Sadly, all those bandwagoneer Steeler-haters finally have some crumb of dirt to throw at what is, in reality, still a spotless organization.

This all just breaks my heart…

With any luck it will all be completely squashed like the other baseless crap that gets thrown at public figures.

by tobiathan on Jul 22, 2009 6:42 PM EDT reply actions  

Rape victims don't smirk

at the media. Check out the new TMZ footage of the accuser as she smiles at the cameras:

 http://www.tmz.com/2009/07/22/roethlisberger-accuser-emerges-cracks-a-smile/

NOT the look of a woman who has suffered a rape…..

by tobiathan on Jul 22, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm not taking sides but...

Who’s to say what a rape victim should or shouldn’t look like? Assuming she has been raped, she isn’t entitled to smile ever again?

by John Stephens on Jul 22, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions  

That's not the point

and you must know that.

The word “smirk” implies a secret knowledge, or a sense of self-satisfaction. And, the fact that she "smirk"ed at the paparazzi implies to me that she doesn’t mind all the coverage. A real victim of sexual assualt would be embarrassed by the media, not enjoying it. There was nothing genuine or sincere in her expression.

And don’t get caught up in the “what if”s…..i’m just saying she didn’t look too upset. She looked self-satisfied and smug, like she was getting away with something.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions  

And

if you’ve ever seen someone who’s been sexually assaulted you’d know they very, very rarely enjoy anything relating to the attack.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

Yup

Ben’s just stupid enough to post 50+ wins, 19 4th qtr. comebacks, 8 playoff wins and 2 SB Championships.

A real moron, that Ben…..

by tobiathan on Jul 22, 2009 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions  

the bike crash with no helmet thats smart

hes had a short history of being dumb i should say

by Z-money12 on Jul 22, 2009 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions  

We will give you that one, but you gotta admit, this really doesnt sound like Ben, no matter what team you support

It was like Marvin Harrisons episode….i never saw that one coming.

Bleeding Black and Gold.....forever

by Michael Hewitt on Jul 22, 2009 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions  

yes i hate that this happened even as a Pats fan

the Guy BP i want him to post here he keeps posting on the Pats PP site and im sick of it
people here would set him straight

by Z-money12 on Jul 22, 2009 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

That guy is a moron.

I am sorry but there is no way around there. He speaks more ignorantly than I have ever seen a human speak. He just bases his “facts” off of complete biased opinions. Its absurd and disgusting to read the filth he types out on any blog.

by John Stephens on Jul 22, 2009 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

I joined your site today

Just because he was annoying me that much….

Bleeding Black and Gold.....forever

by Michael Hewitt on Jul 23, 2009 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions  

he posted on here a few times and almost made my head explode, i do not want him back. For the love of God don’t let him come back.

by shleeve on Jul 23, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions  

As much of a Ben supporter I've been while he is on the field

He has not exactly handled his off seasons all that well to this point. I mean the no helmet motorcycle incidnet was probably the biggest story of the off season in the entire league after SB XL and this has the make up to be just as big if not bigger. Regardless of if he did it or not, something still went down with this girl that night. This is the exact same situation as Kobe (minus the marriage and timing of the suit) and look what happened to him for a few years. With all of this media attention I would not be surprised if McNulty is pressured into a criminal complaint in the next week. As for Ben, he needs to use better judgement and keep his zipper up. For those that travel the Pittsburgh social circles and nightlife with attractive young women, one would know that Ben doesn’t have the best reputation going for his persuit of women.
For the record I don’t think an assualt or rape occured but i can almost guarantee he F#!Kd the crazy bitch!

by TheCommish on Jul 23, 2009 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions  

come on man...

Big Ben is not a ROBOT ! He is a human being. Even if he had sex with that scam artist, everyone knows that it was consensual. Look at her face man. She looks like a horse !

by Bonek on Jul 23, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions  

Don't hate the playa, baby

Hate The Game.

Just because Ben isn’t always polite doesn’t at all mean he’s someone who would force a woman to have sex with him. He might very well be an asshole on certain levels, but that doesn’t make him a bad person. It just makes him an asshole. And, luckily for me, being an asshole isn’t illegal :-)

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions  

what da...

what’s up with u guys?
Naming Ben as an ass or an asshole…

by Bonek on Jul 25, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions  

Fine lines

Tobiathan, you might think of me as one of the Steeler fans that are inexplicably jumping to McNulty’s defense, but I would disagree. I’m certainly not on “her side”. I just think there’s a fine line between defending her and holding off before condemning her. What’s the difference? The difference is realizing and acknowledging that none of us on this site know for sure what happened. In fact, it appears there are only two people in the world that know for sure what happened, and their accounts contradict each other. We love Ben, and so we’re inclined to believe him over McNulty. But is that the same as knowing for sure he didn’t do what McNulty claims? It’s not, no matter how much we wish it was.

Because of that, there have been a number of us die-hard Pittsburgh fans that find ourselves cautioning others from jumping to conclusions. In doing so, we’re certainly not saying that McNulty is telling the truth. In fact, I’ll agree with you there are numerous things about this claim that make it highly suspicious. But until we know more, it is simply the more prudent and civil course of action to refrain from castigating her. I promise you this: If we crucify this woman in the arena of public opinion, and then (however unlikely) it turns out that she really was assaulted, then we’re going to have a hard time making amends for that.

Does this mean we can’t show support for Ben? No. Does this mean we can’t express skepticism over Ben acting as she claims? No. Does this mean we can’t point out how parts of her claims are extremely unlikely? Hell, no. But we can do all of these things without launching personal attacks against her.

Ironically, it’s the haters who come to this site that are doing exactly that: Engaging in vicious namecalling and accusations without any reasonable proof that Ben did what he is accused of. That is what I hope to show any person that takes me up on this challenge, but so far they all seem to have disappeared.

by gcn on Jul 23, 2009 12:41 AM EDT up reply actions   1 recs

i dont even like the steelers(its true) but think he didnt do it but chance is though you have to say that

but rape is somthing you dont go throwing around this women will get death threats
steeler fan have done it in the past death threats that is
but that doesnt mean he did it im betting shes gonna sell her story either way this goes in court and she use stuff that devolpes after it came out in the interviews to sell herself and make cash either way
because i dont think ben will sue her for false allegiations she gonna do nothing but make money

by Z-money12 on Jul 23, 2009 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions  

Well said, gcn

This comment exactly expresses my opinion.

The civil suit is like a car accident on the highway. We’d all be better off if we just moved along, focusing on other topics such as how many yards Hines would have if he were on a pass-happy team (great post, drinkyourmilkshake).

This situation will, unfortunately, unfold more slowly than we’d like. I trust Coach Tomlin will help the team maintain its professional demeanor, staying on target for #7.

by Alba on Jul 23, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions  

Personally

I’m not jumping to any conclusions. I’m basing my opinions on the evidence as it has been presented so far. To date, Ben has done nothing- to my knowledge-that justifies my doubting his innocence in this situation. As it is, everything i’ve seen and read about his accuser screams “bullsh*t”. Since i can only use what info i have, i choose to believe in someone with whom i’m as familiar as i can be from the perspective of a football fan and member of SteelerNation.

I’ll say this only once: IF this was a criminal case I would be far, far more reserved in my overwhelming support of Ben.

As it is, the whole thing is nothing more than “he said/she said”.

The rest is, as “they” say, academic.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

Wait..... what?

“There is absolutey NO WAY Roethlisberger did anything remotely like what she says.” sounds like jumping to a conclusion to me.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

“There is absolutey NO WAY Roethlisberger did anything remotely like what she says.”

This puts you in the same category of people that are immediately concluding that Ben is guilty. I love fans that think they just because they are a fan of a team that they have any clue to what one of their players is really capable of.

I don’t think he did it, but would not sit here and claim that he is not capable of it.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions  

And that from a Bungles fan, no less

……yawn……

Ben hasn’t done anything. Period.

Zero proof. Just hearsay. Any moron can(and usually DOES) file a civil suit.

End of story…..case CLOSED.

Go back to rooting for your habitual offenders and leave SteelerNation to itself, tyvm.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions  

Since you were there in the room, you obviously know.

And you are missing the point here- as I stated, I don’t think that he did it. And at this point it is all just hearsay. But what Ben is capable of doing none of us know. The fact that I am a Bengals fan has absolutely no relevance on that point.

And again you are making more assumptions that you have no clue about. I am vehemently against the fact the Chris Henry is still on the team and that we drafted Bernard Scott. Not to mention I want Chad off the team. But as I have no control over who the Bengals keep on their team, there is nothing I can do about it.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions  

I am not sure why you are here...?

I have read the fanpost on your blog, the Cincy Jungle. There is much more ignorant filth being thrown about around there against Ben than there is here against McNulty. Your ‘efforts’ to correct assumptions would be much better used there than here. Thanks for trying though.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

I am here because I like talking with other fans in our division and because this is the most active out of the 4. And if you had read it, you would see that I wrote on there something along the lines of all we can do is see what comes of it. I am not going to try and correct every single post on that board, idiots will be idiots no matter how many times I try to put some sense into them.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

Because I don’t see tobiathan as an idiot. And I am not trying to sit here and blast him and say he is wrong in everything he has said. This is more of a discussion to me than me trying to tell him what is right and wrong.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions  

Im with Bengals FTW guys

I obviously don’t think Ben did it but you can’t be 100% sure one way or the other.
He’s a good guy and something like this is totally not him but you never know. Humans make mistakes.

by shleeve on Jul 23, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions  

"it is ridiculous to assume that any human being is incapable of rape. "

Nice job, hypocrite.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions  

Nope

No hypocrisy here.

I don’t at all assume that Ben is incapable of rape; of course he’s capable of it.

I just do not believe for a second that he did anything even remotely resembling rape, or “sexual assault”.

None of the information presented so far supports that hypothesis.

Moron:-)

Go read up on some more Chris Henry police blotters, huh?….lol

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

And

Ben has a long, long list of very public behavior that supports the likelihood that he is wholly innocent of these allegations.

Unlike most of the Bungles roster…..muwhahahaahahaahaa

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions  

Likelihood is a very different statement that saying there is no way that he did it.

There is tons of evidence to support that Shayne Graham is a community minded upstanding individual. But from everyone that I know that has met him, they all say he is a douche.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions  

And yet you won’t even admit the possibility that this could be legitimate. True, there is no evidence to support that he did it, but what evidence has been presented so far to exonerate him? They have no put any evidence out there to prove that she was not in his room that night. Maybe it will come out soon, but at this point what the media has given does not prove what happened either way.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions  

but what evidence has been presented so far to exonerate him? They have no put any evidence out there to prove that she was not in his room that night.

That does not matter. In the United States you are innocent until proven guilty. Not vice versa. Ben does not have to prove his innocence, she has to prove his guilt. So tobiathan is not completely crazy to have that opinion.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

Actually, that does matter, because it would be the end of this whole situation. If he has evidence that clears his name, is he just going to sit on it and wait to see if she proves his guilt?

And thanks for the history lesson. Wow is that really how our legal system works? I thought they were just going to thrown him on the rack until this whole situation got sorted out. AT NOT POINT HAVE I SAID HE IS GUILTY. I am of the opinion that this is not going to amount to anything.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

...

You were questioning tobaithan’s belief that Ben is innocent and, as I quoted you, you asked what proof there was that he wasn’t guilty. There doesn’t have to be proof right now. He IS innocent until proven guilty. So I assume that is why tobaithan believes he is innocent. Is it that wrong to back your team/QB until proof comes out that makes you believe otherwise?

You smart ass attitude is less than appreciated, when you claim you are here for good discussions. If you want to be an immature jerk why don’t you go scamper back to your blog, which is full of them. You all can collectively whine about why you are unable to field a good team.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 1:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

Good lord man, would you read some please?

Here so you don’t miss it-

I AM NOT QUESTIONING HIS BELIEF, WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT HIS STATEMENT MADE IT SEEM AS IF HE KNEW, FOR CERTAIN, THAT BEN WAS INNOCENT.

AS I HAVE ALSO STATED, I AGREE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THIS IS A LOAD OF CRAP AND I DON’T THINK ANYTHING WILL COME OF IT.

And really, I don’t care if my smart ass attitude is not appreciated. I am a smart ass. Blogs tend to be full of them, no matter which blog it is.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions  

I don't think he did anything wrong.

How do you need this to be broken down to make you happy? Are you just determined to force every Steelers fan to say “Yeah, Ben might have attacked that girl”?

Are you THAT desperate to soil the Steelers sparkling public persona?

Ben did nothing wrong. Until, or unless, that is proved to be wrong, I stand by it.

Bengaldom must be a sad, ugly little world for you to spend so much effort and time here……

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

I am not trying to discredit or harm the Steelers image in any way, or Ben’s for that matter. The Steelers may not be an organization that I like, but I do however have a ton of respect for the way that it is run. Anyway who cannot admit that is an idiot. And as I have stated, I don’t think that he did anything. But I don’t see how anyone can sit here and say he definitely did do it or he definitely did not.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions  

I know

bullsh*t when i see it.

Don’t hate on me because i have enough confidence in my own discernment to make a judgement on an issue and stand by it.

 And it’s pointless to argue in absolutes. No matter what anyone says about this issue, someone will want to argue the other side, and will call into account the fact that “only they know what happened”. Well, of course “only they” know….but these forums are all about expressing “opinion”. I have my opinion, and i’m confident in it.

There is zero doubt in my mind that Ben will be cleared of all this crap, and when he IS, everyone who argued his possible guilt will have wasted time.

It’s really that simple.

So no: Ben, in my opinion, did absolutely nothing wrong. Take it or leave, but don’t expect me to agree that he “might” have done something i don’t think he did. Philosophical arguments are pointless, but lots of fun…

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

The way you came across was that you knew that Ben did not do it, which was the whole point to my argument. If you had said in your opinion he did nothing wrong, I would have just kept reading.

And I would rather talk with someone who is strong in their beliefs. Talking with someone who is a flake is no fun.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

Well-

I’m not exactly clear on how you delineate between being “strong in..beliefs” and being a flake.

Am i a flake unless i specify that my statement is only opinion? Isn’t it clearly only an opinion, since i’m not one of the litigants? I still “know” Ben did nothing wrong, but i’m not a witness to the events discussed. At no point do i concede any possibility that he is guilty of anything…but i don’t control the world; anything can(and often does) happen.

The whole argument is ultimately unwinnable from either perspective.

I just like to fight, argue, bicker, discuss and talk smack- so it’s OK to me if it all means little in the big picture…

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

“There is absolutey NO WAY Roethlisberger did anything remotely like what she says”

This is not an opinion, this is a statement of fact. And no, you are not a flake if you state what you say is opinion. You said its pointless to argue in absolutes. Yet the word “absolutely” appears in that statement.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions  

I absolutely

doubt he did anything wrong.

And just because it’s pointless to argue in absolutes doesn’t stop people from doing it-

The Bungles absolutely suck, but you undoubtedly still argue in defense of them ;-)

Two points, tobiathan

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions  

And

saying “absolutely” in a sentence is not the same as “arguing in absolutes”.

Context, my friend. Context.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:13 PM EDT up reply actions  

You said there is absolutely no way Ben did it, arguing his is innocence, therefore arguing using an absolute.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions  

Gee whillickers-

Do you understand context?

Saying “I heard him say it”

is different than

Saying “I heard he said it”

Using the word “absolutely” as an adjective is wholly different than arguing in terms of absolute facts and absolute fictions. If we were arguing absolutes we wouldn’t even be having this discussion, since NOTHING about it is “absolute”.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions  

“since NOTHING about it is "absolute".”

This has been my whole point.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

WTF

do you need to hear? I don’t get it?

You’re starting to sound like you won’t be happy until i say that Ben did something wrong, which ain’t gonna happen.

Since i’m not the be-all, end-all authority on what happens in the universe i can’t change reality, so what difference my position make to you anyway?

Are you just so embarrassed by being run in circles that now you’re just going to start nit-picking and complaing until you get what you want?

Jeezus- your opinion of me and my thoughts is absolutely no more important than my opinion of you and yours.

We’ve been at this for hours now. Unless you can specifically state to me what it is you WANT from me, i’m moving on.

I’m getting bored with you, and this whole topic….

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

If you cannot discern what I was getting at from all of this, then maybe I gave you more credit than I should have.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions  

Congrats on awarding yourself two points. And putting the word doubt behind it changes to meaning of the statement.

And the Bengals sucking is something can be proven. There is no way to argue, all that needs you be done is pull up there record. The only thing I am is an eternal optimist as a Bengals fan, because we rarely have any other time to be optimistic.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions  

Are you THAT desperate

to “win” this argument?

If you want to start picking apart each other’s semantical choices i can do that, but it’ll get mighty, mighty tedious…

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions  

I am not trying to “win” anything. If thats all you want to satisfy whatever you are here for, the congrats, you win. Go write home to the family about how you totally won some argument on the message board today, I am sure they will gleam with pride, jump on the computer, print it out, stick it on the fridge and then submit it to the ESPY’s for best win in an argument on sports related message board.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

Unlike you

I am a Steelers fan, and this is one of my regular boards.

Why are YOU here, sunshine?

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

I already went through this with Jonny_S.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions  

That's not my problem

You’re the one so concerned with me and my posts. I’m not exactly chasing you around.

Forget your OCD pills today?

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

I agree with Bengals FTW saying you can't be 100% sure one way or the other

but you don’t need to go attacking the Bengals, that is irrelevant. This is about Roethlisberger not the Bengals. Don’t automatically label his comments as biased or ignorant because hes a fan of another team.

by shleeve on Jul 23, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions  

just a level headed person in a neutral position……..

by shleeve on Jul 23, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

I think

people should read the whole exchange prior to interjecting….

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

i did, mentioning of the Bengals is unnecessary. I’m just not a fan of team bashing.

by shleeve on Jul 23, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions  

And-

did YOU bother to read the title of this thread?

Go be warm and fuzzy somewhere else…

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions  

Who in the hell are you to tell him how to comment?

The hypocrisy continues…………..

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions  

Who in the hell are you to tell me not to tell him how to comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gawd, get a life. Are you just gonna snipe at my every comment now?

Are you that obsessive and pathetic?

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions  

Obviously you have not let it go either, which would put us in the same boat.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

I came here to get in a long discussion and see how small these comment boxes will get before they disappear altogether.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm not sure

but they’re bound to look pretty funny eventually…

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

Frankly

i’m amazed that this hasn’t degenerated into curse-words and name-calling already….

…but we still have time ;-P

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions  

not my style.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

Who in the hell are you to tell me to not tell you to not tell him how to comment?

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

Don't you

tell me not to tell you how to tell me not to tell him not to comment here!

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

Oh...wait:

DON’T YOU-

tell me not to tell you not to tell me how to ask him who in the hell he thinks he is to tell me not to call you names!

f*ckr.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions  

Damnit.

I thought the boxes would get smaller.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

It seems

we have reached the apex of smallness in this conversation.

(innuendo intended)

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

LOL. Alright. I think we have pretty much reached the end of this.

Just to be clear, I am not saying you should not believe that Ben did not do anything. It is just a pet peeve of mine when someone says they know, for certain, something that happened when there is no way other than to have been there. That’s all this was about. I share the opinion with you that this will most likely turn out to be a solid as the team ownership ability of Mike Brown.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions  

J/K

I think we have hashed it out to the point of consensus.

I concur.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

Bengaldom must be a sad, ugly little world for you to spend so much effort and time here

Well… yea.. its the Bengals.

It's still a good season if we go 2-14 and beat the Steelers twice.

by Bengals FTW on Jul 23, 2009 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions  

I LIKE TOAST!!!

Upon moving to AL, I let my wife decide who she would root for. After one day at a new job full of Bama fans, she met me at the door with a hearty cry of "WAR EAGLE"

by SandMountainTiger on Jul 23, 2009 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions  

Do you expect Ben to prove a negative???

“They have no put any evidence out there to prove that she was not in his room that night. Maybe it will come out soon, but at this point what the media has given does not prove what happened either way.”

Whatever happened, it happened one year ago. Do you even remember where you were one year ago last Saturday? Who you were with? And can you prove that someone who might claim they were with you that day really wasn’t?

That’s the problem with her claim. She has no forensic evidence at all. And no video. No nothing. She has her word. And it’s so long ago, he’ll have difficulty trying to prove anything to the contrary.

Hell, I can’t even remember last Saturday night!

by Homer J. on Jul 23, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions  

This is an opportunity for Ben & the team.

Would’nt it be sweet if he goes on to have his best season as a pro enroute to another SB victory? This is a chance for him to show his mettle; it would be the sweetest victory in his already illustrious career. This is a great story waiting to happen. Let the haters hate, they have no power.

by jglo on Jul 22, 2009 6:56 PM EDT reply actions  

I find it funny

…that not a single Steelers hater has posted to this challenge, yet on every blog and some other fanposts haters are reveling in this media debacle. It is as if they don’t have the guts to reply to an outright challenge.

I really feel for Ben. At this point, he has done nothing to deserve this. If this accusation turns out to be false, I will be ecstatic. If, however, he is proven guilty, I will be saddend and perhaps ashamed, as any human being would. But for now, “innocent until proven guilty”.

Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.-- John Madden

by steelcitysweetheart on Jul 22, 2009 7:40 PM EDT reply actions  

I find that pretty telling, too.

If no one makes out a reasonable case against Ben, especially if nobody even makes a genuine attempt to do so, then I’ll be satisfied that all of these derogatory posts are nothing more than haters catching their jollies over a negative incident befalling the team they envy.

by gcn on Jul 22, 2009 9:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

Done

I posted the same challenge on SI.com, over 180 hits and counting, still not one person who’s attempted to make out a real case against Ben.

by gcn on Jul 22, 2009 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

I am on Ben's side

The picture above clearly says it all..Ben has a hard time getting women. Not! And in the unlikely event that he does, I would be happy to relocate back to Pittsburgh.

by newcastle,pa-gal on Jul 22, 2009 9:17 PM EDT reply actions  

Lol

rape DOES have an element of sex in it, supergenius. Try not to swallow too much of that old Fruedian kool-aid, eh?

If it didn’t get him/her off, no rapist would bother.

Thanks for stoppin’ by, tho :-)

by tobiathan on Jul 22, 2009 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions  

To clarify-

yes: rape DOES have something to do with “not getting women”.

Many rapists are motivated by their hatred and resentment of women(or men) who wouldn’t normally consent to intimacy with them.

The “rape is a power” hypothesis is A- only a theory and B- not the whole reason people commit rape.

And now you know….

by tobiathan on Jul 22, 2009 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions  

no I knew before

I must have to assume you have a doctorate in psychology but I could only assume that if you were correct in what you said. Rapist’s commit rape for the ability to control their victim and intimidate them. I’m pretty sure if someone was not able to get women or men they would just pay for sex instead of raping. Rapist’s have personality disorder and normally can be classified in the category of psychopath. I’m not here to debate on whether or not Big Ben is a rapist or isn’t. I was just offended about the ignorant comment “newcastle,pa-gal” made. And I’m even more taken at back by someone whose favorite team is the defending Super Bowl Champions, is too ignorant to know why rape is committed. You, “tobiathan” are giving all Steeler fans a bad name by your ignorance.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 22, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions  

and to clarify

men cannot get raped by women. so therefore women are not rapist’s. so your “women(or men)” comment and “get him/her off” comment makes you seem even more dumb. But I’m glad I stopped "by, tho :-) “supergenius”

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 22, 2009 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

according to the legal definition of rape (at least by the state of nevada), women can rape men…although it probably occurs very seldomly

by t1mmy10 on Jul 23, 2009 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions  

Where'd you get that, dolphins?

Women are most definitely capable of rape. Like t1mmy says, its probably rare, but it does happen.

by gcn on Jul 23, 2009 12:54 AM EDT up reply actions  

they can rape you

but it be sad to say a women raped you

by Z-money12 on Jul 23, 2009 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions  

that's what we were always taught

in high school and in college

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions  

You out yourself right there

it is ridiculous to assume that any human being is incapable of rape. Just because “that’s what they taught” doesn’t mean it’s true, sunshine. Rape is an act of violence committed by any person who forcibly commits an act of a sexual nature against an unwilling recipient. Sex, in the context of rape, loses it’s reproductive and recreational nature and becomes violence. Gender has ZERO effect on the nature of rape.

And the fact that you presume to accept whatever teacher tells you says a lot about your capacity for critical thinking and your knowledge of the true nature of the human experience.

 How do YOU know I’ve never been raped?

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions  

because you think rape is about sex

which it isn’t. and women cannot literally rape men. Johnny_S down there is correct. they can commit statutory rape but not any other type of rape. so the only type of rape you could have had committed on you would be statutory if you are a male. Women can not literally rape men.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

You are wrong

But i doubt you’re capable of admitting it. A woman CAN rape a man. Very, very easily. Apparently you’ve never met any sociopathic, hate-ridden and evil women.

A woman can penetrate a man with a foreign object VERY EASILY.

Wake up.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:40 PM EDT up reply actions  

you know I am awake you apparently aren't

and sodomy and regular rape are not the same thing. I’m referring to straight up rape. not foreign objects, okay? nor statutory. you keep missing what kind of rape I am referring to.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

Rape is rape...

I don’t think they break it down in to multiple categories.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 12:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

The only thing women "can't" do

is penetrate a man with female sexual organs. But rape is defined as: "Any forcible act of sex or penetration imposed upon an unwilling recipient "

Rape, by any other name……

…is still rape.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions  

Yeah I'd have to agree with you

Sodomy definitely can be considered rape. Therefore a woman can rape a man.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

And-

Women are fully capable of forcing men to have sex against their will. The male genitalia CAN become erect despite a man’s lack of desire to copulate. Penile stimulation can occur completely on it’s own, independent of the man’s conscious desire(or lack of) to perform the sex act.

To say a woman “can’t” rape a drugged man, or a man passed out, or a bound man, or a man under threat of violence is absurd.

It is extremely possible, and has occured more than once. Unfortunately, POPULAR culture likes to present women as helpless victims(often to the detriment of all women) when, in fact, women are every bit as capable of rape, violence and destruction as men.

Period.

To think otherwise is both naive and delusional.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions  

Go ask a cop

and stop trying to act like one. You are sitting there googling your answers. go ask a real person and not a search engine.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

Typical reply

when badly losing an argument.

And how do you know who i am or am not, son?

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm not your son

and I’m tried of arguing with you about something that Big Ben isn’t even accused of. If he was then I’d turn it into whether or not he did it instead of going back in forth with some idiot who is giving all Steeler fans bad names. You are making me miss my baseball game. If you don’t know what a baseball game is then you can google that too.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions  

so if i woman held i gun to a guy and demanded him to have sex with her that wouldnt be rape?

by t1mmy10 on Jul 23, 2009 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions  

and

Big Ben isn’t even accused of rape so I don’t know why the hell this debate happened in the first place.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions  

Well they were wrong...

A woman can definitely commit statutory rape.

by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

My previous comment was perhaps too light hearted

While anything is possible, the stories I have read today just sounded so ridiculous to me. First, I would never blame the victim in a rape case, I am usually on the woman’s side since I am a female, but give me a break…
1.) When a man asks you to go his hotel room to fix his TV, unless you are a complete moron you know this has an "alternate" meaning. You can’t tell me this women lives in Las Vegas and is that naive.
2.) If your boss expects you to show important celebrities a "good time" and you are worried about being fired…then you really need to realize that you either quit this job and/or sue your employer for sexual harassment. You don’t just say okay, boss, anything you say. She was the one that went to his room. If she didn’t feel comfortable with that she should have expressed her concern and asked for someone else to be present in the room.
3.) When something is not working in your room they usually send someone from maintenance, not some concierge. I don’t know too many women who rewire TV’s, but whatever.
4.) If you get raped, God forbid, why would you stay around and clean up in this man’s room? Most woman would be running out of the room. Why would you assume telling your boss= telling the police and going to the ER?
Something like this usually leaves some bruises, I think with that and DNA evidence that Harrah’s would have one heck of a time firing her, which I understand was her reason for holding onto this information for an entire year.
5.) If you are in therapy and the hospital for post-traumatic stress disorder, don’t you think they would encourage you to come forward regarding the person that attacked you much earlier?
I hope Ben has a good lawyer and goes after her. She should be fired for accusing someone like this.

by newcastle,pa-gal on Jul 22, 2009 10:25 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

and I agree with you

I don’t know if he is guilty nor does it matter to me. It is probably doubtful but there is a chance it could be true. Who really knows? We will find out. I was just set aback by your previous comment. I have no qualms with the Steelers or Steeler Nation. I cheered for them in the Super Bowl. But as for rape…it has nothing to do with sex or not being able to get women. And that was the point I was trying to make. That alone. So I understand you in your current comment and for the most part agree.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 22, 2009 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

You are the girl I've been looking for

First of all, excellent post, and great way of telling “dolphins buffalo” to shut the F up.
2nd you are a woman and you are following a great Steelers blog, even adding your own comments.
3rd, your are from New Castle, I grew up in Sharon, although I live in FL now
4th you are willing to drive to Pittsburgh to show Ben what a real woman is about(something he probably needs instead of all these gold-diggers)
5th and most importantly it seems like your have some great intelligence and articulate very well.

You are the total package in my mind….to this point. i never thought BTSC would turn into a dating forum as well! You can read my posts, I assure you I know my Sh!t as well….LOL (worth a try right?!)

by TheCommish on Jul 23, 2009 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

she just copied and pasted that

from another thread that she made the same comment. so she didn’t really make me “shut the F up” idiot.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions  

Dolph......

I was being sarcastic, the comments were really low class!!!!

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions  

I was reffering to

TheCommish. who thinks she told me to “shut the F up” I understood yours. but the other guy must have actually thought they were classy because he wants this to turn into a dating forum like some weirdo.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions  

oh that was stupid

I though you said “comments” not “commish”…wow. I understand now. I need to learn how to read better

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions  

make sure you return to this site......

Dolph, we need a few people who don’t get caught up in the “us against the world” syndrome".

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'll be back

if I don’t get attacked senseless by all the people like TheCommish and tobiathan. I have no problem with the Steelers and normally not their fans. Some just didn’t care about that today.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

'I've been a Steelers fan since '73.......

…….but that doesn’t keep from having an open mind.

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions  

well good

some of the people on here made themselves look arrogant and it was odd.

Bodyguard of the Official Matty I Fan Club.

by dolphinsinbuffalo on Jul 23, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions  

i have read over 15 stories

only 3 make it seem like he REALLY DID it
also id like to think that BR is smart and would be a smart rapist and not leave evdience anywhere by focing here to do this and that to cover her tracks
but i dont think he did it again

by Z-money12 on Jul 23, 2009 12:04 AM EDT reply actions  

ARE YOU AN ATTORNEY WITH INSIDE INFO?

I’ve been we a Steelers fan since ‘73 and been Ben’s biggest fan. I have to say, this is an absolutely absurd discussion, I hope Ben didn’t do it, but how can we say? We only have information that we get from the media. It’s possible he did do it, he’s not a saint. But personal attacks on a alleged victim, none of has talked to or know is ridiculous (the attacks on other sites are absolutely brutal). How can we defend or crucify him when we know a small amount of info., we’re fans not people who have inside info. And none of us are experts on the psychology of rape victims. Opinions are fine, but lets not pretend we know what really happened in that room that night.

I pray and believe he didn’t do it, but let’s not forget it is possible

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 12:27 AM EDT reply actions  

BY THE WAY......

How do you know she is a “sociopathic nutjob”?

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 12:36 AM EDT reply actions  

How do YOU know

she’s not?

Just because she’s crying rape?

Good lord….some people are falling all over themselves to apologize for this crazy girl when she has clearly timed this case very carefully. One week, almost exactly, before training camp? Give me a break..

Someone claiming to be a victim does NOT make her one.

End of story. For now.

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

Then using.......

your logic, how do you know she is? What a ridiculous arguement. Tobiathan, your in way over your head, you make yourself sound worse everytime you reply. Cut your losses and stop replying.

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 8:32 PM EDT up reply actions  

By the way.........

Sinced she is “crying rape”, logically it follows that she is a sociopath nut. OK, thanks for clearing that up.

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions  

z-money

I agree, it’s possible something did happen between them, if it did who knows whether it was consentual or not?

I was responding to tobiathan.

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 12:42 AM EDT reply actions  

Exactly

But I think that’s going to prove a problem for McNulty, not Ben.

Assuming that we’re right about an absence of (1) physical evidence suggesting sexual assault, and (2) evidence by way of witness or recording, then this is probably a true he said / she said situation. If that’s what it is, then I wonder how McNulty is going to prove her case. She’s the petitioner in a civil case, she needs to show that her evidence is better than Ben’s evidence that he didn’t do it (which is probably just his testimony). How is she going to do that? What can she produce to show that her testimony should be considered more credible than Ben’s?

by gcn on Jul 23, 2009 11:22 PM EDT up reply actions  

Stupid challenge

It is irrelevant what any given ignoramus out there believes. Not only do they lack the real facts of this case, which undoubtedly defendant and plaintiff will disagree over, but they will not decide the case. This is a civil case, with a much lower barrier to conviction than a criminal case. The rules of evidence are lower, so, for example, some hearsay evidence will be allowed. The barrier to conviction is also lower, since only 9 of 12 jurors need to find BB guilty—in contrast to a unanimous ruling in criminal cases. On the other hand, the risks to BB do not include a prison sentence but are monetary only—$8.5M in damages, and any and all sponsorship deals that he will lose with the bad PR. The NFL could suspend or fine BB as well. Another key benefit is that rape shield laws that prohibit introducing the plaintiff’s sexual history do not apply in a civil case, so the plaintiff will undergo the same level of embarrassment as the defendant. Bottom line: no one knows what the odds of a conviction are, but they are higher than in a criminal case and can still carry big costs to BB. Steeler fans (of which I am one) ought to be prepared for a worst case scenario (lots of distractions followed by a guilty finding) rather than entertaining stupid comments from Steeler-hating know-nothings.

by ec on Jul 23, 2009 2:42 AM EDT reply actions  

"Conviction"

is the wrong term to use here.

It would be “judgement for” or “judgement against”.

Nothing about this is criminal, and as a civil case it represents absolutely NO degree of criminality against the defendant. I seriously, seriously doubt the NFL could even punish Ben if he were to lose a CIVIL case, regardless of the subject of the suit. Since there is no issue of any criminal record, criminal prosecution or even of a crime-per se- it becomes a matter of two differing accounts of one incident. Unlike the Kobe or even OJ cases, there is NO criminal charge involved here(which in itself is very, very unusual).

No one seems to understand that ANY IDIOT can file a civil suit claiming anything he or she wants. Period.

So- ultimately- yes: it is totally pointless to argue over all this.

I’m just saddened by how many “Steelers fans” are willing to consider Ben Roethlisberger a rapist when he has had absolutely no history of ANY negative behaviors to this point. Anything is possible, but is it really LIKELY? Come on, people….

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

Hey, more power to you

I give you credit if you aren’t bothered by what’s been posted by haters over the last couple of days. Personally, I’ve not appreciated it and this is my response. You say it is pointless to entertain or invite “comments from Steeler-hating know-nothings.” I think this is different. IMO, no invitation is really necessary, there are plenty of them that are more than happy to come to BTSC without any invitation whatsoever. My intention in putting up the post is not to attract even more haters to the site, it is to see if any of them that come here of their own accord can actually justify what they are claiming. If any of them undertake to justify their belief, I don’t think they’ll be able to do it.

I haven’t seen any haters on the site since the post went up, that’s a pleasant surprise (I’m not claiming this post is the reason why). Bottom line: I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, as much as I would have liked an opportunity to debunk a hater’s belief, I’ll happily settle for having them leave BTSC, if only temporarily.

Couple of things, out of curiosity:

Where have you heard that evidentiary laws relating to hearsay are more relaxed in a civil trial? To the best of my knowledge, exceptions to the rule against hearsay apply to both civil and criminal trials.

Where have you heard that McNulty is seeking $8.5 M?

by gcn on Jul 23, 2009 9:22 AM EDT reply actions  

This was a good idea

Offering to consolidate all the hatin’ was a good move. This way those of us who are willing to shoot down the Steeler-snipers can find all the blow-hards in one place. And- it saves those on other threads from the tedium of dredging thru all this sludge.

Somebody will ALWAYS want to argue a point- i say “give a place to do it”.

Good job, gcn

by tobiathan on Jul 23, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

Thanks, and as an added bonus, the haters haven’t really come around. Where are they, cleaning up their rooms or something?

by gcn on Jul 23, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions  

Is the government involved ..........................

in this conspiracy by Steeler haters? Oh, I just got it, they probably paid her to file the charges!!!! Keep on the trail boys, maybe you can get her to recant!!!!!!

Paranoia runs wild here.

by grapes on Jul 23, 2009 8:53 PM EDT reply actions  

Ben asked her if she wanted to go on a ride on his motorcycle or just stay in. Fearing for her life she said no to the motorcycle ride and Ben, still suffering from amnesia and forgettting about his past motorcycle experiences, took her answer as a green light for other activities which she obviously didn’t want either.

by thecharmcitysportsblog.blogspot.com on Jul 23, 2009 9:57 PM EDT reply actions  

-1

breathe in deep feel your heart beat, just to know that life's worth livin'. feel your feet on the earth, better love it while it's still here spinnin'.

by NoCal-SteelCity on Jul 24, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions  

I'd laugh if it was funny but...

…yeah, this one is just not funny.

by gcn on Jul 24, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions  

Why do they call it “charm city” when none of you are charming?

Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.-- John Madden

by steelcitysweetheart on Jul 24, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions  

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178896_499126548441_596563441_5939410_7960015_n_small Anthony Defeo