While talking to the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen during a televised interview on Wednesday, Steelers’ receiver Hines Ward said that Ben Roethlisberger should address his teammates in wake of what has transpired this offseason.

“A lot of players really don’t know the situation, other than what we hear in the news or the media,” Ward explained. “I think when he addresses the whole team going into training camp, we can all put it behind us and move forward.”

There was certainly nothing malicious in Ward’s statement. He wasn’t calling Big Ben out, nor was he suggesting that the Steelers haven’t embraced him upon his return to the practice field. What he is saying is that it would be a good idea if the team’s two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback addressed his teammates in order to put the situation behind him so they can move on as a team.

And I happen to agree.

Roethlisberger has ever right to keep his personal matters to himself and if he decides to do that, then he doesn’t deserve to be criticized. I wouldn’t want my dirty laundry to be aired out in front of a group of my peers, nor would anyone else. But Big Ben is already past that point.

Thanks to the media, his teammates already have a grasp on what happened and they’ve already drawn their own conclusions. But if he were to briefly stand up in front of the team and reaffirm his commitment to them, the Steelers and to winning, it might go a long way in putting the situation to rest. He doesn’t have to share details or even apologize – he just needs to kill the very large elephant in the room so that big bastard doesn’t sit there all season.

In general, people want to forgive and move on. I’m willing to bet that if Big Ben opens up to his teammates before training camp (or whenever) that he won’t have to say another word about the situation the rest of the season because it’ll be done. Again, he isn’t obligated to say anything. But given the importance of his position, his role with the team and how close professional athletes generally are, it might be in Roethlisberger’s best interest if he takes Ward’s suggestion to heart.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told the media at the owners meetings on Tuesday that he would review the behavioral evaluation he ordered as part of Ben Roethlisberger’s six-game suspension within a week. If Goodell determines that Big Ben has made progress, then he may allow the quarterback to rejoin the Steelers for offseason workouts.

What I would like to know is what process Goodell is planning to take when determining whether or not Roethlisberger should have the privilege to return to his team. What is Goodell going to do, send Big Ben into a crowded bar filled with horny chicks to see if he’ll behave himself? I’m not trying to sound insensitive in light of the previous allegations against Roethlisberger, but seriously – how is Goodell going to know whether or not the QB is worthy enough to return to football?

Furthermore, how is Goodell going to determine whether or not he should lighten Big Ben’s suspension from six to four games? Anyone can behave themselves for a month if they want something bad enough. Who’s to say that Roethlisberger has learned anything? Does Goodell have a couple of eagle scouts watching the quarterback’s every move?

I guess Goodell will just have to go with his gut and trust that Roethlisberger has suffered enough embarrassment to have changed (or is in the process of changing). I don’t doubt that the commissioner is taking this matter seriously, but I would love to find out what constitutes Big Ben learning his lesson and therefore, what it is that he did to earn a four-game suspension over a six-game penalty if that is indeed the outcome here.

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has completed his behavioral evaluation ordered by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

The behavioral evaluations are just part of Roethlisberger’s punishment after he was accused of sexual assault for the second time in less than a year. If he fulfills his requirements, Goodell may reduce the quarterback’s suspension from six to four games and while Big Ben’s camp is hopeful that he’ll be able to participate in team activities soon, the Steelers have no timetable for his return.

Goodell is doing a thorough job in this situation, but who knows if Big Ben has learned anything – or will learn anything. He may be fulfilling his requirements in order to get back on the field, but that doesn’t mean he has changed. Has he been humbled by this experience? Will he make smarter decisions in the future? Will he strive not to put himself in situations where it may lead to him getting into more trouble?

Roethlisberger is a young, single guy. To think he’s going to spend the rest of his football career staying at home and nuzzling up to the fireplace while watching HGTV and sipping a glass of wine is unrealistic. But in order for him to avoid future punishment and embarrassment, he needs to improve his decision-making. Steeler fans can only hope that this process will lead to a wiser, more humbled Ben Roethlisberger.

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ESPN.com reports that the Georgia police offer who took the report the night Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old female has decided to resign.

In the same article, ESPN notes that there could also be another victim (which would be the third) of sexual assault involving Big Ben.

Also revealed in the GBI reports released Thursday was the fact investigators wanted to talk with a woman about a separate incident reportedly involving Roethlisberger.

The documents show that after the alleged assault in Milledgeville, a 16-year-old in a youth law enforcement program told authorities he knew about incidents involving Roethlisberger and a friend’s sister.

Authorities repeatedly sought to interview the woman, who is in her early 20s, but she declined. The teen had said he believed the two-time Super Bowl winner twice made unwanted sexual advances toward the woman.

I find it interesting that the police officer that took the first report has decided to resign. Per the article, the officer made derogatory comments about the accuser to other officers the night of the incident and was also photographed a little over a week after the incident with Roethlisberger, who was smiling in the photo. Did the officer resign out of guilt for doing something wrong or was he embarrassed about the photo?

From the very first report until now, I’ve tried hard not to make accusations about what happened the night Big Ben was accused of sexual assault (uh, the second time he was accused of sexual assault). But this entire situation smells like a rotting corpse. Here’s a guy in Roethlisberger that has already been accused once of sexual assault and while wasn’t charged, he somehow managed to put himself right back into a similar situation less than a year later.

How this sewer rat thought that inviting under aged females to a private VIP party in a college bar and getting them all drunk was a smart idea is beyond me. I don’t mean to speculate, but I think he’s incredibly lucky that he has surrounded himself with people that will cover for him. That said, I truly believe that this is one dumb individual, one that will likely put himself in a similar situation down the road. And once he does, let’s hope no one gets hurt and authorities can finally nail him on something. I realize he’s never been charged, but that doesn’t mean he’s innocent.

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From ESPN.com:

In 5oo-plus pages of documents released Wednesday, Nicole Biancofiore told investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations that her friend, a student at Georgia College & State University, “was dragged by a bodyguard to the back room in Capital [City, a local nightclub]. She was extremely intoxicated and not aware of what was happening.”

“He had sex w/me and meanwhile his bodyguards told my friends they couldn’t pass them to get to me,” the accuser wrote in her statement, which was reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The initial police report said that “One of the suspect’s bodyguards escorted her to a back room/hallway area where the suspect was. Once there, she stated, the suspect asked her for sex. At this time it is unclear to what happened after this point due to the complainant’s recollection being foggy from her intoxication level. However, she did write a statement of what she thought happened.”

A third friend, Ann Marie Lubatti, told police, that she “approached the other security guard and told him that she [the accuser] was in no shape to be back there with Ben Roethlisberger. He couldn’t look me in the eye, and told me he didn’t know what was going on. My friend went to open the door, and it was locked.”

It’s hard to sift through all of these reports and get to the facts. Chances are, nobody will know what exactly happened that night, although it sounds like Roethlisberger’s bodyguards have an idea.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions or cast stones, because I wasn’t there the night the incident happened. But it’s apparent that Roethlisberger doesn’t have the intelligence to stay out of these types of situations. While I don’t bemoan him for wanting to celebrate his birthday, there’s absolutely no reason for him and his cronies to be buying under aged women shots in the back of a bar in the middle of a college town.

He’s the freaking quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers – you’re telling me he doesn’t have anywhere more upscale to go? And celebrate with people his own age for that matter? Come on.

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Ben Roethlisberger apologized to his teammates, family, friends and fans on Monday for the “negative attention” that he brought upon himself and the Steelers. But he’s also ready to move on and put the situation behind him.

If only it were that easy.

Here’s what Big Ben had to say on Monday (via ESPN):

“The prosecutor’s decision not to bring charges, I know without a doubt, is the right conclusion,” said Roethlisberger, who was wearing a red sports shirt and light-colored slacks. “I don’t intend to discuss any details related to the events of Georgia. I’m happy to put this behind me and move forward.”

“I am excited to get back to work with my teammates, and I’m more determined than ever to have a great season,” he said.

“I’m truly sorry for the disappointment and negative attention I brought to my family, my teammates, coaches, [Steelers owners] the Rooneys and the NFL,” Roethlisberger said. “I understand that the opportunities I have been blessed with are a privilege, and much is expected of me as the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I absolutely want to be the leader this team deserves, valued in the community and a role model to kids. I have much work to do to earn this trust.”

Roethlisberger isn’t out of the woods yet. He still has to meet with commissioner Roger Goodell this week and after that, he may face punishment from the league. Considering this is the second time he was accused of sexual assault, there’s a possibility that he may be suspended for his actions – even though he wasn’t charged with committing a crime. Then, whether he’s punished by the league or not, the Steelers will decide whether or not to punish him for sullying their image as well.

He may think that the situation is behind him, but it’s not. No charges were brought upon him, but the Steelers are clearly fuming over this incident and they may deliver a message just as they did to Santonio Holmes when they traded him to the Jets on Sunday night for a fifth round pick. The entire Pittsburgh organization is embarrassed by the way Roethlisberger has handled himself the past two offseasons and I would be surprised if they didn’t take action.

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The police have concluded their investigation into the allegations that Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman and have forwarded their findings to the local district attorney.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Milledgeville Police Chief Woodrow W. Blue Jr. today released a statement saying the findings had been sent Tuesday evening to Frederic D. Bright, Ocmulgee Judical Court district attorney.

Mr. Bright will review the findings, consider whether additional investigation and interviews are necessary, and decide whether criminal charges should be filed.

If so, Mr. Bright would take the findings before a grand jury, meaning it could be months before charges, if any, are brought against the Steelers quarterback.

If I had to venture a guess as to what will happen next, I imagine that Big Ben will escape any serious trouble. It seems like there’s a lot of he said, she said involved in this case and it’ll be hard for the DA (or a judge, or a jury) to convict Roethlisberger of anything.

That said, Big Ben’s punishment will come via public embarrassment. This is the second time in the past two years that he has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman and even if he’s not convicted of anything, the Steelers are already leery about the decisions that their franchise quarterback is making off the field. The team is likely having trust issues right now with Roethlisberger and he’s going to have to deal with that whether he’s convicted or not.

Big Ben may dodge a bullet in court, but he’ll have a lot of work to do repairing his imagine in Pittsburgh.

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Monday evening that he will meet with Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger to discuss the latest allegations of sexual assault that have been made against the QB.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“First, I think the most important thing is we take the issue very seriously,” Goodell said during his first press conference of the NFL meetings being held here this week.

“We are concerned that Ben continues to put himself in this position. I have spoken to the Steelers. I have spoken to Art Rooney directly about it. And at the appropriate time I will be meeting with Ben.”

Charges haven’t been filed against Roethlisberger yet, but that doesn’t mean that he will escape discipline even if he’s ultimately never charged. If Goodell feels as though a player has sullied the image of the NFL logo, he will hand out punishment.

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Details are emerging in the latest Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault case, as ESPN.com is reporting that Big Ben told the police that he did not have intercourse with his accuser.

Sources told KDKA Roethlisberger said he had contact with the woman that was not consummated and afterward she slipped and fell, injuring her head.

It was also reported Wednesday that two off-duty Pennsylvania law enforcement officers were with Roethlisberger at the Georgia nightclub.

Anthony Barravecchio, an officer on the force in the Pittsburgh suburb of Coraopolis, and Pennsylvania Trooper Ed Joyner were among about eight people with Roethlisberger celebrating his birthday at the club, attorney Michael Santicola said. Santicola said the men were there because they are friends of the two-time Super Bowl winner.

“They were not there in their official capacity,” said Santicola, who represents Barravecchio but said Joyner is also a longtime friend.

Santicola, who’s based in western Pennsylvania, said both of the law enforcement officers who were with Roethlisberger are cooperating fully with the investigation, but say they saw nothing inappropriate.

Just because the two officers didn’t see anything doesn’t mean nothing happened. That said, having those two officers (who were apparently sober the entire night) there certainly helps Roethlisberger’s case that no foul play occurred.

What’s interesting is the new detail about her hitting her head. Is Roethlisberger and/or his defense team going to use that to say the girl wasn’t coherent after the two had consummated “contact” with each other in the bathroom? If they do, it seems like it would be a weak argument.

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