As we learned in one of my older posts -- Big Ben's Big Mistake, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was in a world of trouble with the law. But as it turns out, the 28-year old quarterback will not be charged after all, for his alleged sexual assault case which took place in Milledgesville, Georgia just over a month ago. Although Roethlisberger will not be facing jail time like many including myself think he deserves considering he's been ducking and dodging a handful of off-the-field incidents since being drafted by the Steelers in '04, the results of whether or not NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will discipline Big Ben are not yet known. With those results pending, former QB and Steeler great Terry Bradshaw spoke out, calling the relationship between the two "No good." Bradshaw also went on to say, "Ben doesn't like me and I'm learning not to like him, but he needs to realize who he is."
As if the Big Ben incident isn't a big enough distraction to the organization, other off-the-field issues will be sure to plague the team as WR Santonio Holmes is being sued by woman in Florida who says she was attacked by Homes in an Orlando night club on March 7th. The Superbowl hero who caught the game winnings touchdown just 2 years ago not only has a civil lawsuit filed against him, but he also has a suspension waiting for him once the 2010-2011 NFL season begins. Holmes will be suspended for the teams first 4-games without pay by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Well aware of the issue, the New York Jets decided to take a chance and have agreed to a trade sending the former Superbowl MVP to the Big Apple in exchange for a 5th round pick in this year's Draft.
Holmes, the recipient of the game winning touchdown pass in Superbowl XLIII has his own wide-stretched resume of off-the-field issues, having been arrested twice, once for disorderly conduct and domestic violence in 2006 and again in 2008 for possession of marijuana. Not to mention his most recent altercation where he threw a glass at a woman in an Orlando nightclub. By trading him, the team has proved to be fed up with his problems and are letting it be known that they now have a zero tolerance policy for such incidents. But could it also serve as a sign and a warning for Big Ben? After mutually agreeing with the Steelers that Roethlisberger's presence would be too much of a distraction when reports of his most recent legal issues first hit the airwaves, Ben reported to the team's training facility today for his first offseason workout with teammates.
It seems as if a spell has been cast upon the Pittsburgh Steelers and their players who can't seem to avoid running into trouble during the offseason. Last October, Pittsburgh's tight-end Matt Spaeth was being sited by police outside of a bar for urinating in public, when Steelers kicker Jeff Reed interfered and attempted to fight the officers. After resisting arrest, Reed was slapped with 40 hours of community service for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. All charges were dropped however, on the same day it was learned that Roethlisberger wouldn't be charged with sexual assault. So hats off to not one, but two of the Steelers franchise players for not only getting into trouble, but for getting away with it. It just goes to show what kind of winners there really is in Pittsburgh. When Roethlisberger isn't out on the field throwing passes, he's riding his crotch rocket and lurking for his next victim. And when Holmes isn't out catching balls, he's out throwing bottles at woman and taking naked pictures of himself in the shower. *Tisk Tisk*
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