We here at Steelers Gab tend to get a lot of comments, some very valid, and some downright wacko. Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this email that came through the other day caught my eye and I felt it was time to post it and comment back on it – so here it is:
DEAR GAB ARTIST:
You may is well go ahead and work for the anti Big Ben blog sites at espn and some of the other negative media sites. Are you aware of all the facts and why the DA did not charge Big Ben? Are you aware that there may have been a phony ID so she could drink at the club and that she was wearing a suggestive name tag.
Why did you have to jump on the band wagon with the rest of lame stream media and obtain all the facts before you started “piling on” Big Ben.
You could have been the objective voice of reason but instead chose to fan the flames of sensation rather than objectivity. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR GAB SITE -YOU
CAN DO BETTER!
J T Miltenberger
Formerly from western PA now living outside DC.
Well JT, allow me to take a moment and answer your email with blunt and honest truth in terms of my feelings about the Roethlisberger situation. I don’t know where exactly you got your info, but I, probably like a lot of Steeler Nation, would love to see Roethlisberger get his life in order and be a model citizen both on and off the field.
As far as “piling on,” I must say I don’t exactly know what comments about the QB on our site you refer to. My honest comments about how I feel the team SHOULD keep Ben on the team and give him another chance can be traced back to this piece – “Too late for the Steelers NOT to trade Roethlisberger?”
Here are my comments from the article that I think prove my point: “I think the team should stand pat, give him one more chance, and see if he can turn his life around and finally make the changes to be the team leader he says he wants to be.”
So to say that I am jumping on an anti-Ben bandwagon is not true whatsoever. While I feel the QB has to step up and prove to the fans and to others that he can be a good person off the field, I don’t think I ever jumped to the side of saying the team should dump him.
As always, we appreciate every comment we get on the site, and we will continue to strive to bring you what we feel is fair and honest coverage of the greatest NFL franchise of all time. Thank you!
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DrGeorge
May 6, 2010 at 12:01 pm
A fair and reasoned response, Mr. Loede. I commend you. Perhaps if JT had provided concrete examples of how you were “piling on” Big Ben, you could have responded more particularly, or JT could have made his point more effectively. I, for one, do not recall any specific article in which you savaged Ben or blamed him unjustly.
In truth, only Ben and the girl know what happened in that bathroom in Georgia. By all accounts, his conduct was ungentlemanly and ill-advised, if not illegal. Whether the girl used a false ID or wore a sexy name tag is quite irrelevant and no excuse for Big Ben, legally or socially. Even if the girl had begged him for sex, his conduct was wrong. At least one US President learned the same lesson the hard way and still walks under a cloud. Some things just aren’t done by those privileged to be in the public eye.
We all know better than to take advantage of an inebriated woman. So does Ben. But we aren’t the star QB of a Super Bowl champion. Ben is. He must simply accept that with great privilege comes a higher standard of public expectation. Ben failed the test, and he will pay the price in the public mind for a long time to come, until he does something to redeem himself and his tarnished reputation. That will take more than winning football games.
I merely state the obvious here, JT. And stating the obvious is not “piling on.”
joe s
May 6, 2010 at 12:31 pm
people just keep bashing him JT i say your rite look there were others that got charged unlike ben who did not that dont get bashed look at buress, vick,packman jones ,stahlworth,and holms everyone let them move on the play with media in face ben is not charged and media attacks him the steelers will get ring #7 maybe this year maybe not but they will and the QB will ben so people like or not hes here to stay so quit bashing the man JT IS RITE LEAVE HIM ALONE MOVE ON IT WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE leave ben go
Aksum
May 6, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I also commend you for sticking to your guns. I am tired of hearing the constant blaming (piling on) of the victim. This leads to validation that she got what she deserved. She surely didn’t deserve cuts on the head and a bleeding vagina. When a girl is drunk and or says no, stay away (period). Surely, if Ben were truly concerned for her, he would have called her a taxi. The other commenter (Dude, use a period and separate and organize your thoughts. No one likes to read broken English.) needs some remedial English writing skills.
I think Ben should be allowed a second chance, however, a 2 day evaluation is not nearly enough. Until then, I would like nothing more than to see Dennis Dixon knock our socks off. Go Steelers!
Thanks for the forum,
Aksum
jake
May 6, 2010 at 2:12 pm
it wont be dennis dixon brother.. byron leftwich will be starting the first 4 games.. at least thats the word around minicamp
Rapistburger
May 6, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Big Ben is a menace to society, This is the second incident with a women. It is well stated he is an all around jerk to the people of Pittsburgh and anyone else who comes in contact with him. Rapistburger told a pregnant woman that he didn’t pull out. Come on, the guy has no respect and should be treated like the scum that he is. Big Ben should go to prison and be someones’ girlfriend.
Anela
May 6, 2010 at 8:17 pm
but is he a good QB? does he not have two Superbowl rings? Did he not lead the Steelers to two Superbowls in a four year time period?
just cuz he’s an asshole doesn’t mean he’s not tallented, he’s not paid to be nice, he’s paid to throw the ball, and he’s good at that.
Anela
May 6, 2010 at 8:14 pm
honnestly all those out there who seem to think that JT is a moron for defending Ben are insane. look people their have been cases before where football players and famous people have done dumb shit and people have let that slide. Why should big ben be any different? Let’s not talk about his charachter, lets talk about his football, the man has a great ability to make plays and he is a good team leader, obviously he must be if he has two superbowl wins in the same decade.
JT was simply trying to say that a blog about the steelers should look as his football ability not his charachter, and thats the problem with websites like ESPN. Now Matt i understand what you’re trying to say as well, but all that stuff about him trying to change and beter him self is irrelevent.
People critisize Ben and don’t even take the time to look at assholes like Michael Vick who was actually convicted of a felony. Michael Jackson molested little boys and people still bought his albums,ahe was still allowed to perform, so why should big ben not be allowed to perform? To play for his fans?
I wanna see Ben out on that field, because with out him the steelers offence just wont be the same. they’ll be good, maybe even great, but not the same
mark
May 7, 2010 at 11:52 am
Maybe the recent arrest of Lawrence Taylor will take the spotlight off of Ben? We do NOT really know what happened in that bar in Georgia and I am tired of the story. Whether you like or dislike Ben, the only truth we know is that he put himself in a precarious situation…. again. Guilty or not he needs to be better at judging certain situations. Ok, enough now. Lets start talking minicamp and the fact that Ben will be under center after 1 month of games. Lets hope for 3-1 or at least 2-2. Then, with Ben, lets go on a tear!!!