Number 7

When I was growing up my only interaction with football was watching the Super Bowl with my dad. I went to 1 high school football game and my college didn't even have a team (to my father's great chagrin). I moved to Pittsburgh in 2001 knowing practically nothing about the sport apart from the shape of the ball.


Living in Pittsburgh, however, you can't miss the Steelers. Football is the city's religion. Pittsburghers are on a first name basis with their players. The proscription against idolatry does not apply to Troy and Hines and Ben.

The team's defense has led Ben Rothlisberger to 2 Super Bowls while I have lived here, and in a town of this size, it is impossible not to get caught up in that excitement. So yes, Dave and I are Steeler fans. Not the type to get our hair buzzed into the Super Bowl logo. Not the type to stand in freezing rain to watch the parade, but the type that put our 2 day old in too big Steeler gear on Super Bowl Sunday and had a little party.

So now our quarterback, "Big Ben", has gotten caught being stupid.
Again.

It wasn't enough that he drove his motor cycle into some unsuspecting motorist while taking full advantage of the inexplicable repealing of the helmet law.
Then, he was involved in an "incident" with an unwilling girl but nothing stuck.
Now, for a second time, allegations have been made by a young woman that he made an unsolicited effort to introduce her to "Little Ben". And while in America one is innocent until proven guilty, a virtual herd has come forward to report on inappropriate things they witnessed on the night in question.

What embarrasses me, however, is not Ben. It's the response of the city.

A few days after this hit the news, I was listening to my morning radio show discuss the fact that Ben had as yet said nothing in his defense. "He doesn't have to," the guy said smugly, "once they announced there was no DNA, there's nothing to say."
OK. So no proof of intercourse but maybe an apology for the rest of the evening's behavior and for again embarrassing the team would be in order? Maybe if Steeler Nation weren't all rushing to his defense he might take a little responsibility for himself.

Many of the team's fans are more outraged by the sanctions (a 4-6 game suspension) being imposed by the NFL than by anything Ben may have done. Some, including a few I previously respected, refuse to hear anything bad said about their hero, and can muster up a lot of vitriol about "that girl".

I just don't get it. This guy is hero and role model to a lot of kids. And their parents don't care that he's running around acting like an irresponsible, unethical frat boy?
I care. I am glad he is being publicly punished. I hope he doesn't hurt anyone else before the city comes to their senses.