Well, we're back from the golf course just in time to talk endlessly about the draft and NFL players in hot water. Ah, a tradition like no other.
Let's talk about the latter. Ben Roethlisberger, who heads into the 2010 season with as many sexual misconduct allegations as Super Bowl wins (2), escaped arrest and charges stemming from his latest incident, in Milledgeville, Ga. But he's not off the hook entirely. Reports say he'll meet with NFL Commish Roger Goodell today. There's also the probability of having to settle financially to avoid facing a civil suit from the fine young woman who was too drunk to remember enough to make the criminal charge come close to sticking.
Personally, I think it would be wrong for Goodell to suspend Roethlisberger if he's facing no criminal charges. An extensive investigation was conducted and a case could not be made against him. You know darn well Ocmulgee Circuit District Attorney Fred Bright wanted to get his mitts on Roethlisberger and make this a national spectacle. But he didn't have enough evidence and couldn't press charges. That's how the system works. The NFL should accept that judgement and not punish Big Ben for the sake of good PR.
But we all know Goodell has a history of using the league's personal conduct policy to punish players who weren't arrested or charged. Just ask Pac Man. It will be interesting to see what develops from today's meeting.
