Big Ben not expected to practice this week

[fordfixer]

Big Ben not expected to practice this week
May 24th, 2010
[url="http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the-press-box/2010/05/24/big-ben-not-expected-to-practice-this-week/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaig n=Feed%3A+triblive%2Fblog%2FViewFromThePressBox+%2 8View+from+the+Press+Box+Blog%29"]http://blog.triblive.com/view-from-the- ... ox+Blog%29[/url]

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not expected to attend practice Tuesday as the Steelers are still awaiting word from the NFL on when he can re-join the team.

It looks like Roethlisberger, who was suspended for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, will not return to offseason practices until next week at the earliest.

Commissioner Roger Goodell is in Dallas this week for the NFL owners meetings, and he probably won’t make a decision on Roethlisberger until the end of the week at the earliest.

There has been talk that Goodell would hold out Roethlisberger for at least the first two weeks of the Steelers' offseason practices if only because of perception.

Simply put, it wouldn’t look good — or maybe consistent is the better word — if Goodell took a hard line against Roethlisberger when he handed down a six-game suspension in late April and then let the two-time Super Bowl winner take part in most of the offseason practices.

It will be interesting to see which of the three quarterbacks competing to replace Roethlisberger for the first part of the 2010 season will work with the starter this week.

Byron Leftwich has gotten most of the work with the first-team offense since offseason practices resumed last week.

Coach Mike Tomlin has said Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch will also run the first-team offense before the conclusion of the voluntary practices.

Both are still waiting for that opportunity.

[ter1230_4]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

This is precisely what I expect from Roger Goodell. He will reinstate Roethlisberger at the point in time that is most advantageous to Roger Goodell, not when Roethlisberger has satisfied the required steps for reinstatement. I don't expect Goodell to reinstate Roethlisberger until the OTA's are over in June, because Goodell doesn't want to be seen as soft. Just as he won't take any action to rduce the suspension until just before the regular season commences. Goodell's attitude, like that of a prior tyrant (Louis XIV) is "L'NFL, c'est moi" (which means, "the NFL is me"). He is a royal POS and he is ruining the NFL.

[feltdizz]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

This is precisely what I expect from Roger Goodell. He will reinstate Roethlisberger at the point in time that is most advantageous to Roger Goodell, not when Roethlisberger has satisfied the required steps for reinstatement. I don't expect Goodell to reinstate Roethlisberger until the OTA's are over in June, because Goodell doesn't want to be seen as soft. Just as he won't take any action to rduce the suspension until just before the regular season commences. Goodell's attitude, like that of a prior tyrant (Louis XIV) is "L'NFL, c'est moi" (which means, "the NFL is me"). He is a royal POS and he is ruining the NFL.

When Goodell starts punishing players at random who are sitting at home playing XBOX or eating cereal then I will agree with you.

Sure seems like the players who end up in trouble are the ones he punishes.

I do have a problem with fines for spiking the ball too hard or hitting a QB like he is a football player.

[Steelgal]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

This is precisely what I expect from Roger Goodell. He will reinstate Roethlisberger at the point in time that is most advantageous to Roger Goodell, not when Roethlisberger has satisfied the required steps for reinstatement. I don't expect Goodell to reinstate Roethlisberger until the OTA's are over in June, because Goodell doesn't want to be seen as soft. Just as he won't take any action to rduce the suspension until just before the regular season commences. Goodell's attitude, like that of a prior tyrant (Louis XIV) is "L'NFL, c'est moi" (which means, "the NFL is me"). He is a royal POS and he is ruining the NFL.

When Goodell starts punishing players at random who are sitting at home playing XBOX or eating cereal then I will agree with you.

Sure seems like the players who end up in trouble are the ones he punishes.

I do have a problem with fines for spiking the ball too hard or hitting a QB like he is a football player.

I agree that Ben deserves punishment for what he's done. But if the commissioner is just 'buying time' so he make Ben wait longer, even though the psychological exam is done then that's crap. Ben needs to get back with his teammates and start making amends for what he's done. They need to believe in him again and the only way that happens is to see him in OTAs giving 110% and hopefully in the film room.

[ter1230_4]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Feltdizz, you totally miss the point, which is not whether or not Roethlisberger deserved to be punished. The point is that the only thing that Roger Goodell considers important with respect to when Roethlisberger will be permitted to participate in team activities is how it will make Roger Goodell look. And Roger Goodell thinks that he won't look good if he allows Roethlisberger to participate in team activities too soon. If Goodell was an honest person, he would do the right thing regardless of how it makes him look.

[Crash]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Feltdizz, you totally miss the point, which is not whether or not Roethlisberger deserved to be punished. The point is that the only thing that Roger Goodell considers important with respect to when Roethlisberger will be permitted to participate in team activities is how it will make Roger Goodell look. And Roger Goodell thinks that he won't look good if he allows Roethlisberger to participate in team activities too soon. If Goodell was an honest person, he would do the right thing regardless of how it makes him look.

Exactly. Goodell only cares about what he can get out of Ben.

He doesn't care one bit about helping Ben the PERSON.

Need proof? Five of their last ten games (when Ben would return) are on prime time television.

[HeHateMe]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Funny how this is all Goodells fault. You homers KILL ME. Ben has no part in this at all does he? Why is Hines playing and Ben not? Why is Polamalu? YIGH YIGH YIGH

[Crash]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Why is BLACK Vince Jackson not suspended with three convictions since 2006 and white uncharged Ben Roethlisberger is sitting 4-6 games?

[SteelerNation1]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Why is BLACK Vince Jackson not suspended with three convictions since 2006 and white uncharged Ben Roethlisberger is sitting 4-6 games?

Don't forget about Eric Foster from the Colts. Goodell is a hypocrite.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Decision on Roethlisberger's status coming within a week

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 25, 2010 7:11 PM ET


Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is currently not permitted to participate in organized team activities or otherwise be involved in the team's offseason program. But that could change soon.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said today at the league meeting that he expects to make a decision on when Roethlisberger can return to the Steelers within a week.

Goodell mandated that Roethlisberger undergo an evaluation before he is allowed to report to the Steelers' facilities. Eventually Goodell is expected to allow Roethlisberger to participate in OTAs, training camp and the preseason before he serves his suspension at the start of the regular season.

Roethlisberger was suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy. Goodell could reduce the suspension to four games if Roethlisberger does everything that's asked of him over the next four months.

[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...within-a-week/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...within-a-week/[/url]

[MaxAMillion]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Why is BLACK Vince Jackson not suspended with three convictions since 2006 and white uncharged Ben Roethlisberger is sitting 4-6 games?

I think there is a significant list of black players that Goodell has suspended. Plus the Steelers white owner thought he should be suspended. You should be pretty pissed at Rooney for his handling of this entire off season. He has not been a help to the team.

[Crash]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

I think there is a significant list of black players that Goodell has suspended.

NO OTHER PLAYER has ever been suspended for violating the PCP without being charged with a crime.

Ben is the first player in NFL history to be suspended for a night of drinking gone bad even though he was not charged with a crime.

I can see Goodell not suspending the Colts player for a civil suit because Ben wasn't. But that player, like Ben in Georgia, was also investigated by the police.

So he should have been treated the same.

[feltdizz]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Black Vince Jackson? White Ben? Half Asian Hines... Somoan Troy...

Geez... Maybe Goodell hates himself and is doing the racist reversed in a mirror ism.

WTF? Funny how people always point out the unnamed sources as proof a story is bunk but use "there is talk" as 100% proof Goodell is out for Ben's blood.

[ter1230_4]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Goodell's statement today that he expects to make a decision within a week on when Roethlisberger can return to practice just proves my point that the only thing Goodell is concerned about is how Goodell looks. Roethlisberger had his evaluation more than three weeks ago. You can be sure that Goodell has had the evaluation report for at least a week by now, and even if the report is lengthy it will have a one or two page executive summary. Whatever the report's conclusion, why does Goodell need all this time to make a decision? If the report says Ben's good to go, let him return to practice. If the report says that he needs to do something else, tell Ben to do it. But no, Goodell wants to ( a)make it look like it's something that he is carefully deliberating about (even though it's a complete no-brainer either way), and (b) not be perceived to have let Ben off the hook too quickly from the practice ban. So it's all about how he looks, which makes Goodell a POS.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Re: Big Ben not expected to practice this week

Goodell's statement today that he expects to make a decision within a week on when Roethlisberger can return to practice just proves my point that the only thing Goodell is concerned about is how Goodell looks. Roethlisberger had his evaluation more than three weeks ago. You can be sure that Goodell has had the evaluation report for at least a week by now, and even if the report is lengthy it will have a one or two page executive summary. Whatever the report's conclusion, why does Goodell need all this time to make a decision? If the report says Ben's good to go, let him return to practice. If the report says that he needs to do something else, tell Ben to do it. But no, Goodell wants to ( a)make it look like it's something that he is carefully deliberating about (even though it's a complete no-brainer either way), and (b) not be perceived to have let Ben off the hook too quickly from the practice ban. So it's all about how he looks, which makes Goodell a POS.

None of us know what is in the report, or what information Goodell has had access to.
At this point, to conclude that Goodell is only "concerned about how Goodell looks" is just as steep a leap to judgment as it is to conclude that Ben is guilty of rape.