If the Facts Don't Fit, You Must Acquit

So here we are, three whole weeks after the Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault allegations rocked Steeler Nation and virtually every online sportsnews forum. So what have we gathered up to this point? Here's a list:

• Something went down between His Bigness and a local 20 year old female in or near a nightclub restroom.
• Certain anonymous witness(es) claim that someone in Ben's posse blocked the entrance to the bathroom.
• Apparently no DNA evidence will be extracted from Big Ben.
• Apparently no security video footage showing any misdoings is available.
• The investigating authorities have interviewed virtually every key person of the fateful night, with the exception of Ben.
• 22 days and counting, and still no charges filed.

Hmm, slam dunk, huh? Although this drama may not have yet reached the boiling point and national hype that previous cases involving guys like Michael Vick or Kobe Bryant have, this is still the most polarizing story engulfing sports fans in the Northeast. Just google the word Roethlisberger and you will find endless lists of links to articles that have all but concluded Ben's guilt as a rapist, not once, but twice. The term Rapistberger is plastered on blogs and websites throughout the country, and just last week Ben's infamy was chronicled in animation, as Southpark writers cashed in on the troubled QB's current predicament. Rumor has it that the cities of Baltimore, Cleveland, and Cincinnati are attempting to make March 5th an official holiday.

Of course, we can't forget the endless streams of stories, eyewitness accounts, and tall tales of Ben's boorish, rude, and el cheapo antics that have also inundated our computers and email inboxes over the past few weeks. How about the tales of Ben's debauchery told by a friend of a friend of a waiter's sister-in-law? We all know how Ben brazenly drove his Harley across the finely manacured greens of Sir Arnold Palmer's golf course. Or was he throwing dice with Arnie's caddies? I forget. How many more times do we need to see that picture of Ben, as a drunken rookie, posing with the hottie? That was the same picture that we all laughed at when we first saw it...in 2005. That was the same picture that filled us a with a certain pride, much like a picture of the Stanley Cup in a swimming pool.

So, once again, 22 days into this shitstorm, where does it leave the player, the team, and the fanbase? Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one. The blogosphere reminds us of that every day. The 'geniuses' out there, both credentialed media members and hacks like me, have offered nearly every possible scenario: Ben will be found guilty, Ben will never play in the NFL again, Ben will never play in Pittsburgh again, Ben will start this season under suspension, the NFL, in a blatant display of racism, will let Ben slide with a scolding simply because he's white, this whole thing will just blow over. You name it, it's been speculated. The key word - speculated.

Now I ask you, what has Ben actually done? Why is it taking so long to produce any conclusion? Is the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that overrun with criminal cases? After three plus weeks, the only fact that anyone can truly report is that Ben is accused of wrongdoing, and nothing more. If the girl claims a foul was committed, and there is physical evidence or eyewitness accounts of a crime, then why no charges? This isn't the Kennedy assassination we're talking about. Sources continually point out that NFL commish and enforcer, Roger Goodell, will take some form of punitive action against Roethlisberger, regardless of criminal findings. How? Why? Based on what? Accusations?

Regardless of the findings by the GBI, Ben's reputation is now tarnished, and he will be forever linked to this. The amount of tarnish will depend on how the investigation and potential legal process play out. We all know that #7 will rise again, and he will resume his career as a stellar NFL quarterback. I am not defending Ben. I think it's high time that he quarantine his reckless abandon and cavalier demeanor to the gridiron, and exercise more caution in his private life. I just want to point out that after nearly a month, this farce has left us with more questions than answers. The question at hand is when we will actually get some hint of closure on this?