Ben Roethlisberger: Policed by the Steeler Nation

Ben Roethlisberger will find out his early season fate when the NFL publicizes their suspension decision this week, but his real fate will be decided by the fans in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh is a pretty accepting city when it comes to their athletes.  Any athlete will be loved and adored as long as they give it their all, that's all we really ask for.  You can be an all star caliber athlete or a bench player and still receive as much praise as each other.  Now this isn't to say we are satisfied in being mediocre or we haven't booed a player or two.  I think everyone remembers the Kordell Stewart days.

The city is very accepting of many different players and personalities, but one thing Pittsburgh fans don't accept is someone who doesn't follow the morals of the team and the morals of the city.  That's where Ben Roethlisberger has failed Pittsburgh.

Smoke pot, drive drunk, even fall off your motorcycle and don't get injured too badly; those are all things that people from Pittsburgh will tolerate.  If you get caught doing any of those things then you're stupid and should learn from your mistakes.  What Ben Roethlisberger did wasn't stupid, it was despicable.  After reading the summaries I can definitely say that Ben should be in jail for sexual assault.  Maybe not the full blown "R" word, but this man definitely has a problem and it's not the first time it has happened.

I've lost all respect for him, just like many other Steeler fans have.  What Ben did was far worse than anything Tiger Woods ever did.  Infidelity is one thing; most of us know a friend, relative, or an acquaintance who has committed adultery, and although I'm definitely not a supporter and totally disagree with it, I can accept it and move on.  It happens, people do it, and it usually doesn't affect me so I don't really care that often.  Ben's situation is reprehensible.  Most people don't go out and do the things he did.  It's not commonplace and it's not acceptable to support someone who does those things.

If you're from Pittsburgh, a Steeler fan, or have heard any local radio or news then you will know that the majority of people in the city feel the same way I do.  I don't want him around anymore and neither do many other fans.  Someone wrote on Twitter, "I'd rather have Dennis Dixon at QB and win 2 games all season then have Big Ben on the team and win a Super Bowl."

I think that's how a lot of us fans feel.

If the police can't even police Ben Roethlisberger then I guess we as fans have the opportunity to show him how disgraceful he is as a person.  A two game or four game suspension is not going to be the wakeup call.  A lengthy conversation with the Rooney's or Roger Goodell is not going to do it either.  We as fans can, and will, voice our opinion and I think if the organization won't take the next step and get rid of him then the fans will make it known that we are none too happy.

Ben has hurt his own reputation, he has hurt the team, and he has hurt the city as a whole.  I want Ben out of here and hopefully he's traded during the draft.  If he isn't traded, that's okay too. At least if he stays then every time he is in public or on the field he will hear from the fans, and it won't be a positive reaction.

Maybe that's what it will take for him to finally learn.