Issue One: Big Ben's behavior
Hero worship
The public vitriol directed at Ben Roethlisberger, the erstwhile hero of the Black and Gold, strikes me as hypocritical. After all, the publicity machine of the Steelers and the press fashioned an idol for the Pittsburgh fans. And the fans ate it up, sporting No. 7 jerseys to show their support, lavishly showering their money and adoration on him via the Steelers organization.
It should come as no surprise that if a talented young man is worshipped like a god, then he may come to believe that he is one. And why should a god wear a motorcycle helmet? Or not have his way with mere mortals?
PAUL MUNRO, Squirrel Hill
NFL complicity
Through their extremely effective commercials aired during football games, the NFL-beer company complex does as much, or more, than any other force to create a culture of drunkenness in the United States. Such drunkenness was a key enabler of the Roethlisberger-unnamed woman episode.
Steelers and NFL management are hypocritical in condemning Ben Roethlisberger's conduct when they are complicit in creating the culture that ensures that such events happen. Art Rooney and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should suspend themselves for six games too.
JERRY ZAVAGE, South Side Slopes
Higher standard?
The NFL's Roger Goodell and the Steelers Mike Tomlin must be kidding when they state that players "are held to a higher standard." Are they kidding? Treating all girls
women with dignity, respect and courteousness is what is considered normal, standard, expected behavior where I live (and how I was raised!).
So when "little Ben" points to heaven, what do those there think of him now?
D.J. BONGA, Wilkinsburg
Women alienated
The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the largest, if not the largest, female fan bases in the NFL. How many of these fans will have to shop for new Steelers attire because they will not wear anything with Ben Roethlisberger's name, number or likeness on it? A very large part of the Steelers faithful have been alienated.
MICHAEL E. STONEBRAKER, Hopewell