Ben Roethlisberger News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 6

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"One thing that stood out to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as he watched film of the Denver Broncos' 30-7 loss to the Ravens last Sunday could impact how the Steelers try to attack the No. 1 defense in the NFL. "It seemed like in the second half, (the Ravens) did a lot of no-huddle," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "They kind of just picked up tempo and had a couple of plays that got things going." So does that mean Roethlisberger, who excels in a no-huddle attack, has been lobbying Bruce Arians to employ the change-of-pace offense more against the Broncos? "He lobbies every week," Arians said. "It's something that Ben likes to do," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "We've got a great feel for ..."

Roethlisberger accuser quits hotel job in Nevada

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November 6

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The woman who has filed a civil lawsuit against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger claiming he sexually assaulted her last summer has quit working for the Nevada hotel where she said the incident occurred. Calvin R.X. Dunlap, the Reno-based attorney for the woman, last night confirmed that his client quit late last week because of "the way she was being treated" by managers at Harrah's Lake Tahoe, where she was a casino host. She was not forced to quit, he said. The woman sued Roethlisberger in July, claiming that he sexually assaulted her while staying at the Lake Tahoe hotel in 2008 for a charity golf outing. She also sued eight current or former employees of Harrah's, saying they ..."

Vikings more disappointed than upset after first loss of season

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October 26

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"A competitor's credo is to never apologize for a win and never settle for a moral victory in defeat. Yet the Vikings' emotions were tested Sunday following a 27-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. A week earlier, the Vikings squandered a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Baltimore Ravens and pushed their record to 6-0 only because former training-camp kicker Steven Hauschka pulled a 44-yard, game-winning field-goal attempt left. But on Sunday, against the defending Super Bowl champions, against the best team they've faced all season, the Vikings dominated several key categories usually critical to the outcome of a game. The offense controlled the ball for nearly 37 ..."

Ben Roethlisberger is the best quarterback the Vikings will have played through six games.

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October 25

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Run stuffers: The Steelers rank second against the run in the NFL, holding opponents to 74.5 yards rushing. Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in its past 24 regular-season games. Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will try to break that streak a week after gaining 143 yards against Baltimore. Watch out for Hines: Pittsburgh's Hines Ward is off to his best start in his 12-year career. He leads the NFL with 599 receiving yards. He's one of the most physical receivers in the league, and he knows how to get open. That has allowed him to overcome his age (33). Secondary concerns: The Vikings are banged up, so they won't be at full strength in the secondary, and that's not what they ..."

Favre vs. Big Ben ... A rare Sunday

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October 25

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"When they went to Green Bay to play Brett Favre and the Packers at Lambeau Field during their 2005 Super Bowl season, Hines Ward, Charlie Batch and several other Steelers players brought along jerseys and pictures to get autographed by the quarterback icon, thinking they might never see him again. At the time, Favre was 36 and seemingly nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career in which he would hold nearly every significant passing record in the National Football League. Four years later, Favre returns to Pittsburgh for the first time in 11 years, this time with the Minnesota Vikings, and the line for the autograph seekers and picture-takers at Heinz Field might stretch to the Warhol ..."

Judge refuses request by Ben's attorneys

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October 23

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"A Nevada judge has refused a request by attorneys for Ben Roethlisberger to impose sanctions against the lawyer representing a casino worker who accused the Steelers quarterback of sexual assault. Roethlisberger's lawyers last month accused Calvin Dunlap, a Reno lawyer who represents the woman, of violating the law by filing a "frivolous" lawsuit "to punish her employer and coerce a windfall from an admired, civic-minded and successful professional football star." District Judge Brent Adams filed his order Thursday, denying the motion for sanctions. The 31-year-old woman claims Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her in July 2008 at the Harrah's Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino, where she worked ..."

Big Ben, to face off against his idol, Favre

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October 23

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has never met Minnesota Vikings counterpart Brett Favre. Roethisberger didn't make the trip to Green Bay in 2005 when Favre played for the Packers after underging arthroscopic surgery for a torn miniscus in his right knee. The Steelers defeated Green Bay 20-10 that year with Charlie Batch as the starter. "It's going to be fun," Roethlisberger said Thursday. "I grew up watching Brett, kind of idolized him, molding a little bit of my game after him." • Roethlisberger didn't take the bait when asked to compare his game with Favre's. "I'm not going to compare myself to Brett because he is a legend, and I'm just trying to get to his level,'' Roethlisberger said. ..."

Big Ben finally gets elite treatment

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October 12

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

columnist John Harris

"Finally, some much-needed love shown for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Yes, the same deep, passionate love affair the NFL has with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning was on display Sunday afternoon at Ford Field when Roethlisberger was taken down at the knees by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Landon Cohen after tossing an interception in the second quarter. A penalty flag thrown in Roethlisbeger's direction told the story as he disengaged from a tangle of players. In the offseason, team owners passed a rule that made it illegal for defensive players to dive at a quarterback's legs. For a change, Roethlisberger's legs were off limits. "I was surprised,'' said left tackle Max Starks, a ..."

Roethlisberger spreading the wealth

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October 10

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"For years, Hines Ward always would preach patience to his fellow wide receivers. He would tell them not to get upset when they did not have a lot of catches or, worse, rarely had the ball thrown in their direction. Instead, he preached efficiency. Tell them to make sure they would catch every pass thrown in their direction because they never would know when another one might be coming their way. Not anymore. The Steelers are tossing the ball around the field like the Harlem Globetrotters, making sure everyone gets a touch and causing confused secondaries to look like the Washington Generals. Receivers no longer wonder when their next reception might be coming. Just how soon. "It's ..."

Big Ben headed for Leno show

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October 9

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Ben Roethlisberger put a spike in the ratings for WWE's "Monday Night Raw" this past week. Now it's time for the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback to do the same for "The Jay Leno Show." Roethlisberger is set to appear on the weekly 10 p.m. show on NBC on his off day Tuesday to take part in a segment called "10 @ 10". The skit has Leno asking a celebrity 10 off-the-wall questions via satellite."

Ben sidesteps QB-protection question

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October 9

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"The question of whether the NFL has blurred the line between protecting quarterbacks and coddling them has become pertinent once again. Ben Roethlisberger weighed in on the hot-button issue Thursday, although he treaded lightly when asked if the NFL has stripped the game of some of its essence by restricting where defensive players are allowed to hit quarterbacks. "I am going to have to be real careful on how I answer that," the Steelers quarterback said before practice yesterday. "You know you have to protect Tom Brady and Peyton Manning and those guys, because they are kind of the face of the NFL." The Ravens drew a pair of questionable roughing-the-passer penalties in a 27-21 loss to ..."

Roethlisberger talks the talk at WWE event

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October 6

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Big Ben did a lot of talking, but no wrestling in his off-day appearance at Monday Night Raw last night. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger laid the verbal smack down as guest host of World Wrestling Entertainment's cable television show that was broadcast live last night from Wilkes-Barre. Since Roethlisberger's involvement with the wrestling show was announced last week, his participation was questioned because it came in the middle of the Steelers' season. But Monday is the players' day off, and Big Ben used the occasion to take his offensive linemen with him to Wilkes-Barre. Max Starks, Willie Colon, Trai Essex, Justin Hartwig, Chris Kemoeatu and injured lineman Darnell Stapleton ..."

Quarterback class of 2004 chasing '83 picks

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October 4

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Like finding three diamonds in a riverbed, the Quarterback Class of 1983 has already been ensconced in National Football League lore as perhaps the greatest a draft can ever produce. Three players -- John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino -- who rewrote record books, appeared in 10 Super Bowls and were first-ballot inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Elway, the No. 1 overall pick in 1983, set club records for attempts, completions and passing yards in only his second season in Denver and led the Broncos to five Super Bowls, finally winning back-to-back Vince Lombardi trophies in the final two seasons of his marvelous 16-year career. Kelly, the 14th overall pick, played three ..."

Judge refuses to toss out Roethlisberger lawsuit

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September 30

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"A Nevada judge has refused a request by Ben Roethlisberger to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the Steelers quarterback of raping a casino worker. Washoe County District Judge Brent Adams issued the order last night. The Reno judge also refused to drop a fraud claim against Roethlisberger, strike portions of the lawsuit, speed up the evidence discovery process or dismiss the lawsuit because the accuser's employer was not included as a defendant. Details of the judge's orders were not immediately available. Roethlisberger's lawyer said he has not yet received the court rulings. The accuser's lawyer could not be reached. A 31-year-old woman filed the civil lawsuit this summer accusing ..."

Stability is at center of Steelers' blueprint for NFL success

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September 11

USA Today

"The NFL is a copycat league, as teams look to the Super Bowl winner for the answers.So why are 11 teams entering the season with new head coaches? Why did 128 free agents switch jerseys during the summer? Why are so many clubs installing new looks on both sides of the ball? And why aren't more teams mimicking the Pittsburgh Steelers? The Men of Steel begin their unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title defense Thursday against the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field. In a league known for secrecy, much of the Steelers' blueprint for success has been on display for years: Treat your people right."

Accuser sought $3 million from Harrah's

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September 10

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"A Nevada casino worker accusing Ben Roethlisberger of raping her sought nearly $3 million from Harrah's before suing the Steelers quarterback in July, according to a document released today by a Roethlisberger lawyer. A "remedy request" dated July 6 and intended to initiate a settlement with the resort sought nearly $375,000 in medical bills accrued while she sought psychiatric treatment and another $2.5 million for emotional distress and damage to her reputation, as well as having all adverse information deleted from her personnel file at Harrah's Lake Tahoe Casino & Resort, where the woman still works. Roethlisberger's lawyer, David Cornwell, has not filed the document with the Nevada ..."

Accuser's lawyer wants list of Roethlisberger's sexual partners

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September 10

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"A lawyer for a Nevada casino worker accusing Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her last year at a Lake Tahoe resort wants a list of every woman the Steelers quarterback has slept with and any who have claimed sexual misconduct on his part. Reno attorney Calvin Dunlap filed the request late Tuesday as part of a court filing opposing motions to have the civil lawsuit dismissed. Dunlap also requested, among other things, Roethlisberger's telephone and e-mail records and for him to undergo psychiatric and physical examinations. His lawyers have suggested the same for his accuser, calling her "disturbed and calculating" and a "sex addict." Dunlap declined to comment beyond the court ..."

Roethlisberger accuser offers deal

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September 9

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"The woman who claims Ben Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her at a Nevada resort has offered toher civil lawsuit if he admits that the assault occurred and writes a letter of apology. The Steelers quarterback also must agree to pay $100,000 to the Committee to Aid Abused Women or some similar entity, according to a letter that the woman's attorney, Calvin Dunlap, wrote to Roethlisberger's lawyers Aug. 31 and submitted to a Nevada court Friday in the latest in a series of court filings in the case. The woman claims Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her July 11, 2008, at the Harrah's Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino, where she worked as a VIP concierge and he was attending a celebrity golf ..."

Roethlisberger's accuser offers to settle her lawsuit

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September 9

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The woman who has accused Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexual assault has offered to settle a civil lawsuit against him if he admits he assaulted her. It is one of three conditions attorneys for the woman, a former Harrah's employee, outline in a court filing they submitted to a Nevada court offering to settle the matter. The conditions are that: first, he must admit that he assaulted her; he must deliver to her a letter of apology withdrawing "the false statements and allegations that he and his agents have made about her." And, lastly, he must donate $100,000 to the Committee to Aid Abused Women in Reno, Nev., "or a similar entity designated by the plaintiff." The filing ..."

Bills notebook: Roethlisberger to play at least a half

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August 29

Buffalo News

"Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be back in action tonight against the Buffalo Bills. Roethlisberger missed last week's preseason game with a right foot injury, suffered when left tackle Max Starks fell on top of him during a practice session. He still was icing the foot after practice this week, but the man who has quarterbacked two Super Bowl victories in the past four years is expected to play at least a half against Buffalo. Roethlisberger was 4 of 6 passing for 33 yards in a quarter of work in the Steelers' preseason opener against Arizona. Pittsburgh's first-string offense has played five series in two games and produced one touchdown. The first-team defense also has ..."

Roethlisberger: Foot 'not 100 percent, but it's coming along'

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August 26

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Speaking for the first time since he got injured near the end of the final practice of training camp, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said today that his right foot is "not 100 percent, but it's coming along." Roethlisberger returned to practice Monday, albeit on a limited basis, and coach Mike Tomlin said yesterday he will play Saturday night against the visiting Buffalo Bills. The 7:30 p.m. game will be the last significant game action the starters see until the start of the regular season "I think a lot of us will get a lot of playing time, a half or so," Roethlisberger said."

Big Ben breaks silence on injury

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August 26

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Without identifying the precise nature of his injury, Ben Roethlisberger this afternoon described his right-foot ailment as a bruise that, when it first happened, scared both him and teammates about a potentially serious Achilles tendon injury. "It was a pretty scary thing to have a ... heavy ... guy step around the back of your foot and your Achilles," the Steelers starting quarterback said in his first interview since he got caught in a tangle between 6-foot-8, 345-pound left tackle Max Starks and linebacker James Harrison toward the end of last Thursday's practice at St. Vincent College. "Everyone thought they heard a pop, too. You didn't know what happened. Luckily, it was a bruise." ..."

Big Ben practicing today

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August 25

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Ben Roethlisberger showed up at Steelers practice this afternoon in his pads and helmet and was going through drills with their other two healthy quarterbacks. Roethlisberger did not play Saturday night against the Washington Redskins after his right foot was injured in practice Thursday at training camp. Coach Mike Tomlin, though, has said Roethlisberger should be okay and he looked every bit of that as the Steelers began their first practice on Pittsburgh's South Side after breaking training camp last week."

Steelers QB Roethlisberger rests injured foot

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August 23

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"As expected, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not play in Saturday night's preseason game against the Redskins because of an injured Achilles tendon. Roethlisberger hurt his right foot in the Steelers' final practice of training camp last Thursday after left tackle Max Starks stepped on it while trying to block outside linebacker James Harrison. The injury to Roethlisberger is not believed to be serious, and the Steelers had even more reason to hold him out of last night's game at FedEx Field because of soggy weather. "Of course, if he was fine, he would have played," coach Mike Tomlin said after the Steelers' 17-13 loss to the Redskins. "But we don't think it's going to be a ..."

Big Ben sits out game because of right foot injury

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August 23

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The Steelers made the decision 24 hours before the start of their preseason game last night that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would not play against the Washington Redskins. And he didn't, allowing Charlie Batch to start with the first-team offense and get significantly more playing time that he did in the preseason opener. Coach Mike Tomlin decided during a coaches meeting at the team hotel Friday night that Roethlisberger, who sustained an undisclosed injury to his right foot, would not play against the Redskins -- unless he made a rapid recovery. Even at that, there was no need to risk further injury to their $100 million quarterback, especially on a wet, slick field in a meaningless ..."

Batch starts as Ben Roethlisberger sits out loss

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August 23

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Ben Roethlisberger watched comfortably from the sideline as the Steelers and Washington Redskins played yet another tedious exhibition game last night. Roethlisberger and the Redskins were winners. Roethlisberger because he did not have to play following his right foot injury in practice Thursday that has proven to be minor; the Redskins because they won, 17-13. The Steelers' No. 3 quarterback Dennis Dixon was not so lucky because he left in the fourth quarter with an unspecified right shoulder injury. The setback dropped the Steelers' record to 1-1, and it remained difficult to determine if they have sharpened their Super Bowl skills, but they felt good that the first-team offense finally ..."

Steelers' Roethlisberger likely to skip Redskin game

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August 22

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"In another sign that the injury Ben Roethlisberger suffered at the end of training camp is not serious, the Steelers quarterback traveled with the team to the Washington D.C. area Friday for a preseason game against the Redskins. Roethlisberger hurt his right foot when left tackle Max Starks got pushed back into him by outside linebacker James Harrison during an 11-on-11 drill. He had been scheduled to play a little more than a quarter with the first-team offense today against the Redskins. The Steelers will likely err on the side of caution and hold Roethlisberger out of the game with backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon getting additional work. The Steelers have only said that ..."

Roethlisberger status still unknown

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August 22

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger traveled with the Steelers to Washington, but, barring a rapid recovery, he is not expected to play in a preseason game tonight against the Redskins. But the injury to Roethisberger's right foot is not believed to be serious. Roethlisberger was injured in the final training camp practice Thursday. A Steelers spokesperson said yesterday he had no updates on the injury. Coach Mike Tomlin and others said Thursday they felt Roethlisberger would be OK, and that continues to be the privately held view about the quarterback."

Roethlisberger travels with team for Redskins game

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August 22

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger traveled with the Steelers to Washington, D.C. today, yet another sign the injury to his right foot is not serious. Roethlisberger was injured in the final training camp practice Thursday afternoon. A Steelers spokesman said today he had no updates on the injury. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and others said on Thursday they felt Roethlisberger would be okay, and that continues to be the privately held view about the quarterback. There also is no indication whether Roethlisberger will play against the Redskins tomorrow night"

Roethlisberger takes a hit in practice, limps off

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August 21

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a right foot or ankle injury today in the final practice of training camp. Asked after practice if Roethlisberger would be all right, Coach Mike Tomlin told the Post-Gazette, "Yup." Several of his teammates concurred, including backup quarterback Charlie Batch, who said he believes Roethlisberger will be OK. However, it's possible he will not play Saturday night in Washington against the Redskins. Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett, after talking to Tomlin following practice, acknowledged that Roethlisberger's foot was stepped on, but provided no further details on the injury. Tackle Max Starks fell into him during a pass in team drills ..."

Roethlisberger co-defendant seeks dismissal from suit

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August 18

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"A defendant in the Nevada lawsuit against Ben Roethlisberger and eight current or former Harrah's Lake Tahoe employees has asked a court to dismiss the counts against her. Stacy Dingman was sued by a former Harrah's colleague for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, trespass, defamation and conspiracy. The counts were part of a broad suit filed July 17 by a 31-year-old Harrah's employee who alleged that the Steelers quarterback raped her in his hotel room during a celebrity golf tournament last summer and that her co-workers helped cover it up."

Great QB debate: Bradshaw vs. Big Ben

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August 9

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

columnist Gene Collier

"This is one of those things you might be thinking but generally don't express, as it carries with it an evident blasphemous component. It did not occur to me explicitly, but when it appeared in print from a reliably eloquent, consistently insightful correspondent, one Gordon Bloom, it looked an awful lot like the truth. Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback than was Terry Bradshaw. That was No. 6 among 10 random observations Bloom mailed me in the spring. He uses a manual typewriter, the U.S. Post Office, and an uncommon lucidity. Several times a year, he sends me a list of random sports and political observations, each its own literate jewel. This was No. 2 from that batch. "More and ..."

Roethlisberger has to deal with the price of fame

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August 9

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Ben Roethlisberger quickly learned that with success came hysteria. Not even two months into his pro career, Mr. Roethlisberger piloted his fifth win as the Steelers' quarterback in as many starts, against the New England Patriots, and went out afterward for a night on the town. Mike Iriti, who had known Mr. Roethlisberger since he was a stringy fifth-grader in Findlay, Ohio, accompanied him. As they walked up the stairs of a North Shore bar, a woman grabbed Mr. Roethlisberger's arm -- then fainted. "And I almost died laughing," Mr. Iriti recalled in a recent interview in Findlay. "It's Ben! But she sees him as this ungodly superstar phenomenon. That was my first glimpse of, Holy crap, ..."

Roethlisberger accuser says callers hounding her

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August 7

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Law officers in Nevada are looking into harassing phone calls received by the woman who has accused Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her last year in a Lake Tahoe, Nev., hotel. Sgt. James Halsey, of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in Minden, Nev., said the woman complained about receiving "well over one hundred" annoying and harassing telephone messages since filing her civil lawsuit July 21 against Roethlisberger and eight employees of the Harrah's Lake Tahoe. The woman said most of the calls were crude, with some callers insulting her and others threatening her. All the calls, she said, were from men, except one. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a policy ..."

Big Ben focuses on football at press conference

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August 3

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Ben Roethlisberger said he's sorry. The Steelers' quarterback opened training camp by apologizing to his teammates at a team meeting Friday night at Saint Vincent College, then took questions from the news media yesterday morning after practice. He did not answer some of those questions, and, at one point, promised to end the impromptu session when he was asked if he had any message for Steelers fans about his personal life. It was the first time Roethlisberger had taken any questions publicly since a woman filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada two weeks ago, claiming he sexually assaulted her in 2008 in a hotel room. And Friday was his first chance to talk collectively to his teammates about ..."

Roethlisberger answers (most) questions at camp

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August 1

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took questions from the news media for the first time in training camp today, but declined to respond to any queries about the civil suit filed against him two weeks ago where a woman claimed he sexually assaulted her in 2008 in a Nevada hotel room. Roethlisberger at one point said he would end the impromptu session with the media if he weren't asked any more questions about football. "Any other football questions? I can walk away if we want," Roethlisberger said after the Steelers held their first of two practices today. Teammates told of how their quarterback got up at a team meeting Friday night and apologized to them. "He came up and apologized to the ..."

Two quarterbacks among topics at Steelers training camp

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August 1

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Two quarterbacks were among the topics that just about every arriving Steeler was asked about Friday at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. The players strongly, if predictably, backed Ben Roethlisberger, who was recently accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit. Meanwhile, coach Mike Tomlin didn't rule out the Steelers having an interest in Michael Vick, who is a free agent - and is free again after serving a two-year prison sentence on dog-fighting charges. Rumors swirled about Vick meeting with the Steelers Friday. And they were fueled in part by a caller to a Pittsburgh radio station who claimed to be a cab driver that had driven the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback from the airport ..."

Legal experts: Roethlisberger may pay even if innocent

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July 25

Green Bay Press Gazette

"The woman accusing Ben Roethlisberger (FSY) of raping her last summer will have a difficult time convincing a judge and jury she was assaulted in the star quarterback's penthouse hotel room partly because she never reported it to police and waited a year to file a civil lawsuit.Several lawyers and legal scholars say Andrea McNulty, a 31-year-old employee of Harrah's Lake Tahoe hotel, has the added chore of taking on a casino in Nevada, where the gambling industry wields considerable clout. But she may have a chance of winning an out-of-court settlement from the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback known as "Big Ben" because millions of dollars in endorsements are at stake for the two-time Super ..."

Journalism basics are news to ESPN while covering Ben Roethlisberger civil suit

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July 24

New York Daily News

columnist Bob Raissman

"No one should be surprised that top brass at ESPN decided it was more important to protect Ben Roethlisberger than report a civil suit had been filed against him, alleging the Steelers QB raped a woman in a Nevada hotel room last year. When a genius in Bristol created that "Worldwide Leader" moniker, he was not referring to the worldwide leader in journalism. ESPN is, was, and always will be an entertainment company, more show biz than news biz. It is a company that values its partnerships with the National Football League - and other professional sports organizations - more than it values the truth. It is a company more concerned with protecting the reputations of sports' biggest stars, ..."

Roethlisberger calls rape allegations by casino hostess 'reckless and false'

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July 24

New York Daily News

"Ben Roethlisberger has called himself the victim of "reckless and false" accusations made by a casino hostess who says the Steelers quarterback raped her a year ago in Lake Tahoe. A 31-year-old Nevada woman has filed a civil lawsuit alleging the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback raped her in a hotel penthouse last year while she was working as a VIP casino host at Harrah's Lake Tahoe. The woman claims in the lawsuit that the rape took place in Roethlisberger's room after he called her on a bogus complaint. Vowing to fight what he called "outrageous allegations," Roethlisberger made his first public comments on the case, reading from a prepared statement for less than two minutes at ..."

Roethlisberger denies rape accusation

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July 24

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"With pursed lips and a somber expression, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger denied to the world yesterday that he sexually assaulted a Nevada casino worker who claims in a lawsuit that he raped her last summer. "The allegations against me are reckless and false," Mr. Roethlisberger, 27, told reporters at the Steelers UPMC training facility on the South Side, speaking publicly about the case for the first time. He did not address whether he had any sexual relations at all with the woman, a 31-year-old Canadian national who has worked in Nevada since at least 2003. The woman sued Mr. Roethlisberger Friday in civil court in Washoe County, Nev., claiming he raped her July 11, 2008, after ..."

Roethlisberger's situation won't impact Steelers greatly

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July 24

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

columnist Ron Cook

"Tell the truth. When you first heard about the civil lawsuit against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger because of an alleged sexual assault at a Lake Tahoe resort in Nevada a year ago, your primary concern really wasn't for Big Ben, who might be the victim of a setup by a woman looking to make a small fortune off his name. Nor was your concern for the woman, who, if the allegations are true, suffered unimaginable violence. No, you worried about the Steelers: What impact will all of this have on the team's chances of defending its Super Bowl title? Well, I'm here to tell you this morning. Minimal. That isn't to say it's a good thing to be discussing sexual assault charges only days ..."

Steelers' Roethlisberger denies sexual assault of woman

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July 23

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger today denied he sexually assaulted a woman who is suing him. He called the statements contained in her lawsuit, filed Friday, "vicious," and also characterized them as "outrageous" and "reckless and false." Mr. Roethlisberger, who was accompanied by Head Coach Mike Tomlin, his agent, Ryan Tollner, and lawyer William David Cornwell Sr., issued a very brief statement and took no questions in the session at the Steelers South Side training complex. He would not answer a question from a reporter about whether any sexual relations occurred last July while he was in Lake Tahoe, Nev., for a celebrity golf tournament. Mr. Roethlisberger mentioned the woman ..."

Authorities not planning to investigate Roethlisberger

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July 23

Kansas City Star

"Law enforcement officials in Nevada have no intention of opening a criminal investigation into allegations Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger raped a woman at a Lake Tahoe hotel-casino a year ago. Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Teresa Duffy said the accuser would have to file a criminal complaint to trigger an investigation. "The victim is the only one who can do that," Duffy said. The 31-year-old Nevada woman has sued Roethlisberger, alleging that he raped her in a hotel penthouse, a claim his lawyer vehemently denies. She also accuses Harrah's officials of orchestrating a cover-up."

NFL looking at Andrea McNulty's sexual assault lawsuit against Roethlisberger

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July 23

New York Daily News

"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he "will look into" bombshell sex assault allegations against star Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "I don't know enough of the details, but it's a civil lawsuit, it's something that we obviously will look into," Goodell said. "I've been in touch with the Steelers about it." Former Harrah's Casino worker Andrea McNulty accused the two-time Superbowl winner of luring her into his room at the posh Harrah's hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nev., in July 2008 and forcing her to have sex with him. Eight current and former Harrah's employees are also named as defendants in the the civil suit. McNulty did not file criminal charges. She said in court papers that she ..."

Football Star Is Accused, but ESPN Plays It Cautious

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July 23

New York Times

"ESPN decided Wednesday night to report on the sexual assault case against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a story that the sports-media giant had banned virtually all its TV, radio and online properties from covering on Monday because the accusations in a civil lawsuit may prove untrue. The only exception to its edict had been to let the ESPN Radio station in Pittsburghthe case in news reports because of its local importance. But the station's talk-show hosts have been prohibited from discussing it. As of midafternoon Wednesday, ESPN stuck to its policy of not reporting the accusations that Roethlisberger in July 2008 sexually assaulted a female employee of the Harrah's ..."