BEN’S GOT SOME WORK TO DO
I think the consensus among the local media is that Ben Roethlisberger did a really nice job of establishing himself as a jackass, but he can change that perception with his actions from here on out.
I’ve said that he has a clean slate with me even if I’ll never be convinced that he didn’t commit a crime that night in Georgia. I’m not convinced that he did, either, so I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because he was never charged.
The fans are split on the issue and I think that his one-on-one interviews got a good number of them back on his side.
I had said earlier that the Steelers should trade him, but I don’t feel as strongly about that as I did couple of months ago, probably because of the perception–justified or not–that he has won a lot of fans back.
The perception of Roethlisberger locally is one thing. The view from outside Western Pennnsylvania is another. Fans here want to be able to cheer for him again because not being able to makes watching the Steelers a lot less enjoyable.
The national media don’t have that issue and if Jeff Pearlman of SI.com is any indication, Roethlisberger shouldn’t be cheered when he comes back.
It’s been four months since he was suspended and this guy is as tough on Roethlisberger as anyone was at the time of the incident.