Commissioner: Ben Roethlisberger Violated Policy

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has told ESPN that Ben Roethlisberger has violated policy and will now review the facts of the case before announcing the "right and appropriate punishment". NFL Analyst Adam Schefter has stated the decision will probably not come before Wednesday. If the NFL doesn't come to terms by Thursday, the announcement will probably not happen until next week, following this weekend's NFL draft.

Roethlisberger dodged a bullet last week when DA Fred Bright declined to prosecute him for an alleged assault in March. Conflicting statements from the 20-year old accuser who had been drinking played a large part in Bright's decision.

NFL bloggers, analysts and radio hosts have been predicting a 2-4 game suspension for Roethlisberger. I've listened to Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, hosts of ESPN radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" debate the impending suspension due to a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Does Ben Roethlisberger have an understanding of appropriate personal conduct?

Any night of the week can find unmarried 28-year-old guys hitting on drunken women in nightclubs. A lot of those guys will be accompanied by a posse of their friends. They might have great jobs and buy a lot of drinks for anyone who happens by. They might get a little aggressive as the night goes on, especially if the object of affection has been hanging around for awhile. There might be unwanted sexual contact - groping, grabbing and general "Oh c'mon baby, you know you want it".

Very few of those 28-year-old nightclub Romeos are 6'5", weigh 241 pounds and own two Super Bowl rings.

Roethlisberger has now been accused of sexual assault twice in less than two years. According to a broadcast of "Mike & Mike" I listened to, a third alleged assault has been reported by a male friend of the victim who refuses to speak to the authorities.

Big Ben needs a reality check. Perhaps he needs a refresher course in how to conduct himself with women. A few games spent on the sideline watching his Pittsburg Steelers struggle with a backup quarterback, along with the locker room and fan backlash that would be sure to follow, might be the sort of humbling Roethlisberger needs.

The reality is Ben Roethlisberger is a high-profile athlete. While I believe standards are standards for any human being, the spotlight isn't on most 28-year-old drunks in a nightclub. The NFL is made up of less than 1,700 players at any given time and the increasing occurrence of thug behavior is overshadowing the good that the majority of the players do off the field.

It only takes a few bad apples to ruin the bushel. Ben Roethlisberger is a bad apple. Can the worm be removed?

Sources: ESPN.com ; ABC News ; Mike and Mike ; Sports Illustrated