PITTSBURGH,None — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be on the cover of the next edition of Sports Illustrated, but it's not his talent on the gridiron that has him front and center.
Channel 11 News reporter Julie Fine spoke with David Epstein, one of the writers of the article, who said he was surprised how much a football town like Pittsburgh had turned on the quarterback after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old college student in Milledgeville, Ga., last month. Roethlisberger wasn't charged in the case, but he's been suspended for six games by the NFL for violating its personal conduct policy.
The article is titled "The Hangover" and paints a picture of a man who acts entitled and treats others poorly.
"Sometimes, I would call people, just leaving messages, and they would say to me he did this to my sister, to my cousin, to my friend. Sometimes, I was not even looking for stories," Epstein said.
The Fox and the Hound Restaurant in the North Hills is mentioned in the article. An employee there told SI that Roethlisberger left without paying, but employees Channel 11 talked with Tuesday night said the article was blown out of proportion.
Mark Baranowski, the owner of The Cabana Bar in Wexford, is also quoted in the article saying Roethlisberger didn't want to pay a $5 cover charge and even questioned the amount of his bill.
"He came in and was very arrogant and left very little tip," Baranowski told Channel 11. "I think that's what Ben feels is since he is the quarterback and he is coming into your establishment that he is bringing you business and he feels entitled that he can walk out without paying his bill. It's us common folk that love the NFL and has made it the way it is and enables someone like a Ben Roethlisberger to sign a big contract. He should appreciate everybody. And even if he doesn't appreciate them, don't disrespect us," he said.
A friend of Roethlisberger's, who didn't want to be identified, told the magazine, "When they're out together, (he) sometimes feels obligated to apologize to waiters and bartenders whom Roethlisberger has treated like garbage."
Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner told SI that Roethlisberger "admitted to me that maybe he got too caught up in the Big Ben persona."
Another point made in the article is that people care less about Roethlisberger because the city has found a new hero in the Penguins Sidney Crosby.
People Channel 11 showed the article to said they can't believe a star quarterback would act this way.
"Why doesn't he pull out a hundred dollar bill and say hey this is for the next 20 people. I don't understand that," one fan said.
Other fans said they see this as the new Big Ben bandwagon and everyone is just jumping on it.
"I think once the ball gets rolling in a negative light I think it will continue for a while. But I think as time goes on and he starts winning things will kind of go away," said Michael Rieder of Shadyside.
Channel 11 contacted the Steelers but the organization said it has no comment on the article.
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