March 9, 2010 4:58 PM

Amber Hanley, College Student, Stiff Arms Ben Roethlisberger, Drinking Champion

By
Neil Katz
Topics
Daily Blotter

Ben Roethlisberger 2006 or earlier, not with Amber Hanley.

(Credit: Deadspin.com)
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (CBS/AP) Amber Hanley, a 21-year-old college student who met NFL star Ben Roethlisberger in a Georgia bar, says the Steeelers quarterback wanted more than a just a cute photo with the young co-ed, but she just rolled her eyes and moved on, earning a tongue lashing from Big Ben.

Later, she says, Roethlisberger was hitting hard on another girl.

Illegal, poor taste or just drunk fun?

Hanley's description of last Friday's events at the Capital City bar in Milledgeville, Ga., doesn't shed light on whether Roethlisberger sexually assaulted another woman during a night in which he visited several local bars. Police are now investigating the accusation made by a 20-year old student and the football player has denied it.

But the image problems and perhaps worse are piling up for Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger is facing down a 2009 lawsuit by a woman who claims he raped her in a Lake Tahoe hotel and casino. He denies it.

Recently he has been seen gambling in Las Vegas and, according to the Associated Press, some Pittsburgh restaurant owners complain the man with a $102 million contract skips out on the checks.

Early in his career, Roethlisberger was photographed wearing a "Drink Like a Champion" t-shirt and appeared to be following it's moniker.

Criminal? No. Role model? Probably not.

Still, the man can play. Roethlisberger led the Steelers to Super Bowl victories in 2006 and 2009. He donates generously to charity and according to some fans who met him last Friday night, he was just really "polite with everybody."

According to police, Friday night's alleged victim was taken to a hospital, treated and released and Roethlisberger has cooperated with their investigation.



Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by kingschild4ever March 26, 2010 8:34 PM EDT
wow porcine, those words are very harsh for someone that has not been convicted, we still live in America where you are innocent until proven guilty.
Ben does need to stay out of the bars, and keep his nose clean for himself and his career, but I think these women that are accusing these athletes should have a little bad publicity also, they are the ones out there putting themselves in the position, and if they get a little change in their pockets in the mean time than that is just all the better. Any athlete is crazy to be putting themselves in that kind of enviroment, there is always people trying to make an easy buck.
I would just like to see him set a better example and try to stay clear of golddiggers.
I guess you can tell I am a Pittsburgh fan!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But until there is full proof evidence that he has done something like this we are in no position to judge him, we need to leave that to God and the people that are getting paid to do it.
Reply to this comment
by Num1lkrfan March 10, 2010 9:11 PM EST
Ben...stay home...stop going and getting drunk at college parties...guilty or not you are making yourself look like an a$$
Reply to this comment
by rematenaj March 10, 2010 3:21 PM EST
Wow Porcine Aviator, do you know Ben personally? If not, your comments are not warranted.
Reply to this comment
by porcine_aviator March 10, 2010 12:15 PM EST
Ben Roethlisberger is a sleazy, stupid, low class piece of garbage. He has to rape women because his personality is so rotten no woman of any stature would want to be anywhere near him. Instead, he is in the league of chasing college kiddie *****. Total garbage loser.

Some day this white trash idiot is going to hit on a married man's wife and get a .44 slug through the chest in the parking lot of some shady club. And when he does, I will not shed a tear for the foolish loser.
Reply to this comment
by I_am_me1953 March 10, 2010 2:09 PM EST
Not really a Steelers fan are you?
by pwartt March 10, 2010 2:31 PM EST
Hey let remember innocent until proven guilty.Alot of these things are played out in the press and it just is not necessarily true.Remember the duke incident that everyone thought the player were guilty and they were not.Don't throw someone under the bus yet,let see what evidence comes out first and then if he did it he should get punished for the crime!!
by kbev March 9, 2010 7:11 PM EST
Hey Neal, LOVE how you just posted the one nasty comment from one college student!!! How about these? why didn't they make your story?

"He tipped at 100 percent of their very large combined bill.

"They say he drank little, maybe a Corona beer or two, and noshed on food, signed autographs and posed for camera phone photos.


"'He never looked drunk, never looked out of control. He shook hands and kissed babies, you know?' said Kyle Pilgrim, 22, a senior in accounting from Gwinnett County, north of Milledgeville.

"I had already gone over there, and he came in with his group," said Pilgrim. "There were girls all over him all night. But he never presented himself as someone who would cause trouble. Looking at the way he behaved, you never would've thought about what they later said about him."


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_670499.html#

or this one?

"A bartender who said he served Roethlisberger told us:

'He was as nice as any athlete that I have ever met. People were all over him, guys and girls. His body guards kept some people away to let him have a good time. This situation is sad and I feel for the guy. He was out having a good time just like everybody else and now this is blowing up.'

"Friday, as news of the assault charges broke, one of the Milledgeville bartenders said the charges against Roethlisberger were "bullsh*t" and that 'she was all over him that night.... wonder why he pursued??? she saw $$$ signs.'"

http://deadspin.com/5487565/big-bens-night-out-in-millyvegas-what-the-bartenders-saw

Gee, how did you miss those quotes in your research? I didn't have any trouble finding them! And there were a whole lot more!
Reply to this comment
by jacie2010 March 13, 2010 9:52 AM EST
I would be careful about the "research" you cite. You are only citing initial reports, some from people making comments before they even were aware of the alleged assault.
As the investigation continues, more people are being interviewed, some on television (ie: Pittsburgh television, which has several reporters on site), and eyewitnesses are telling a very damaging story.
One eyewitness says that Ben's bodyguards were actually BLOCKING the bathroom access....standing in the hallway, in front of the bathroom and not allowing anyone access. There are more and more reports of this nature coming out.
And remember, Ted Bundy was known as a "nice guy", too.
That's how he was able to convince unsuspecting women to get in a car with him, etc.
Unless you are suggesting that Ted Bundy didn't kill anyone.
If anyone suspected, he would not have been able to get away with scores of horrific murders.
Sexual predators are the SAME way. Charming on the outside.
Satanic on the inside.
Heck....Big Ben was even wearing a Devil shirt - about the ugliest piece of clothing I have ever seen on anyone, anywhere.
What a weird choice of clothing! Perhaps some subliminal message?
He's a drunk and needs help.
Too bad it is likely too late before he has to spend some long downtime in prison. We shall see.
by national1942 March 9, 2010 6:53 PM EST
What a shame. I think we have a right to better behavior from our ball players and stars. They KNOW they ARE role models, whether they like it or not and I am saddened and disgusted by this kind of behavior. As for his $102 M salary? WHOSE idea was that. NOBODY deserves that kind of money, I don't care what they do or where they do it. This is way out of hand. It has to stop somewhere and I guess it starts one person at a time, me first, saying, "I will not go to another professional game as long as these kind of salaries and unprofessional behavior off the courts and diamonds or wherever continue" and I WON'T, but unfortunately it takes more than one or even 100 of us to say this, and then DO IT to stop this kind of thievery. Too bad.
Reply to this comment
by jt92202 March 11, 2010 2:32 PM EST
If you allow yourself or your children to look at athletes or stars as role models you are not the brightest bulb in the box. Role models are people that actually can be looked up to like your father or mother or teacher or..... We have seen the kinds of people some of these athletes and stars are, I don't want my kids to look at them as role models or heros! Until they do something other than their job they are just like you and I, HUMAN! And most of them don't want to be role models, they just want to do their job and bring home the bacon!!!
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