Big Ben's Big Problem

Not that I'm much of a Bengals fan here in Cincy (I love my hometown Carolina Panthers), the running joke is "You know it's the All-Star Break when talk turns from how bad the Reds are to when the Bengals start play, and you know it's the Bengals bye week when talk goes from how bad the Bengals are to when the Cyclones start play."

But when our division rival Pittsburgh Steelers see their Super Bowl MVP QB Ben Roethlisberger getting in trouble over a sexual assault suit, Cincy pays attention too.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by a woman in Nevada.

According to online court records, a defamation lawsuit was filed in Washoe County on Friday. Andrea McNulty is listed as the plaintiff.

Details of the suit were not available late Monday night.

Roethlisberger was one of nine defendants listed in the online court docket report.

Roethlisberger's attorney released a statement to several media outlets Monday night saying the two-time Super Bowl winner was accused of sexual assault in the lawsuit by McNulty. Atlanta-based attorney David Cornwell denied Roethlisberger sexually assaulted McNulty.

"This weekend Andrea McNulty served Ben Roethlisberger with a civil complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her in July 2008. Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone; especially Andrea McNulty. The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct. If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully and Ben will be fully exonerated," Cornwell said.

Needless to say, I'm thinking this case is going to expose a lot of things that you don't know, or don't want to know, about people you discuss it with. There are going to be those who say Big Ben is being unfairly attacked because of his fame, and those who will say the sheer amount of his fame shielding him is why he may be actually guilty. Sports heroes in 2009 are a tricky minefield at best.

I will only say the accusation should be taken seriously, investigated fairly, and the truth found, and as soon as possible.