New SI Cover Story Reinforces Image of Ben Roethlisberger As Boorish Jock

This week's Sports Illustrated cover story points its attention to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. While there are no new revelations regarding any sort of criminal wrongdoing on the QB's part on that fateful night in Milledgeville, the story goes on to paint a picture of Roethlisberger as a relatively insufferable human being over the course of the last few years. In essence, the story almost removes itself from determining any sort of criminality on Roethlisberger's part and really looks at him as a person.

First, it should be noted that Roethlisberger declined a request to speak about the story and his agent Ryan Tollner has said the incident in Milledgeville -- whatever actually happened -- has served as a "wakeup call." But even if that's the case, SI uncovered what seems to be a pattern of behavior over the last few years that turned a lot of people off a player they once worshiped (and very well could again, because winning hides a lot of warts).

-- A few months after Roethlisberger's infamous motorcycle accident, and stating he'd wear a helmet in the future, he was reportedly spotted by a KDKA-TV crew riding without a helmet. (KDKA is the local CBS affiliate, broadcasting Steelers games.) Video was allegedly shot of Roethlisberger on the bike, without a helmet, and he allegedly gave them the finger on the video. The station's former news director and current assistant news director deny the story, but SI says several people gave the same account. The implication is that the tape was held back because of the station's relationship with the Steelers.

-- The story goes back to talk about some of the he said, she said from the Andrea McNulty accusation from 2008. Much of it is stuff you've probably already heard before. It also tells a story of an encounter Roethlisberger had with a waiter a few days earlier that falls in line with a pattern of behavior brought up throughout the story: Ben isn't exactly a friend of folks in the service industry. Again, nothing criminal there. Just doesn't seem like a particularly good human being.

-- The story doesn't entirely ignore Milledgeville either:

A source close to Roethlisberger said that he never intended to have intercourse and described his intentions as "Clinton sex," or fellatio. But the female student told police that they did have intercourse, and that the 6'5", 241-pound Roethlisberger used force.

-- We also get a fun nugget about Sgt. Jerry Blash, the officer who took pictures with Roethlisberger in Milledgeville and has since left his post.

(As of last week a purple parking sign stood in the carport of Blash's house in Milledgeville reading, RESERVED PIMP PARKING. HO'S IN BACK.)

So to sum up: SI found no smoking gun on any front that would put Roethlisberger in jail, but it seemed to find several if we were just putting his ability to act as a decent human being on trial.

(H/T to Pro Football Talk)

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.