NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, acting as juror, judge and executor, sentenced Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to a six game suspension without pay for violating the NFL personal conduct policy. Roethisberger was also ordered to undergo a behavioral evaluation.

Goodell handed down the decision after a 20 year-old college student accused Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her in a Georgia nightclub back in March. Ben was suspended even though Georgia prosecutors decided not to charge Roethlisberger for sexual assualt.

Goodell, in a letter sent to the former 2-time Super Bowl champ said, “I recognize that the allegations in Georgia were disputed and that they did not result in criminal charges being filed against you,”

“My decision today is not based on a finding that you violated Georgia law, or on a conclusion that differs from that of the local prosecutor. That said, you are held to a higher standard as an NFL player, and there is nothing about your conduct in Milledgeville that can remotely be described as admirable, responsible, or consistent with either the values of the league or the expectations of our fans.”

As part of the suspension, Roethlisberger must undergo a behavioral evaluation by medical professionals before he can participate or attend any team off-season activities.

Goodell left open the possibility that he could reduce the suspension from 6 games to 4. The Steeler QB could lose close to $3 million in salary if he sits out 6 games.

Many in the NFL expressed shock at the length of the suspension, given he was not charged with a crime. However, this is not the first time Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of improrieties. Back in the summer of 2008, a woman named Andrea McNulty in Nevada accused Roethlisbeger of sexual assault.

Will the suspension of Ben Roethlisberger mean the Steelers won’t make the NFL playoffs in 2010? Not necessarily, especially if the sentence is reduced to 4 games. The Steelers are scheduled with a bye in NFL Week 5, allowing the Steelers to give Roethlisberger all the reps to get ready for NFL Week 6. Here is Steelers schedule for the first six games in 2010.

Sunday, September 12 - Atlanta Falcons - Home
Sunday, September 19 - Tennessee Titans - Away
Sunday, September 26 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Away
Sunday, October 3 - Baltimore Ravens - Home
Sunday, October 10 - BYE
Sunday, October 17 - Cleveland Browns - Home
Sunday, October 24 - Miami Dolphins - Home

source: foxsports.com, espn

Some sports experts say “something’s fishy” about the Seattle Seahawks signing of Pete Carroll. It’s nothing against Pete, it’s more about how the Seattle Seahawks seemed to bypass, circumvent or completely ignore the Rooney Rule when signing their new head coach.

In 2003, the NFL implemented the Rooney Rule which requires National Football League teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operations opportunities. The rule is named for Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee.

There is considerable debate about whether the Seahawks already had decided that Pete Carroll would be the new head coach before they fired Jim Mora Jr. The Seahawks hired Pete Carroll on Monday, four days after firing Jim Mora Jr. They interviewed Minnesota Viking defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who is black, for the job over the weekend.

But the speed in which Seattle first fired Mora without a GM in place, and then lured Carroll away from USC led to questions, most notably from former head coach Tony Dungy, about whether the Seahawks interviewed Frazier merely to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

“That is not what the Rooney Rule is supposed to be, (that) you make up your mind and then interview a candidate for it anyway just to satisfy the rule,” Dungy told the Associated Press.

The head of the group that monitors NFL hiring practices believes strongly in the effectiveness of the “Rooney Rule,” which is supposed to provide more opportunities for minorities.

“I think it has done wonders in the NFL,” John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, said Monday. “They’ve put a new face on the National Football League. I think the integrity and commitment are there. It’s outstanding, and that’s why it’s worked.”

Wooten said he recommended to Frazier that he interview for the job in Seattle after getting assurances from the Seahawks and Carroll last Saturday that a deal had not yet been reached with Carroll — contrary to what ESPN had reported that morning.

“I feel comfortable that Seattle approached it the right way,” Wooten said.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said that the Seahawks have not violated the spirit of the Rooney Rule.

There is no doubt that the Rooney Rule has had a positive effect on the number of minority coaches in the NFL. In fact the 2006 Super Bowl had two African-American head coaches in Dungy and Lovie Smith. And in 2008, Mike Tomlin lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl win.

Regardless of what Wooten and Roger Goodell say, Tony Dungy may know a lot more about the truth. ESPN is reporting that Seattle contacted Tony Dungy last month about their open GM position.

“They called Tony about three weeks ago to see if he would seriously consider becoming their president. He told them he wanted to pray and sleep on it but the next day he called them back and said he wanted to stick with everything he was doing now. He would have been the guy, I believe, if he had wanted to do it.”

ESPN reported that Dungy said last month that an NFL team asked him to consider a front-office role, but he wouldn’t reveal the team.

One could argue that the Seahawks met the requirements of the Rooney Rule by interviewing Leslie Frazer. But why would Tony Dungy express his concerns about the apparent disregard of the Rooney Rule by Seattle. After all, don’t you think the Seahawks front office discussed their “plan” for Seattle’s future with Tony three weeks earlier?

Something is fishy in Seattle!

There are two things we can be assured of: it’s the beginning of a new decade and the final week of the NFL regular season.

What we can’ be assured of is what teams will make the AFC playoffs; and the AFC playoff scenarios have seemingly endless possibilities.

What we do know is that four teams have clinched an AFC playoff spot: the Colts, Patriots, Bengals and Chargers. Six other teams are vying for the final two AFC playoff spots: the Jets, Ravens, Steelers, Texans, Jaguars and Dolphins.

Here are the AFC playoff scenarios for week 16 of the NFL football season:

Indianapolis Colts (14-0)
Clinched the AFC South and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs

San Diego Chargers
Clinched the AFC South and first round bye

Cincinnati Bengals (10-5)
Clinched the AFC North

New England Patriots (10-5)
Clinched the AFC East

New York Jets (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Baltimore Ravens (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with a win

Denver Broncos (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Houston win OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Pittsburgh loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Houston win OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
Pittsburgh loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss and New York loss OR
New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacksonville loss or tie

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Houston loss or tie and New York loss or tie Or
win and Houston lossor tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Houston Texans (8-7)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss or tie and Baltimore loss or tie OR
win and New York loss or tie and Denver loss or tie OR
win and Baltimore loss or tie and Denver loss or tie

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and Houston loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Denver loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and Pittsburgh loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and New York loss OR
win and New York loss and Denver loss and Houston loss and Baltimore loss

Miami Dolphins
Clinch a playoff spot with:
win and New York loss and Baltimore loss and Houston loss and Jacskonville loss or tie

Additional Note: To make things even more complicated: New York, Baltimore,Denver, Pittsburgh and Houston can also make the playoffs if they tie in combination with various other results. But Jacksonville and Miami cannot make the playoff with a tie.

It will be interesting watching the NFL analysts go through these scenarios over and over as the day goes bye. But one thing we can be assured of, the AFC playoff scenarios will be cast in stone by 9:00 pm ET tomorrow night.

sources: nfl.com, espn.com foxsports, New York Daily News