Pro athletes find themselves in the far too common position of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Shootings and assault cases later we have no reason but to not trust our most trusted and revered stars. Like the boy who cried wolf it is always hard to distinguish who is in the right. However, the athletes are no longer the only ones in question when it comes to crying wolf. Most recently, Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks have been added to this list.

Big Ben

Roethlisberger’s case is interesting. Occurring in June of 2008 during a pro-am golf tournament at the Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and a claim not being filed until July 19, 2009. Andrea McNulty, the alleged victim and former employee of Harrah’s, filed a lawsuit against Roethlisberger claiming that he sexually assaulted her. Reports that were filed in the lawsuit claim that McNulty required hospitalization and treatments for depression after the assault.

Although by simple reasoning we have learned to question our favorite athletes in these situations there have been cases to prove otherwise. Most infamously and with the most notoriety, the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case from 2003. Although Bryant admitted to acting adulterously, the assault charges were soon dropped and the case was settled out of the courtroom. We learned that it is possible to trust our athletes…in some regard.

Fast-forward to today. Allegations of a Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault case run rampant until, on August 9, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette releases a sworn statement from Angela Antonetti, a co-worker of McNulty’s at the time of her employment at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. In the statement, Antonetti stated that McNulty, rather than being distressed about the assault, bragged about having consensual sex with Roethlisberger and felt as though there was a possibility of her being pregnant.

Fortunately, Antonetti came forward and set the record straight knowing that the allegation was indeed false. However, although this case is yet to be settled questions remain concerning alleged victims and the validity of their claims.

Our next boy who cried wolf, Patrick Kane, comes in yet another interesting situation. Breaking this past Sunday, August 9. Kane and his cousin, James Kane, were charged with second-degree robbery and fourth-degree criminal mischief by a Buffalo New York cab driver. The Kanes have pleaded not guilty.

Patrick Kane, Dr. Dangles

Since this story first broke we have now learned that the cab driver, Jan Radecki, had been driving illegally without a drivers license since 1999 after it was revoked for a drunken driving arrest. As if that was not enough, the incident comes from a twenty-cent dispute of not being able to make change after the Kanes paid $15 for a $13.80 ride.

Although Radecki’s lawyer has stated that the incident has been blown way out of proportion, the fact that criminal charges were filed does not help his case.

We have yet to hear any resolve on this case. In accordance with New York State law, each case like this must be sent before a grand jury. The jury will then decide where or not to bring, reduce or drop charges.

Patrick Kane holds his position on pleading not guilty. His lawyers have stated,

“He’s devastated anyone would accuse him of a crime. He’s not that sort of person. Wanted nothing to do with this cabdriver in any way shape or form. Simply wanted to get out of the cab. Pat is like ‘Why me? I didn’t hit the guy. I didn’t assault the guy. I wasn’t involved in paying or not paying the fare. I can’t believe I’m in this.’

“He did not assault the cabdriver. Did not rob the cabdriver. Did not cheat him out of his fee. None of those things. He tried to get out of a locked cab from a cabdriver who was not permitting either one of them to get out of a locked cab.”

Although we have yet to reach a decision on this case we cannot let go of how quickly the story has blown up and how much more closely we have to look at these types of situations.

Athletes are easy targets for scrutiny. They have money and anything involving them is bound to attract headlines. Is it fame and fortune that these alleged victims are hoping to gain? Neither last long in this day and age. As a matter of fact, it won’t be long until their names have been forgotten. In both the cases of Roethlisberger and Kane we are somehow finding our way back to our story of the boy who cried wolf. Perhaps it is not always the athlete crying innocence that should grab our attention. But rather, it is the victims who we should look at first.

Either way, as the story goes, eventually nobody believed the boy when he cried wolf and a wolf was there to eat the shepherd’s flock. If we are not careful it will not be long until we have nothing left to believe on both sides. They seem to compete for who can cry wolf louder.

For those who have cried and been found out, your 15-minutes is up. Let your notoriety follow you.