Andy, I think Scott hits the nail right on the head.
I think the author of this article does a fantastic job:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/comme...ory?id=5122538
And I think this particular quote is right on the money:
When Kobe Bryant was entangled in a 2003 rape case, he relied on the idea of familiarity with a press corps that, in truth, he had treated with distance and contempt. In his moment of need, he attempted to trade on his name to discredit his accuser with his famous "Come on guys, you know me" appeal to basketball reporters.
Bryant benefited from the power of the brand of being a ballplayer, and Woods, who has long been disdainful and contemptuous of the press, recently referred to them as "friends" during his news conference.
Perhaps it is a sign of shifting times or Bryant's star power, but some elements of the public responded to Bryant by threatening his accuser. And it is important to remember that the Bryant rape case was dismissed not because Bryant was innocent, but because his accuser had grown weary of the public humiliation of coming forward, having her sexual history revealed, and chose to end the ordeal.
Seven years later, Roethlisberger is not afforded much of the same protection. The segment of the public that sides with him exemplifies a certain sexism and hero worship, a reaction that undoubtedly would be different if the woman were a friend or family member. What matters is that anyone who took the time to read the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's 500-plus-page report, which is now available online, does not support him, and his employers have not defended him. He has no credibility.