NationStates Jolt Archive

Big Ben in a motorcycle accident (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13279232/)

PITTSBURGH - Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured in a motorcycle crash and taken to a hospital Monday morning, and a pool of blood was found at the accident site.

“He was alert and conscious,” said Ernie Roman, shift commander for the Allegheny County emergency service.

Steelers Dave Lockett, outside Mercy Hospital, confirmed the accident but did not provide additional details. There was no word on Roethlisberger’s condition.

Not a Steelers fan but I was going for them in the Superbowl. That really is too bad. Hopefully he gets better and can play agian.

Moron wasn't wearing his helmet.

Moron wasn't wearing his helmet.
Just what I thought when I read the article.

Big Ben in a motorcycle accident (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13279232/)

Jesse's boyfriend will be crapping kittens.

Harde har har har.

Didn't he learn anything from Kellen Winslow?

There is a reason NFL contracts forbid players from riding motorcycles and doing anything else high impact and dangerous: they make tons of money, and their bodies are what they earn that paycheck with. He should have to pay the Steeler's back for any time he misses on the field.

Looks like you now know how Browns fans feel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellen_Winslow_II

Goddam you Kellen Winslow, goddam you.

There is a reason NFL contracts forbid players from riding motorcycles and doing anything else high impact and dangerous: they make tons of money, and their bodies are what they earn that paycheck with. He should have to pay the Steeler's back for any time he misses on the field.

His contract doesn't forbid him from riding a motorcycle, nor does it require him to wear a helmet. It has been a local controversy since he bought the bike. He has been vocal about saying that it's his life and as long as it is legal in the state of PA to not wear a helmet, it's his decision to go without. Terry Bradshaw criticized him, Cowher often commented that he "wished" Ben would wear a helmet, and when in Switzerland, Ben joked that Mr. Rooney ought not to see the footage of him on a scooter without a helmet. Personally, I'm appalled that PA repealed our helmet laws a few years ago, though.

Right now, nobody's speculating about whether or not he'll ever play football again (Serious but Stable Condition) but I'm certain that his contract will be renegotiated to include a provision if he ever does play again

Latest news is: Serious but Stable. Being "close to" the news industry here in Pittsburgh, he's one very, very, very lucky boy. We'll find out if what my sources have told me is true at 3PM, but right now I'm hearing that he's "missing many of his teeth, has a broken jaw, a multitude of facial and head lacerations and has a shoulder injury." The press conference scheduled for 3PM will confirm or deny that much, I presume.

Here's a local news link: WTAE TV News Link (http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/9356067/detail.html)

Contract or not, you would have to be a dumbass to ride without a helmet.

Contract or not, you would have to be a dumbass to ride without a helmet.

Oh, I agree completely. But, the boy does have a point. It's legal, so he gets to choose to be a dumbass...

Heh, idiot.

So does that mean Charlie Batch is the starter now? Is Pittsburgh going to be on the free agent qb market?

So does that mean Charlie Batch is the starter now? Is Pittsburgh going to be on the free agent qb market?

That's the speculation. Batch will be starting. :eek: Part of me likes that idea, he's a hometown boy from economically depressed Homestead, and getting to start for the team he idolized as a child. (Yes, I'm a sentimental girl.) The Steeler fan in me isn't so happy with it because, well, Batch is a great back-up but he's no starter. Sure, Tommy had his issues this season, but we know he can be a starter - and I was apprehensive when we let him go for that reason.

I'm about to go watch the press conference...

That's the speculation. Batch will be starting. :eek: Part of me likes that idea, he's a hometown boy from economically depressed Homestead, and getting to start for the team he idolized as a child. (Yes, I'm a sentimental girl.) The Steeler fan in me isn't so happy with it because, well, Batch is a great back-up but he's no starter. Sure, Tommy had his issues this season, but we know he can be a starter - and I was apprehensive when we let him go for that reason.

I'm about to go watch the press conference...
I'm feeling you. My team has a qb (Drew Brees) who's been a very recent Pro-Bowler, but who's coming off an injury and who knows if he'll be ready for the season, and his backup is not starter material. Todd Bouman will never be more than a spot backup at best. And to think we let Jake Delhomme go to Carolina and traded for him. Agh.

I actually ended up not able to watch the press conference; too many people in my office were streaming it. :eek: Anyway, "sources" report that it's actually just a broken jaw. No shoulder injury, although he has seriously bruised his knees... If that is in fact the truth, Ben has one hell of a guardian angel. (Or he was very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very good in a past life.)

I hope Big Ben is alright, but as someone who started riding motorcycles 35 years ago and who lives in a no-helmet law state, I just have to say that riding a motorcycle without a helmet has to be one of the most idiotic things a person can do short of testing the sharpness of a circular saw blade with your hand while it is on.

For the life of me I don't understand people who can't image what happens to a relatively soft head when it hits concrete or steel at 60mph.

I hope Big Ben is alright, but as someone who started riding motorcycles 35 years ago and who lives in a no-helmet law state, I just have to say that riding a motorcycle without a helmet has to be one of the most idiotic things a person can do short of testing the sharpness of a circular saw blade with your hand while it is on.

For the life of me I don't understand people who can't image what happens to a relatively soft head when it hits concrete or steel at 60mph.No kidding. I haven't ridden regularly in 15 years, but I always wore one when I rode.

See now, this is typical Seattle sports luck. Why couldn't this have happened seven months earlier?

Yeah, okay, that's horrible to say, but I wanted to heap some scorn about Ben not wearing his helmet and get in a sour-grapes Super Bowl dig at the same time. I hope he survives and learns that helmets aren't about government interference, they're about keeping your freedom-loving brain inside your thick skull.

One gets the feeling that the Steelers are going to have a heart to heart with young Mr. Roethlisberger. Not only was he not wearing a helmet, he did not have a motorcycle license.

This is the case of a bullheaded 24 year old kid being stupid, and he's damn lucky to have survived it. Been riding for 20 years off and on, and I dress to ride; Helmet, jeans, a good sturdy pair of hardsole boots, leather jacket and leather gloves. You see morons all the time wearing shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirts and about 50% of the time a helmet. I consider this Darwinism in action.

Not a Steelers fan but I was going for them in the Superbowl. That really is too bad. Hopefully he gets better and can play agian.
I KEEL YOU!!!
Seahawks PWN!

One gets the feeling that the Steelers are going to have a heart to heart with young Mr. Roethlisberger. Not only was he not wearing a helmet, he did not have a motorcycle license.

This is the case of a bullheaded 24 year old kid being stupid, and he's damn lucky to have survived it. Been riding for 20 years off and on, and I dress to ride; Helmet, jeans, a good sturdy pair of hardsole boots, leather jacket and leather gloves. You see morons all the time wearing shorts, tennis shoes, t-shirts and about 50% of the time a helmet. I consider this Darwinism in action.
Here's what I don't get--Roethlisberger would never consider going on a football field in the middle of a game without wearing his helmet, because he knows it's unsafe. And yet he finds nothing unsafe about going without a helmet when riding a motorcycle? It's an open-to-the-air, high-speed vehicle in the middle of other, bigger high-speed vehicles for crying out loud.

Here's what I don't get--Roethlisberger would never consider going on a football field in the middle of a game without wearing his helmet, because he knows it's unsafe. And yet he finds nothing unsafe about going without a helmet when riding a motorcycle? It's an open-to-the-air, high-speed vehicle in the middle of other, bigger high-speed vehicles for crying out loud.

Honey, I never said that professional athletes are geniuses. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is about as bright as jumping out of a perfectly good airplane and relying on a high-tech piece of cloth to prevent a rather messy death.

Lady luck is a fickle friend, and one day she will abandon you. Roethlisberger should look at this as a warning and be grateful he is still able (knocked out teeth and all) to play football for a living. Daryl Stingley got paralyzed from a particularly violent hit on the football field.

I just hope that he makes a full recovery. :)


And after that the Bears send him back to the hospital in SB XLI. :D

Moron wasn't wearing his helmet.
Moron didn't have a PA motorcycle permit.

There is a reason NFL contracts forbid players from riding motorcycles and doing anything else high impact and dangerous: they make tons of money, and their bodies are what they earn that paycheck with. He should have to pay the Steeler's back for any time he misses on the field.

he just voided his contract.

my prayers are with him.

i am against helmet laws,yet i always wear one,and i ride a gixxer almost everday,but i hate being told to wear a helmet.
it is my choice i think,my choice to not bash my head,so i wear one.

His contract doesn't forbid him from riding a motorcycle, nor does it require him to wear a helmet.

Not true. Section 3 of every single NFL player contractstates that the player "will not engage in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury."

That is the clause that the Browns used to recoup money from Kellen Winslow Jr when he seriously injured himself in a motorcycle accident. Courts have repeatedly ruled on the side of the teams that riding a motorcycle violates section 3. They even ruled against one guy because he played a game of touch football on the beach, and seriously screwed up his ankle.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060428/SPT02/604280364/1078

Here's what I don't get--Roethlisberger would never consider going on a football field in the middle of a game without wearing his helmet, because he knows it's unsafe. And yet he finds nothing unsafe about going without a helmet when riding a motorcycle? It's an open-to-the-air, high-speed vehicle in the middle of other, bigger high-speed vehicles for crying out loud.

That says it perfectly.

Thank heavens I'm a Cowboys fan...


RAH RAH REE.....KICK 'EM IN THE KNEE!! RAH RAH RASS.....KICK 'EM IN THE OTHER KNEE!!

*craps pants*

Well, it's not like this is out of character.

The same characteristics that make an athlete so great on the field are the same daredevil like characteristics that make them want to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. Not saying that it's not stupid or that he had a reason to do it, but it's bound to happen to star athletes such as him.

*wipes crap out of pants*

he just voided his contract.

my prayers are with him.

i am against helmet laws,yet i always wear one,and i ride a gixxer almost everday,but i hate being told to wear a helmet.
it is my choice i think,my choice to not bash my head,so i wear one.
I seriously doubt the Steelers will cut him loose, unless there are some injuries we don't know about.

why would be that stupid and risk his professional career. He didn't have a helmet, or even a liscense.

He was pretty stupid. Having an expired license and driving without a helmet. Now he's all messed up. I bet Coach Cowher nearly had a heart attack when he recieved the news. The sad thing is that people look up to him, especially kids.

I seriously doubt the Steelers will cut him loose, unless there are some injuries we don't know about.

It only needs some mother who just lost a steelers supporting son riding a motorcycle without a crash helmet to sue them, on the basis that they were approving of this behaviour and were an influence in his death to make the Steelers think twice. In fact it seems likely that the Steelers lawyers will advise them to void his contract unless he comes out publically and says that people should wear helmets, as well as his actually always using one from now on.

It only needs some mother who just lost a steelers supporting son riding a motorcycle without a crash helmet to sue them, on the basis that they were approving of this behaviour and were an influence in his death to make the Steelers think twice. In fact it seems likely that the Steelers lawyers will advise them to void his contract unless he comes out publically and says that people should wear helmets, as well as his actually always using one from now on.
That suit would never fly and everyone involved knows it. No, the only real question for the Steelers in this would be "can Roethlisberger still play QB at a high level," and as long as that answer is yes, they won't cut him because someone else will sign him, no question. And to say that going from Big Ben to Charlie Batch is a step down is being more than generous.

He will be ok, and will be twice as good this year. This will be some sort of motivation for him to get his act together, and get serious about his career. I see this as the event that starts him down the path of being one of the greatest Qbs ever :)

yo the steelers suck ass anyways so why yall give a shit about this? for real:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: PATRIOTS ALL THE WAY

yo the steelers suck ass anyways so why yall give a shit about this? for real:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: PATRIOTS ALL THE WAY


Right, and where were the Pats last year at the superbowl? Oh yeah...Thats right...:D

I am very certain the Steelers will make it clear to Roethlisberger that his motorcycle riding days are at an end. If he loses time due to injury, the Steelers will be able to legally recoup their losses and Ben's agent and attorney KNOW it.

Terry Bradshaw warned the kid publicly. Cowher warned him. Now the front office will make some legal clarifications in the next edition of his contract, and trust me...it will be heard about. His new terms will be very generous indeed (properly befitting a Superbowl winning QB), but if you don't think some stipulation will be in there you're smoking mother nature.

o like 1 year matters?:eek: who has won more superbowls? steelers or pats? o yea....get your facts straigh:upyours:

o like 1 year matters?:eek: who has won more superbowls? steelers or pats? o yea....get your facts straigh:upyours:

I find it hilarious when somebody says get your facts straight and are wrong. The Steelers have more Superbowl victories than the Patriots.

o like 1 year matters?:eek: who has won more superbowls? steelers or pats? o yea....get your facts straigh:upyours:

Well, since you mentioned it, the Steelers.

Steelers: IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL: 5

Patriots: XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX: 3


(god I love noobie trolls :p )

Haha.

And guess what? the patriots are going to be even WORSE next year.

the steelers however, will be better.

go eat a baby. :D

Big Ben in a motorcycle accident (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13279232/)

Yep and now come to find out, this idiot didn't have a license to even drive a motorcycle.

Right, and where were the Pats last year at the superbowl? Oh yeah...Thats right...:D

Sent packing by the Denver Broncos who were left at home by the Steelers who sent Seattle home crying :D

o like 1 year matters?:eek: who has won more superbowls? steelers or pats? o yea....get your facts straigh:upyours:

Steelers 5 ande Patriots 3. Yep...my facts are straight.

Moron didn't have a PA motorcycle permit.

He had a permit. It was expired, but he had a permit. He's never had a PA motorcycle license, though. (Just being nitpicky. ;) )

Not true. Section 3 of every single NFL player contractstates that the player "will not engage in any activity other than football which may involve a significant risk of personal injury."

Yes, but the owners of his team, have never attempted to forbid him from riding his motorcycle or attempted to force him to wear a helmet.

(Cowher has asked him to wear one, but the Rooneys have never attempted to force him. They've always said they'd like him to, but if they truly believed that riding was a violation of that clause, they'd have forbidden it expressly. You know, when he drives up to the practice facility on his bike? Not commenting then is tacit approval.)

In their opinion (and really, isn't it only their opinion that matters) what he did did not fit into that category. I'm sure it does now, but it obviously didn't then.

he comes out publically and says that people should wear helmets, as well as his actually always using one from now on.

I've no doubt this will be part of the contract and enforced, if they even permit him to ride a motorcycle again. I think it might even be his "sentence" for the charges that will be filed since he was riding "illegally". (Because even if he'd had a license, he would have been required to wear a helmet. In PA, you have to have a PA motorcycle license for 2 years and be older than 21 to choose to legally ride without a helmet. He's been a citizen of PA for such a short time that he'd pretty much have had to get his PA motorcycle license on the day he moved here...)

Still trying to figure out why he never went to get his license. Doesn't Rothie know that he can now be held liable?

The lady's insurance company has got to be dancing in the streets over this.

Still trying to figure out why he never went to get his license. Doesn't Rothie know that he can now be held liable?

The lady's insurance company has got to be dancing in the streets over this.

Either he figured "Eh, I'm a Steeler. And, I won the Super Bowl {the permit was good through this March 29}, nobody's going to give me a ticket" or he just really did forget.

We drove an unregistered car in Ohio for four months because the PA registration had expired and we never thought about the fact that we needed an Ohio registration. One day it dawned on us and we went and did it, but it really is possible. Unlikely in the case we're discussing, but possible.

Either he figured "Eh, I'm a Steeler. And, I won the Super Bowl {the permit was good through this March 29}, nobody's going to give me a ticket" or he just really did forget.

We drove an unregistered car in Ohio for four months because the PA registration had expired and we never thought about the fact that we needed an Ohio registration. One day it dawned on us and we went and did it, but it really is possible. Unlikely in the case we're discussing, but possible.

Meh. Still illegal though :D

Meh. Still illegal though :D

I agree, I don't think he should get away with it. And if we'd been ticketed, well, we'd have deserved it. Forgetting doesn't absolve you of the responsibility to do something, nor does it absolve you of the consequences of not doing it...

I agree, I don't think he should get away with it. And if we'd been ticketed, well, we'd have deserved it. Forgetting doesn't absolve you of the responsibility to do something, nor does it absolve you of the consequences of not doing it...

Yep. I agree with you.