For the Love of God, Ben!

The BBQ Pit
#1

You know, I realize that it wasn’t your fault. I realize that on your free time you can do whatever you want to. But…

Aw, shit. You may have just thrown away your career. You’re lucky you weren’t killed. And in spite of the fact that you didn’t do anything wrong you have utterly infuriated thousands of Steelers fans due to your perceived recklessness in the face of all the advice you’ve gotten in the future. As for me, I’m disgusted by the thought that the 2006 season has just hit the wall, but that’s tempered by the fact that you’re laid up in the hospital, which is far more important to me.

Dude, I know you’re still going to ride once you get better, but if you take anything away from this, wear a helmet. I know you don’t want to, and I support your right not to, but I hope you realize that facial reconstruction, broken jaws, and missing teeth is not worth wind in your hair.

The previous notwithstanding, I’m simply speechless. And as for you, guy from Maine who ran the red light (allegedly), if it’s true you have just become the single most hated person in Pittsburgh. I wish you luck, because you’re gonna need it.

This just sucks. Damn.

#2

seems to be somehow football related? just guessing since I haven’t a fucking clue who this Ben may be, believe that “Steelers” refers to a football team. but gosh, if there was only a way that the OP could clarify… :smiley:

#3

Ben

#4

It’s been all over the news all day long. But for your benefit:

[

](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2480830)

#5

It was a woman who hit him, Airman-apparently, they’re not sure if she made a traffic violation, or if it was just a bad blind spot.

Either way, really stupid, Ben. Wear a freaking helmet!

#6

Ben is the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team. He was injured pretty badly in a motorcylce accident this morning.

I hope he recovers fully and makes it back onto the field. Pittsburgh QBs are supposed to be injured by Ravens DLs, not drivers who aren’t paying attention.

#7

I had toyed with the idea of starting my MPSIMS thread in The Pit, but guessed that you’d be here before too long anyway, Airman.

One thing I’ve always said about both seat belts and motorcycle helmets: In no way should they be mandatory, but you’re a fucking moron if you don’t use them. Now I’ll be adding “…and that goes quintuple if you’re a pro athlete” to that.

Sigh…get well soon, Ben. The season’ll be a whole lot less interesting if Charlie Batch is behind center up there in Pittsburgh this year.

#8

Glad you started Airman, because I was going to.

This is a guy who wears a helmet for his livelyhood. I would have thought that he’d have the smarts to use one when riding. You just never know when something can happen. The risk just so far outweighs the benefit, if one can be found. One of the first things one learns when riding is that you WILL dump. Sooner or later, it will happen. There is no “if”, there is only “when”.

And when someone like Bradshaw, who is definately not the brightest bulb on the planet (yes, he could play, though!)… even HE knew better.

I sincerely hope that he gets better and has no lasting problems from this. I love watching him play and he seems like a real nice guy.

If he doesn’t, he should be held up as a poster child for Why Thou Should Wear a Helmet.

sigh

#9

Those don’t sound like career-ending injuries to me. In fact, I thought football players got hurt way worse than that when they go to work every Sunday. That said, glad it didn’t kill him.

(I’ve never heard of this guy.)

#10

Well, all the newer stories seem to talk about how he “broke his jaw and nose”, but earlier ones mentioned that he landed on his knees, damaging them both.

I’m sure it’ll be awhile before we know exactly what happened, but if he did fuck up both knees badly enough, then yeah, there’s a possibility that his career is over.

#11

Like Hal said, I’m hearing that his knees might be pretty bad too. Broken jaw, lost a lot of teeth, rumored 9 inch laceration on his head…in all, not a good morning for our boy. Reported to be in serious but stable condition.

I know people love their bikes, but man, I just don’t see the percentages in it if you’re a pro athlete.

It was a local woman who he ran into (or she ran into him) who apparently splits her time between Pittsburgh and Maine (explaining the Maine plates).

Get well soon Ben, though it doesn’t look like you’re going to make it to Latrobe on time though.

#12

If he hit hard enough to break his jaw he may have sustained a concussion. Every time he takes a shot to the head it will impact his surgically repaired jaw. He may have screwed up his knee. There are any number of things that may end up to be career-ending.

At least he’s not dead. Right now that’s really all I can say.

#13

Wear a helmet or don’t. We need fewer stupid people around, anyway.

#14

Like you, for example?

#15

I don’t speak for all nurses, but at my hospital we call nonhelmet wearers “organ donors”.
this guy doesn’t seem too bright (the football player). :rolleyes:

#16

Actually, I was thinking of professional athletes who ride motorcycles at all, let alone without helmets, let alone the “world’s fastest bike for legal street riding,” as an example.

I’m sorry for Mr. Roethlisberger, as his recovery is going to be quite excruciatingly painful, no doubt. But he was quite ridiculously reckless in how he spent his free time, for someone whose career depends upon his physical body so completely.

#17

Doors, I like you a lot bro, but that was nasty. To be honest, I kinda thought the same thing. I’ve got a lot of respect for Roethlisberger but it’s fucking dumb to ride a motorcycle with no helmet. It’s obvious by now that the cyclist doesn’t have to make a mistake (other than opting out of the helmet, natch) to get seriously injured/killed/churned to hamburger. I hope he learned his lesson.
I’m really glad he isn’t dead. I think he can be legendary considering the dearth of quality quarterbacking in the NFL right now.

#18

My comment stems from the fact that on this board you generally get attacked if you blame the victim. Ben was a victim, and his injuries are not his fault, although he could have mitigated them. Being a victim hardly qualifies as being stupid.

That is, unless things have changed, or perhaps our integrity only goes so far? That’s what my stinging rebuke was for.

#19

News I heard on the radio says he fucked up his knees pretty badly. Helmet or no helmet, those injuries themselves could be bad enough to end his career.

Yeah, riding a motorcycle without a helmet is stupid. Somewhat less stupid is riding a motorcycle at all when your body is 100% your livelihood.

#20

I believe on KDKA that his knees were sprained. I’d trust KDKA before any other news here in Pittsburgh, too.

And yeah, I love Ben, but like I said, total dumbass move.