Reothlisberger Motorcycle accident

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:46 pm

Ben is going to be fine from a life point of view. Naturally, now that we know he'll live and not be crippled, the talk predictably flows towards how this affects the football world including one Omar Jacobs.

Although I don't think Omar will get anywhere near the field this year, he has impressed during drills so far, and there is quite a bit of chatter from fans wanting to give Omar a shot as opposed to signing Kerry Collins or letting Batch play.

And as far as names go, Ben was a dumbass before he almost killed himself, and his injuries do not change that fact. I love him as a football player and as a Steeler, but it was hard to deny he was a little douchey even before today. As one of my favorite (and very appropriate for today) sayings goes: "Life's tough - wear a helmet." Save the lectures for the children.

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:49 pm

dduncan wrote:Is it confirmed that he wasn't wearing a helmet? I assume he wasn't. Just checking to see if anyone knows for sure.

edit: BTW, he was driving a 170 HP bike that weighs 500 lb. Just nuts to own one of those to begin with.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Roethlisberger wasn't wearing a helmet. The Associated Press reported it wasn't clear whether he was wearing a helmet or not.

h2oville rocket · Post by **h2oville rocket** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:52 pm

Don't know him personally as many of you seem to

, so I'll assume he's a decent guy and I feel terrible for him and his family. Although dumbass may apply without needing any further information.

dduncan · Post by **dduncan** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 3:53 pm

Jacobs4Heisman wrote: Although I don't think Omar will get anywhere near the field this year, he has impressed during drills so far, and there is quite a bit of chatter from fans wanting to give Omar a shot as opposed to signing Kerry Collins or letting Batch play.

That doesn't surprise me. People have seen Kerry Collins and Batch play the previous seasons. I don't think that gives any football fan excitment, knowing that either of those 2 QBs will be the team starter.

It's natural for a fan to root for a rookie (any sport). The problem is, you don't want to overwhelm a kid. Omar has a lot to learn. More than Big Ben had, coming into the Steelers as a rookie (which they scaled back the playbook dramatically).

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:10 pm

dduncan wrote:
Jacobs4Heisman wrote: Although I don't think Omar will get anywhere near the field this year, he has impressed during drills so far, and there is quite a bit of chatter from fans wanting to give Omar a shot as opposed to signing Kerry Collins or letting Batch play.
That doesn't surprise me. People have seen Kerry Collins and Batch play the previous seasons. I don't think that gives any football fan excitment, knowing that either of those 2 QBs will be the team starter.

It's natural for a fan to root for a rookie (any sport). The problem is, you don't want to overwhelm a kid. Omar has a lot to learn. More than Big Ben had, coming into the Steelers as a rookie (which they scaled back the playbook dramatically).

Yeah -- I think it would be unbelievably tough for Omar to do well if he were thrown on the field this year. However, if I had to choose an NFL offense to throw Omar into that would give him the best chance to succeed, I would probably choose Pittsburgh. Good line, good running game, good veteran receivers, a nice safety valve tight-end, and a coaching staff willing to help a rookie succeed are all big factors. Add in a great defense so not many holes to dig out of, and it's not hard to see why Ben was able to break tradition and succeed as a rookie QB. Maybe Omar will get the same shot. Who knows?

My gut feeling right now is that I would be ecstatic to see Ben on the field at all this season. Someone has to take the snaps, and Charlie Batch is as brittle as they come. Omar is probably closer to the field now than any of us envisioned before 2008. Whether or not that's a good thing for Omar remains to be seen. One thing I'm sure the Steelers remember is that before Omar's injury, he was tabbed as a solid first round franchise QB, much like Ben ended up being. He certainly has a long way to go, but the physical gifts are there.

dduncan · Post by **dduncan** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:17 pm

Well said.

The Bus doesn't seem worried:

"First, it's good to see he's not in bad shape, as a friend, and to make sure he's OK," said Bettis. "Another good thing is it is minor enough that it shouldn't affect him on the field this fall."

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:26 pm

dduncan wrote:Well said.

The Bus doesn't seem worried:

"First, it's good to see he's not in bad shape, as a friend, and to make sure he's OK," said Bettis. "Another good thing is it is minor enough that it shouldn't affect him on the field this fall."

Very good news -- the latest rumor is that the policeman that said "severely injured knees" just saw road rash and that Ben's knees are just badly scuffed up (duh). Of course, until something swells up tomorrow, we won't know the extent of ligament and/or muscle damage. His condition is still very much up in the air. At least he's out of the woods as far as life/death goes. He's a lucky guy.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 4:46 pm

Goose wrote:
ZiggyZoomba wrote: 3) Stick to automobiles... survive most accidents.
And to back your point......

Per mile traveled, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3 times as likely to be injured.

As much as I loved having a motorcycle back in the college years, I highly doubt I'll ever own one again. For me, it just isn't worth the risk.

I hope Ben recovers from this....

I told people here at work Omar could be 1 play away from the field one day...you never know.

AJatBG · Post by **AJatBG** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:14 pm

San Diego Falcon wrote:now you don't have to feel as guilty about hoping Ben gets hits by a bus

http://www.ay-ziggy-zoomba.com/phpBB2/v ... hp?t=11352

Sleep well tonite San Diego...

Class of 61 · Post by **Class of 61** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:14 am

Falconfreak90 wrote:
Goose wrote:
ZiggyZoomba wrote: 3) Stick to automobiles... survive most accidents.
And to back your point......

Per mile traveled, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3 times as likely to be injured.
As much as I loved having a motorcycle back in the college years, I highly doubt I'll ever own one again. For me, it just isn't worth the risk.

I hope Ben recovers from this....

I told people here at work Omar could be 1 play away from the field one day...you never know.

Mike,
Good point; when my late wife was critically ill in the nursing home, my 2nd oldest son "took advantage" of her not being there, (and me being tied up at the hospital/nursing home constantly), to pick up a cycle from his boss (one of my former students no less) to "get it running". I wouldn't let him take it out on the road without first getting a helmet and jump boots....turned out to be a wise idea as a car pulled out in front of him only a few weeks after he'd had the bike, similar to the Ben accident from the sound of things...anyway, he flew over the hood of her car, bounced on the other side, instinctively jumped up and ran ACROSS Rt. 82 before collapsing in a ditch on opposite side of road... The helmet had a tiny scrape on the face mask and a small chip on the BACK of the helmet. Either of those tiny damages could've been on his head instead of the helmet! Needless to say, the bike was destroyed, woman driver was cited, but most importantly, my son lived to be able to tell about.... had to buy a new pair of jeans to replace the torn up ones, but he lived.

Wauseon Falcon · Post by **Wauseon Falcon** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:19 am

ZiggyZoomba wrote: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Roethlisberger wasn't wearing a helmet. The Associated Press reported it wasn't clear whether he was wearing a helmet or not.

Never trust the Associated Press. They're never clear on anything.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:33 am

he broke his jaw, lost a bunch of teeth, and had a 9-inch laceration on his head. I'm no doctor, but I'd guess no helmet.

FWIW, the knee injuries look to be external only. Nothing has swelled up as to indicate structural damage. This means the nastiest injury is the broken jaw. There is some concern about the broken sinus cavity, but if the jaw is the worst of it, Ben should not miss many games if any.

Of course, with Winslow's injury, the knee damage wasn't found until a week later. So we probably don't know yet about his injuries in a football sense. Luckily he came out of surgery very well, and looks to be in about the best shape anyone could hope for considering the nature of the crash.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:16 pm

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:40 pm

Class of 61 wrote:
Falconfreak90 wrote:
Goose wrote:
ZiggyZoomba wrote: 3) Stick to automobiles... survive most accidents.
And to back your point......

Per mile traveled, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3 times as likely to be injured.
As much as I loved having a motorcycle back in the college years, I highly doubt I'll ever own one again. For me, it just isn't worth the risk.

I hope Ben recovers from this....

I told people here at work Omar could be 1 play away from the field one day...you never know.
Mike,
Good point; when my late wife was critically ill in the nursing home, my 2nd oldest son "took advantage" of her not being there, (and me being tied up at the hospital/nursing home constantly), to pick up a cycle from his boss (one of my former students no less) to "get it running". I wouldn't let him take it out on the road without first getting a helmet and jump boots....turned out to be a wise idea as a car pulled out in front of him only a few weeks after he'd had the bike, similar to the Ben accident from the sound of things...anyway, he flew over the hood of her car, bounced on the other side, instinctively jumped up and ran ACROSS Rt. 82 before collapsing in a ditch on opposite side of road... The helmet had a tiny scrape on the face mask and a small chip on the BACK of the helmet. Either of those tiny damages could've been on his head instead of the helmet! Needless to say, the bike was destroyed, woman driver was cited, but most importantly, my son lived to be able to tell about.... had to buy a new pair of jeans to replace the torn up ones, but he lived.

Den...thank God your son was able to basically walk away from that. And that he was wearing a helmet.

For me, it isn't a lack of skills or cycle knowledge but the "other guy". Too many times, drivers in cars "never see the motorcycle". I trust myself...I don't trust other drivers.
To each his own...motorcycles are a lot of fun, no doubt. I know BG Bill rides his all the time and I'm sure is a very safe rider. But there is the added risk and awareness riding a cycle. I know when I see a motorcycle, I take extra precaution to keep them, and me, safe.

Zom · Post by **Zom** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:52 pm

What's with all this helmet business? Bikers indignantly protest how much better they drive than car owners. I don't doubt they're right. But who cares? You might have right of way, but if the car doesn't stop it doesn't matter how right you are if you don't live to give the dude a birdie.

I just don't understand this. People won't eat meat because they might get "bad" cow disease (as my daughter calls it). They don't want to get in an airplane in case it crashes. I don't know many people that have died from either, but I can't get past the first page of a local rag every week without finding out someone else has just bought it on a road. What a cheap way to go, and for what?

Whether you're the franchise owner, the head coach, or the player's agent, if you have a record setting 23 year old that's proved he's an X man, would you even let him LOOK at a motor bike? Does it not dawn on these guys that sometimes they might benefit from keeping their players pointed in a mutually profitable direction?

If BR was on my books, he'd be travelling in an armoured personnel carrier. Period. Full stop. End of story. Like Terry Bradshaw reportedly said, he could ride his bike when he retired, IF he survived a career in the NFL.

Nothing gets my goat more than ineptitude on this kind of scale. Who to shoot first? I just don't know. This has to be the worst sports story of 2006 for sure, and more likely the decade.