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Post by ocelot on Jun 12, 2006 17:50:26 GMT -5
Roethlisberger hurt in motorcycle crash
PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger underwent surgery at Mercy Hospital after he was injured in a motorcycle accident on Monday.
Roethlisberger is in serious but stable condition. He suffered a broken jaw, broken nose, head lacerations and knee injuries from the accident.
"Before he (Roethlisberger) went into surgery, he was talking to me and was coherent," said Dr. Larry Jones, chief of trauma at Mercy. "He knew where he was and what had happened."
Roethlisberger was injured when his motorcycle crashed into a car at an intersection in downtown Pittsburgh on Monday morning. The accident occurred at the Second Avenue side of the 10th Street Bridge near the Armstrong Tunnel.
An eyewitness told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Roethlisberger flew into the windshield of the car and hit the ground after his motorcycle crashed into the car. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead before being taken to the hospital.
Roethlisberger has been known to refuse to wear a helmet when riding his motorcycle.
According to the eyewitness account in the newspaper, Roethlisberger was headed outbound on Second Avenue and a car was coming inbound when it made a left turn toward the bridge in front of the motorcycle.
After being admitted to the hospital, Roethlisberger underwent surgery.
Steelers president Art Rooney issued the following statement:
"On behalf of everyone within the Steelers organization, I want to express my concern for Ben Roethlisberger. I am sure Ben knows that we are praying for his complete recovery. So far, we have been encouraged by the early reports from the medical team at Mercy Hospital."
At 23 years of age, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl last February. He completed just 9-of-21 passes for 123 yards and was intercepted twice, but rushed for a touchdown in the Steelers' 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL.
The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Roethlisberger owns a 27-4 record, including 5-1 in the playoffs, as a starter. He is the first quarterback in the modern era to start a conference championship game in each of his first two NFL seasons.
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Post by ocelot on Jun 12, 2006 17:52:24 GMT -5
I really don't know why someone has to be so idiotic as to ride a motorcycle without a helmet. I think it's just plain stupid.
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 12, 2006 18:06:20 GMT -5
Well, that's only the half of it Leona! The other half is the fact that he is being paid millions of dollars to play for a football TEAM! In my opinion, this is the highest level of arrogance. Coach Bill Cowher sat him down last year and warned him of this. Now it has happened. Not to sound cruel, but it serves him right.
Maybe he thinks he is bigger than the game....or even bigger than the rest of his team. But as far as I am concerned, he can't even fit into Tom Brady or Peyton Manning's shoes. Those two guys know how to sacrifice their lives for the money they make, the team they play for, and the glory they seek.
Hey Ben, you are not that big!
Get off your high horse.
It's my opinion that the Steelers should seek immediately to reduce his contract if possible, and even look for someone else to play quarterback.
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 12, 2006 19:52:24 GMT -5
Keep in mind that I say all of this as a Pittsburgh Steeler fan.
I love Ben, and think he is a very effective quarterback.
But I also think that his decision to act in this way makes him no different than a thug on the street.......completely irresponsible!
When you consider the cost it takes to produce a Championship team, you understand more fully where I come from. A BIG investment was made in him, to the point of building the entire offense around him. Only to have him act wrecklessly on his own free time.
Utterly stupid. Completely arrogant.
Do you understand the lifespan of an NFL player? It is amazingly fleeting.....a blip in time.
Why couldn't Ben be a football quarterback for the few short years he has to do so? He has his whole life afterwards to f*ck it all up! (sorry)
I'm a little mad!
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 12, 2006 19:52:53 GMT -5
Okay...... A LOT MAD!!!!
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 14, 2006 20:26:26 GMT -5
It's kind of strange to me that here in the state (er, commonwealth) of Pennsylvania, I can a ticket for driving my car without a seatbelt but a guy like Ben can drive a bike without a helmet?
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Post by ocelot on Jun 15, 2006 18:55:21 GMT -5
That's completely stupid! I think wearing helmets should be law. In Canada, if you're under 18 years you have to wear a helmet on a bicycle or you could get fined, but he doesn't have to wear a helmet on a motorcycle! Incredible!
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 15, 2006 20:07:54 GMT -5
On top of all that, he didn't even have a license to drive.....only an expired permit!
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Post by ocelot on Jun 15, 2006 20:17:21 GMT -5
That's terrible. What was he thinking?
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Post by ocelot on Jun 15, 2006 20:19:06 GMT -5
He has regrets now.  Roethlisberger vows to wear a helmet6/15/2006 4:44:02 PM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may never ride a motorcycle again. But if he does, he will certainly wear a helmet. Roethlisberger was released from Mercy Hospital on Wednesday night, two days after sustaining serious facial injuries in a motorcycle accident. Roethlisberger underwent surgery for multiple facial fractures, a broken upper and lower jaw and broken nose on Monday. He also suffered head lacerations in the accident. On Thursday afternoon, Roethlisberger issued the following statement: "In the past few days, I have gained a new perspective on life. By the grace of God, I am fortunate to be alive, surrounded by loved ones and lifted by the prayers and support of so many. I am sorry for any anxiety and concern my actions have caused others, specifically my family, the Steelers organization, my teammates and our fans. I recognize that I have a responsibility to safeguard my health in the offseason so I can continue to lead our team effectively. I never meant any harm to others nor to break any laws. I was confident in my ability to ride a motorcycle and simply believed such an accident would not happen to me. If I ever ride again, it certainly will be with a helmet. My deepest appreciation goes out to the Steelers organization and my teammates for the compassion they have shown me. The physicians and support staff at Mercy Hospital were simply amazing, and I will forever be grateful for their caring treatment." Roethlisberger's contract, which was signed in 2004, did not contain a clause about riding motorcycles. But his agent, Leigh Steinberg, received a letter from the team last year warning that his cycle riding could violate the universal contract clause prohibiting dangerous activities outside of football. Roethlisberger was injured when his motorcycle crashed into a car at an intersection in downtown Pittsburgh on Monday morning. Known for not wearing a helmet when riding his motorcycle, Roethlisberger flew into the windshield of the car and hit the ground after his motorcycle crashed into the car. He was bleeding from a gash on his forehead before being taken to the hospital. After being admitted to the hospital, Roethlisberger underwent surgery. Bones in Roethlisberger's face are being held together by 2-inch titanium plates and screws. Results from a second and final CT scan confirmed a previous test and showed no brain damage, although he did suffer a concussion. Roethlisberger's estimated recovery period is six to eight weeks. "I want to assure everyone I am committed to a complete and timely recovery," Roethlisberger said in his satement. "I look forward to being at training camp in Latrobe and to winning football games this season." The Steelers open training camp on July 28 and the regular season on September 7 against Miami. At 23 years of age, Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl last February. He completed just 9-of-21 passes for 123 yards and was intercepted twice, but rushed for a touchdown in the Steelers' 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL. The 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, Roethlisberger owns a 27-4 record, including 5-1 in the playoffs, as a starter. He is the first quarterback in the modern era to start a conference championship game in each of his first two NFL seasons. |
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 15, 2006 20:22:12 GMT -5
I think he may have been thinking that he was Ben Roethlisberger, and for some reason that made him better than anyone else on the planet.
I'm not sure that anything will change that opinion though. Apparently he got an entire team of doctors working nonstop on him that you and I wouldn't get.
It is no wonder some of these people are so arrogant!
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Post by S.C. on Jun 16, 2006 8:40:08 GMT -5
Gee, and to think the innocent children, women, and men in Darfur are suffering with little to no help from doctors.
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Post by ocelot on Jun 19, 2006 12:18:19 GMT -5
Roethlisberger to be cited by police
Associated Press
6/19/2006 10:49:51 AM
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be cited for not wearing a helmet and not having a motorcycle license after an accident last week left him with a concussion, broken jaw and nose.
Roethlisberger and the driver of the car he crashed into June 12 both had the green light, but the driver of the vehicle will be cited for failing to yield, police said Monday. Only licensed cyclists can ride without a helmet in Pennsylvania.
Roethlisberger was travelling 35 miles an hour in a posted 35 m.p.h. zone, said officer Dan Connolly. There were no mechanical problems with Roethlisberger's Suzuki Hayabusa or the Chrysler New Yorker, he said.
Police Chief Dominic Costa said the woman driving the car received some threatening phone calls, which police were investigating.
Roethlisberger had seven hours of surgery to repair his broken jaws and other facial bones. Doctors have said tests showed no brain injuries, although there was a mild concussion. He also lost two teeth and chipped several others.
He was discharged Wednesday night from hospital and apologized to the team, his fans and family in a statement released Thursday. He also said he would wear a helmet if he rode a motorcycle again.
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Post by achebeautiful on Jun 21, 2006 18:57:23 GMT -5
Carson Palmer, quarterback of the Cincinnati Bengals, said that this isn't the time to be bashing Roethlisberger.
I have to disagree.
In my lifetime I have made some wreckless and irresponsible decisions. When I did, it was the people who cared about me the most who really let me have it!
That's part of the deal, Carson.
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