Roethlisberger undergoes seven hours of surgery ~ broken jaw and facial injuries repaired...

Foxnews ^ | Associated Press

[jeremiah]

He'll miss this years football season, the Steelers will need to go shopping for a QB. It is only a month to training camp.

[OldFriend]

Glad that yesterday's reports of injuries to his knees was false.

I wish him well, he learned a bitter lesson.

Word is that he was riding a Suzuki speed bike meant for urban streets.

[OldFriend]

According to his contract, any injury caused by activity OFF the football field may result in a cut in salary and loss of bonus money.

[baltodog]

If the helmet is DOT or Snell certified, the risk of the face-shield shattering is minimal. If you don't want to wear a helmet, don't wear one...just make sure you are financially covered for the long-term medical care you will need from a head injury. Statistics don't lie. Look up the Hurt Study, and read it.

I am simply thankful that he is alive. Look at the pictures. He should have died. All joking aside, I think his physical condition is what saved his life. This was not a low-speed crash -- look at the damage to the car.

Thirdly, the reason Baltodog doesn't ride crotch-rockets is simple: look at that gas tank on the bike...now, close your eyes and imagine the first part of his body that was injured on his way to being ejected from his ride.

As a rider, any scrape on a scoot is tragic...most of us would have to write off that bike with little hope of ever being able to afford another one.

I am not concerned with who is to blame, what kind of bike was being ridden, etc. I am just REALLY thankful we, as riders, aren't discussing a worse tragedy.

Ride your ride!

[IamConservative]

The last photo seems to show where his head impacted the windshield.

I am sure the doctors are being guarded on the prognosis because of how unpredictable brain injuries can be. He could still get swelling which is deadly in many cases. He could also have trauma related brain damage that does not cause visible swelling. A severe blow to the head can sever neural pathways. Matter of factly, he may not remember how to play quarterback, where he lives or who he is. The obvious injuries have been treated. It will take awhile to see if his cognitive abilities are in tact.

[schwing_wifey]

Off the subject...but I just went geocaching for the first time with a close family friend today on bikes...what a blast and a cool way of getting to know unknown parts of your neighborhood...

unfortunately two of the caches with logs were right across the water and it was about 8 miles around and he had to get back for a conference call...

Guess what I'll be dragging the hubby and son out to do this weekend?

[joeystoy]

On a biker board earlier this year I read a posting about a rider in Connecticut who was thinking of taking off his helmet while riding on a quiet country road with no traffic. While making a low-speed turn at under 5 MPH he lost his balance and the bike tumbled. His head snapped against the curb putting a crack in his helmet. Needless to say he doesn't think about riding without his helmet anymore.

[Wolfie]

God help Roethlisberger. And the Steelers.

I'm glad he's ok. He's getting lots of love and support from Steeler Nation right now. Once they realize he cost them a chance at a return trip to the Super Bowl, or even a trip to the playoffs, there's gonna be a heck of a backlash.

[Eagle Eye]

Only a full face helmet can ward off knocks to the chin.

Can't believe that it took 20 replies for someone to point that out!

Anything short of a full face helmet would have still resulted getting his face caved in.

(Yeah, that's what probably happened but no one wants to say it.)

[Fawn]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[jpl]

A lot of people don't like to wear helmets on bikes because they say it ruins the experience of the open road.

Ben found out that one bad driving idiot behind the wheel can ruin it a lot more.

[Ditto]

However, I found him not too mature in his appearances on TV Late Night Shows last year.

Not to be picky, but he's only 24 years old. Very few are "mature" at that age.

[Ditto]

Have the police said whose at fault.

The police havn't made an statements on fault yet, but all the witnesses said that she ran a light and turned right in front of him.

Another case of a driver never even seeing the bike coming.

[Flightdeck]

"Last fall I was geocaching.."

What's that?

[Flightdeck]

"... to me he was perfectly well-adapted and in no way silly or immature."

I know his next-door neighbors very well. They said he is a nice guy unlike some of the other Steelers in the neighborhood.

[panthermom]

It's the same with my boys and school sports. My boys loved to ride dirtbikes, now that they're playing HS sports, they are told by the coaches, no way.

The Steelers brought him in last year regarding him not wearing a helmet and he said it was none of their business, but it is, he's in the NFL, which is a business and basically he's an employee. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

[Wurlitzer]

"A lot of people don't like to wear helmets on bikes because they say it ruins the experience of the open road."

It does ruin the experience and they are fricken hot. That being said, even if my nanny state of New York allowed me to ride without one, I would not.

Any Freeper bikers want to chime in on the coolest (temperature) helmets to wear? Without the wind in my remaining hair my head tends to get very warm on even mild days no matter how fast I ride.

[libstripper]

It looks like the Steelers and other football teams will need to put motorcycle helmet clauses in their players' contracts. If they're going to spend multiple milllions of dollars on somebody they have a huge investment to protect, especially if the player isn't smart enough to protect himself.

[HOTTIEBOY]

DOT open faced or half shells like cops wear have always been so big. They looked like mushrooms. But shopping around, I find that they are getting smaller and smaller. Almost to the size of the skid lids.
But they offer no facial protection. The coolest(temp) helmet I own is my plain Nolan helmet. The front flips up. I raise it at stoplights or anything under 20mph. It also has vents that circle around my head.

[libstripper]

If it hits your helmet in the forehead it sounds like a pistol shot.