Posted on 06/21/2006 3:47:40 PM PDT by neverdem
health nazi - nanny state ping
I'm surprised his NFL contract didn't stipulate that he not engage in dangerous off-the-field activities, such as riding motorcycles without appropriate protective equipment.
Yes, you are free not to wear a helmut, but when you are riding on a public road, you are subject to all sorts of restrictions. Furthermore, you are less likely to die if you wear one. If you care nothing aboiut yourself, think of the motorist and what a pickle he/she faces if he/she kills you. You are dead and strangers have to pick up the mess.
So was I.
Its up to each NFL team to insert that kind of language in there.
You'd be surprised at how restrictive baseball contracts are, alot of players are banned from playing even recreational basketball, Don Mattinly's contract, one of the few I have ever seen, pretty much banned everything you could possibly name, and listed a whole boatload of sports he was not allowed to play at anytime without permission.
The bargaining agreements allow teams alot of leeway in what restrictions they want to place on players.
NFL teams, are allowed to prohibit motorcycle use during the regular season unless the contract states otherwise.
The case for banning motorcycles is much stronger than the case for required helmets.
But they don't dare.
Yet.
The case for banning motorcycles is much stronger than the case for required helmets.
But they don't dare.
Yet.
I can't tell you how many teachers I had in school who used to say this, then get enraged when I said "fine, and we are free to vote for people who won't step in".
If God wanted motorcyclists to wear helmets, he would have given them brains. Wait, I guess the smart ones do wear helmets.
My trauma ER doc wife sees quite a few of the others who make wonderful organ donors. Young, strong bodies, with jello where their brain used to be. The "good" thing is that being so young, their brain stem keeps running their body for some time, keeping the organs in great shape. Too bad though that the eyes are so often unusable.
Wait until Big Ben straps on a helmet and takes some whacks - he'll be singing the 'owwie, my face hurts' blues"!
As Ron White put it:
I believe I read in the AJC today that old Ben had decided he'd be wearing a helmet if he ever got on another motorcycle.
Nothing new here. I see other idiots riding with short pants, sneakers, t-shirts etc. They may not really be idiots, but have yet to feel what it's like to lay a street bike down. A few hours in the ER getting gravels, bottle caps, glass fragments, beggar's lice, dried dog feces and used tobacco cuds dug from the top half inch or so of your hide followed by a few weeks of fighting the inevitable infection(s) is a learning experience many people will heed after only one time. Sort of like mashing your face flat and knocking out all your teeth can help you learn to wear a helmet, since the facefulls of lit cigarette butts, Japanese beetles, mouthfuls of gnats, and rocks kicked up from the road didn't give you a hint.
I have worn a seatbelt since before it was popular, much less mandatory; yet the "Click it or Ticket" program infuriates me precisely because it mandates something for "my own good".
There is a law in Texas that will fine YOU if you leave your keys in the car and the car gets stolen (it's for your own good, you see).
If we are going to allow this why not expand the list?
No motorcycles, period.
No skydiving or bungee-jumping
No tobacco or alcohol, period
no small, economy cars (too dangerous with SUV's on the road).
no high-risk sexual activity of any kind
fell free to add to the list...
I can't tell you how many teachers I had in school who used to say this, then get enraged when I said "fine, and we are free to vote for people who won't step in".
LOL!
Don't worry about the Cincy Post, no one is reading it anyway :)
Just goes to show you that some of our greatest athletes are better off playing sports than using their heads in other areas. That's not to say all athletes are stupid. There are many very brilliant ones that end up even more successful after they retire than while they were playing. Not sure how bright Ben is though...
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