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Archive: Big Ben on motorcycles
Ben Roethlisberger wants all the protection he can get when he drops back to pass, but he has a decidedly different approach when he hops aboard his Harley Davidson.
The second-year Steelers quarterback acknowledged Friday that he does not always wear a helmet when riding - and does not plan to change anything anytime soon.
"I certainly don't condone that," coach Bill Cowher said Friday.
Nor does linebacker Joey Porter, who said, "You know what they say about motorcycles: The concrete is undefeated. It has never lost."
Roethlisberger will take his chances. He said there isn't any special reason for not wearing a helmet, calling it "a choice."
"I think that's at your own discretion," Roethlisberger said. "Obviously, Pennsylvania doesn't think people need to."
According to state law, helmets are optional for motorcycle riders 21 years or older who either have been licensed to operate a motorcycle not less than two years or have completed a motorcycle safety course. And while Roethlisberger doesn't wear a helmet, he made it clear to Cowher that he is far from reckless when he hits the road.
Prior to the opening of minicamp yesterday, the two met to discuss the quarterback's motorcycle use.
"We talked about being a risk taker, and I'm not really a risk taker," said Roethlisberger, the 2004 NFL Rookie of the Year. "I'm pretty conservative and laid back. So, the big thing is just to be careful and that's what we do. I think every person that rides is careful. And that's the biggest thing. I'll just continue to be careful. We never ride alone. We always ride in a group of people, so I think that makes it even more safe."
Others disagree.
"I don't think any bike is safe; there's always gonna be some sense of danger riding a bike, and, around Pittsburgh, hopefully he won't ride it, too much," linebacker James Farrior said.
Added running back Jerome Bettis: "No bikes for me, no way."
It was only six days ago that Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., a first-round draft pick in '04 like Roethlisberger, sustained serious injuries while riding his Suzuki GSX-R750 around a college parking lot. He was tossed off the bike, moving at 35 MPH, when it hurt a curb. He sustained what appears to be a torn ACL in his knee, in addition to internal injuries that could alter, if not end, his football career.
Winslow did not have a license for his bike - Roethlisberger does - and Winslow's bike is built for racing, a high-powered machine. Roethlisberger's is used primarily on roadways.
The injuries could be costly to Winslow from both a physical and financial standpoint. He stands to lose upwards of $4.4 million due to potential violations of his bonus contract. Roethlisberger's agent, Leigh Steinberg, said earlier this week that there is no language in his client's bonus contract that prohibits motorcycle use, though some believe Roethlisberger could potentially lose bonus money if he were to be injured on the bike because his contract does prohibit "hazardous activities."
Cowher left the distinct impression that he would prefer Roethlisberger not ride.
"It is a very small time in your life and you have to be very careful," Cowher said. "With those things, you can see it documented with what happened to Kellen Winslow in Cleveland. There are choices and consequences. There is a lot of scrutiny and, at times, there are some sacrifices that every player has to make, not just riding motorcycles, but with going out, where you go out and who you associate yourself with.
"Those decisions are very, very important because you have control over that. But once you make the decisions, it controls you."
Away from the field, however, the coach can't control his players.
"That is not for me to decide," Cowher said of Roethlisberger's motorcycle use. "Like I said, I think you have to recognize all the choices you make. We had a conversation about it and I will just leave it at that."
Porter and Farrior expanded on their opinions.
"Ben better be careful, man; he saw what happened over the weekend, so I'm sure he'll take all the precautions he needs to and he won't do anything crazy," Farrior said. "I think we do have it in our contract that if you get hurt on a motorcycle or one of those type of things, they (the team) do have an option of not paying you, so, I mean it would be in your best interests to stay away from that stuff altogether."
Porter refused to stand in judgment of players who ride bikes, but he said he stays away from motorcycles.
"I've never been a bike guy," he said. "I ride a Jet Ski, though. That's what I'm saying, so how can I tell him not to ride a motorcycle and I ride a Jet Ski? I can't make a comment on something like that. Some guys are real good on motorcycles and they know what they're doing. Accidents happen. How can I knock a guy for doing it? I mean, it's probably not the wisest thing to do. I don't own a bike. I don't trust them."
For his money, Porter prefers to take his chances in the water.
"Yeah, because if I fall off, I'm going to get wet - I like my odds," he said. "You have a chance when you fall into the water. You don't have much of one when you hit that concrete."
Joe Bendel can be reached at joecbendel@aol.com or (412) 320-7811.
