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I wonder if he will start wearing a helmet all the time now.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said Wednesday night that he was told he was "seconds, maybe a minute away from dying" immediately after his motorcycle accident last month.

Roethlisberger, in his first interview since the June 12 accident, told ESPN's "SportsCenter" that he doesn't remember much about the accident when he rammed his motorcycle into a car that was making a left turn in front of him on a Pittsburgh street. He did, however, remember what he was told by people at the scene.

"They told me that I was literally seconds, maybe a minute away from dying because I slit a vein or artery in my mouth or my throat and it was draining blood right into my stomach and luckily the paramedic noticed it and stopped it or else I would have had too much blood in my stomach," he said in Los Angeles where he was for the taping of the ESPY Awards.

"I remember very few things about the accident," Roethlisberger said. "I remember one car turning in front of me, I don't remember the car that hit me, but I remember that first car turning in front of me and the next thing I remember is being in the ambulance and asking, 'Is this really happening?'

"I said, 'Tell me this is just a bad dream,' and he said, 'No, everything is going to be OK,' and he asked me, 'Is there anyone you want me to call?' ... I just gave him two numbers and I don't remember anything until I woke up from surgery."

Roethlisberger underwent seven hours of surgery to repair a broken jaw and other facial bones. Tests showed no brain injuries, although he had a mild concussion. He also lost two teeth and chipped several others.

Roethlisberger was cited for not wearing a helmet when the accident happened.

"That day I wasn't, I forgot it. I literally forgot it," he said. "You know there are times that, people that have been making a big deal for the last couple years about me riding first of all, and then me riding without a helmet, but it's one of those things that I ride with a helmet also. I do a little bit of both. If you don't wear a seat belt every time you ride in the car should I label you as a person who doesn't wear a seat belt? And unfortunately I happened to not have it on that day because I forgot it in the basement."

Roethlisberger said he didn't know if he would ride a motorcycle again.

"I don't know. I am not even thinking about that right now," he said. "To me, right now, like I said when I first started thinking about things, I started thinking about my family. Now that I am doing better and I feel good, now all I am thinking about is football and that is what is on my mind right now. I am getting healthy and I am getting better every day so all I am thinking about is football. I am not thinking about anything else."

Roethlisberger is scheduled to play in a celebrity golf tournament this weekend in Lake Tahoe, Nev.

Including the postseason, the Steelers are 27-4 with Roethlisberger at quarterback. They advanced to the AFC championship game in both his seasons as a starter, winning the Super Bowl in January.

The Steelers won the ESPY for best team and Roethlisberger joined his teammates and coach Bill Cowher onstage to accept the award. It was his first public appearance since the accident.

Roethlisberger didn't appear backstage to talk to reporters.

"I have no concerns about Ben," Cowher said backstage. "He's going to have to get hit a couple times to see if he's all the way back. Hopefully, he can be a great inspiration to a lot of people about looking at life a little more cautiously."

I was about to post the exact same slanted article.

I say slanted because at the end it states: "Hopefully, he can be a great inspiration to a lot of people about looking at life a little more cautiously." Does that mean for people to give up bikes or just wear a helmet and other protective gear?

"Roethlisberger said he didn't know if he would ride a motorcycle again."

I know he's thinking of other things that are more important but this is how it starts: A person had an accident and did not take proper precaution or known a friend or relative that got into a biking accident then a good percentage advocate how dangerous such a vehicle is without considering the fact that a good amount of times drivers need more training than the riders.

Maybe I'm just mad that I was included in a check point round up to check for modified bikes while cagers with large tin pipes go by without problem.

Call me over-cautious, but I have yet to "forget" my helmet. When I ride, its all of my gear, or I don't ride. Especially my helmet.

No helmet, no ride. Period.

It is just too dangerous to ride without one. We have helmet laws for a reason.

On a lighter note, it sounds like Big Ben is doing ok, despite his near death experience. Anyone want to put a little money down on the Steelers winning the next superbowl?

I forgot it in the basement

why is it in the basement? even people like my bro who aren't required to wear one, keep it in the garage for those times they might ride to somewhere they are required to wear it so that they don't have to go search for it.

/shrug

bok wrote:

I forgot it in the basement

why is it in the basement? even people like my bro who aren't required to wear one, keep it in the garage for those times they might ride to somewhere they are required to wear it so that they don't have to go search for it.

/shrug

I have no idea, but he made several big mistakes by being on that particualr motorcycle.

1) No license.
2) Hyabusa, to powerfull/tricky motorcycle for his own good.
3) No helmet.

"I was close to dying".... Oh paleeze! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! Now he's living it up in the spotlight, glorifying his recovery/accident?? pssh, give my a freakin' break!


DH and I talked about that article last night. It just sounds like an attempt to gain sympathy. Sure, he could have needed quick response medical attention. But he couldn't see that coming since he 'forgot his helmet'.

Anyhow, coming from a person who was closer to death than he was, that says a lot to me about his character and personality to be announcing such news.

I guess it just sounds sounds cool and tough if he says "I was this close man"

just like he forgot to renew his liscence too eh?

Shorts wrote:"I was close to dying".... Oh paleeze! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! Now he's living it up in the spotlight, glorifying his recovery/accident?? pssh, give my a freakin' break!

Just to be fair, he said the paramedics told him he could've very well died that day. It isn't the same as a buddy's story about accidents they have had, which people tend to exaggerate.

I think Ben is just trying to save face, he lied about forgetting the helmet. You just cant forget such a thing, you notice it too much when it is on your head. I have forgotten to fasten my chin strap, I notice that when I get up to speed and it starts flapping around.

Then he went on to admit that he only wears it sometimes. I think that there is no question that Ben went out intentionally without a helmet that day. I bet he never has forgotten his helmet on game or practice day.

He looks good in the pics they showed, I bet those were taken before the wreck. Ben is a big fat liar. He should have come clean and said he made a bad decision to go riding without a lid.

Ben is just now coming to grips with the fact that he is stupid.