Big Ben

That's Funny and yet so wrong at the same time. HEHE

 

Incidendently, there was a recent Jake article that said he doesnt ride his not so steel horses for this very reason.

 

I heard that Ben was going to play the leather guy on Broadway in the production of "The Village People, The Musical". YMCA!

Seriously, you would think the way the media is covering this, that the President got shot. Give me a break. While this is a problem, it's far from the worst tragedy.

 

its much worse than the president getting shot - at least this president.

 

Interesting little tidbit

From a Gil Brant nfl.com column:

8. Dan Rooney, Jerome Bettis and Ben Roethlisberger designed Pittsburgh's Super Bowl ring.


<< I wonder if Ben's has a few missing diamonds. :imagestor Hmmm. >>

 

7 weeks to heal a broken jaw, 12 weeks till season starts. we'll be just fine, fuckers.

 

Ben may not have had a license

Updated: June 13, 2006, 12:52 PM ET
Report: Roethlisberger didn't have motorcycle license
ESPN.com news services


Ben Roethlisberger might have been riding without a license to drive a motorcycle when he was involved in an accident Monday.

Pittsburgh television station KDKA reported Tuesday that police are checking whether the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback had a license.

Sources told the TV station that Roethlisberger had a license to operate a car but has never had a Pennsylvania motorcycle license.

Roethlisberger had a learner's permit to operate a motorcycle that expired March 29 but had never taken the written and driving tests for a motorcycle license, a source told KDKA.

Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Tammy Ewin told the station that police would "have no comment on licensing issues" until after the accident investigation.

Roethlisberger, the youngest quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl championship, had surgery Monday after breaking his jaw and nose in a motorcycle crash.

Roethlisberger remained in serious but stable condition after seven hours of surgery, according to Dr. Daniel Pituch, chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Mercy Hospital.

"He suffered multiple facial fractures," Pituch said. "All of the fractures were successfully repaired. His brain, spine, chest and abdomen appear to be without serious injury. And there are no other confirmed injuries at this time."

The doctors declined to release further information at the family's request.

ESPN.com's John Clayton confirmed that Roethlisberger also suffered a 9-inch laceration to the back of his head, has lost or chipped a number of teeth and has minor injuries to his knees from hitting the pavement.

Roethlisberger, 24, was not wearing a helmet, police said. He has said he likes to ride without one, a habit that once prompted a lecture from Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher.

In May 2005, Cowher warned him about safe riding after Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was injured in a motorcycle accident. Winslow tore knee ligaments and was lost for the season.

Roethlisberger has pointed out a Pennsylvania state law requiring helmets was amended in September 2003 to make helmets optional.

ESPN.com football writers Len Pasquarelli and John Clayton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

Which year was it that they ammended the law to make licenses optional?

 

ROETHLISBERGER NOT A LOCK TO PLAY IN 2006

Although there's optimism in Pittsburgh on Monday night after seven hours of surgery to repair "multiple" facial fractures, there's still no guarantee that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be able to play football in 2006.

Dr. Michael Kaner, a Pennsylvania dentist and long-time PFT reader, has shared with us some general observations regarding Roethlisberger's potential prognosis. Dr. Kaner has emphasized this his input is hypothetical only, and that he has no information regarding the signal-caller's actual condition.

Dr. Kaner says to keep an ear out for the term "Le Fort" in connection with Roethliberger's facial fractures.

"Le Fort fractures (1,2 or 3) refer to the level of fracture of the upper jaw separating it from the skull," said Dr. Kaner. "If those words are mentioned in any press conference, he's not playing in 2006 regardless of what anybody says."

Dr. Kaner outlined other questions that would be relevant to determining whether Roethlisberger can play this year.

"How many fractures are there and where are they? Obviously, the more fractures there are, the longer the recovery period and the greater risk of complications.

"Is the fracture displaced, that is out of the normal alignment. With the extent of the trauma he experienced, it would not be out of the realm of possibility for the oral surgeons to have to rebuild his jaw and wire it together with titanium plates or screws. If it's a multiple fracture, he could be out all year.

"The other question is whether he fractured his upper jaw. You traditionally think of the lower jaw as being fractured but there can be fractures to the upper jaw, with many complications.

"Is the fracture closed (totally under the skin) or open (bone exposed to the elements substantially increasing the risk of post-operative infection). His other risks are of other teeth needing root canals or if fractured themselves, needing to be extracted.

"While wired shut, he will be on a pure liquid diet, and how will that impact a pro athlete? Not positively I'm sure."

Another source with knowledge of jaw and facial injuries has broken the issue down to a single question. If Roethsliberger's jaw is merely wired shut, he'll miss 6-to-8 weeks. If he has had plates or other hardware inserted into his face, he'll miss a minimum of six months.

As of now, the doctors, the family, and the team know the answer. Within the next 24 hours, our guess is that the rest of us will know it, too.

PFT - M.D.

 

broken nose also. jaw wired shut? will he be able to eat hard food, and keep his strength? hes gonna lose weight/muscle. doubt hes ready for opening weekend.