RealGM Football: Feature Article - Too Much Football Without A Helmet?

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Too Much Football Without A Helmet?

Authored by Randolph Charlotin - 13th June, 2006 - 6:20 pm

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Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger came out of Miami of Ohio rated as one of top quarterbacks in the 2004 draft. But instead of being selected right after top pick overall Eli Manning and second pick overall Phillip Rivers, teams passed on Big Ben, even teams that could had used a potential franchise passer. He fell to the eleventh pick, his free-fall stopped by the Steelers and all Roethlisberger has done was become the most successful of the three passers.

He didn't lose a regular season game he started all season, going 13-0. It included a victory over the defending Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots. He set a record for rookie rating. He led the Steelers all the way to the Conference Championship, but the failure only fueled Roethlisberger's fire. The following season, he directed the Pittsburgh offense through the playoffs and quarterbacked the Steelers to a Super Bowl XL victory, becoming the youngest QB to win the Super Bowl.

Life couldn't get better as an athlete. Ben was on top of the world, and it happened so quickly. If he felt invincible, everyone could understand why.

But as quickly as he rose to success, Roethlisberger's career came to a crashing halt, literally. In his collision with a Chrysler New Yorker that flung the motorcycle he was riding into the air, getting ready for training camp has become secondary. Making a full recovery is of utmost importance.

Funny how an athlete who wears armor from head to toe for combat against 300-pound men wouldn't wear a helmet while riding a crotch rocket that offers no protection while weaving between steel vehicles that weigh no less than 2,000 pounds and can exceed 20 tons.

Roethlisberger wouldn't dare step onto the playing field without a helmet. But he doesn't want to lose the feeling of freedom while riding motorcycles, even though the risk of injury, possibly death, is much greater on the road. You can be as careful as possible on the road but a mistake by the rider or by another driver can turn any leisurely drive into a mini-demolition derby in split second.

Now there's no guarantee that Roethlisberger would had suffered no injuries if he wore a helmet. Some of his injuries are due to hitting the pavement. But he broke his nose, jaw several teeth, and suffered a nine-inch laceration to the back of his head from the accident. Even if he had head protection the injuries might had happened. It's too early to say whether a helmet would had helped Roethlisberger save face by saving his face. We have to wait until the results of the investigation are revealed.

What we do know is helmets greatly reduce the chances of suffering serious head injuries.

Consider these facts:

*Per mile driven, a motorcyclist is 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile driver. Wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces that risk by almost one-third (29 percent).

*Head injury is a leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. Riders who don't wear helmets and who experience a crash are 40 percent more likely to sustain a fatal head injury.

*A study of 900 motorcycle crashes (conducted by the University of Southern California) showed that wearing a helmet was the single most critical factor in preventing or reducing head and neck injuries among motorcycle drivers and passengers.

*More than 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in injury or death to the motorcyclist.

Roethlisberger doesn't take health risks playing the game of football. He should adopt a similar practice if he continues to ride bikes after his accident and strap on a helmet.

Motorcycle helmet safety information taken from the US Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Administration.

Any comments about the article, please send to lordrc@netzero.net

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