Football

This is just a little curiosity.

I was watching the Steelers/Raiders game last night, and I had a thought about respectful fans and how high school football is so much different than the pros when it comes to that.

Early on in the game one of the officials twisted an ankle and was helped off the field by the Steelers trainers. Later, one of the Steelers was down hurt (Daeshae Townsend, I think). Each time the fans kept on screaming and carrying on like nothing was going on.

Many years ago (10 at least) when I went to every football game my high school's team played (I was in the band), when a player was hurt, the stadium got quiet. It didn't matter whose player it was. It was a sign of respect for the hurt athlete. When the player got up (or gave a sign that he was okay when taken off the field by paramedics), everyone would clap...even the opposing side. No one wanted anyone to get hurt.

It's a bit of a shame that pro team fans are not like this. All it shows is a little respect!

Big Ben

So Ben Roethlesberger finally has been giving interviews about his motorcycle accident. Fine.

This is what bugs me: He is saying he didn't think he should have been cited for anything because he didn't know he did anything wrong.

Um, Ben, ignorance doesn't make you right.

Your permit was expired - by just about three months. Even if you had had your license, you have to wear a helmet if you had it less than two years. I'm pretty sure that's in the PA motorcycle handbook. I guess you didn't read it.

And...before anyone gets on me about the lady who drove in front of him, she was cited, too, for failure to yield. Actually more people in the Pittsburgh area should be cited for that. No one around here seems to understand what a yield is.

She didn't mean to hit Roethlisberger. She was doing what she had been doing since she started driving, making a "Pittsburgh left." (Google it, I'm sure there's info out there about this annoying Pittsburgh habit.) It doesn't make her right, but she didn't mean it, and I'm sure she feels terrible about it.

So, all of you out there bothering that poor woman, STOP IT!

That's all about that. Oh, and don't forget to wear a helmet.