Go out and Listen
So Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger doesn’t want to wear a helmet when he rides his serious, powerful crotch rocket. Fair enough. It’s his call and he’s a grown-up, I guess.
He was splattered on the windshield of a Chrysler yesterday in downtown Pittsburgh when a 62-year old woman turned left in front of his motorcycle.
I find a little irony in the idea that Big Ben refuses to wear his motorcycle helmet but puts one on when he plays football.
His crash did give Web sites and television news programs their poll question of the evening: “Should athletes be able to ride motorcycles?” I suppose that would be the business of the team and the player and the agent and the union.
I’m sorry Roethlisberger crashed and from every indication he’s a good guy. I hope he heals and returns to the field whole and complete. But the question becomes how much of an investment the guy is if his employer allows him to do what he wants, thereby compromising his profit-making potential. It would seem professional athletes have a small window to return their enormous salaries as profit for their employers. Frankly, if Roethlisberger and his team are cool with no helmet, they are reaping the benefits of their investment. No need for anyone to wring his hands.
CNN is reporting as I write this that Bush advisor Karl Rove will not be charged in the Valerie Palme outing. Rove has testified four times in front of a grand jury about the Plame case. One indictment — that against Scooter Libby, Cheney’s right hand man — has already been returned.
Rove is a political advisor, which in and of itself may not be indictable, but some among that fraternity has stubbed its legal toe over the years. I can think of couple that should have. A few went to jail. That’s because they took the bromide “politics is a dirty business” to its lowest floor.
Rove is a champ at getting his man elected — in this case Bush — but then so what? As we have seen in the last 30 years winning has supplanted governing as the focus in Washington. Until we put the interests of more Americans before those who can foot the bill for a what passes for a winning campaign these days, we’ll probably be seeing more grand juries.
This is my third blog from out in the community, the idea being writing where the public traffics will mean good ideas and an exchange I don’t get parked at my Dilbert station in the newsroom.
That works. Most of what people want to talk about is what’s going on in their lives: family, work, weather. Policy makers in Washington, Lincoln, and around here should come out and listen.
This morning, with those I know and those I don’t, I have discussed the vagaries of coaching Little League, Mediterranean recipes, and historical interpretation. What policy makers would find is obvious: everyone is different and their ideas of what is important, while similar, are as individual as a fingerprint.