Are Fans and NFL teams too demanding of players?

[TheInspector]

I have a question for you all: What is classified as "risky" behavior, and what exactly is "common-sense"?

I hear a lot of people saying things like, "he is obligated to prohibit from any 'risky' behavior which may result in injury," or, "he should use common-sense."

I do think that he was senseless by riding without a helmet, but I cannot say that he was lacking common-sense simply because his principles don't conform to mine. He could be injured horsing-around with his brother, or he could slip and fall. Does that mean he should avoid all behavior which could result in injury (like walking)? Of course not.

We should avoid making general statements like these. If he is bound by his contract to avoid riding motorcycles that is one thing--otherwise, we cannot say he is obligated to avoid risk. It would be better to say that he should avoid any risky behavior, within reason.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by TheInspector

I have a question for you all: What is classified as "risky" behavior, and what exactly is "common-sense"?

I hear a lot of people saying things like, "he is obligated to prohibit from any 'risky' behavior which may result in injury," or, "he should use common-sense."

I do think that he was senseless by riding without a helmet, but I cannot say that he was lacking common-sense simply because his principles don't conform to mine. He could be injured horsing-around with his brother, or he could slip and fall. Does that mean he should avoid all behavior which could result in injury (like walking)? Of course not.

We should avoid making general statements like these. If he is bound by his contract to avoid riding motorcycles that is one thing--otherwise, we cannot say he is obligated to avoid risk. It would be better to say that he should avoid any risky behavior, within reason.

Good point. Brian Gresie (sp?) did get injured tripping over his dog a few years ago and no one was mad at him for having a dog. But in this situation I think everyone realizes that riding a motorcycle without a helmet is inheriantly more dangerous than horsing around.

[LBrown43]

Maybe because I have handled many motorcycle claims that have ended in death, I am not the biggest advocate of riding motorcycles. They are dangersous not so much because of the operator of the bike, but more for the others on the road that don't notice them. In many of the claims I have handled the cars that were involved almost always said they never saw the motorcycle.
But I don't think it takes a brain scientist or a rocket surgeon to figure that you put a human body on a 2 wheeled conveyance that can go over 100 mph, without any protection should; the vehicle fail in any way, you have a more than normal risk for injury. Yeah, I could get hit by a bus tomorrow but Ben is much more likely to have a motrocycle accident than I would be getting hit by a bus. Besides he proved my point by getting in the accident. I am still bus incident free.
Ben put himself in harms way by first riding a motrocycle and secondly by not wearing a helmet. He is lucky he is not dead because I have seen lesser damage to bikes and the rider has died.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by TheInspector

I have a question for you all: What is classified as "risky" behavior, and what exactly is "common-sense"?

I hear a lot of people saying things like, "he is obligated to prohibit from any 'risky' behavior which may result in injury," or, "he should use common-sense."

I do think that he was senseless by riding without a helmet, but I cannot say that he was lacking
common-sense simply because his principles don't conform to mine. He could be injured horsing-around with his brother, or he could slip and fall. Does that mean he should avoid all behavior which could result in injury (like walking)? Of course not.

We should avoid making general statements like these. If he is bound by his contract to avoid riding motorcycles that is one thing--otherwise, we cannot say he is obligated to avoid risk. It would be better to say that he should avoid any risky behavior, within reason.

Ben just answered both your questions for you in his first public statement after being released from the hospital. It was perhaps what many wanted to hear, and he is taking full responsibility for his behavior and vows not to make the same mistake again. Even he now understands what risky behavior and common sense is, join the parade.