Have the Cowboys bikers learned their lesson?

By Andy Targovnik  |   Thursday, June 15, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Dallas Cowboys
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You can be sure that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe and center Al Johnson will be getting a phone call this week from Jerry Jones, Bill Parcells or both. The subject matter will not be about football. Rather, the arena under discussion will concern a dangerous little hobby Bledsoe and Johnson have: They both ride motorcycles.

Although Bledsoe maintains that he doesn't ride anymore, he was seen riding as recently as 2003 without a helmet. Johnson purchased a motorcycle after he was drafted by the Cowboys in 2003 but claims he sold the bike and will not ride until after he retires.

After seeing the mangled heap of metal that used to be Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle, one would figure that a wake up call from Parcells or Jones wouldn't be necessary.

Then again, one would think that players would have stopped riding after Jay Williams, the number two overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2002 NBA draft crashed his motorcycle, tore knee ligaments, and damaged nerves in his legs. He has not played since.

Okay, an accident can happen to anyone, right?

But then Jets cornerback Jamie Henderson suffered severe head injuries when he crashed his bike in 2004. He also has not played since.

Henderson is not prominent enough to grab attention?

Okay. How about Kellen Winslow Jr.? He hasn't played since he flew over the handlebars of his motorcycle and tore up his knee in 2005. To add insult to injury, Winslow has lost 3 million dollars in salary.

So you figure Roethlisberger would have gotten the message. But for whatever reason, he tempted fate. Now he's damned lucky to be alive. If the players don't get it now, they never will.

But you can take it to the bank that Dallas management is not going to take what should be obvious to Bledsoe and Johnson for granted. Frankly, after seeing the stubborn nature of today's athlete, they shouldn't.

Get more Dallas Cowboys insight at realfootball365.com
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