Roethlisberger refuses to wear helmet!

[Guest Dave Pott]

No, not our AL, but BEN Roethlisberger quarterback for the NFL's Pittsburg Steelers.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=735336

 

The big American V- twins must rattle the brains out of some guys heads

[Guest ratchethack]

Once you get your bell rung real good a coupla dozen times, the self-limiting behaviors start to take over...

[al_roethlisberger]

yeesh.... it sounds like Ben is trying to convince himself.

 

He should give Gary Busey a call

 

 

 

al

[DeBenGuzzi]

You guys HAVE to be related some how??? I mean seriously how many roethlisberger are there in the world? a friend of mine's last name is Laabs and there are about 2 in the USA doing searches he wasn't related to. I suppose it can happen but you don't hear roethlisberger everyday thats for damn sure!

[al_roethlisberger]

.... well, OK, briefly.

 

First, Roethlisberger is the "Smith" of Switzerland, at least in Berne where my family is from. So it is somewhat common, at least in parts of Europe.

 

 

As far as North America, it is true that it is likely we are related, but distantly. While there aren't a TON of Roethlisbergers over here, one can usually find a couple in the phone book of any large city.

 

But like any family, once you get beyond a generation or two, unless the whole family remains in the same general geographic area... people lose touch.

 

 

So, in my family's case, around the turn of the century(1900) two brothers(or perhaps cousins, we aren't sure) Roethlisberger came over from Berne, Switzerland. They came in via New York, and one settled in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, and the other continued West to the Ohio valley. These two groups formed the fundamental Roethlisberger footholds in North America. There may have been others, but those are the ones we know about.

 

After that, each family grew up around those regions, and although not technically very far apart(Pennsylvania versus Ohio)... considering the era, these folks were far too poor and busy surviving/working to travel several hundred miles just to visit.

 

So, over time these two groups lost touch.

 

And because of too many daughters and not enough sons, the Pennsylvania Roethlisbergers sorta withered away(my bunch), but we hear that the Ohio Roethlisbergers prospered. In fact, I think "John Roethlisberger" the US Olympic Gymnast of a few years back, is from that clan as well, although I think he was from Chicago?? I forget.

 

 

So there ya go =)

 

al