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Posted

that's pretty f***ed up...forgot about the driving off the cliff incident...really bizarre what drives people to do things when they seemingly have 'it all' in our eyes...what ever 'it all' means

 

Just a matter of time before they link this to post concussion life in the NFL.

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Posted

I remember he drove off a cliff around the time he was involved with that horrible little troll Tila Tequila and she had him charged with domestic abuse. That was the first time that there seemed to be warning signs of trouble.

 

Close, but wrong Charger Linebacker. Seau drove his car off a cliff after a fight with his wife. But it was Merriman that was banging Tila.

Posted

I remember he drove off a cliff around the time he was involved with that horrible little troll Tila Tequila and she had him charged with domestic abuse. That was the first time that there seemed to be warning signs of trouble.

 

Your confusing Seau with Merriman....

Posted (edited)

And we all know what researchers will find signs of in his brain.

 

Not likely, gunshot wound to the head.

 

Never mind, looks like it may not have been to the head.

Edited by Captain Caveman
Posted

Very sad, this is obviously another case of the collisions having their long term effects on guys. I am glad the NFL has finally started taking the proper steps in preventing at least SOME of the big time collisions, but sad that its too late for many guys.

Posted

 

 

Funny, but it sounds like he shot himself in the chest just like Dave Duerson. Maybe like Duerson he wanted to preserve his brain for research on football injuries.

Posted

I know it is pretty cliche, and there may be much more to the story, but Seau was one of those guys who always struck me as a guy who wouldn't know what to do with himeself, once he wasn't "Junior Seau" any more, or once being Junior Seau wasn't such a big deal anymore. I don't mean to imply anything, but I think, sometimes, guys like Thurman and Jimbo love Buffalo so much, and choose to live there when many others wouldn't with their money, is becasue, in a releatively small town, being Thurman Thomas, or being Jim Kelly will always be a big deal...

 

This. More so than hits to the head, this.

 

I think the bigger catalyst in the ex-player depression is the fall out of the spotlight. These guys have their ego constantly pumped from adolescence. From 12 to 32 they're told they are the man, and have a posse of friends, agents, etc that constantly reinforce it.

 

Then they retire and no one cares about them anymore. No fans cheering. No teammate comradery. I've seen plenty of players talk about how difficult retirement is when they step away from all that.

 

Especially a guy who played in the modern league with safer helmets and rules. I can see it affecting old school players, but this seems like it would be more ego-driven.

 

Sad either way.

Posted

Isnt it terrible that the first thing I thought when I heard he had died due to gunshot was.. I bet it was suicide and he shot himself in the chest (for further research etc)

 

Good for Goddell, his head's in the right place.

Posted

I know it is pretty cliche, and there may be much more to the story, but Seau was one of those guys who always struck me as a guy who wouldn't know what to do with himeself, once he wasn't "Junior Seau" any more, or once being Junior Seau wasn't such a big deal anymore. I don't mean to imply anything, but I think, sometimes, guys like Thurman and Jimbo love Buffalo so much, and choose to live there when many others wouldn't with their money, is becasue, in a releatively small town, being Thurman Thomas, or being Jim Kelly will always be a big deal...

 

Your post is interesting. I think there may be two competing theories as to why ex-football players seem to commit suicide in a higher proportion than the general population following their playing days:

(1) the repeated blows to the head that we're learning more about

(2) the "let down" after a life of fame and fortune

 

Maybe both can play a role?

Posted

It can't be fun to be a surviving member of the 1994 Chargers.

 

Everything from airplane crashes to lightning strikes have picked off team members.

Posted

I remember he drove off a cliff around the time he was involved with that horrible little troll Tila Tequila and she had him charged with domestic abuse. That was the first time that there seemed to be warning signs of trouble.

Merriman..not Seau

Posted

Sad news. This stuff really doesn't happen in sports like baseball (at least to this extent).

I don't remember a whole lot of suicides in any sport. There was the retired football player just lsat week but the only other one I remember was Donnie Moore, a baseball player.

Posted

This. More so than hits to the head, this.

 

I think the bigger catalyst in the ex-player depression is the fall out of the spotlight. These guys have their ego constantly pumped from adolescence. From 12 to 32 they're told they are the man, and have a posse of friends, agents, etc that constantly reinforce it.

 

Then they retire and no one cares about them anymore. No fans cheering. No teammate comradery. I've seen plenty of players talk about how difficult retirement is when they step away from all that.

 

Especially a guy who played in the modern league with safer helmets and rules. I can see it affecting old school players, but this seems like it would be more ego-driven.

 

Sad either way.

 

id say you might be going a bit far, but we really dont know yet. i think the 2 halves of this really go hand in hand, and arent an either/or situation. not only do you lose the spotlight and the family of a lockerroom but your body and in many cases mind break down leaving you in constant pain physically and emotionally.

Posted

Not to speculate, but whenever I hear about something like this involving an ex-player, I can't help but think about what effect 20+ years of high speed collisions may have had on altering brain chemistry.

 

Sad news to hear about anyone committing suicide.

 

I think it's a natural instinct to speculate, I think when talking about strictly men the suicide rate is 19.8 people per every 10,000 (about 0.2 per cent). I think NFL players probably still have a lower suicide rate then the general population however as a sample group there are different soicio-economic factors at play. It'd be interesting to see a comparison between suicide rates of NFL players and a sport that involves less frequent head trauma like say baseball.

Posted (edited)

I know it is pretty cliche, and there may be much more to the story, but Seau was one of those guys who always struck me as a guy who wouldn't know what to do with himeself, once he wasn't "Junior Seau" any more, or once being Junior Seau wasn't such a big deal anymore..

AKA "Lawrence Taylor Syndrome".

 

 

Not to speculate, but whenever I hear about something like this involving an ex-player, I can't help but think about what effect 20+ years of high speed collisions may have had on altering brain chemistry.

I think it's quickly getting to the point where it isn't speculation any longer. Football is literally killing these guys.

Edited by KD in CT
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