Junior Seau dead from apparent suicide

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Gern Blansten

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Who thinks this will be tied to post concussion brain injury causing his mental instability? Several former players have a lawsuit against the NFL for this issue.

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They are already speculating he shot himself in the chest in order to preserve his brain for the ex-NFL brain bank thing at BU(?)
 
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Who thinks this will be tied to post concussion brain injury causing his mental instability? Several former players have a lawsuit against the NFL for this issue.

It will be brought up, articles are already talking about Dave Duerson, and how they both shot themselves in the chest(Duerson told his family to use his brain for research, which showed Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Seau maybe thinking similar things?). Seau had issues, had the domestic violence jailing and then drove his car off a cliff a few years ago. The idea of concussions and this will be strongly connected, but other circumstances most likely played a role.
 
Who thinks this will be tied to post concussion brain injury causing his mental instability? Several former players have a lawsuit against the NFL for this issue.

Knowing this forum, someone will accuse Obama of either indirectly or directly causing the death, initiating a discussion about gun laws and eventually ending in a Hollywood writer or AA student accusing someone of attacking their honor and/or violating TOS.

And there will be graphs and charts aplenty.


:xf:
 
Having participated in professional sports but obviously not to Mr. Seau's capacity and not in football were concussions are the norm although I have had my share of them. I think there is something else at play here. These guys are in there 20's on top of the world and everyone wants to be associated with them while they are active in the game. Then they retire and the nastalgia fades. The fans stop falling over themselves to get a piece of them. They begin to have difficulty dealing with their new position in life and they are still very young. They struggle with their new role to an extent that they have no idea how to handle. While many make it through this tough time and learn to deal with the next chapter of their lives others seem to never find a way of coping. Add the concussions and the depression and the feeling of loss all together and these guys are in a tough tough place that is not something many of us could handle well.

I am not discounting the concussion theory but I believe there is more at play.
 
Having participated in professional sports but obviously not to Mr. Seau's capacity and not in football were concussions are the norm although I have had my share of them. I think there is something else at play here. These guys are in there 20's on top of the world and everyone wants to be associated with them while they are active in the game. Then they retire and the nastalgia fades. The fans stop falling over themselves to get a piece of them. They begin to have difficulty dealing with their new position in life and they are still very young. They struggle with their new role to an extent that they have no idea how to handle. While many make it through this tough time and learn to deal with the next chapter of their lives others seem to never find a way of coping. Add the concussions and the depression and the feeling of loss all together and these guys are in a tough tough place that is not something many of us could handle well.

I am not discounting the concussion theory but I believe there is more at play.

To add some evidence in a similar vein:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_finances_of_professional_American_athletes

I mean, 78% declaring bankruptcy within TWO YEARS of quitting? Holy crap.

I'm not qualified to speak to the medical issues at all but there are likely confounding variables as you point out.
 
Noy, did you have a hard time adjusting after you were done with baseball? I miss the preparation, competition, winning, being in the lockerroom with teammates.

not really. I am still super competitive in everything I do as if it where a game I have to win. But with age I'm learning to step back and let others succeed and that can be pretty cool. The adjustment was pretty easy for me because I wasn't there yet in the game. I was as my coach told me just last year at his hall of fame induction that I was the best catcher he has ever seen to this day and that one struck me harder than I thought it would have after all these years. But after a few days I was thinking that I'm still better off today than I would have most likely been had I stuck it out. The adjustment was pretty easy because I emersed myself in school and med school right away. I didn't have the time to worry if I had made the right decision. I was busy.

That may be one of the big problems with these athletes, they are not busy enough when they finish the game. I don't know about that one.
 
The adjustment was pretty easy for me because I wasn't there yet in the game. I was as my coach told me just last year at his hall of fame induction that I was the best catcher he has ever seen to this day and that one struck me harder than I thought it would have after all these years. But after a few days I was thinking that I'm still better off today than I would have most likely been had I stuck it out. The adjustment was pretty easy because I emersed myself in school and med school right away. I didn't have the time to worry if I had made the right decision. I was busy.

Yes.
I hear you. Target acquired.

I am still super competitive in everything I do as if it where a game I have to win. But with age I'm learning to step back and let others succeed and that can be pretty cool.

Echo that. Always cool to help others succeed.

:thumbup:
 
They begin to have difficulty dealing with their new position in life and they are still very young. They struggle with their new role to an extent that they have no idea how to handle. While many make it through this tough time and learn to deal with the next chapter of their lives others seem to never find a way of coping. ..... these guys are in a tough tough place that is not something many of us could handle well.

.

Not sure I agree. I have no idea...but there are plenty of people who figure out that life is grand because of what we do and make if it...not because of how much money we have and not because people tell us we are great.

You sound like a good example of this.

I work with a guy every day who played professional football and now is a talented anesthesiologist. He is grounded and always ways. He didn't get caught up in the glamor, or the hype or whatever.

I have so little sympathy for professional athletes that can't figure life out.

Mostly, I feel like danial tosh with regards to them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMSJrrr9zXo
 
I have so little sympathy for professional athletes that can't figure life out.

I understand your point. It is unbelievable how poorly they do after leaving the sports life. It reminds me of lottery winners who suddenly have a lot of money and no idea how to manage it. The "hangers on" come out of the woodwork and before they know it, the money is gone.

I have a bit of sympathy, because many very talented and smart people have been conned out of their money. Billy Joel for instance had to start over several years ago because all he had was gone due to embezzlement from his manager (The divorce probably played a role too).
 
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