The players are not innocents amongst the wolves. Status and money make it seem worth the risk of injury so they suit up and roll the dice.
One of the “gritsblitzers”. This falcon fan got to see him play.
RIP Mr. Easterling.
National Flag-Football League?
How does the incidence of depression and early Alzheimer’s in retired NFL players compare to the population at large?
Very sad story. Prayers for his family... they must have gone through a lot.
Like a lot of things we used to think “getting your bell rung” was no big deal. Turns out it is a big deal.
We also thought cigarette smoking was OK and driving drunk was something to laugh about.
Whether it’s a worthwhile tradeoff to get the money and other benefits that professional sports affords is a separate question - but it turns out that the brain doesn’t do well when it gets knocked about and banged up.
Ray was a friend and know Mary Anne as well, and there is a whole lot more to this than what is public. I was with him just a few months ago and was planning to get back with him soon.
He was truly a great guy, and a strongly-committed Christian. Still at his playing weight of 185 and totally ripped. Would run 5 miles in 95 degree heat.
Personally, I think he just couldn’t deal with losing his ability to function mentally.....his whole nature was to be 110% in everything he did, and saw himself being able to do less and less. Don’t know that I’d differ in his decision knowing what he was dealing with and facing.
I cannot speak too highly of him. He was great to be with and all who know him miss him already.
No,I'm not slamming the NFL.and I'm inclined to think that BU Medical School isn't either...research studies are subject to peer review which could easily expose bias (or errors) on the part of a researcher or group of researchers.
Sad. RIP.
Croak at 51 is about the average, as I recall, for a thugball player.