[misterrob]

Sad story but one that is all too common for guys once they leave the game. Andre Waters comitted suicide after lingering affects from concussions. This is another example of what happens to people who play in the NFL. Ted Johnson was a good MLB in his day and had some epic battles with Jerome Bettis back in the latter part of the 90s. I remember him at his best.

Make no mistake about it, Belichick is a guy who wins but he can be as cold and callous as the next guy.

[misterrob]

NFL ping.

[WKB]

he is a struggling ex-athlete who has become unreliable and unreachable, making promises and commitments he does not keep,



Maybe he should consider politics.

[Doogle]

...guess super bowl week will bring out stories like this, but lets not over look aggressive behavioral problems. Notice no mention of "roids". Until the NFL gets very serious about overall effects it has on their professionals, this is just one of many stories you'll read about over the next few years.

[raybbr]

Here's a story about another LB, Wilbur Marshall who played with the Bears, and his injuries. Link only (USA Today).

[Eagles6]

save

[mollynme]

This is so sad. I used to watch for him whenever the Broncos played the Pats because I remembered him from his days as a Colorado Buff. I thought he had just retired.

[codercpc]

I heard a report about a week ago (don't remember the source), that stated the autopsy on Andre Waters also revealed that his brain was already showing signs of Alzheimer's disease. Poor guy would have been incapacitated within a decade and he was quite young.

Brain injuries are not something to take lightly. What used to be considered just "getting his bell rung" is now rightfully taken more seriously.

Having said all that, I get a little sick of the sob stories when someone is seriously injured, or dies do to "sticking it out" while playing sports. I remember numerous times hearing almost heroic stories of professional players "playing through the pain", Michael Jordans unbelievable flu playoff game comes to mind. The media hypes these stories to unbelievable levels, yet when someone does actually gets hurt, or dies (Vikings player circa 2001, Corey something) we get months of blame because he didn't heed the warning signs when he started to get signs of heat stroke.

[USMCWife6869]

I know people that suffer from the same kind of illness that Ted Johnson is experiencing, and some worse, and they haven't had even one hit to the head.

Maybe it has nothing to do with football, maybe it is just inherent in him. Until people realize that sometimes a person's mind just doesn't work properly, no one will ever take these kind of ailments really seriously. It doesn't have to be a hit to the head or a former drug issue. Sometimes it just "is". Always blaming it on something else won't ever help people who need real help.