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Junior Seau’s death should force fans to ask uncomfortable questions
The Washington Post ^ | May 12, 2012 | Jason Reid

Posted on 05/13/2012 2:37:42 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

With each bone-breaking, head-injuring hit, NFL players are killing themselves slowly. It’s not a possibility. It’s a fact, no less certain than the league’s immense profitability.

Football injuries can kill in a variety of ways. One particularly tragic way might be by making life unbearable for the afflicted. And autopsies have revealed that several former players who committed suicide suffered from brain trauma caused by repeated blows to the head.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: braintrauma; football
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To: MinorityRepublican

I worked as a Firefighter for 25years until retirement. I saw guys get their backs broken by falling debris, I saw head injuries, hand injuries, smoke inhalation,Burns , hell I suffered some of them. I don’t see anyone saying we should do away with Firefighters.

You buys your ticket you takes your chance’s.

Life is that way, No job is without it’s dangers.


21 posted on 05/13/2012 3:19:06 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: MinorityRepublican

Soccer has had a couple of deaths on the field this year and one remarkable resuscitation. Rugby cripples a couple of players every year. The NBA has a thug culture with real problems on and off the court. I guess we are stuck with tennis and golf. Wait weren’t some golfers struck by lightening? Scratch golf. Cycling has drug problems as does baseball. Baseball is far too dangerous, who wants to see someone hit by a fast ball or run into by a base runner.

Yep, tennis it is . . . . Wait that’s a rich person’s sport.


22 posted on 05/13/2012 3:19:06 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: MinorityRepublican

Questions like, should Alex Spanos be committed to the booby hatch for giving Norv Turner another season as head coach of the San Diego Chargers?


23 posted on 05/13/2012 3:21:48 PM PDT by The KG9 Kid (Semper Fi)
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To: MinorityRepublican

I know he killed himself; I know there are a lot of head injuries in the NFL.

What I don’t know is what seems to be the presupposition in this article: “Head injuries make you suicidal.”

Has this ever been proven?


24 posted on 05/13/2012 3:23:17 PM PDT by Persevero (Homeschooling for Excellence since 1992)
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To: JimSEA
Yep, tennis it is . . . . Wait that’s a rich person’s sport.

I say, 'Anyone for Tennis?'

25 posted on 05/13/2012 3:24:22 PM PDT by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: piytar

Never been knocked unconscious, but did have my bell rung pretty good on kick-off coverage. Knocked the ball carrier out of bounds (well, he sort of ran over me on the way out). It was one of those Walter Payton sort of hits, where the defender (me) knows he is going to knock the ball carrier out no matter what and slows down a bit, but the ball carrier decides to make the tackler pay the price.

Similar to ~0:51 secs in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSvCmzIJEfQ


26 posted on 05/13/2012 3:25:31 PM PDT by Betis70 (Bruins!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

How many concussion occur in boxing,basketball,baseball,skateboarding,WWF,karate classes,the ever popular UFC where the objective is concussion......


27 posted on 05/13/2012 3:28:27 PM PDT by Doogle (((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated)))
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To: Libloather

“Have them wear leather - the way the game is supposed to be played.”

I said the same thing about hockey. Get rid of the cages and there would be less high sticking.


28 posted on 05/13/2012 3:35:18 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Would you rather eat dog food or cat food? Guess it's Romney 2012.)
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To: dfwgator

Ah yes, they have captured the essence of the sport!


29 posted on 05/13/2012 3:37:28 PM PDT by JimSEA
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To: MinorityRepublican

Since the ‘RATS’ “Superbowl Sunday Is the Worst Day for Spousal Abuse” thing didn’t pan out, I guess this will have to do.


30 posted on 05/13/2012 3:41:46 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Dumb, dependent and Democrat is no way to go through life. - Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)
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To: Persevero

I was down at my parents yesterday. They live in Oceanside. My mom told me their neighbors, who, I’ve known for years, were cousins of Seau.

I never knew that. My mom, now tells me me, oh yea, Junior was there all the time. OK, mom, I’m not a huge Charger fan, but...well their neighbors really good people.

They are Samoan, big people, with hearts as big as their hands.

I saw them and offered my condolences. They thanked me, and offered me a beer (as they always do).

Guy had issues. NFL, leave it at that.


31 posted on 05/13/2012 3:45:14 PM PDT by occamrzr06
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To: MinorityRepublican

Who are the liberal media going to blame for the suicides in the movie and music industries?
There have been far more suicides in these businesses than in the NFL.


32 posted on 05/13/2012 3:45:26 PM PDT by citizencon
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To: dfwgator
As with many things, the use of 'safety' equipment only extends the suffering. In the past, a player would have been killed outright from a collision. The helmet and padds, ensures that he can endure longer, but with more trauma, ie concussions, contusions, and simple high impact collisions.

If you want to look at another similar sport, say Rugby, they don't use padds. I don't know if Rugby has a suicide problem, but, they also don't play on astro turff or against 350 lineman.

33 posted on 05/13/2012 3:57:24 PM PDT by Theoria (Rush Limbaugh: Ron Paul sounds like an Islamic terrorist)
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To: citizencon
I remember when John Belushi died, the media tried this same "we're ALL responsible for his death" crap.

Poor John was just trying to make us laugh, give us a litle sunshine in our pathethic lives. He had to take coke and heroin so he could stay "on". If we hadn't asked so much of John, etc.

BULL$HIT.

And who killed the Kennedies?....

When after all it was you and me...

34 posted on 05/13/2012 4:01:37 PM PDT by boop (I hate hippies and dopeheads. Just hate them. ...Ernest Borgnine)
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is ridiculous. I feel absolutely zero pity for men who chose to get paid millions of dollars to play a dangerous sport they love. The health problems they’re having now? I think they were paid for in total years ago.

For every guy who’s all depressed because they aren’t in the limelight anymore at age 44, or upset because they got their bell rung a few times, there are thousands... maybe even millions of guys who would gladly trade places with them. I think it’s shameful for them to attack and blame the sport that gave them such a great opportunity.

If you were to tell me a job would put me in the grave by 50-55, but would retire me by 35 and secure the financial independence of my family for generations... I might seriously consider the deal, if I didn’t have any better plans.


35 posted on 05/13/2012 4:19:38 PM PDT by SquarePants
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To: Persevero
What I don’t know is what seems to be the presupposition in this article: “Head injuries make you suicidal.” Has this ever been proven?

No. It has not been proven. Think of all the ex players who have endured brain injuries and are living normal lives. They far outnumber the suicidal ex players, but no one thinks about them because they don't make the papers.

This is mostly just another media-driven hysteria.

36 posted on 05/13/2012 4:28:11 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: MinorityRepublican

I love football. I played it in high school and almost made a college team. I watch the NFL, CFL and NCAA.

Having said that, I really think there should be more done to prevent negative long term effects. It’s pretty clear that the major danger is not from the occasional high speed collision between receivers and defensive backs, but rather from the many repetitive collisions between linemen, running backs, and linebackers.

This could easily be alleviated by simply allowing teams to carry more players on their active roster which would see more of a rotation being implemented (if only for stamina reasons) and fewer hits per individual player. I also think the season should be shortened and/or more down time should be allowed between games.

It’s easy to say players are responsible for their own injuries if they choose to play the game. But the league is also responsible since it makes lots of money while the players suffer the consequences. Reducing long term negative effects should be a priority for the NFL, especially when the solution could be as simple as expanding rosters or shortening the season, without any fundamental changes to the game itself.


37 posted on 05/13/2012 4:32:47 PM PDT by FreeFromWhat
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To: MinorityRepublican

He went to the trouble to achieve his profession so where in the world .... He’s in pain and kills himself ? The man has found his peace but he left dozens of his problem’s to the people who loved him .
Selfish .


38 posted on 05/13/2012 4:50:35 PM PDT by Ben Bolt
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To: MinorityRepublican

He went to the trouble to achieve his profession so where in the world .... He’s in pain and kills himself ? The man has found his peace but he left dozens of his problem’s to the people who loved him .
Selfish act he did .
And of course the anti American culture types will use this as an example of why the sport needs to be “ reviewed “ . The continued de - balling of the American male will continue .


39 posted on 05/13/2012 4:59:16 PM PDT by Ben Bolt
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To: God luvs America

You are right and Jr. Played much longer than he should have.


40 posted on 05/13/2012 5:03:57 PM PDT by Hildy ("When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser." - SocratesHill not text while dri)
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