32 replies to this topic

[Evelyn]

Junior Seau, 43.

He's the eigth member of the 1994 San Deigo Chargers team that won the Super Bowl to die at a very young age.

[Stone]

Apparently died of a self-inflicted wound. A few years back he "accidentally" drove his car off a cliff after assaulting his then girlfriend. He was a great player. If this tragedy is linked to post-concussion syndrome, it could provide the impetus for some real action in the NFL to protect players.*

*Of course, at the same time, the NFL Players Association is putting its weight behind those players' union members suspended for intentionally trying to injure other players' union members as part of the Saints' bounty program. Now, there's a dilemma.

[Adrian]

Junior Seau, 43.

He's the eigth member of the 1994 San Deigo Chargers team that won the Super Bowl to die at a very young age.

They got crushed by the 49ers, but they did win the AFC. Regardless, pretty awful.

[tighe]

Really sad. One of my favorite players for a long time.

One of my friends speculated that he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to preserve his brain for research. Not sure someone in that state of mind thinks through those issues, but who knows.

...it could provide the impetus for some real action in the NFL to protect players.

At what point though, does this lead to the game looking a lot more like the Pro Bowl than what we know as NFL football. Or at what point do we, as a society, decide that watching men do catastrophic damage to each other and themselves is not much more ethically supportable than the gladiatorial games.

[Steven Dilley]

Really sad. One of my favorite players for a long time.

One of my friends speculated that he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to preserve his brain for research. Not sure someone in that state of mind thinks through those issues, but who knows.

It's what Dave Duerson did last year.

[Steven Dilley]

He was in beast in that AFC Championship game. I can still see Barry Foster, on the goal line, about to catch the go-ahead TD with a minute left, when some DB flew in from who-knows-where and knocked it down. (Not Seau on that play.)

[Evelyn]

Really sad. One of my favorite players for a long time.

One of my friends speculated that he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to preserve his brain for research. Not sure someone in that state of mind thinks through those issues, but who knows.

...it could provide the impetus for some real action in the NFL to protect players.

At what point though, does this lead to the game looking a lot more like the Pro Bowl than what we know as NFL football. Or at what point do we, as a society, decide that watching men do catastrophic damage to each other and themselves is not much more ethically supportable than the gladiatorial games.

Bama played in the NCAAs at the SDSU arena (the game was even delayed by a bomb threat ). We went to Seau's sports bar after. He was working the room. Seemed like a really nice guy. I hate to see all these young guys having these serious health issues. It makes me glad that the NCAA is coming down so hard on schools about concussion rules.

[Wilfrid]

Really sad. One of my favorite players for a long time.

One of my friends speculated that he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to preserve his brain for research. Not sure someone in that state of mind thinks through those issues, but who knows.

It's what Dave Duerson did last year.

Wow, I had no idea this was going on.

[Stone]

I have a feeling the next 5 years will see some significant changes in how football is played. I don't think the issue can or should be ignored any more.

I wonder if the concussions have a similar affect on boxers and mixed-martial artists.

[Wilfrid]

I am suprised lawsuits haven't forced a change already.

Is there an issue about voluntary assumption of risk? I think it's plausible that football players, until relatively recently, were unaware of the risk they were running -- I'm talking specifically about dementia, not chronic injury in general. Boxers can't have been.

[Stone]

I think the claim is that the NFL knew of the risk and concealed its magnitude from the players. Or perhaps that the NFL had a duty to investigate which, if followed, would have uncovered the risk years ago.

Muhammad Ali is the obvious case for the boxers, but you don't really hear about other boxers suffering similar deterioration. And while boxers may not have a legal claim due to assumption of the risk, it could require some modification to the "sport". Perhaps we'll see boxers wearing headgear in fights.

[Sneakeater]

Isn't "punch drunk" a well-known phrase?

[splinky]

I think the claim is that the NFL knew of the risk and concealed its magnitude from the players. Or perhaps that the NFL had a duty to investigate which, if followed, would have uncovered the risk years ago.

Muhammad Ali is the obvious case for the boxers, but you don't really hear about other boxers suffering similar deterioration. And while boxers may not have a legal claim due to assumption of the risk, it could require some modification to the "sport". Perhaps we'll see boxers wearing headgear in fights.

Louis , Dempsey, quarry, Benitez

[Stone]

Well, there you go.

[Wilfrid]

Right. But your analysis of the NFL case makes sense. Kind of reminds me of tobacco, where plaintiffs had to make out there were risks above and beyond the, like, obvious ones. Tricky for them, but could be easy for NFL players.