A place for the discussion of all things not closely related to the sport and its competitive side. (Locked down several times a year during the major championships)
Jonathan Vilma, the New Orleans Saints’ defensive captain, was suspended by the N.F.L. without pay for the entire 2012 season Wednesday for his role in helping the former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in “establishing and funding” the team’s bounty program that has cost Coach Sean Payton a year’s suspension.
guru wrote:I've never understood suicide. Never. But especially when it's someone who has EVERYTHING like Junior Seau.
Well, everything isn't so hot, if it doesn't include a working brain.
Well we dont know that brain trauma issues caused him to kill himself, but certainly if he left a note behind like Duerson did about that being why he shot himself in the chest that's going to be a problem for the NFL. A big one.
WHY? Junior Seau was found dead of a gunshot wound at home yesterday.
From ESPN.com:
Handsome, vibrant and caring, Seau was the perfect role model for a self-assured, laid-back beach town. He laughed. He surfed. He helped. He was San Diego.
San Diego stopped Wednesday morning. Seau died at the age of 43 at his Oceanside home. Police are investigating his death as a suicide.
Seau has been a hero in San Diego for 25 years. He was a nationally known high school football and basketball star in Oceanside. When his hometown Chargers took Seau from USC with the No. 5 pick in 1990, the city, hungry for NFL success, rejoiced. The party lasted for 13 years.
He was a fierce playmaker with unmatched emotion and passion. Off the field, he was a major fundraiser for his hometown charities. He recently held his annual golf tournament. There have been some recent tough times for Seau. He was divorced. In 2010, he was arrested after his girlfriend accused him of abuse. He was never charged. Hours after the incident, he drove his vehicle off a cliff. Seau denied it was a suicide attempt. He said he fell asleep.
An issue with any union is that sometimes the bargaining unit has to represent members who have contractual rights but have behaved badly.
That being said, I think it is asking a lot to expect professional football players who make millions of dollars beating the crap out of each other and who are encouraged (read: commanded) to headhunt by coaching staff to take a moral stand against violence and/or targeting key players or ones with known injuries. Might as well have cautioned Mike Tyson to be careful not to hurt his opponents or bite anyone's ears.
Assuming that the effects of concussions are not taken into the equation, nor the long-term effects of drug use (as those like Lyle Alzado blamed for their illnesses) what would be some reasons for life expectancies to be longer than the average population for professional athletes? I can think of several:
1. Access to medical care because they can afford it and are pampered with it throughout much of their playing career, so a possibility of catching things earlier than many who don't have health insurance.
2. Financial independence allowing for a more stress free environment in which to live in. Financial struggles lead to stress and stress leads to many problems that likely reduce life expectancy.
Suicide is the action the condition is depression. Why? Perhaps there is a history of depression in the Seau family or perhaps a change in his brain activity as a result of many concussions.
It would appear that termination of the "pain" and/or "feelings" (real or imagined) felt by Seau exceeded having EVERYTHING.
