Truly sad news. I always thought he was a great ambassador for the sport when he played. I hope he finally found himself some peace after he's been living with so much pain.
Awesome player in his prime, great guy by all accounts. I'll always remember him as a Charger, but two memories of him from SB 42 that will stay in my mind forever. The embrace between he and Bruschi after Brady hit Moss with 2:42 left, the high of football high's, followed by this picture, the low of football lows. Mort mentioned this photo on nfl live today
I remember saying to myself that the only consolation I could take in Giants loss in SB42 would be to see Junior Seau finally win one... I was rooting for him in '94 but they were just so badly outmatched...
The biggest issue hear isn't about the NFL figuring out
how to protect these guys more. It is about the NFL and former players getting current players to learn to protect themselves. Stop leading with the head, longer suspensions for repeat offenders, and more control over players that appear to suffer head injuries.
but I think it's ironic that this sad news comes on the heels of the NFL coming down hard on the Saints players who were involved in bounty-gate! Seau may have been a victim of multiple concussions, leading to this tragic end. I hope that with an autopsy this link may be revealed.
comparing Leather Helmets vs Modern Helmets. Not a whole lot of difference in the study, and in some cases the Leather Helmet posed less of a risk for concussions (though there was a higher risk of skull fracture).
I think there's a whole lot of good suggestions here, including going back to the pre 1978 rules for passing. I'd add a shorter season, more byes during the season (more time to recover), age limit for players, and weight limits for positions (No OT's over 300lbs, for example).
We also need to go back to the 14 (or even 12 game) schedule, IMO...there are just too many games for the human body to endure the punishment the players are getting.
I had a close friend who committed suicide 7 years ago. It bothers the hell out of me every single day of my life. If I had any sign of him doing something like that, I would have done everything I could to get him help and stop it. I still have a million questions about what exactly happened that I'll never get answered.
Actually its not. If you've ever volunteered for one of the suicide hotlines. The one thing you learn is that, if you have a friend or family member that stays close to you during times like this. Or is there to show you tough love when you're thinking like this. These situations can be avoided.
When there is no one there to turn to. Or no one sees the signs. This is usually the end game.
Saying that he had asked Seau after hearing about him driving off a cliff... He assured Wiley that he had just fallen asleep... Sounds like Seau was just the kind of guy who never wanted anyone to see him down...
As for "slapping him around" and comparing Seau to a weak self pitying character from a movie, just an incredibly ignorant statement...
I've volunteered on these hotlines. And friends and family members are in fact the best ones to reach these individuals. Often times with tough love. Now no one actually knows the circumstances with him. Or if the signs were ignored.
But like I said. The question always needs to asked, where were your friends? Whether they want to hear that or not. After this is done, they're usually the ones asking, why didn't I do more?
do yourself a favor and go read the assholes comments earlier in the thread about how we are all hypocrites for having sympathy for Seau...that is something to argue about. Right now Rflairr's comments are not AND were not meant to be unsympathetic
The question always needs to asked, where were your friends? Whether you want to hear that or not. After this is done, they're usually the ones asking, why didn't I do more to stop Rflairr from digging the hole deeper with every post.
See how easy it is to be sanctimonious after the fact?
People offered you an out, you refused it, so take your medicine.
kill themselves inside of a couple weeks. From the same company (typically 120-140, but it might have been beefed up). Didn't have a particularly trying mission, probably not PTSD, but so many unanswered questions.
the point is each case is different and we have no way of knowing what truly went on here. The way you went about expressing it is where you went wrong. You acted like the blame is at the feet of his friends and then said some more dumb shit after that. You have no idea so it's just dumb to basically say his friends should have stepped in to help without knowing anything about the specific case.
Part of great LB corps at USC. He was loved in San Diego and consider a great ambassador of the NFL. Truly a great player both on and off the field. This is a tragedy on many levels.
Please. Depression isn't just feeling bad for yourself for a while, you can't just slap somebody out of it. It's a serious illness. Seau's condition may have been related to football, or maybe not, we'll find out eventually. But the idea that he just needed a friend to tell him to wake up is absurd.
Medication, serious clinical help, sure. But tough love isn't changing anything.
see Shelley Smith outside of Seau's home and she was talking about Seau's dog and that his best friend who took care of the dog when Seau was out of town came to get the dog and Smith asked him how he was feeling.
Is she fucking serious with that question? What the hell is wrong with her?
talking to the media. Brought tears to my eyes. He was obviously very ill, and likely has had difficulties for a long time. Prayers for him and his family. Just unreal guys.
Sad day in sports , Something needs to be done
about the way the game is played and the equipment
that is used . Jlukes great point about slowing the game back down . I think they will have to look down every avenue
to protect these men from ending up ill or dead
from the violence that is football .
Some of these comments are really disheartening .
Referencing Kurt Kobain and "over reacting" also
RFlair make a mistake just bow out would ya .
Its an easy mistake to say the wrong thing .
Game is rough enough with out Idiots like Greg Williams
involved . Lifetime ban is in order .
It doesn€™t mean he didn€™t have any, but the late, great Junior Seau never was listed on an NFL Injury report as having a concussion.
Seeing this happen time and again to a popular and/or wealthy person is a real head scratcher. I wish the best for his family & friends.
Makes you think of the Don Corleone and Johnny Fontane scene in Godfather.
I think there's a whole lot of good suggestions here, including going back to the pre 1978 rules for passing. I'd add a shorter season, more byes during the season (more time to recover), age limit for players, and weight limits for positions (No OT's over 300lbs, for example).
We also need to go back to the 14 (or even 12 game) schedule, IMO...there are just too many games for the human body to endure the punishment the players are getting.
I had a close friend who committed suicide 7 years ago. It bothers the hell out of me every single day of my life. If I had any sign of him doing something like that, I would have done everything I could to get him help and stop it. I still have a million questions about what exactly happened that I'll never get answered.
When there is no one there to turn to. Or no one sees the signs. This is usually the end game.
ESPN's got the clips of Momma Seau & Wiley up.. I dunno if those people should've had cameras in front of their face.
As for "slapping him around" and comparing Seau to a weak self pitying character from a movie, just an incredibly ignorant statement...
from personal experience, i can tell you it's very hard to reach someone fighting these demons and completely wipe them away
Makes you think of the Billy Madison oral exam scene in "Billy Madison".
But like I said. The question always needs to asked, where were your friends? Whether they want to hear that or not. After this is done, they're usually the ones asking, why didn't I do more?
See how easy it is to be sanctimonious after the fact?
People offered you an out, you refused it, so take your medicine.
Maybe that's what he was suggesting be done for Seau by his apparently crappy friends.
People need to be not only more self-aware, but more mindful. Wowzers!
Medication, serious clinical help, sure. But tough love isn't changing anything.
Is she fucking serious with that question? What the hell is wrong with her?
about the way the game is played and the equipment
that is used . Jlukes great point about slowing the game back down . I think they will have to look down every avenue
to protect these men from ending up ill or dead
from the violence that is football .
Some of these comments are really disheartening .
Referencing Kurt Kobain and "over reacting" also
RFlair make a mistake just bow out would ya .
Its an easy mistake to say the wrong thing .
Game is rough enough with out Idiots like Greg Williams
involved . Lifetime ban is in order .