Junior Seau commits suicide (1 Viewer)

[HE DID WHAT!?]

So sad. I feel bad for the loved ones he left behind.

 

[domvin]

My favorite story about seau, was in an SI article, he talked about how he would start an argument with his wife before each game......so he would carry over being pissed off going into the game.

Maybe a little crazy, but he was a good charitable man and a hell of a player. Find your peace Junior

 

[JetMaxx]

Death Stalking the 1994 Chargers

Does that make 8 now?

Unreal.

In 1998, LB Doug Miller was struck by lightning while camping in Colorado. CPR was being performed on Miller when he was struck again by a second bolt.

WTH????

If the lightning bolt spared the one performing CPR then good luck fellow members of the '94 team.

 

[Max Power]

EBF was on the right track earlier. Here is a basic rundown of CTE for those not familiar.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head. CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920s. However, recent reports have been published of neuropathologically confirmed CTE in retired professional football players and other athletes who have a history of repetitive brain trauma. This trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma or end of active athletic involvement. The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

 

[Da Guru]

My favorite story about seau, was in an SI article, he talked about how he would start an argument with his wife before each game......so he would carry over being pissed off going into the game.

Maybe a little crazy, but he was a good charitable man and a hell of a player. Find your peace Junior

I agree..but he will never find it now.

 

[BustedKnuckles]

Junior Seau’s great passion, intensity and love for the game were evident every time he stepped on the football field...R.I.P

 

[cobalt_27]

EBF was on the right track earlier. Here is a basic rundown of CTE for those not familiar.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head. CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920s. However, recent reports have been published of neuropathologically confirmed CTE in retired professional football players and other athletes who have a history of repetitive brain trauma. This trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma or end of active athletic involvement. The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

So much is unknown about this area, I don't know where to begin, but to say that completed suicides by depressed men involves myriad factors. We don't quite understand how an early tauopathy emerges, let alone how it evolves into a depression, let alone how it promotes completed suicides.The big issue I have is all the finger pointing at CTE and concussions as the cause when we really don't have the foggirEst clue what we're talking about.

 

[DesertDawg]

RIP #55

Video taken April 14, 2012

 

[Raider Nation]

Players taken before Seau (#5 overall) in the 1990 draft:

1.01 - Jeff George - Colts

1.02 - Blair Thomas - Jets

1.03 - Cortez Kennedy - Seahawks

1.04 - Keith McCants - Buccaneers

Other notables: Emmitt Smith (1.17 - Cowboys), Shannon Sharpe (6.27 - Broncos), John Randle (UDFA - Vikings)

 

[Max Power]

EBF was on the right track earlier. Here is a basic rundown of CTE for those not familiar.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic subconcussive hits to the head. CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920s. However, recent reports have been published of neuropathologically confirmed CTE in retired professional football players and other athletes who have a history of repetitive brain trauma. This trauma triggers progressive degeneration of the brain tissue, including the build-up of an abnormal protein called tau. These changes in the brain can begin months, years, or even decades after the last brain trauma or end of active athletic involvement. The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

So much is unknown about this area, I don't know where to begin, but to say that completed suicides by depressed men involves myriad factors. We don't quite understand how an early tauopathy emerges, let alone how it evolves into a depression, let alone how it promotes completed suicides.The big issue I have is all the finger pointing at CTE and concussions as the cause when we really don't have the foggirEst clue what we're talking about.

But there are documented links between all these things. Head trauma, depression, suicide. The way in which Seau killed himself also leads people to believe that Seau might want his brain checked/studied. We live in a world where perception = reality. Right now the perception is that repeated concussions are leading to suicides. The NFL really needs to become more proactive. It isn't just the NFL either, NCAA, high school and pop warner all need to get on the ball here.

 

[cstu]

Here's a picture of Junior in happier times.

 

[Judge Smails]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

RIP Junior - Loved watching you play. Condolences to his family. While a lightning rod in this thread, I do understand the selfish debate. The family will be haunted by this for decades. The question is whether anybody in a depressed state like this can comprehend the impact the suicide will have on loved ones.

 

[Run It Up]

Will definitely never be forgotten. Not the best, but one of the best.

 

[proninja]

Players taken before Seau (#5 overall) in the 1990 draft:1.01 - Jeff George - Colts1.02 - Blair Thomas - Jets1.03 - Cortez Kennedy - Seahawks1.04 - Keith McCants - Buccaneers Other notables: Emmitt Smith (1.17 - Cowboys), Shannon Sharpe (6.27 - Broncos), John Randle (UDFA - Vikings)

This is the best I've felt all thread

 

[EBF]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

Could be the ever-increasing size, speed, and strength of the players. Helmets protect the skull, but they don't necessarily protect the brain. The head isn't meant to absorb repeated blows. And when you've got these mammoth guys knocking heads all game, bad things are going to happen.

 

[cvnpoka]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

 

[sspunisher]

RIP #55

Video taken April 14, 2012

Damn that was sad. RIP Junior.

 

[Kenny Powers]

RIP #55

Video taken April 14, 2012

Yeah, besides hearing his mother talk, thats the most touching thing Ive seen so far

 

[cobalt_27]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

Well, that's the prevailing hysteria.

 

[Ranethe]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

Well, that's the prevailing hysteria.

You really want to label this hysteria? Any support for that besides your opinion? The statistically significant correlations between football and brain damage are certainly sufficient to assume it's a major factor. I don't think anyone is insisting it's the only factor or necessarily the sole cause, but your earlier proposition (you posted it in one of the Seau threads, not sure if it was this one) that these suicides are ego driven, despite all the evidence of brain damage, is simplistic.

 

[Tanner9919]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

RIP Junior - Loved watching you play. Condolences to his family. While a lightning rod in this thread, I do understand the selfish debate. The family will be haunted by this for decades. The question is whether anybody in a depressed state like this can comprehend the impact the suicide will have on loved ones.

you can probably toss out the steroids issue, I mean, is there ANY proof he ever touched the stuff? many pro bodybuilders use steroid stacks, involving many more drugs and use them for longer periods of time than football players do, and we don't see a rash of suicides in the bodybuilding field..they mentioned on the news last night that he had problems with failed business ventures, he was paying child support, probably alimony too..he was probably broke and in debt.

Many of these former all-star athletes have a very tough time adjusting to the'real' world once they leave the game..Thurman Thomas became a raging alcoholic, in and out of rehab, ever since he retired. saw a documentary on him, he claims it was because of leaving the game, losing the fame he had.. so perhaps Junior had a tough time adjusting once he hung up the cleats..who knows, he might've had girlfriend problems as others have indicated. if he had depression it doesn't necessarily mean he got it from recurring hits to the head..losing one's fame and fortune can lead to depression..when you go from that star on TV to the average joe living next door, it's probably a very hard adjustment..

maybe he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to allow for an open casket, maybe it has something to do with his culture rather that wanting to have his brain examined for damage from concussions..

it's sad that it happened..

 

[Bigboy10182000]

Just so sad on many, many levels. I loved watching him play and it's so sad hearing everyone grieve for him. I heard Marcelous Wiley talking this morning on Mike & Mike and it choked me up.

R.I.P. Junior

 

[cstu]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

RIP Junior - Loved watching you play. Condolences to his family. While a lightning rod in this thread, I do understand the selfish debate. The family will be haunted by this for decades. The question is whether anybody in a depressed state like this can comprehend the impact the suicide will have on loved ones.

you can probably toss out the steroids issue, I mean, is there ANY proof he ever touched the stuff? many pro bodybuilders use steroid stacks, involving many more drugs and use them for longer periods of time than football players do, and we don't see a rash of suicides in the bodybuilding field..they mentioned on the news last night that he had problems with failed business ventures, he was paying child support, probably alimony too..he was probably broke and in debt.

Many of these former all-star athletes have a very tough time adjusting to the'real' world once they leave the game..Thurman Thomas became a raging alcoholic, in and out of rehab, ever since he retired. saw a documentary on him, he claims it was because of leaving the game, losing the fame he had.. so perhaps Junior had a tough time adjusting once he hung up the cleats..who knows, he might've had girlfriend problems as others have indicated. if he had depression it doesn't necessarily mean he got it from recurring hits to the head..losing one's fame and fortune can lead to depression..when you go from that star on TV to the average joe living next door, it's probably a very hard adjustment..

maybe he didn't shoot himself in the head because he wanted to allow for an open casket, maybe it has something to do with his culture rather that wanting to have his brain examined for damage from concussions..

it's sad that it happened..

Junior was such an intense guy that he probably felt empty without football, which is why he hung around until he was 40. He didn't seem to care about money and as for fame he's still worshiped in SD so I doubt that was it. I read an old SI article about him that had some creepy quotes in retrospect:

"I'm afraid of being average," Seau says. "I have a real fear of being just another linebacker."

"Too many athletes are living in a tiny window. They have no vision for themselves—what they can be outside of football and what they can mean to a community. They just don't know any better. My hopes and dreams are unlimited."

"If we lost, Dad acted like we were failures," Savaii says. "He'd say, 'You're lazy.' "

 

[Gandalf]

At least he had peace now.

At the expense of 3 children. I'm not a role model by any stretch but this is a very selfish act.Edited: Please don't attack, I'm not trying to disrespect Junior at all...just a comment.

People who commit suicide when they have children disgust me.Once you have kids you no longer live for yourself but for your kids.Depression + steroids + concussions = high risk for suicide

Anyone who says something this stupid can not possibly know what it is like to be depressed. Its a disease that takes control of you almost like a mental illness.

Not that it matters in relation to the news but depression generaly is a mental illness. Only bring this up because if you think of it as a disorder, then yo may be more inclined to think of Seau as selfish or being more in control. But if you accept it as an illness then you may be more inclined to be more empathetic.

Good posting. It is tragic and he was obviously sicker than anyone could have imagined.

 

[finito]

Agree with the illness aspect - I've had experience with a friend who suffered severe depression, and it was awful. Often it's a legitimate illness, and there's nothing 'selfish' about suicide - they see it as the only way to end their pain. It's like saying someone who dies of a heart attack is selfish. You can say people who are depressed have a choice not to be depressed I guess, but I'm going to disagree big time here. I think it's disingenuous to simply treat depression as a choice. Just my .02.

 

[BigSteelThrill]

My favorite story about seau, was in an SI article, he talked about how he would start an argument with his wife before each game......so he would carry over being pissed off going into the game.

As a player/coach I used to (secretly) get the team involved in doing this to my brother.He played so damn good when he was pissed off. So all of his teammates would take turns getting him pissed off before hand.

 

[Gandalf]

Agree with the illness aspect - I've had experience with a friend who suffered severe depression, and it was awful. Often it's a legitimate illness, and there's nothing 'selfish' about suicide - they see it as the only way to end their pain. It's like saying someone who dies of a heart attack is selfish. You can say people who are depressed have a choice not to be depressed I guess, but I'm going to disagree big time here. I think it's disingenuous to simply treat depression as a choice. Just my .02.

I agree with this completely.At the same time, one thing to realize is that people need to distance themselves from the horror of what he did and this manifests by anger or disgust. This is a defense against the pain of the situation. Expressing disgust or anger allows people to push away something that can't be processed by the mind. The inference is that the more disgusted or angry a person is the less likely it would be that they could ever wind up doing something similar. I mean this could never happen to us or someone we know, right?The person who takes their own life is not thinking rationally. Very often family stops becoming a protective factor in the severely depressed because they irrationally think that their family will be better off without them and eventually they will get over it. Obviously children do not ever get over this. None of us will really. It is so sad that with all his resources and seeming support he could not get the help he needed either through meds, therapy or both. Tragic.

 

[abricru]

Just one more point.. regarding "if he had only gotten help."

Help does not always help. I had been treated with medication and therapy continuously for 25 year before my attempts. How I wish there were a magic pill or medical procedure that would cure clinical depression and all forms of mental illness, but unfortunately there is not.

I'm not saying people don't benefit from treatment, just that it is not %100 effective for everyone.

Hopefully this latest loss will bring about more awareness one way or another.

RIP and so sorry for his family and friends.

 

[Raider Nation]

I'll tell you one thing: it's impossible to put yourself in the shoes of someone who has reached this point, but if I really was ready to check out, I can almost guarantee you that "gunshot to the chest" wouldn't be very high on my list. That's hardcore pain right there.

 

[cobalt_27]

At least he had peace now.

At the expense of 3 children. I'm not a role model by any stretch but this is a very selfish act.Edited: Please don't attack, I'm not trying to disrespect Junior at all...just a comment.

No, I trust you mean no disrespect. When you are truly this ignorant, intent to be mean and disrespectful would be the least of my concerns.

 

[cobalt_27]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

Well, that's the prevailing hysteria.

You really want to label this hysteria? Any support for that besides your opinion? The statistically significant correlations between football and brain damage are certainly sufficient to assume it's a major factor. I don't think anyone is insisting it's the only factor or necessarily the sole cause, but your earlier proposition (you posted it in one of the Seau threads, not sure if it was this one) that these suicides are ego driven, despite all the evidence of brain damage, is simplistic.

I didn't claim or intimate any such thing. The evidence in the brain database of NFL players is overwhelmingly showing evidence of CTE. That is a fact. The last conference I attended on this in November, I think, with the whole neurology/neuropsychology group is overwhelmingly demonstrating this finding. But, it is a terrible injustice and simplification to the complexities of depression to make a causal link between evidence of CTE in these brains and completed suicide when there are so many moderating and mediating factors and confounding variables in play. Plus, with no good control group, nobody really clearly understands what's going on here. A lot of the guys showing CTE did not exhibit depression or attemp suicide. A lot of people without CTE complete suicide. This is complicated. But, the media and others want simple answers. CTE has become that for a lot of folks.

 

[Ranethe]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

Well, that's the prevailing hysteria.

You really want to label this hysteria? Any support for that besides your opinion? The statistically significant correlations between football and brain damage are certainly sufficient to assume it's a major factor. I don't think anyone is insisting it's the only factor or necessarily the sole cause, but your earlier proposition (you posted it in one of the Seau threads, not sure if it was this one) that these suicides are ego driven, despite all the evidence of brain damage, is simplistic.

I didn't claim or intimate any such thing. The evidence in the brain database of NFL players is overwhelmingly showing evidence of CTE. That is a fact. The last conference I attended on this in November, I think, with the whole neurology/neuropsychology group is overwhelmingly demonstrating this finding. But, it is a terrible injustice and simplification to the complexities of depression to make a causal link between evidence of CTE in these brains and completed suicide when there are so many moderating and mediating factors and confounding variables in play. Plus, with no good control group, nobody really clearly understands what's going on here. A lot of the guys showing CTE did not exhibit depression or attemp suicide. A lot of people without CTE complete suicide. This is complicated. But, the media and others want simple answers. CTE has become that for a lot of folks.

Ok. When you said it was hysteria I assumed you were minimizing, especially when (if I recall correctly, maybe I don't, too lazy to go back through the thread) you were attaching most significance to the post football lifestyle change. My apologies.

 

[cobalt_27]

This obviously will bring up the concussion debate, though there's no real proof that head injuries caused his depression.

Too many of these incidents for it to be mere coincidence.Bet his brain scan will reveal CTE and other ailments. People acting like he made this decision with all of his mental faculties intact. Highly unlikely. He saw the writing on the wall.

Something is going on. What that something is, I don't know. But, I 1000% guaranteed Ann McKee and her group will find evidence of CTE. Some of us are still wondering what that actually means. But, the media and players, with the prodding of the BU group...they certainly have carved out a theory that has legs.

well i know wats going on. pro football makes ppl more likely to commit suicide. it ruins brains. are u not entertained?

Well, that's the prevailing hysteria.

You really want to label this hysteria? Any support for that besides your opinion? The statistically significant correlations between football and brain damage are certainly sufficient to assume it's a major factor. I don't think anyone is insisting it's the only factor or necessarily the sole cause, but your earlier proposition (you posted it in one of the Seau threads, not sure if it was this one) that these suicides are ego driven, despite all the evidence of brain damage, is simplistic.

I didn't claim or intimate any such thing. The evidence in the brain database of NFL players is overwhelmingly showing evidence of CTE. That is a fact. The last conference I attended on this in November, I think, with the whole neurology/neuropsychology group is overwhelmingly demonstrating this finding. But, it is a terrible injustice and simplification to the complexities of depression to make a causal link between evidence of CTE in these brains and completed suicide when there are so many moderating and mediating factors and confounding variables in play. Plus, with no good control group, nobody really clearly understands what's going on here. A lot of the guys showing CTE did not exhibit depression or attemp suicide. A lot of people without CTE complete suicide. This is complicated. But, the media and others want simple answers. CTE has become that for a lot of folks.

Ok. When you said it was hysteria I assumed you were minimizing, especially when (if I recall correctly, maybe I don't, too lazy to go back through the thread) you were attaching most significance to the post football lifestyle change. My apologies.

Well, I do believe very much that post football lifestyle change is an important factor for a lot of these guys. Demographically, suicide rates are highest among males post-retirement. So, I don't want to discount this factor. Still much to learn about the etiology and consequences of CTE. But, there are a lot of other potential situational, genetic, and neurological factors juggling in the air here. I am just reacting to the football=CTE=suicide crowd. The equation is not so simple, and the variable CTE really poorly understood right now. Worth discussion and further study. But, let's not ignore other obvious factors that commonly are associated with completed suicide.

 

[Tau837]

I wonder what it must feel like to retire as a professional athlete, especially if you were a perennial all-pro all-star type of player. Combined with just getting older in general, it would probably trigger depression in more than a few athletes especially if they were unable to settle into a new identify after their sports career was over.

Yup. This, in my opinion, is probably a greater contributor to suicidal depression than CTE. That, and the fact that football likely draws more impulsive men than most other professions, added on to the older age, let down of being out of the high-charged lifestyle, problems with adjustment, etc.

On PTI tonight, Kornheiser said that pro football players have a suicide rate that is 6 times that of the general population. If it was about the loss of fame, notoriety, competition, etc., then we would expect to see a similarly increased rate in other professional athletes. I don't have statistics for the other sports, but I think hockey may possibly have a higher rate, but I'm not aware that it is true for other pro sports, like baseball, soccer, basketball, etc.If it is true that the sports with higher rates of concussions have higher suicide rates while sports without higher concussion rates do not have higher suicide rates, that is suggestive that there is correlation with concussions.

 

[HellToupee]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

I think the secret sauce is the combo effect of longtime PED use & CTE

 

[Tau837]

Agree with the illness aspect - I've had experience with a friend who suffered severe depression, and it was awful. Often it's a legitimate illness, and there's nothing 'selfish' about suicide - they see it as the only way to end their pain. It's like saying someone who dies of a heart attack is selfish. You can say people who are depressed have a choice not to be depressed I guess, but I'm going to disagree big time here. I think it's disingenuous to simply treat depression as a choice. Just my .02.

I agree with this completely....The person who takes their own life is not thinking rationally. Very often family stops becoming a protective factor in the severely depressed because they irrationally think that their family will be better off without them and eventually they will get over it. Obviously children do not ever get over this. None of us will really. It is so sad that with all his resources and seeming support he could not get the help he needed either through meds, therapy or both. Tragic.

My wife suffers from intractable chronic pain and goes through periodic bouts of severe depression, and she has talked many times about being a burden on her loved ones and that in her view we would be better off without her. So in her view, if she died, not only would she no longer be suffering every minute of every day, but it would also end our suffering. I don't agree with her view and tell her so regularly, but I could see this type of view contributing to one's decision to commit suicide.

 

[cobalt_27]

I wonder what it must feel like to retire as a professional athlete, especially if you were a perennial all-pro all-star type of player. Combined with just getting older in general, it would probably trigger depression in more than a few athletes especially if they were unable to settle into a new identify after their sports career was over.

Yup. This, in my opinion, is probably a greater contributor to suicidal depression than CTE. That, and the fact that football likely draws more impulsive men than most other professions, added on to the older age, let down of being out of the high-charged lifestyle, problems with adjustment, etc.

On PTI tonight, Kornheiser said that pro football players have a suicide rate that is 6 times that of the general population. If it was about the loss of fame, notoriety, competition, etc., then we would expect to see a similarly increased rate in other professional athletes. I don't have statistics for the other sports, but I think hockey may possibly have a higher rate, but I'm not aware that it is true for other pro sports, like baseball, soccer, basketball, etc.If it is true that the sports with higher rates of concussions have higher suicide rates while sports without higher concussion rates do not have higher suicide rates, that is suggestive that there is correlation with concussions.

Or it's a self-selection bias of the sport attracting impulsive boys/men to play the game. Impulsivity paired with violent training may predict increased suicide rates in the subset of athletes playing football who are depressed as opposed to the subset of other athletes playing baseball, soccer, or basketball who also have depression.Or it could very well be all CTE.Bottom line, we just don't know and are getting sloppy with making a correlation/association into an instant causation.

 

[Neofight]

Loved this story about Junior...

Eric Olsen, an offensive guard for the New Orleans Saints, shared a sweet story about how he met Seau in high school, and the encounter changed his life.

"Wow this is a tough one.. When I was a frosh in HS Junior Seau worked the Jay Fiedler Football camp and at the end of one of the days he challenged any1 to a 1 on 1. Being one of the 'big' kids, I was volunteered by my buddies and went up in front of the whole camp to face this monster of a man. Shaking in my cleats, he gave me a wink before a coach gave the cadence. He let me pancake him. And he sold it too. I can't even tell you how good I felt at that moment; it changed me forever. The whole camp cheered for me, a chubby kid that didn't know if he even liked football. From then on I was addicted. All thanks 2 this 10 time all-pro that felt like making some snot-nosed kid's day. Doesn't seem like much but it meant a lot to me. Sorry for the essay just had to share. RIP Junior I'll never forget what you did for me."

 

[statgrubby]

The town is really turned upside down

 

[Kenny Powers]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

 

[cobalt_27]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

Guarantee they find evidence of CTE. Even though this is science, there is big public policy and $ at stake. No chance they don't drum up something.

 

[Hoot&HoLLer]

I have been avoiding opening this thread. Just not right reading title. Hard to believe. Way too sad a topic to want to read the posts. RIP Junior.

 

[Max Power]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

Guarantee they find evidence of CTE. Even though this is science, there is big public policy and $ at stake. No chance they don't drum up something.

Drum up something? what are you getting at?No doubt they find CTE though. 25-30 years of hits to the head will do that to everyone.

 

[bushdocda]

I'm sorry to hear about this. 43 is too young for dying.

This was my first thought also when I heard he was shot in the chest.

The fact Seau chose to shoot himself in the chest seems like a premeditated decision -- considering several NFL players have recently killed themselves in a similar fashion in order to preserve their brains for research purposes ... in the wake of new studies which appear to connect football-related concussions to suicidal behavior.

Very interesting

Whoa.

 

[Wadsworth]

Why all of a sudden are suicides prevalent in pro football? Concussions were a bigger problem for previous generations. No rules, inferior helmets, shoot 'em up and put 'em back out mentality, etc. Just saying - were there similar suicides in decades past that I just don't know about? Or, are steroids the bigger issue?

Could be the ever-increasing size, speed, and strength of the players. Helmets protect the skull, but they don't necessarily protect the brain. The head isn't meant to absorb repeated blows. And when you've got these mammoth guys knocking heads all game, bad things are going to happen.

The idea has been put forward that many of the players in Junior Seau's age range are the first group of players that have been playing tackle football since a very young age. Previously in most areas tackle football might not start until junior high school. But in the recent past youth tackle football became available to kids as early as elementary school age. The idea is that more years of football means more concussions and a greater build up of damage.I am not a doctor and have not idea if any of this is valid, but read an article about a while back but do not have a link.

 

[cobalt_27]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

Guarantee they find evidence of CTE. Even though this is science, there is big public policy and $ at stake. No chance they don't drum up something.

Drum up something? what are you getting at?No doubt they find CTE though. 25-30 years of hits to the head will do that to everyone.

And, that's just the thing, it won't do it for everyone. First, if the proposition is true that repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows to the head increase your risk for the developing this tauopathy, then what are the other factors? Because, clearly not everyone who gets concussions, bad concussions, repeated concussions go on to develop CTE. Also messy is that many who had CTE did not exhibit the behavioral issues (e.g., depression, suicidality, etc.) being heavily popularized by the media.Third, the vast majority of people with behavioral/mood problems, like depression and suicidality, do not show evidence of CTE.Bottom line, it's just not as easy as it's currently being marketed.

 

[goonsquad]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

Guarantee they find evidence of CTE. Even though this is science, there is big public policy and $ at stake. No chance they don't drum up something.

Drum up something? what are you getting at?No doubt they find CTE though. 25-30 years of hits to the head will do that to everyone.

And, that's just the thing, it won't do it for everyone. First, if the proposition is true that repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows to the head increase your risk for the developing this tauopathy, then what are the other factors? Because, clearly not everyone who gets concussions, bad concussions, repeated concussions go on to develop CTE. Also messy is that many who had CTE did not exhibit the behavioral issues (e.g., depression, suicidality, etc.) being heavily popularized by the media.Third, the vast majority of people with behavioral/mood problems, like depression and suicidality, do not show evidence of CTE.Bottom line, it's just not as easy as it's currently being marketed.

Not everyone that smokes gets cancer. And not everyone that gets cancer is a smoker.

 

[cobalt_27]

Goonsquad, have you attended any conferences our consulted with neuroscientists studying this? Because, if you have, then you would understand that there is so much about the effects of concussions and what CTE its that is so poorly understood right now. Could be everything hypothesized right now. 0ut we are nowhere near close to what we know about smoking and cancer. Sorry.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Heard on the radio a little bit ago that his family is going to let his brain be studied

Guarantee they find evidence of CTE. Even though this is science, there is big public policy and $ at stake. No chance they don't drum up something.

Drum up something? what are you getting at?No doubt they find CTE though. 25-30 years of hits to the head will do that to everyone.

And, that's just the thing, it won't do it for everyone. First, if the proposition is true that repeated concussive and sub-concussive blows to the head increase your risk for the developing this tauopathy, then what are the other factors? Because, clearly not everyone who gets concussions, bad concussions, repeated concussions go on to develop CTE. Also messy is that many who had CTE did not exhibit the behavioral issues (e.g., depression, suicidality, etc.) being heavily popularized by the media.Third, the vast majority of people with behavioral/mood problems, like depression and suicidality, do not show evidence of CTE.Bottom line, it's just not as easy as it's currently being marketed.

Not everyone that smokes gets cancer. And not everyone that gets cancer is a smoker.

Everyone has cancer. It's just that sometimes our immune system either doesn't recognize the cancer cells as cancer, or it becomes overwhelmed and can't fight it off.

 

[cobalt_27]

For those subscribing to the mass CTE hysteria...

Slate article