ex-Jet Dorian Boose commits suicide

[Dcat]

http://www.scout.com/college/washington-state/story/1732973-the-tragic-life-of-old-wsu-star-dorian-boose

 

CFC archives/Getty

The tragic life of former WSU star and Jets end Dorian Boose; old Cougar teammates recall 'ray of light'

BARRY BOLTON

Tuesday at 10:30 AM

ONE FORMER teammate called him a “ray of light” and others remembered his buoyant personality and affinity for singing gospel tunes. Dorian Boose, a star defensive end on arguably the greatest Washington State team ever assembled, once appeared to have the world by the proverbial tail.

He was a second-round NFL draft pick whom his ex-wife had described as “an amazing dad with a larger-than-life personality."

But when his football career petered out and his youngest son was diagnosed with autism, Boose began a downward spiral that ended with suicide.

Boose’s brother, Eric, who also played for the Cougars, posted the tragic news Saturday on Facebook . Here is an excerpt of what he wrote:

 

"My 42 year old brother died (from suicide, according to medical examiners) ... If you look his name up on the Internet (Dorian A Boose) you'll see videos of him singing and doing written poems of positivity. My brother was in the NFL. He then developed a drug issue after playing in the Canadian league. He never came back from Canada despite our pleads for him to come home. I feel that he didn't want to come back due to how much weight he lost from using drugs.  My brother has 2 beautiful kids that we're worth every bit of his attention. However, drugs make you selfish …

 

I’ll never judge anyone for failing, because life is all about the comeback story. Nevertheless, only God can judge one's heart righteously. My brother is with God now. I Trust God to do right by him … There is a gap in my family where my brother once stood. I think in depth about everything that crosses my path. The way he died continues not to make sense to me."

 

The Twitter account ThisDayinEsksHistory (Boose had played for the Edmonton Eskimos) stated that he died Nov. 22.

No other details are known, but reliable sources believe Boose had been homeless for a number of years.

Boose prepped at Foss High in Tacoma and spent two years at Walla Walla Community College before coming to WSU. He proceeded to etch his name in Cougar lore as part of the 1997 team that won the Pac-10 title and played in the 1998 Rose Bowl — WSU’s first appearance in the Granddaddy in 67 years. 

He was a big (6-6, 282), lightning-fast end who teamed with Leon Bender, Shane Doyle, Gary Holmes and backups Rob Meier and Jonathan Nance to form one of the most formidable defensive line rotations in a generation of Cougar football.

“Dorian had a smile that would lighten up a room, a voice that you could hear across campus when he sang and a pass rush that would put any Pac-10 offense tackle on his butt,” old Cougar teammate Jason McEndoo, now a coach at Oklahoma State, told CF.C. “I loved competing against him and Leon Bender every day in practice! They were the anchor of that 1998 Rose Bowl defense and we were a better team on Saturdays because of them."

Boose was presented the Butler Award in 1997 as the most spirited senior on the Cougars. He was twice named second-team All-Pac-10, in 1996 and 1997.

Ryan Leaf, the quarterback of the 1996 and 1997 Cougars, has fought his own battles with addiction and now is a counselor in Los Angeles helping others. The news of Boose's death hit him hard.

"I'm devastated to hear of Dorian's passing. It pains me that I wasn't aware of his struggles, which would have allowed me to reach out to a friend and teammate in need," he said. "Again, this disease and stigma wouldn't let a strong and prideful young man reach out for help and be vulnerable. I know it too well and my heart hurts tonight." 

Ryan McShane, another Rose Bowl teammate, characterized Boose as “a great, life-loving person for the years I knew him. If life ever gets you down to the point of despair, there are always people to help. Ask for help. RIP 90.”

Following the Rose Bowl (a narrow loss to national champion Michigan), Boose was the No. 1 pick of the New York Jets, going to them in the second round with the No. 56 overall pick. Bender, who went earlier in that round to the Raiders, died tragically five weeks later after a head injury caused by an epileptic seizure.

Boose was represented by former Husky Ed Cunningham and received a signing bonus of $718,000 and a four-year-contract worth a potential $2 million, according to New York Times reports. Jets coaches, including head man Bill Parcells, were reportedly impressed by Boose's work in practice his first two seasons but frustrated he couldn't carry it over to games.

In a 2014 Washington Post feature story on Boose’s oldest son, then a standout high school player who is now a second-year freshman at Cincinnati, Boose’s former wife, Brenda, said, "after how things ended in the NFL and all the pressures, I truly believe he ran from the fact that he had an autistic child. He never accepted it.”

Boose played three injury-plagued seasons with the Jets (1998-2000) and one with the Redskins (2001) before getting cut by the Texans in 2002 and moving on to Edmonton of the Canadian Football League for the 2003 and ’04 seasons. The Eskimos won the Grey Cup in 2003.

Boose filed for divorce after moving to Canada and soon fell completely out of his kids’ lives, Brenda told the Post in 2014.

In 596 Switch, a  2011 book Leaf wrote about the 1997 season, he recalled Boose sparking a turnaround when the magical campaign almost hit the skids in Game 7 against Arizona.

“Suddenly our ship of destiny was on the rocks. When we arrived in the locker room (at halftime), Dorian Boose, our outstanding senior defensive end from Tacoma, wasn’t happy. Dorian was a team leader, but always in a big-brotherly type way. Not today. He was bothered and let all of us know it was time to quit screwing around. He got everyone fired up. The fact he was usually so mild mannered made the impact of his words that much stronger."

WSU won the game in overtime, 35-34, when the defense thwarted a two-point-conversion try by Arizona. The Cougars finished the regular season with a 10-1 record that was capped by a nail biter over Washington in Seattle that clinched the Rose Bowl berth. “I couldn’t even get into the locker room,” Boose told Dan Weaver of The Spokesman-Review when asked about the ensuing crimson catharsis in Husky Stadium. “Fans wanted my shoulder pads, my helmet. I was out there, watching the purple just kind of filter out of the stadium.”

In the same story, published just prior to the Rose Bowl, Boose said of the season and the way it united the community, “You just have to live it. Words really can’t describe the whole exuberant feeling.”

As fate would have it, Boose was asked in the Nov. 8, 1997 edition of the game-day magazine Crimson & Gray what he would do if he had $25,000 for charity. He said, "I would give it to a homeless foundation to help those less fortunate get a respectable start in life." In that same edition of the magazine he was asked to name his role model. He said, "My wife, because of her precious advice." He also dubbed himself "a big pussy cat," and listed Seinfeld as his favorite TV show and the King James Bible as his favorite book.

In addition to McEndoo, McShane and Leaf, four other members of the 1997 Cougars shared their thoughts on Boose and his passing …

Rob Rainville:

“It's sad to see the loss of a teammate, especially one like Dorian. He was always so uplifting and positive, singing gospel music and acting almost like a little kid at times. I think it was because he was always having so much fun playing ball and being around his teammates, he was a kid at heart. Everyone has great memories of Dorian, and I can remember that he made me a better o-lineman in practice, he was a good teammate  and he represented WSU the way you want guys to represent your school, your coach and family. I wish there was something I could have done to help, if anything. And that's the hardest thing about being in a such a tight family of teammates -- as a teammate, you’d do anything for one another. but when something like this happens it hits hard, and you feel helpless and frustrated. And all you can do is wish the best for his family and loved ones. I’d do anything for my guys, it's just sad to see the loss of a teammate so early in life. Hug your kids and family tonight, life is hard.  And I can still hear it … whenever Dorian made a tackle … ‘Booooooossssse.’  RIP.”

Cory Withrow:

“Dorian was a ray of light. He could change atmospheres with his attitude. I remember going out early with him for a coin flip or to face the team, and I would be so mad and jacked up I would be in tears and Big D would start talking to me, maybe singing to me, maybe giving me an impression of what I looked like, and then he’d start laughing. It would make me laugh and I could relax and play. I feel a deep sadness for his family. I pray the hand of God is on them to protect them and comfort them right now and for the rest of their days.”

Shawn McWashington:

"He was an incredibly kind soul -- more the type of guy to help others than reach out for help himself I think. Just a really nice guy. I hadn't seen him since our Pro Day. I had no idea his life had taken a turn ... Every time I hear his name the thought that comes to mind is the single-greatest practice play I've ever seen anyone, at any position, make. It was in practice leading up to the '97 season. He's rushing Ryan (Leaf) and as the ball releases for a pass to the slotback, Dorian -- about five yards away -- jumps up and pulls it down with both hands and returns it for a 'touchdown.' The very best defensive linemen would have been lucky to get a finger on that ball. He was so good."

Lee Harrison:

"Dorian's presence was always felt as his positivity and persona filled up any room. He was always belting out a song in and around the locker room and it always made me chuckle how such an enormous guy could have this positive, light-hearted mantra about him. Our team was all the better for having not just his athletic prowess but also his attitude. I guarantee he touched people's lives along his journey. I'm grateful for the short few years I got to be around Dorian. My heart goes out to his family.”

IN HAPPIER TIMES: Boose and son Taylor are shown here touring Universal City prior to the 1998 Rose Bowl. According to the Washington Post, a guy who by all accounts had been a great dad, abandoned the family when Taylor was 7 ...

 

 

[Maxman]

Terrible news. So sad. RIP Dorian.

[joewilly12]

Damn. sad I met him his rookie season at training camp got his autograph he was a really nice kid what a shame. RIP 

[Jetdawgg]

RIP unreal 

[TuscanyTile2]

Sounded like he had a troubled life but I like that they said he was a great dad.  So sad that his poor son had autism.  Understandable how much it would affect him.

(side note - I think we need science to also investigate the CAUSE of the rise in autism rather than just the cure). 

[Warfish]

Don't do hard drugs kids.  No matter what.  

They destroy lives.  From NFL's players lives down to my little brother's life, lots and lots and lots of lives.  All destroyed.

[slats]

Just a sad, sad waste. 

[Gas2No99]

RIP Boose. 

2016 has been a VERY HARD year in terms of losing icons and people who are admired by many. 

That said, really weird year in that three former Jets die relatively young by unnatural means. 

[TJ]

Awful hearing this news.   R. I. P. 

[Colgateman]

Rest easy boose, this hasn't been a good year for ex Jets at all.

[shevys]

Sad day to be a Jets fan...sadder than usual, that is

 

RIP

[AFJF]

Wow...crazy stuff.  Can't imagine.

[Larz]

so sad

RIP

[RSJ]

Very sad.

RIP

[RSJ]

I believe his son Taylor just signed to play college football at the Univ of Cincinnati. He plays RB. These should be the best day of Dorian's life. Terribly sad.

[sourceworx]

Damn....

[Bugg]

What people need to know; there are resources out there to get addicts into rehab. It may not work the 1st or 2nd or 3rd time, but sooner or later the bell does go off and most people realize it's the only way other than death.You cannot indulge an addict, but you have to be ready to hold out a hand and hope they grab it.  Sadly looks like the bell never went off here. RIP, and may his family have some solace. 

[The Crusher]

3 hours ago, Warfish said:

Don't do hard drugs kids.  No matter what.  

They destroy lives.  From NFL's players lives down to my little brother's life, lots and lots and lots of lives.  All destroyed.

Pure sadness. Rip

[faba]

RIP addictions no matter what are killers

[ASH1962]

Well that's a hat trick. WTF kind of crappy year this has been. Transcending football, our ex players are dying. W T M F?

 

[jetophile]

I heard earlier today. What a shame. RIP.

[rillo]

Man, 2016 has been rough. RIP

[Joe W. Namath]

Geez.  He was a Parcells pick that never really panned out.  I remember I was really into madden and he would make some plays for me.

RIP.

[Il Mostro]

Heartbreaking story. RIP.

[Beerfish]

Just little tid bit on this, when Boose left the NFL and came to my home town team in the CFL (Edmonton) he was just fantastic his 1st year here, won the lineman of the week 3 times.  Was tremendous and you could see he actually did have NFL talent.  The next year he was not at all the same guy, he was out of of shape in camp and I think was gone by mid season.  He fell really fast.

[Lot K Tailgaters]

Terrible story.  When I was a freshmen at Hofstra I had met him in the gym working out.  Was a real nice guy from the one short convo and was pretty damn strong. 

[BallinPB]

RIP

[phill1c]

RIP Dorian...

[JetBlue]

On 12/2/2016 at 4:41 PM, Warfish said:

Don't do hard drugs kids.  No matter what.  

They destroy lives.  From NFL's players lives down to my little brother's life, lots and lots and lots of lives.  All destroyed.

Define hard drugs; alcohol may need to be added to that list.  Sorry about your brother.  Heroin ruined my older brothers life and just when he finally kicked that horrible habit and was putting his life back together, he was diagnosed with AIDs and died about a year later.  I can feel Eric Boose's pain.

[nyjunc]

what a crazy year, first Byrd then McKnight now Boose.  what a terrible year for the Jet family.

[GREENBEAN]

Wow. This is so incredibly sad. The poor kids.