Junior Seau-disturbing news about his death

[faba]

Loading... By BARRY WILNER, AP

36 minutes ago

FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2010, file photo, New England Patriots linebacker Ju...

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for nearly two decades, had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Results of an NIH study of Seau's brain revealed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

``The brain was independently evaluated by multiple experts, in a blind fashion,'' said Dr. Russell Lonser, who oversaw the study. ``We had the opportunity to get multiple experts involved in a way they wouldn't be able to directly identify his tissue even if they knew he was one of the individuals studied.''

The NIH, based in Bethesda, Md., conducted a study of three unidentified brains, one of which was Seau's. It said the findings on Seau were similar to autopsies of people ``with exposure to repetitive head injuries.''

Seau's family requested the analysis of his brain.

Seau was a star linebacker for 20 NFL seasons with San Diego, Miami and New England before retiring in 2009. He died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound.

He joins a list of several dozen football players who had CTE. Boston University's center for study of the disease reported last month that 34 former pro players and nine who played only college football suffered from CTE.

``I was not surprised after learning a little about CTE that he had it,'' Seau's 23-year-old son Tyler said. ``He did play so many years at that level. I was more just kind of angry I didn't do something more and have the awareness to help him more, and now it is too late.

``I don't think any of us were aware of the side effects that could be going on with head trauma until he passed away. We didn't know his behavior was from head trauma.''

That behavior, according to Tyler Seau and Junior's ex-wife Gina, included wild mood swings, irrationality, forgetfulness, insomnia and depression.

``He emotionally detached himself and would kind of `go away' for a little bit,'' Tyler Seau said. ``And then the depression and things like that. It started to progressively get worse.''

He hid it well in public, they said. But not when he was with family or close friends.

The NFL faces lawsuits by thousands of former players who say the league withheld information on the harmful effects concussions can have on their health.

Seau is not the first former NFL player who killed himself, then was found to have CTE. Dave Duerson and Ray Easterling are others.

Duerson, a former Chicago Bears defensive back, left a note asking for his brain to be studied for signs of trauma before shooting himself. His family filed a wrongful death suit against the NFL, claiming the league didn't do enough to prevent or treat the concussions that severely damaged his brain.

Easterling played safety for the Falcons in the 1970s. After his career, he suffered from dementia, depression and insomnia, according to his wife, Mary Ann. He committed suicide last April.

Mary Ann Easterling is among the plaintiffs who have sued the NFL.

``It was important to us to get to the bottom of this, the truth,'' Gina Seau said, ``and now that it has been conclusively determined from every expert that he had obviously had it, CTE, we just hope it is taken more seriously.

``You can't deny it exists, and it is hard to deny there is a link between head trauma and CTE. There's such strong evidence correlating head trauma and collisions and CTE.''

Tyler Seau played football through high school and for two years in college. He says he has no symptoms of any brain trauma.

Gina Seau's son Jake, now a high school junior, played football for two seasons, but has switched to lacrosse and has been recruited to play at Duke.

``Lacrosse is really his sport and what he is passionate about,'' she said. ``He is a good football player and probably could continue. But especially now watching what his dad went through, he says, `Why would I risk lacrosse for football?'

``I didn't have to have a discussion with him after we saw what Junior went through.''

Her 12-year-old son, Hunter, has shown no interest in playing football.

``That's fine with me,'' she said.

[Jetsfan80]

Makes sense. He shot himself in the chest for a reason.

[Lil Bit Special]

what's disturbing about this news? More like expected news.

Still sad and feel bad for his family and friends.

[faba]

Sorry if you do not like my titile-showing respect to him and his family

[#27TheDominator]

Makes sense. He shot himself in the chest for a reason.

That's what makes it even more heartbreaking. If they know that the head injuries are causing it, you would hope they would get some help. There are levels with this sh*t, but I'm sure that some of it can be treated. It isn't going to make a guy with a damaged brain 100%, but I'm pretty sure that they can deal with depression and mood swings somewhat effectively. This is going to be the death of the sport that we love and maybe for the best.

[Maxman]

Sorry if you do not like my titile-showing respect to him and his family

Seriously. Your title is spot on. This is disturbing.

[Jetsfan80]

That's what makes it even more heartbreaking. If they know that the head injuries are causing it, you would hope they would get some help. There are levels with this sh*t, but I'm sure that some of it can be treated. It isn't going to make a guy with a damaged brain 100%, but I'm pretty sure that they can deal with depression and mood swings somewhat effectively. This is going to be the death of the sport that we love and maybe for the best.

Perhaps the depression these players experience due to brain damage is so great they don't even have the motivation to seek help. Brain trauma is a complicated mess.

[#27TheDominator]

Perhaps the depression these players experience due to brain damage is so great they don't even have the motivation to seek help. Brain trauma is a complicated mess.

It certainly is a complicated mess, but if someone has the motivation to shoot yourself in the chest, you'd hope they'd have the motivation to try to seek some kind of help. If nothing else to save the family trauma. If you read the indicators, you'd probably be shocked at the number of warning factors you have. My cousin and I both had a bunch of them. I can only imagine how bad it gets when you start going down the scale.

[T0mShane]

Let's disband the NFL so all future Junior Seau's can go work on a dock.

[bitonti]

If they know that the head injuries are causing it, you would hope they would get some help. There are levels with this sh*t, but I'm sure that some of it can be treated.

what kind of help is there? NONE. there's no treatment for CTE and you can't get a brain transplant.

[Bugg]

Let's disband the NFL so all future Junior Seau's can go work on a dock.

This is a collision sport. It cannot be made safe despite Goodell pretensions otherwise. Most of these players know the risks. What can be changed is all former NFL players deserve the best health care. And given the money the NFL makes, spare us the BS ads and get retired players a Cadillac health plan.

[SayNoToDMC]

Let's disband the NFL so all future Junior Seau's can go work on a dock.

Docks can be dangerous

[#27TheDominator]

Let's disband the NFL so all future Junior Seau's can go work on a dock.

That might not even help. How many of these kids got this in college, high school or sandlots? Chris Henry supposedly had some form of it and I don't think he was ever diagnosed with a concussion. At least the NFL -like the docks - pays. How much money do they make for the NCAA who just passes them on without paying a cent.

what kind of help is there? NONE. there's no treatment for CTE and you can't get a brain transplant.

How can they treat it? They can only diagnose it post-mortem. They should be able to treat the symptoms. That is not perfect, but it beats a shotgun to the chest for most people. Being punchy has been around forever and it is only recently that these suicides have started coming to light. Part of that is failure to note them and part may be copy-cat actions.

[bitonti]

They should be able to treat the symptoms. That is not perfect, but it beats a shotgun to the chest for most people.

they can treat the symptom of being depressed or suicidal even but they can't fix the memory loss or other brain problems.

[peebag]

Let's disband the NFL so all future Junior Seau's can go work on a dock.

I really thought for a sec you said something else....and it wasn't a pretty picture...

[#27TheDominator]

they can treat the symptom of being depressed or suicidal even but they can't fix the memory loss or other brain problems.

Obviously. They are still taking baby steps at this point.

[T0mShane]

This is a collision sport. It cannot be made safe despite Goodell pretensions otherwise. Most of these players know the risks. What can be changed is all former NFL players deserve the best health care. And given the money the NFL makes, spare us the BS ads and get retired players a Cadillac health plan.

Agreed on the health plan and pensions, that's fine. But, I think the root of Seau's problems was that he was 40 years old and nobody gave a sh*t who Junior Seau was. He was an attention whore on the field, and he's attention whoring in death.

[Stonehands]

The bigger issue due to the shear number of players and the lack of any restrictions is the hitting in High School and College. These things have a cummulative effect and while the NFL has collectively bargained fewer contact practices, it still remains the way to teach blocking and tackling at the lower levels of the sport.

[Matt39]

The bigger issue due to the shear number of players and the lack of any restrictions is the hitting in High School and College. These things have a cummulative effect and while the NFL has collectively bargained fewer contact practices, it still remains the way to teach blocking and tackling at the lower levels of the sport.

Triple sessions, full pads...practice sucked

[#27TheDominator]

No water. Water is for pussies.

[Matt39]

No water. Water is for pussies.

So was pre wrap for taping your ankles. Nothing like pulling medical tape off of hairy ankles. That's a man.

[#27TheDominator]

I don't think they invented that sh*t yet. In Italy we were even using it on our fingers sometimes.

[Irish Jet]

The helmets don't help.

My guess is in 10 years the tackling will be just changed to rugby's rules. Below the waist, no helmets, no pads. It's going to be funny as sh*t watching veteran safeties trying to wrap up 230lb running backs.

Not sure how that will actually work in such a end to end sport. In Rugby it's easily operated because it's mostly sideline to sideline. You rarely have two guys running top speed and meeting head on. Will be interesting to see how this is addressed, sadly it does need addressing.

[jgb]

it is the greatest spectator sport in existance in part because of the inherent risk, unfortunately. is there anyone who can't say they've celebrated a crushing hit delivered by your team? not trying to call anyone out, my point is that there is a gigantic financial incentive to bandaid this with health plans and pensions without ever addressing the root cause

[slats]

Agreed on the health plan and pensions, that's fine. But, I think the root of Seau's problems was that he was 40 years old and nobody gave a sh*t who Junior Seau was. He was an attention whore on the field, and he's attention whoring in death.

Usually you're funny, but this is just an ugly post.

There's some conclusive evidence here that the man battered his brain into mental illness, and you think he killed himself out of some sort of vanity? Seriously?

As for brain trauma in football, I don't know what the solution is outside of banning the sport. It's a game of high speed collisions, and high tech helmets can only help so much when the problem is the brain slamming around inside the skull.

[T0mShane]

Usually you're funny, but this is just an ugly post.

There's some conclusive evidence here that the man battered his brain into mental illness, and you think he killed himself out of some sort of vanity? Seriously?

As for brain trauma in football, I don't know what the solution is outside of banning the sport. It's a game of high speed collisions, and high tech helmets can only help so much when the problem is the brain slamming around inside the skull.

I don't think it was vanity, per se, but depression. His career was over, his restaurant flopped, he had nothing going on after 40+ years of being an untouchable superstar who loved the spotlight. The guy hung onto a football career for twenty years--the last stretch of it as a diminished, name-only roster hanger. Twenty years in a sport he then elected to demonize by blowing his chest out with a shotgun where his family would find him. So, I'm saying that Seau's reason to kill himself was less about some noble effort to expose the great crimes of the sport that made him a millionaire than it was about him hating life as a regular old citizen.

[#27TheDominator]

Shane's post may seem mean spirited, but it may be better not to glorify this act as something noble. I feel for the guy, but there are tons of guys that have differing levels of traumatic brain injury and this is the last thing that we want to encourage.

[Greenseed4]

I don't think it was vanity, per se, but depression. His career was over, his restaurant flopped, he had nothing going on after 40+ years of being an untouchable superstar who loved the spotlight. The guy hung onto a football career for twenty years--the last stretch of it as a diminished, name-only roster hanger. Twenty years in a sport he then elected to demonize by blowing his chest out with a shotgun where his family would find him. So, I'm saying that Seau's reason to kill himself was less about some noble effort to expose the great crimes of the sport that made him a millionaire than it was about him hating life as a regular old citizen.

POTW nom

[slats]

Shane's post may seem mean spirited, but it may be better not to glorify this act as something noble. I feel for the guy, but there are tons of guys that have differing levels of traumatic brain injury and this is the last thing that we want to encourage.

The man killed himself because his brain was damaged, and that damage lead to severe depression. He wasn't depressed because he wasn't in the spotlight anymore. He was depressed because his brain was broken. To imply anything else is rather disgusting to me.

He didn't kill himself as an act of glory, either. The method he chose was purposeful so that his brain could be studied, that's it. I don't think anyone's glorifying that. I also doubt he'll be the last one.

[Bugg]

I don't think it was vanity, per se, but depression. His career was over, his restaurant flopped, he had nothing going on after 40+ years of being an untouchable superstar who loved the spotlight. The guy hung onto a football career for twenty years--the last stretch of it as a diminished, name-only roster hanger. Twenty years in a sport he then elected to demonize by blowing his chest out with a shotgun where his family would find him. So, I'm saying that Seau's reason to kill himself was less about some noble effort to expose the great crimes of the sport that made him a millionaire than it was about him hating life as a regular old citizen.

There was an EPSN "30 for 30" about pro athletes going bankrupt. Made the point over and over again that the worst time mentally for all these guys is at the end. They know the big paychecks are about to stop and the monthly nut is damn big and nobody wants to go back after living large. Many have no idea what to do with themselves when the cheering stops. And invariably instead of looking for a new career or managing investments(and many don't bother to invest in the first place or do so stupidly) these guys because of ego go for home run high risk investments that objectively have a high failure rate. There's nothing sexy about getting a small but solid return on a mutual fund. SO instead Seau goes for a restaurant(which have a ridiculous high failure rate), Curt Schilling goes for software game company(ridiculously bankrupt), Lenny Dykstra pretends to be Gordon Gekko(in jail), and so on. It's a shame because if any of these guys simply had taken the money they made and saved it and lived reasonably there is no reason they should ever have to work again. But no matter how many cautionary tales there are it keeps happening. Suspect with Seau gearing down and living simply wasn't an option, and failure made him go into overdrive. Doesn't exonerate anyone. But if you gave Seau the choice at 18 of being a regular working joe and a long simple life or that of of HoF linebacker but short and problematic one, he would've taken the later.

And larger point; you don't become an NFL football player because you wish to live safely, simply and quietly. Certain personality types are going to be attracted to certain professions and lifestyles. EVen within pro football different positions attract different kinds of people.

Said show-

http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=broke

[Irish Jet]

I don't think it was vanity, per se, but depression. His career was over, his restaurant flopped, he had nothing going on after 40+ years of being an untouchable superstar who loved the spotlight. The guy hung onto a football career for twenty years--the last stretch of it as a diminished, name-only roster hanger. Twenty years in a sport he then elected to demonize by blowing his chest out with a shotgun where his family would find him. So, I'm saying that Seau's reason to kill himself was less about some noble effort to expose the great crimes of the sport that made him a millionaire than it was about him hating life as a regular old citizen.

Judging by the the state of his brain, you really think there was much human rationality behind his decision at all?

It's tough for us to comprehend what actually did force him to do this, It could have been bitterness as easily as it could have been to save lives of future players, perhaps the guilt of knowing what others were going through without anything being done. He didn't have the brain of a healthy human being so it's impossible to know (it's impossible to know with healthy people regardless).

It's very, very harsh to jump to your conclusion. You just don't know.

[slats]

I don't think it was vanity, per se, but depression. His career was over, his restaurant flopped, he had nothing going on after 40+ years of being an untouchable superstar who loved the spotlight. The guy hung onto a football career for twenty years--the last stretch of it as a diminished, name-only roster hanger. Twenty years in a sport he then elected to demonize by blowing his chest out with a shotgun where his family would find him. So, I'm saying that Seau's reason to kill himself was less about some noble effort to expose the great crimes of the sport that made him a millionaire than it was about him hating life as a regular old citizen.

His brain was damaged, Tom. He didn't make any rational decision to commit suicide. He was suffering severely because of that brain damage, and because of that brain damage he could see no other way out but suicide.

Suggesting that he did it because he hated life as a "regular old citizen" is repulsive.

[pedro55]

The man killed himself because his brain was damaged, and that damage lead to severe depression. He wasn't depressed because he wasn't in the spotlight anymore. He was depressed because his brain was broken. To imply anything else is rather disgusting to me.

He didn't kill himself as an act of glory, either. The method he chose was purposeful so that his brain could be studied, that's it. I don't think anyone's glorifying that. I also doubt he'll be the last one.

He drove himself off a cliff about a year prior to him shooting himself after getting charged with domestic violence.

The biggest issue we have these days it we need to blame something 100 percent on some CTE or illness. Life is a lot more complicated than that. It's easy to just say, "hey he had brain damage cause of hits in football, so he killed himself". Does that explain other people who kill themselves who played baseball or basketball? Does that explain some psycho who shoots up a school and kills himself? No. Does that explain many celebrities who kill themselves with drugs, alcohol or anything else at a young age? No.

Part of it is the brain damage. Part of it is drugs taken over the years to mask pain, to get bigger and stronger. Part of it is just life. Sometimes life sucks. Sometimes relationships suck. A lot of people, not just football players, have a hard time dealing with it. And to discount the fact that he was a star, a celebrity, people worshipped him, is short sighted. There are a lot of people who are forced to retire at a certain age, and wind up falling apart of dying. His life was football. Not having that in his life obviously would make anybody depressed without an illness.

The truth is, it's not just as simple as saying, He took a lot of hits, got brain damage, got depressed and thats why he killed himself. He was having issues with his relationships. He was having a hard time dealing with life after football. And in the end, nothing really helped. Sad, but these days everybody just likes to bottle up on reason and think thats it. Again, life really isn't that simple.

[slats]

He drove himself off a cliff about a year prior to him shooting himself after getting charged with domestic violence.

The biggest issue we have these days it we need to blame something 100 percent on some CTE or illness. Life is a lot more complicated than that. It's easy to just say, "hey he had brain damage cause of hits in football, so he killed himself". Does that explain other people who kill themselves who played baseball or basketball? Does that explain some psycho who shoots up a school and kills himself? No. Does that explain many celebrities who kill themselves with drugs, alcohol or anything else at a young age? No.

Part of it is the brain damage. Part of it is drugs taken over the years to mask pain, to get bigger and stronger. Part of it is just life. Sometimes life sucks. Sometimes relationships suck. A lot of people, not just football players, have a hard time dealing with it. And to discount the fact that he was a star, a celebrity, people worshipped him, is short sighted. There are a lot of people who are forced to retire at a certain age, and wind up falling apart of dying. His life was football. Not having that in his life obviously would make anybody depressed without an illness.

The truth is, it's not just as simple as saying, He took a lot of hits, got brain damage, got depressed and thats why he killed himself. He was having issues with his relationships. He was having a hard time dealing with life after football. And in the end, nothing really helped. Sad, but these days everybody just likes to bottle up on reason and think thats it. Again, life really isn't that simple.

So on a sliding scale of "conclusive evidence of severe brain trauma" to "hated life as a regular old citizen" where do you think this suicide falls?

[#27TheDominator]

So on a sliding scale of "conclusive evidence of severe brain trauma" to "hated life as a regular old citizen" where do you think this suicide falls?

What's the difference? It is a tragedy in any event and we should do everything that we can to discourage others from ending up in the same boat.