Post: #1

The former N.F.L. linebacker Junior Seau had a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma when he committed suicide last spring, the National Institutes of Health said Thursday.

The findings were consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease widely connected to athletes who have absorbed frequent blows to the head, the N.I.H. said in a statement. Seau is the latest and most prominent player to be associated with the disease, which has bedeviled the sport in recent years as a proliferation of studies have exposed the possible long-term cognitive impact of head injuries sustained on the field.

“The type of findings seen in Mr. Seau’s brain have been recently reported in autopsies of individuals with exposure to repetitive head injury,” the N.I.H. said, “including professional and amateur athletes who played contact sports, individuals with multiple concussions, and veterans exposed to blast injury and other trauma.”

Since C.T.E. was diagnosed in the brain of the former Eagles defensive back Andre Waters after his suicide in 2006, the disease has been found in nearly every former player whose brain was examined posthumously. (C.T.E. can only be diagnosed posthumously.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/sports....html?_r=0

Pretty crazy.

I saw that guy in San Diego a bunch of times at nice restaurants. Usually with a fly girl.

Seemed like a real affable cat.

Post: #2

Football players, boxers, and mma fighters have to be careful.

Too many shots to the head can mess with your brain. Repeated brain bruises can alter your brain chemistry. It doesn't happen overnight but if you are in the game for many years, all those shots can add up. I've seen gladiators get depressed and start to act a little koo-koo.

I predict that the NFL will see more and more suicides in the future.

Post: #3

Brain damage is the number one threat to the NHL,NFL and MLB.

I wouldn't be surprise if due to the health risk other sports like basketball acquire the good athletes.

There have been a lot of former NHLers committing suicide the past few year as well.