Ed Reed - Junior Seau "Signed up for it"

[The Moekid]

Originally Posted by LongTimeOCBolts

That is a cynical view, and not even remotely in keeping with the employers I know. I sit on several Boards -- and on every single one of them, humanitarian factors are presented by management in connection with budgetary considerations. Management often takes cuts -- or even gets fired -- to spare the guys at the lower end to the totem pole who need to feed their families.

Yes, it's cynical and a generalization. I was tying it mainly to conditions in factories and other inherently dangerous jobs where the labor movement and lawsuits are the only things that created safer working conditions. Just look at Apple in China. They literally built a net around the bottom of their building to catch suicidal employees jumping. There's no labor laws or OSHA in China and conditions for workers are abysmal.

[Dekal]

Originally Posted by nmboltsfan

But why would it be the NFL's responsibility, is what I want to know.

Obviously this is a terrible thing that has happened, but I don't understand how the NFL is at fault here. What, if anything, could the NFL have done two years after he retired?

It's hard to say. What if you're working hard labor out in the field and after 20 years of using certain machinery, you find out that it effects the health a lot worse than they initially thought. Shouldn't they have some responsibility?


Would that person had prepared for things differently? Maybe that person would approach injuries differently. To me it doesn't matter if Seau was the kind of guy to "hide" injuries. Isn't the NFL supposed to protect him on the field too? We can't allow people to hurt themselves. Shouldn't he have been confronted about "hiding injuries" or doing things behind closed doors. Shouldn't that have been stopped? Maybe all this information was found out after he stopped playing, but it seems like everybody knew his playing style.



We don't really know all the details and maybe there is a lot more that isn't being said. I'm not an expert of law but to me it seems like someone told them they have a case based on some evidence they may or may not have. Best of luck to the Seau family and everyone involved.

[LongTimeOCBolts]

Originally Posted by The Moekid

Yes, it's cynical and a generalization. I was tying it mainly to conditions in factories and other inherently dangerous jobs where the labor movement and lawsuits are the only things that created safer working conditions. Just look at Apple in China. They literally built a net around the bottom of their building to catch suicidal employees jumping. There's no labor laws or OSHA in China and conditions for workers are abysmal.

That's true. And like I said, lots of companies DO care. I guess neither generalization can be imputed to all companies.

The Apple thing is disgraceful. I am very glad to have read a few articles lately saying that Apple has lost its huge lead in "cool factor." They abused it.

[chargertom]

Originally Posted by Dekal

I'm not an expert of law but to me it seems like someone told them they have a case based on some evidence they may or may not have. Best of luck to the Seau family and everyone involved.

I think it's more a case of throwing something against the wall, and seeing if it will stick.

[VicJericho]

This issue is a slippery slope. I think Seau did indeed sign up for the risks to injuries. Anybody who has played any sport competitively agrees to a certain degree of risk with football being among the most risky sports in existence.

I think there was also a lack of education across the board regarding head injuries and whether the NFL knew about something the general public didn't know is probably the question in the lawsuit.

I remember getting my bell rung but it was not classified as a concussion (in a CAT scan) but as a brain stem refraction. In layman's terms it meant my head snapped back in a certain way like a boxer would from a punch and be down for the count. Anyway, a position coach who was clearly uneducated about these matters tried to make me feel like a piece of doodoo for not suiting up with the team but I waited to get a doctor's clearance to play again. The Head Coach was wise enough to wait for my medical clearance as well.

I could see this happening a lot differently at the pro level, a doctor could ask the player if he was fine after a shot to the head, player lies and the team doctor has no methods to prove or disprove the player's statement. The coach goes off the team doctor's opinion and the player is back on the field playing concussed. Heck, a coach could be pressuring the player to lie to the doctor (to get that dude on the field) or the doctor could lean a player into thinking his symptoms are normal because he didn't know any better from lack of education.

Positive steps are being taken to address these issues by getting independent doctors and forcing a player to sit out the rest of the game if concussion symptoms are present. Passing concussion tests are also a solution to the problem. But I'm betting these changes are obviously too little too late for the plaintiffs in the lawsuits.

[The Moekid]

Originally Posted by VicJericho

This issue is a slippery slope. I think Seau did indeed sign up for the risks to injuries. Anybody who has played any sport competitively agrees to a certain degree of risk with football being among the most risky sports in existence.

I think there was also a lack of education across the board regarding head injuries and whether the NFL knew about something the general public didn't know is probably the question in the lawsuit.

I remember getting my bell rung but it was not classified as a concussion (in a CAT scan) but as a brain stem refraction. In layman's terms it meant my head snapped back in a certain way like a boxer would from a punch and be down for the count. Anyway, a position coach who was clearly uneducated about these matters tried to make me feel like a piece of doodoo for not suiting up with the team but I waited to get a doctor's clearance to play again. The Head Coach was wise enough to wait for my medical clearance as well.

I could see this happening a lot differently at the pro level, a doctor could ask the player if he was fine after a shot to the head, player lies and the team doctor has no methods to prove or disprove the player's statement. The coach goes off the team doctor's opinion and the player is back on the field playing concussed. Heck, a coach could be pressuring the player to lie to the doctor (to get that dude on the field) or the doctor could lean a player into thinking his symptoms are normal because he didn't know any better from lack of education.

Positive steps are being taken to address these issues by getting independent doctors and forcing a player to sit out the rest of the game if concussion symptoms are present. Passing concussion tests are also a solution to the problem. But I'm betting these changes are obviously too little too late for the plaintiffs in the lawsuits.

Nicely done. I agree that the bolded is the issue.

That impacts the risks a player signs up for.

[medafor]

Well the tone in which it was delivered was pretty rude and cocky, so yeah Ed "Grandpa" Reed is a bum for sure. We must remember Seau committed suicide, and you can't blame it solely on concussions no matter what the "scientist" say. Look up the stats on how many people commit suicide daily THAT DON'T PLAY FOOTBALL! Think this whole football concussions equals suicide is just dumb. Seau had issues mentally from the get go, can't blame him taking his life on football. What percentage of players that had a concussions in the history of the NFL have committed suicide? Case closed.

[gzubeck]

Are we gonna outlaw every dangerous sport??? How about auto racing? Mountain climbing? Skiing? Boxing? Running (Heart attack?)?

The only thing the NFL can do is improve safety equipment (Better helmets) and try to modify how players tackle. Also the NFL could set aside an additional pension for the small percentage of NFL players who do succumb to brain damage.

[gzubeck]

Originally Posted by medafor

Well the tone in which it was delivered was pretty rude and cocky, so yeah Ed "Grandpa" Reed is a bum for sure. We must remember Seau committed suicide, and you can't blame it solely on concussions no matter what the "scientist" say. Look up the stats on how many people commit suicide daily THAT DON'T PLAY FOOTBALL! Think this whole football concussions equals suicide is just dumb. Seau had issues mentally from the get go, can't blame him taking his life on football. What percentage of players that had a concussions in the history of the NFL have committed suicide? Case closed.

This is the problem the Seau family is facing...Their whole personal life history is going to be put out in the open for the trial. The only way they can win is to prove over the last decade that Junior slowly deteriorated mentally due the on going brain damage and that may have contributed to his depression and eventual suicide.

[JTolson]

Originally Posted by BoltBacker4Life

Are you serious here man? I do not care what agent fees or taxes are taken out, if a man cannot live off of a $500k a year salary, that's his issue, not the NFLs. And what do you mean they played less games? They were playing 16 games in 1990...even had a bye week in place. And I cannot remember a time since Seau played where a guy would not get paid for missing a game due to injury.

I think you are stuck in the 50's, not Seau's era. And FYI, agents do not make 20%. They average roughly 4%

That's not accurate, 20% is wrong but so is 4%. Get it right. 7-9% is the general pay. If the agent is a solid rep and the agent can negotiate with a rookie, 10% is generally a go to until the contract is re-structured.