Did you hear about the ex-Chicago Bears player who committed suicide last week? Dave Duerson, a former Chicago Bears player who was instrumental in their 1985 Super Bowl win, shot himself in the chest -- but not before texting family members with the request that his brain tissue be examined for damage. 
My boyfriend was actually saying the other day that he envies how much money pro athletes make, but there's also a price they pay for that fat paycheck -- many NFL players suffer repeated brain trauma. More than a dozen deceased players have acquired a degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is linked to depression, dementia, and occasionally suicide. Prior to his suicide, Duerson had expressed concern that he might have had the condition.
This is so incredibly sad and disturbing, but maybe it will serve as a wake-up call to the NFL?
The Duerson family, following Dave's wishes, contacted Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy. 
What surprises me is that we only first started hearing about CTE in 2007, when the disease was linked to the suicide of former Philly Eagles player Andre Waters. And then, what? In the past four years, despite several similar cases, it seems like nothing has been done by the NFL to address the issue and offer support to former players who have suffered from related symptoms.
In fact, they're pushing for an 18-game season! Doctors, NFL officials, and even many players denied or discredited the links between football and such brain damage for months or even years, reports The New York Times. Well, guess what, guys? Ignorance, in this case, is certainly NOT bliss. Turning their backs on the existence of CTE is obviously coming back to bite them. 
Also, it's kind of nerve-wracking that Duerson didn't try to get help before resorting to suicide. Couldn't he express his concerns about brain damage to a doctor? Maybe he did, but he was told that he was crazy? Just speculating here, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was just handed some Effexor or Paxil and told to deal with it.
Now that he's gone, though, it seems like people are starting to pay more attention to the problem. According to a union spokesman, some players have called the union’s office in Washington since Duerson’s death wanting to learn more about the condition. Thank GOODNESS! There are likely many former players who are suffering in silence. With hope, this tragic turn of events will lead to valid questions and salient findings about the disease.
Do you think the NFL will start paying more attention to game-related brain damage now?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Duerson
Excerpt:
David Russell Duerson (November 28, 1960 – February 17, 2011) was an American football safety in the National Football League who played for the Chicago Bears (1983–1989), the New York Giants (1990), and the Phoenix Cardinals (1991–1993).

[edit] Early life
Duerson played football, basketball, and baseball at Muncie (Indiana) Northside High School. He was given an opportunity to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a pitcher and outfielder in 1979, but declined. Duerson received many honors during his high school years, including the 1979 Indiana Mr. Football,[2] and was part of the National Honor Society and The Musical Ambassadors All-American Band.

[edit] College career

Duerson played college football at the University of Notre Dame from 1979 to 1982.[3] He graduated with honors, with a BA in Economics. He started all four years, and earned recognition as an All-American in 1981 and 1982. He was named as his team's MVP in 1982, and a Captain. He was the winner of the Edward "Moose" Krause Distinguished Service Award in 1990 by the Notre Dame Monogram Club, of which he was a past president. He was also a member of the University of Notre Dame Board of Trustees from 2001-2005.[3]

[edit] Professional career

Duerson was selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1986 to 1989 in his career, and won two championship rings, with the Bears (Super Bowl XX), and with the Giants (Super Bowl XXV). During the 1986 season, Duerson set an NFL record (later broken in 2005 by Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals) for most sacks in a season by a defensive back, with seven. He also intercepted six passes for 139 yards with a long return of 38 yards. At season's end, Duerson was named first team All-Pro by Pro Football Weekly, the Pro Football Writers Association and The Sporting News and second team All-Pro by AP. In 1987, Duerson was the recipient of the NFL Man of the Year Award. In his 11 seasons, Duerson recorded 20 interceptions, which he returned for 226 yards, and 16 quarterback sacks. He also recovered five fumbles, returning them for 47 yards and a touchdown.

[edit] After football

Duerson owned three McDonald's restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky for six months, from late 1994 to April 1995. He purchased the majority interest in Fair Oaks Farms (formerly Brooks Sausage Company) in 1995.[4] Duerson grew the company from $24M revenue to over $63.5M in six years. He sold his stake in the company in 2002 and started Duerson Foods, but that company was forced into receivership in 2006 and most of its assets were auctioned off.[5]

[edit] Death

Duerson was found dead at his Sunny Isles Beach, Florida[1] home on February 17, 2011. The Miami-Dade County medical examiner reported that Duerson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.[6] He sent a text message to his family saying he wanted his brain to be used for research at the Boston University School of Medicine, which is conducting research into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to playing pro football.[7] He left behind three sons and a daughter from his marriage to ex-wife Alicia Duerson.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Waters

Andre Waters

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Andre Waters

Andre Waters during his tenure with the Eagles.
No. 20     
Safety
Personal information
Date of birth: March 10, 1962(1962-03-10)
Place of birth: Belle Glade, Florida
Date of death: November 20, 2006(2006-11-20) (aged 44)
Place of death: Tampa Bay, Florida
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)Weight: 200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College: Cheyney
Undrafted in 1984
Debuted in 1984 for the Philadelphia Eagles
Last played in 1995 for the Arizona Cardinals
Career history
Career highlights and award
  
  
  
Andre Waters (March 10, 1962 – November 20, 2006) was an NFL defensive back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals from 1984 to 1995. Waters was regarded as one of the NFL's hardest-hitting defenders, serving as an integral part of one of the league's top defenses. On November 20, 2006, Waters committed suicide in his Tampa, Florida home.

 

[edit] Early years

Waters was born in Belle Glade, Florida. He grew up in the extreme poverty of rural Florida, and attended Pahokee High School. As a senior at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania he was recognized as a football small college All-American.

[edit] NFL career

In 1984, Waters was signed as an undrafted free agent by Philadelphia Eagles head coach Marion Campbell. He returned a kickoff for an 89-yard game-winning touchdown against the Washington Redskins as a rookie in 1984. When Buddy Ryan took over for Campbell in 1986, he welcomed Waters' aggressive style as a fierce tackler and ferocious hitter, earning Waters a position in the starting lineup for the next eight years. He blossomed under defensive coordinator Bud Carson. His tackle of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jim Everett in 1988 led to a rule prohibiting defensive players from hitting quarterbacks below the waist while they are still in the pocket; for a while, it was unofficially termed the "Andre Waters Rule". NFL broadcaster Dan Dierdorf notoriously nicknamed the Eagles defender "Dirty Waters". He scored a touchdown in 1989 when he took a lateral from William Frizzell after Reggie White caused a fumble by New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms.
Waters served as part of the Eagles' defensive unit that was regarded as one of the league's best, in 1991 ranking first statistically in both run and pass defense, as well as total defense. His hard-hitting style translated into leading the team in tackles for four seasons and endeared him with Philadelphia fans but often led to penalties and fines for some of his tackles. He led the Eagles in tackles in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1991. He recorded 15 interceptions in 156 games. In 1994, he was replaced by Mike Zordich.

[edit] Retirement and death

After retiring as a player, Waters went on to enjoy success as a college coach at Morgan State University, the University of South Florida, Alabama State University, St. Augustine's College, and Fort Valley State University. He tried unsuccessfully to get a job in the NFL and described his disappointment to a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter in April 2006.[1] He remained very close to his former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan, who he said he tried to emulate in his own coaching career.
Waters committed suicide shortly after 1 a.m. on November 20, 2006, according to the Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, dying of a gunshot to the head. He was at his home in Tampa, Florida[2] where he was found by his girlfriend. No suicide note was found.
Shortly after Waters' death, former Harvard defensive tackle and WWE wrestler Christopher Nowinski, whose wrestling career was ended by post-concussion syndrome and has since written a book about the dangers of concussions in contact sports, approached Waters' family and asked permission to have his brain tissue examined. After receiving permission, Nowinski had samples of Waters' brain tissue sent to neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu at the University of Pittsburgh. Omalu believed, having examined the tissue, that Waters sustained brain damage from playing football: he went on to state that this led to Waters' depression.[3]
Omalu determined that Waters' brain tissue had degenerated into that of an 85-year-old man with similar characteristics to those of early-stage Alzheimer's victims. Omalu said he believed that the damage was caused and/or hastened by the numerous concussions Waters sustained playing football. Additionally, Omalu said that Waters would have been fully incapacitated within ten years.
The NFL declined to comment on Waters' case specifically. A member of the league's mild traumatic brain injury committee, Dr. Andrew Tucker, said that the NFL was beginning a study of retired players in 2006 to examine the more general issue of football concussions and subsequent depression.[citation needed]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman
Excerpt:
Football career
He started his college career as a linebacker for Arizona State University in 1994, when he secured the last remaining scholarship for the team. Tillman excelled as a linebacker at Arizona State, despite being relatively small for the position at five-feet eleven-inches (1.80 m) tall. As a senior, he was voted the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Academically, Tillman majored in marketing and graduated in three and a half years with a 3.84 GPA.

Pat Tillman
No. 40     
Defensive back
Personal information
Date of birth: November 6, 1976(1976-11-06)
Place of birth: San Jose, California
Date of death: April 22, 2004(2004-04-22) (aged 27)
Place of death: Sperah, Afghanistan
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)Weight: 202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
College: Arizona State University (ASU)
NFL Draft: 1998 / Round: 7 / Pick: 226
Debuted in 1998 for the Arizona Cardinals
Last played in 2001 for the Arizona Cardinals
Career history
Career highlights and awards
  
    
  
  


In the 1998 National Football League Draft, Tillman was selected as the 226th pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Tillman moved over to play the safety position in the NFL and started ten of sixteen games in his rookie season.
At one point in his NFL career, Tillman turned down a five-year, $9 million contract offer from the St. Louis Rams out of loyalty to the Cardinals.[5]