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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 29, 2007
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I'm not saying all the time these types of sad situations can be avoided....
But sometimes, they surely can.
If teams gave full physicals more often, and especially with endurance athletes checking their hearts for pre-existing conditions, some of the time this can be avoided with medication and knowledge of the situation.
If the NCAA, which sold the rights to March Madness for $6 billion to CBS, could fork over some of that money to schools for full health checks, I guarentee there would be less of these stories.
So yes, some of the times these are just unavoidable deaths, but some of the time these players have conditions which should have, and could have, been avoided.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 1, 2006
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A lot of times, these freshmen are afraid to say they don't feel well or are tired, because the coaches and training staffs don't make them aware of what can happen if they push themselves too hard.
I think all players, before being eligible to practice with a team, should by rule have to be given a seminar on safety in these situations.
Tell them about the warning signs of heat stroke, etc. and make sure they are aware that they will not be teased by teammates or coaches if they feel they need to sit down and take a break. Yes, you may lose their spot in the starting lineup, but at least you won't lose your life.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 25, 2006
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I agree with you that they should spend more time and money on ensuring these kids are fit to be out there working out.
But on the other hand programs need to be careful in the early weeks of the practice season and make sure they don't demand too much from guys who might be out of shape coming into spring practices. It's also the athlete's responsibility to be ready and know their limits so they don't push themselves over the edge.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 26, 2007
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I don't really think it's a matter of being "fit" or "in shape" but rather a genetic condition that makes an otherwise healthy young man susceptible to becoming sick. This guy was a wide receiver, so I doubt he was unable to handle anything that was thrown at him. It had to have been the result of an underlying condition.
My question is, how does someone who has always considered himself young and healthy detect a heart condition or underlying condition? Are they specifically tested for unique or rare conditions?
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Jan 20, 2008
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Do you understand what a full health check entails? The majority of these athletes will pass a full health check with flying colours (maybe not some O-linemen but thats besides the point) - the ones who suffer unfortunate incidents such as this one are those with rare and often extremely hard to detect conditions. A full health check is no guarantee of eliminating players with all these conditions. The majority of these athletes will never report a problem because they have no symptoms that are easily discernible from the rigour of training. I was reading a Parrish article about a player with a heart condition who could still play and practice subject to normal monitoring.
I hate to bring this up so close to the death of a player but silence doesn't necessarily help anyone. The number of deaths in football is far higher than in other collegiate sports where strength isn't as important - surely there is a correlation between the incidence of steroid use and some of these deaths? Is it not time the NCAA instituted comprehensive drug testing, at least across major sports? That is not to suggest that this UCF player was using drugs/steroids as I could not possibly support (or want to make) such an allegation, but it seems to me that there are too many deaths in football from heart conditions for there not to be some link...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 29, 2007
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I mentioned they should have more then just a full health check, hence why I said heart testing.
Almost all of these conditions can be discovered with EKG's, Echo (spelling?), etc. testing done on them for issues such as irregular heart beats, build up, hardening of the surface on the heart, etc.
These are not 'extremely hard' to detect. Simple, but sometimes costly, tests such as the ones mentioned will find these conditions. It's just up to a college to fork over the money. Is a college gonna pay say $30,000 for the team to get tested and find out nobody is in danger? No. They simply don't have the budget to do that. That's why someone else, the NCAA, needs to step in to help.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Level:Amateur
Since:Mar 18, 2008
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It Started with Korey Stringer for the Minnesota Vikings MANY years ago. and i agree with you 100% these deaths are mostly avoidable and the NCAA needs to do something about it.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 22, 2006
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Is it me or has it seemed like there has been more and more young athletes dying while working out! Maybe its something that has happened just as much as 20 years ago, and now we here more about it cause of the internet and media outlets, but it just seems that sadly enough there are 1-2or 3 players every year passing away! Very sad!
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:74
Level:Pro
Since:Nov 18, 2007
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My condolences go out to his family and the team. We as Missouri Tiger fans can relate to this kind of tragedy as we dealt with the death of Aaron O'Neil in '05 after a spring practice session. I agree that this should be looked at closer by the NCAA but at the end of the day what can really be done? These kids are recruited to play top level football which includes high intensity training. With over 60 kids in these practices I can see the difficulty in watching over each individual player. I'm no doctor but it's hard to tell which medical conditions if not treated properly could eventually lead to death an then convince an 18 or 19 year old to take all the necessary precautions.
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Sometimes can be avoided...
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 1, 2007
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It is a tragedy. I have to agree that we hear about these things more now than 20 years ago due to internet and 24 hour television news. My condolences to the family.
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