Junior Seau Dead

[FireJimCaldwell]

Sad News.

Statement from Peyton Manning

“When I first got into the league in 1998, the two most dominating defenders I played against were Junior Seau and Bruce Smith," Manning said. "Junior was truly a once-in-a-lifetime player. I remember how many times we would be getting ready to play him and the Chargers and someone would say, ‘This is a blitz here.’ And I would say, ‘That’s not a blitz; that’s just Junior Seau smelling something and going after it.’ He was very difficult to play against because his instincts would always lead him to the right place on defense—or the wrong place for the offense. He and Ray Lewis are the two best linebackers I’ve ever played against, and I know many others would feel the same way.

“I had the great pleasure of playing against Junior, but I also had the honor of playing with Junior in a couple of Pro Bowls. Just in those shorts weeks of Pro Bowl practices, nobody had more passion for the game than Junior Seau. His energy and enthusiasm—you could tell how it spread back to his teammates with the Chargers, Dolphins and Patriots. I also got to attend some charity functions with him and I saw how philanthropic he was in giving his time and money to several worthy causes.

“To me, Junior had a quality of making the people around him feel special and comfortable. It didn’t matter what environment he was in—he had just a great energy and an aura about him that people gravitated to. That’s why he was such a great leader. I always felt good being around him. He was truly a one-of-a-kind football player and a one-of-a-kind person just because of his passion.

“I was honored to call Junior a friend and I was deeply saddened by the news of his passing. I will truly miss him, and I know a lot of people are going to miss him. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”"

http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Elway-Fox-and-Manning-Remember-Seau/1ae2ee1e-de6d-48a3-8306-06bb44ebec15

[GoPats]

Horrible news yesterday. Very sad for the people who were left behind, and sad that Seau got to the point where that seemed like his only way out. By all accounts he was a great teammate and was very active in his community, and the world is a sadder place today without him.

[ViriLudant]

Yeah....I feel bad for him but there is anger at him, too.

...... at what he did to his mom...

He tried to kill himself before..he drove his car off a cliff and survived....

Certainly he had problems and like Dave Duerseon..he may have had terminal head injuries...

But you cant do that to your mother...

His mother can never recover...........he killed part of her, too.

So selfish

I love how judgemental people can be when they don't know the circumstances of his death.

Grow up, folks. NONE of you know what's been going on with Seau; NONE of you know what injuries may have done to his brain; NONE of you know what psychological issues he may have been dealing with.

Stay classy. /sarcasm off.

[southwest1]

It sounds to me like Junior had a strong base of friends and family. That's part of what makes this so sad. I think he struggled with separation from the game of football that was the focus of his life up to a few years ago, and was never good at showing anyone his troubles.

Marcellus Wiley had an interesting comment about how Junior was great at helping others when they were hurt and needed treatment, but players NEVER saw Junior working with the PT staff. He always did his rehabbing privately, and didn't want anyone to see him at anything less than 100%. While heroic, and impressive in its own way, sometimes you just have to let people in. I imagine his private demons grew too large to handle on his own, and he didn't know how to (or want to) ask for help.

Seau was a very impressive player, and from the sounds of it, a very good man. I despised him because he played for the Chargers and Patriots, but I confess to feeling choked up about this senseless loss.

Well said schwamm. A lot of times vocal leaders on any squad are the 1st person to aid & rescue another player, but they often ignore their own glaring needs at their own expense. Who picks up the morale of the leader who lifts up everyone else's spirits? Private people who never wanna be viewed as a burden to anyone can easily lose control of depression & a dire circumstance IMO.

You are probably right though. Life after football can be an incredibly hard transformation to make & some can never cross that bridge successfully. What other outlet can appease those competitive juices that football used to satisfy in their lifetime? It would have been nice to see Seau win a Superbowl ring, but not as a member of the Patriots in 2007 though. Brady & Co. were full of themselves in 2007 with the Perfect Season & needed to be taken down a few pegs in my estimation.

[FireJimCaldwell]

I love how judgemental people can be when they don't know the circumstances of his death.

Grow up, folks. NONE of you know what's been going on with Seau; NONE of you know what injuries may have done to his brain; NONE of you know what psychological issues he may have been dealing with.

Stay classy. /sarcasm off.

In the end, you were as judgmental as he was. Different people react to certain type of news different ways for various reasons.

[ViriLudant]

In the end, you were as judgmental as he was. Different people react to certain type of news different ways for various reasons.

Yep, gotta love the red herring. I judged based on what someone actually, you know, said. The others posted on pure speculation without even knowing the facts of the situation.

But right, they're definitely the same.

[Gramz]

A very sad situation. God Rest his soul, and thoughts and prayers to the family.

[ViriLudant]

A friend of mine elsewhere wrote the following thoughts. I'm sure she'd be fine with my posting of them:

"I think people tend to mix issues when it comes to suicide, mainly because of their own emotions. Some people react with confusion, i.e., how could he do that? Some people react with anger, i.e., What a coward, how selfish, look at the wreckage he's left behind. Some people react with sadness. Some people question and place blame. There are a lot of things at play here, some previously mentioned.

My thoughts:

1. Suicide stems from deep-seated depression. I've heard people today say, "He had everything/what could he possible be depressed about." Clinical depression is not being depressed about not getting your way or having everything you need. Clinical depression is not being able to see anything in a positive manner, whether or not that is reality. When one feels there is no way to climb out of the darkness of a deep hole, there is only one solution to him/her. It's quite possible that the depression was always there, but with a fast-paced career for all of his adult life, it never really had time to surface until he stopped moving and had the time for his depression to come to the forefront.

2. Junior did play for 20 years, much of that time in an era of steroids, PEDs, and other substances that are now banned. We have no idea, or at least not that's been reported, what substances he took over the course of his career. If he did take any now-banned substances, and particularly if he took them for any length of time, it can cause brain damage, mental illnesses, and other issues that could have contributed to his depression.

3. I listened to several people on talk radio today call him selfish and a coward. People really need to understand mental illness, and yes, clinical depression is a mental illness, as is bipolar disorder, either of which Junior may have been suffering from. Suicide is not an act of cowardice. Rather, it is most commonly an act of not being able to see over the horizon and, therefore, the depths of darkness are very real, very NOW, very frightening, to a point where in that minute a person cannot fathom getting through another minute. It is true pain for them, and many people cannot pull themselves away from that feeling without help.

Someone once described their life as a clinically depressed person to me as living in a box that they can't get out of. It took every ounce of energy just to maintain some stance of normalcy. They could count on one hand the number of days in a year that they actually were "happy", and describing that feeling as not what others call happy but not being in the depths of overwhelming sadness, and that was how they lived their life."

[FireJimCaldwell]

Yep, gotta love the red herring. I judged based on what someone actually, you know, said. The others posted on pure speculation without even knowing the facts of the situation.

But right, they're definitely the same.

The point is that someone posting on here might have biased opinions about suicide because they might have been on the receiving end of it. So, in the end they are the same because you don't know about the basis of his comments, just as you said he might not know about Seau's actions.

[Gramz]

The point is that someone posting on here might have biased opinions about suicide because they might have been on the receiving end of it. So, in the end they are the same because you don't know about the basis of his comments, just as you said he might not know about Seau's actions.

Suicide is one of the hardest things for human beings to deal with.... For the surviving family, and friends, the questions "what if" never escape you. I have been there, so I can speak from experience having lost a very close friend to suicide. We had spent the day together a few weeks before her death. We had taken our kids to the park and out to lunch, great conversation, lots of laughs, etc.. I never EVER suspected any sadness in her. 30 years later, I still ask WHY and What if.......

[Peyton and Eli fan]

If you have even a passing suspicion that someone in your family is feeling suicidal - get rid of any guns you may have until you are sure it has gotten better. If someone is determined to kill themselves they will, whether there are guns in the house or not. But, if a gun is handy, there's too much risk for an impulsive action. I worked in suicide research for a number of years. There were some very well thought out suicides, but just as many that felt like a sudden reaction where someone grabbed a gun and you have to wonder if they would have done it with even 10 minutes more of thought. Most other methods where the suicide was successful took more planning.

[hawkeyes]

I don't care to see the story get so much news coverage - kids look up to NFL players as role models and kids who might be having trouble themselves that see their hero do something like this might think they need to do the same thing. I dislike seeing the media outlets more or less advertise this news! Report it once and leave it alone - you dont all need to ship your crews to cover the story!

[DILLIGAFER]

viri has it correct. i am ashamed people are actually stating he was being selfish. just wow. depression changes the dynamics of a persons thinking so much. add in brain trauma, no one can understand what his body and mind was going through.

[Gavin]

A friend of mine elsewhere wrote the following thoughts. I'm sure she'd be fine with my posting of them:

"I think people tend to mix issues when it comes to suicide, mainly because of their own emotions. Some people react with confusion, i.e., how could he do that? Some people react with anger, i.e., What a coward, how selfish, look at the wreckage he's left behind. Some people react with sadness. Some people question and place blame. There are a lot of things at play here, some previously mentioned.

My thoughts:

1. Suicide stems from deep-seated depression. I've heard people today say, "He had everything/what could he possible be depressed about." Clinical depression is not being depressed about not getting your way or having everything you need. Clinical depression is not being able to see anything in a positive manner, whether or not that is reality. When one feels there is no way to climb out of the darkness of a deep hole, there is only one solution to him/her. It's quite possible that the depression was always there, but with a fast-paced career for all of his adult life, it never really had time to surface until he stopped moving and had the time for his depression to come to the forefront.

2. Junior did play for 20 years, much of that time in an era of steroids, PEDs, and other substances that are now banned. We have no idea, or at least not that's been reported, what substances he took over the course of his career. If he did take any now-banned substances, and particularly if he took them for any length of time, it can cause brain damage, mental illnesses, and other issues that could have contributed to his depression.

3. I listened to several people on talk radio today call him selfish and a coward. People really need to understand mental illness, and yes, clinical depression is a mental illness, as is bipolar disorder, either of which Junior may have been suffering from. Suicide is not an act of cowardice. Rather, it is most commonly an act of not being able to see over the horizon and, therefore, the depths of darkness are very real, very NOW, very frightening, to a point where in that minute a person cannot fathom getting through another minute. It is true pain for them, and many people cannot pull themselves away from that feeling without help.

Someone once described their life as a clinically depressed person to me as living in a box that they can't get out of. It took every ounce of energy just to maintain some stance of normalcy. They could count on one hand the number of days in a year that they actually were "happy", and describing that feeling as not what others call happy but not being in the depths of overwhelming sadness, and that was how they lived their life."

Very well said

[Girlzarefanstoo]

Peyton Manning's response was really thoughtful.

I've waited to post anything to this topic, though I've read things here a few times. Junior was as dear to our family as if he were family. Our kids grew up as fans watching him for 14 years. He was as much an icon in San Diego to our fans as Peyton Manning has been in Indy. Can you imagine what you would feel like if Peyton had done the same thing? It's impossible to believe. The city is in grief mode. There are so many questions and no answers...

I lost a cousin this spring to suicide. No warning. No note. No way to comprehend what he was feeling and why he did it. When I got the text telling me he was gone, it was as if a knife went through my heart. He was an amazing man. He was like Junior, amazingly encouraging to others, ALWAYS smiling. A school principle that never had children of his own, he poured his life into his students and was an amazing impact on their lives. He left a wife that adored him. A family that adored him. We'll NEVER understand. One thing I understand now is that for some reason he wasn't able to be real with those around him and he kept his pain to himself. If he had been able to share, he would probably still be here.

I lost two friends just out of high school to suicide as well. The wounds are still there 35 years later...

ViriLudant's post of their friends' thoughts is outstanding and very well-informed. It's simple - depression kills. Those who feel "blue" from time-to-time do not understand the warped perspective of view that someone who is deeply depressed has. It isn't understandable and it isn't something that those individuals can deal with alone - and that's what most people try to do.

[GoPats]

Glad to see this thread ended up on a better path than I thought it would. And thoughts go out to those who've expressed some personal experience in this area. I'm not as much of a sharer but none of you are alone in asking those questions, and thank you for your honesty and sincerity.

[RGIII]

I don't care to see the story get so much news coverage - kids look up to NFL players as role models and kids who might be having trouble themselves that see their hero do something like this might think they need to do the same thing. I dislike seeing the media outlets more or less advertise this news! Report it once and leave it alone - you dont all need to ship your crews to cover the story!

You can't protect kids from everything and, honestly, even trying to is just going to leave them very unprepared for the fact that life can be difficult. If your kid idolized Seau (honestly, I'm not so sure that's all that likely given how long ago his prime was) then this is a good opportunity to have a frank discussion about suicide and depression.

[hawkeyes]

You can't protect kids from everything and, honestly, even trying to is just going to leave them very unprepared for the fact that life can be difficult. If your kid idolized Seau (honestly, I'm not so sure that's all that likely given how long ago his prime was) then this is a good opportunity to have a frank discussion about suicide and depression.

I wasnt referring to any of my kids, but kids in general ... and it wasnt really about Seau, it was about celebs/athletes, again in general. IMO suicide isnt something that needs to be tossed in the faces of kids by the media simply looking for a story or a rating.

[RGIII]

I wasnt referring to any of my kids, but kids in general ... and it wasnt really about Seau, it was about celebs/athletes, again in general. IMO suicide isnt something that needs to be tossed in the faces of kids by the media simply looking for a story or a rating.

My point doesn't have to apply to any of your kids more than it does to kids in general. This kind of thing is still a teaching opportunity. Honestly, the worst thing you can do when it comes to the subject of depression, regardless of how it is raised, is ignore it.

[Gramz]

My point doesn't have to apply to any of your kids more than it does to kids in general. This kind of thing is still a teaching opportunity. Honestly, the worst thing you can do when it comes to the subject of depression, regardless of how it is raised, is ignore it.

Absolutely..!!!! The kids here today attended a funeral of a fellow classmate who committed suicide on Sunday.. So incredibly sad...

[Keith L. Scott]

Big article on TMZ now if you click the link form 1st post is "Barack Obama just become the first sitting President in American history to have a menu item named after him at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles -- talk about a historic week!! "

trying to lighten the mood...

Saw the surfers had a paddle out in honor of Seau... that was neat. I know nothing of the surfing culture. So this was a new thing for me to see. also Drew Brees showed up and participated.

[Thewholefnshow28]

A friend of mine elsewhere wrote the following thoughts. I'm sure she'd be fine with my posting of them:

"I think people tend to mix issues when it comes to suicide, mainly because of their own emotions. Some people react with confusion, i.e., how could he do that? Some people react with anger, i.e., What a coward, how selfish, look at the wreckage he's left behind. Some people react with sadness. Some people question and place blame. There are a lot of things at play here, some previously mentioned.

My thoughts:

1. Suicide stems from deep-seated depression. I've heard people today say, "He had everything/what could he possible be depressed about." Clinical depression is not being depressed about not getting your way or having everything you need. Clinical depression is not being able to see anything in a positive manner, whether or not that is reality. When one feels there is no way to climb out of the darkness of a deep hole, there is only one solution to him/her. It's quite possible that the depression was always there, but with a fast-paced career for all of his adult life, it never really had time to surface until he stopped moving and had the time for his depression to come to the forefront.

2. Junior did play for 20 years, much of that time in an era of steroids, PEDs, and other substances that are now banned. We have no idea, or at least not that's been reported, what substances he took over the course of his career. If he did take any now-banned substances, and particularly if he took them for any length of time, it can cause brain damage, mental illnesses, and other issues that could have contributed to his depression.

3. I listened to several people on talk radio today call him selfish and a coward. People really need to understand mental illness, and yes, clinical depression is a mental illness, as is bipolar disorder, either of which Junior may have been suffering from. Suicide is not an act of cowardice. Rather, it is most commonly an act of not being able to see over the horizon and, therefore, the depths of darkness are very real, very NOW, very frightening, to a point where in that minute a person cannot fathom getting through another minute. It is true pain for them, and many people cannot pull themselves away from that feeling without help.

Someone once described their life as a clinically depressed person to me as living in a box that they can't get out of. It took every ounce of energy just to maintain some stance of normalcy. They could count on one hand the number of days in a year that they actually were "happy", and describing that feeling as not what others call happy but not being in the depths of overwhelming sadness, and that was how they lived their life."

Very well said.

In our society mental illness like clinical depression is so neglected because people project their own views onto. People say oh how could he be depressed when he had so much money, fame, friends, family and so on. When you are that depressed you do not view the world the same as other people. Yeah you have all the money to take care of yourself, but you do not view it that way. As your friend said it is being in the deepest darkest hole and seeing no way out. To ignore a basic animal instinct of self preservation just shows how deeply troubled people who commit suicide are.

I think there is such a stigma on mental illness in this country that it pushes people away from getting help. You go see a psychiatrist or psychologist and people look at you funny. People talk behind your back about how your crazy and so on. I have a cousin who I have told needs to see someone about some things that happened in his life, but his family laughed at the idea and told him he was not crazy.