Washington State QB

[Crimson Crush]

“Outgoing and always smiling”

Obviously, this was masking much of what had to be going on inside his head:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/...-suicide.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

 

[Hoosier_Hack]

“Outgoing and always smiling”

Obviously, this was masking much of what had to be going on inside his head:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/...-suicide.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

It is pretty sad... sad for him because so much more life to live, and sad for his parents/family. Devastating....

 

[YOTHN]

“Outgoing and always smiling”

Obviously, this was masking much of what had to be going on inside his head:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/...-suicide.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

Just horrific in every way. Aside from the obvious talent he was showcasing, he had so much to look forward to. It just goes to show the imbalance some people have in between their ears and how hard it is to understand/justify how others think as some like to use their own thought processes as comparison. A few weeks back he was starting a bowl game as Soph QB for a power 5 school. I would think they'll do a CTE scan to see if that had any part in it....

 

[Hoosier_Hack]

Just horrific in every way. Aside from the obvious talent he was showcasing, he had so much to look forward to. It just goes to show the imbalance some people have in between their ears and how hard it is to understand/justify how others think as some like to use their own thought processes as comparison. A few weeks back he was starting a bowl game as Soph QB for a power 5 school. I would think they'll do a CTE scan to see if that had any part in it....

Didn’t even think of that.... anyone know if he had any concussions at Washington State? This might get interesting for college football if he had concussions while at Washington State...

 

[Sope Creek]

I would think they'll do a CTE scan to see if that had any part in it....

Can they do that after the bullet got done with his brain?

 

[Sassy61]

Prayers are up for his family.

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

I watched him play in the bowl game against Michigan State. He was only starting because the regular quarterback was injured. I was struck when his name was pronounced, because IU had a quarterback named Florian Helinski in the early 1950s and Hilinski's name was very similar.

 

[Superstar84b]

Didn’t even think of that.... anyone know if he had any concussions at Washington State? This might get interesting for college football if he had concussions while at Washington State...

People jump to CTE. But I think what’s relevant to this young man and the future is that CTE May be more common in the general population than we know. Basically the theory (really fact) is that stress and depression also cause structural changes to the brain. That part is fact. The theory is that stress and depression to a high extent can also lead to CTE or CTE type symptoms but it’ll have to be researched more. The focus has been on football so much, that we really only study football players. But more research and emphasis has to be done on anyone with mental illness/depression.

What’s sad for this young man is that the science and help needed didn’t arrive in time. I don’t blame Washington State at all, but athletic programs could certainly benefit from emphasizing mental health treatment and monitoring their players better. I think that they try, but as a society we just haven’t done a good job of it. The mental health situation that this young man was dealing with could’ve very well caused structural changes to the brain that could show signs of CTE, but not be from football/concussions. That means we need to take the same efforts we used to emphasie the concussion issue to emphasize the mental health issue. It is rampant in college athletics, often goes ignored, and sometimes ends sadly like this. You really feel for the young man who seemed to be smart and have a lot of potential as more than a football player

 

[i'vegotwinners]

I watched him play in the bowl game against Michigan State. He was only starting because the regular quarterback was injured. I was struck when his name was pronounced, because IU had a quarterback named Florian Helinski in the early 1950s and Hilinski's name was very similar.

interesting.

did you follow IU back then, and if so, go to any games?

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

No, I'm not quite that old. I didn't start following IU until about 1964 and attended my first game in 1967. I do follow sports history quite extensively and purchased an interesting history of college football authored by a professor at James Madison University. He teaches a class on sports history. A few years ago the BTN had half hour segments on past seasons in the conference from the 1950s and 1960s. Wouldn't you know, the one season they didn't do was 1967!

 

[i'vegotwinners]

No, I'm not quite that old. I didn't start following IU until about 1964 and attended my first game in 1967. I do follow sports history quite extensively and purchased an interesting history of college football authored by a professor at James Madison University. He teaches a class on sports history. A few years ago the BTN had half hour segments on past seasons in the conference from the 1950s and 1960s. Wouldn't you know, the one season they didn't do was 1967!

probably didn't do 67 for 2 reasons.

1, IU, PU, and Minn, had a 3 way tie for the title.

2), IU was never on tv that yr, not even the B10 game of the yr that yr, PU at IU. (doubt Minn was on much either). so probably not much viewable video.

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

Yes, that was lousy that ABC was locked into the Ohio State vs. Michigan game that season that meant nothing in the standings. I had to listen to the bucket game on the radio.

Those BTN half hour segments were basically just highlights of each team and its top players. By the way, I looked up Helinski's record and he was a good player for IU. He was the team's MVP for 1954 and played in the North-South all star game.

 

[Sope Creek]

A few years ago the BTN had half hour segments on past seasons in the conference from the 1950s and 1960s. Wouldn't you know, the one season they didn't do was 1967!

With BTN? That was one thing that was fully assured when they conceived the series . . . .

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

Yes, I recorded each of those half hour seasons and was hoping for 1967, but it never showed up. I have virtually every other season during those two decades and recorded them on two VHS tapes.

 

[YOTHN]

Can they do that after the bullet got done with his brain?

It all depends upon what was damaged but that is a valid point. They said it was a shot gun I believe so that could make it hard to verify.

This is definitely more widespread than just football. Women's soccer is the most concussed sport, followed by men's soccer. I just think people will focus on football due to the barbaric nature of what it always was. 20 years ago, we didn't focus about the damage it was doing aside from ligament and joint damage. Most players just thought it was possible they have a chance of chronic joint pain when they get older. As the years have gone on and the prevalence of symptoms throughout most every player became evident, we as a society have slowly changed our opinions. It's definitely watered down the sport of football and that's a sad thing but only for my own selfish reasons.

If you just think of how you have unknowingly changed your thought process as a big hit takes place. Heck, I still think I want to see a big hit when watching football. But watching over the last couple seasons, I noticed every time I see a big hit I suddenly say "OHHHH..EWWW" instead of giving a high five to a friend. My first thought is of irreparable damage simply because I've been educated over time. Whether I wanted to be or not. It's natural to evolve in the manner that we have and its not a bad thing. In the end, if everyone has a full understanding of what they're signing off on when they play these sports, then I'm all for it.

 

[UncleMark]

I'd not be jumping immediately to CTE as a cause/condition. Suicide in young people is not uncommon, and is nearly always caused by depression, not brain damage.

 

[farfan]

Just horrific in every way. Aside from the obvious talent he was showcasing, he had so much to look forward to. It just goes to show the imbalance some people have in between their ears and how hard it is to understand/justify how others think as some like to use their own thought processes as comparison. A few weeks back he was starting a bowl game as Soph QB for a power 5 school. I would think they'll do a CTE scan to see if that had any part in it....

Didn’t even think of that.... anyone know if he had any concussions at Washington State? This might get interesting for college football if he had concussions while at Washington State...

The latest research indicates that hits alone cause the CTE and concussions are not required for the damage to occur. Of course, a concussion would point to a more severe hit, but players can be racking up brain damage without ever being concussed.

 

[YOTHN]

The latest research indicates that hits alone cause the CTE and concussions are not required for the damage to occur. Of course, a concussion would point to a more severe hit, but players can be racking up brain damage without ever being concussed.

Valid point. I just don't see how that is ever eliminated. Collisions with immense padding/protection still forces your body to stop extremely fast while your brain bashes up against your skull. As much as I would like to see some magic helmet, I don't think it's even viable.

 

[farfan]

The latest research indicates that hits alone cause the CTE and concussions are not required for the damage to occur. Of course, a concussion would point to a more severe hit, but players can be racking up brain damage without ever being concussed.

Valid point. I just don't see how that is ever eliminated. Collisions with immense padding/protection still forces your body to stop extremely fast while your brain bashes up against your skull. As much as I would like to see some magic helmet, I don't think it's even viable.

Especially when you consider most impacts occur with the ground.