Jovan Belcher situation...

[ASU_Fanatic]

I know this happened in the NFL but it could have major implications for football at all levels. Jovan Belcher of the Kansas City Chiefs was a linebacker and former Maine player. This morning he shot and (I believe) killed his girlfriend before driving to the Chiefs practice facilities, thanking Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli before proceeding to take his own life. They are leaving behind a 2.5 month old baby.

RIP to his girlfriend and it's kinda hard to be sad someone that does this dies but we don't know the full situation. This guy could have had very serious brain issues and they could be related to football. This will be very interesting to watch play out... I was shocked when I heard this this morning

[nwFL Griz]

There is zero indication that he "could have had serious brain issues" and those issues "could be related to football."

I expect this kind of statement from anti-football people, but on this messageboard....unreal.

People kill each other all the time, do they all have seriousl brain issues related to football?

[PantherRob82]

I don't see how this is a reach. People with a much shorter career have had those issues, and while at Maine at least Belcher was a hard hitter.

When you add in the fact that he had no history of violence or mental issues that I can find, brain trauma is very plausible.

[PantherRob82]

New cases, including people who only played in HS:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/page/OTL%20CTE%20study/boston-university-researchers-discover-28-new-cases-chronic-brain-damage-deceased-football-players

[AppAlum2003]

There is zero indication that he "could have had serious brain issues" and those issues "could be related to football."

I expect this kind of statement from anti-football people, but on this messageboard....unreal.

People kill each other all the time, do they all have seriousl brain issues related to football?

I question anyone's decision-making skills when they are rocking the eyebrow ring.

[DSUrocks07]

Textbook case of a suicide to avoid a murder charge. But this isn't the place to be having that type of discussion.

Are head injuries in football a legit issue? Of course. But when things like this are used as an EXCUSE of inexcusable actions. That is where the message is lost.

[Side Judge]

I dunno - when guys like Junior Seau and Dave Duerson are committing suicide by shooting themselves in the chest, and subsequent analysis is revealing degenerative brain damage, it would appear that there's a significant amount of mental illness tied to the head shots these guys are taking...

[PantherRob82]

Was this a head shot? Or is it unknown publicly?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Textbook case of a suicide to avoid a murder charge. But this isn't the place to be having that type of discussion.

Are head injuries in football a legit issue? Of course. But when things like this are used as an EXCUSE of inexcusable actions. That is where the message is lost.

+1 People are assigning this to blows to the head when NOTHING, and I repeat NOTHING, shows that this is the case at this point.

[walliver]

Blows to the head create cumulative injury. They affect thinking skills. They don't make you shoot your girlfriend, drive to training camp, thank people you have helped you along the way and then kill yourself.

Head trauma is a serious situation, but has no relevance to this case.

[PantherRob82]

Blows to the head create cumulative injury. They affect thinking skills. They don't make you shoot your girlfriend, drive to training camp, thank people you have helped you along the way and then kill yourself.

Head trauma is a serious situation, but has no relevance to this case.

Affecting thinking skills doesn't effect making rational decisions when in an argument? Are you telling me that the pain and suffering caused by repeated head trauma/concussions hasn't made anyone depressed or given them other mental issues. Junior Seau disagrees and so do the former NFL players who have killed themselves, avoiding a head shot and making sure their brains could be used for research. They didn't do it for the fun of it.

[DJnva]

Attributing this to a head injury is specious at best. Lots of dudes commit crimes and don't play a down in the NFL.

Anyway, ODU coach Wilder was on the staff at Maine when Belcher was there and a few others on his staff were there as well, and one of his assistants played with Belcher in college. They were all shocked. Wilder is also friends with Pioli and talked to him some today.

[PantherRob82]

Attributing this to a head injury is specious at best. Lots of dudes commit crimes and don't play a down in the NFL.

Anyway, ODU coach Wilder was on the staff at Maine when Belcher was there and a few others on his staff were there as well, and one of his assistants played with Belcher in college. They were all shocked. Wilder is also friends with Pioli and talked to him some today.

This wasn't just a crime.

He didn't kill her, then realize that was bad and off himself. Dude had something going on mentally. I'm not saying it was football/head injury related. But to ignore that he had just missed his first start of the season and allegedly had a head injury is just as ridiculous.

[AppIAA]

Blows to the head are part of football. The players know this before they start playing at a high, competitive level. Yes, it's sad that it can cause brain damage, but it's not like its a surprise.

Should more be done to fix it? I'm not the one to determine that, but every single football player puts on their pads and helmets knowing they are about to get blows to the head!

[putter]

IMO, not a reach at all. Medical community is learning more and more about long term hits to the head, even with helmets. Time will tell, as will the autopsy. My cousin's husband is on the Chiefs coaching staff..very sad day

[PantherRob82]

Blows to the head are part of football. The players know this before they start playing at a high, competitive level. Yes, it's sad that it can cause brain damage, but it's not like its a surprise.

Should more be done to fix it? I'm not the one to determine that, but every single football player puts on their pads and helmets knowing they are about to get blows to the head!

I'm not arguing against football or hits or anything. Just saying it could have played a part. The more evidence that comes out I begin to think he hadn't throughout through this very much. The bullet to the head really hurts their chances of ever finding out what his brain was like on a physical level.

[EllaGrassoBlvd]

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/12/04/news/nation/chiefs-officials-knew-of-belchers-problems-were-bending-over-backward-to-help/

Most recent article----apparently he was out drinking all night. If I read it correctly a cop found him sleeping in his car at 7am (right before the shooting). I'm sure he got the "NFL star treatment) and was allowed to drive himself home. I wonder what his BAC was at the time he killed his girlfriend/himself.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8708333/kansas-city-chiefs-had-provided-counseling-jovan-belcher-kasandra-perkins

More information from ESPN/AP which appears to point to financial problems that the Chiefs were trying to apparently help him with.

[CFBfan]

Textbook case of a suicide to avoid a murder charge. But this isn't the place to be having that type of discussion.

Are head injuries in football a legit issue? Of course. But when things like this are used as an EXCUSE of inexcusable actions. That is where the message is lost.

Nor was 1/2 of Sunday Night Football the place for a D-Bag like Bob Costas (or anyone else for that matter) to go off about gun laws!!!!!

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Seems crazy to attribute this to injury. He's too young to have any kind of CTE in the first place, and if he did it doesn't typically lead to violent behavior.

[Mr. C]

Here is a column from College Sports Journal on Jovan Belcher:

http://www.college-sports-journal.com/index.php/ncaa-division-i-sports/fcs-football/655-trying-to-understand-the-tragedy-of-jovan-belcher

[Lehigh'98]

Lots of people have lots of different problems, some very serious. Very few resort to murdering the mother of their child in cold blood.

[Hammerhead]

As for Seau, that may not have been related to brain damage from concussions. Just imagine what it would be like to be a famous football player your entire adult life and have an unlimited supply of prescription painkillers. Then one day you are a former player who's body hurts all over you can't just visit the team doctor for a shot or some pills in the morning.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

This has nothing to do with football. We're talking about someone suffering from a severe emotional/mental disorder be it depression, co-dependency, or narcissistic personality disorder. His actions indicate the range of uncontrollable rage followed by complete despair. Unfortunately, this type of incident is not rare. The individual is consumed with fear of not getting what he wants and/or losing what he has. I'm sure this is not the first time he's flown into a rage with a girlfriend or had suicidal thoughts, but this time he obviously crossed the point of no return. His actions were simultaneously selfish and tragic.

[Franks Tanks]

As for Seau, that may not have been related to brain damage from concussions. Just imagine what it would be like to be a famous football player your entire adult life and have an unlimited supply of prescription painkillers. Then one day you are a former player who's body hurts all over you can't just visit the team doctor for a shot or some pills in the morning.

Ya, it must have totally sucked to be him. I mean he had millions of dollars and lived on the beach in San Diego. Pills are easy to get- legally or illegally.