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Thread: Ryan Freel commits suicide

  1. #106
    Member klw's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    NYT piece about Freel and concussions.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/31/sp...f=sports&_r=3&

    While his peers and fans praised Freel’s headfirst approach throughout an eight-year career in the major leagues, which he deemed necessary to compensate for being undersize and less talented, the person closest to him became tormented by it.

    “I cringed that that’s who he was — all-out, full throttle,” she said. “It was very hard to watch.”

    An accumulation of concussions, as well as mood swings and troubling incidents, left relatives — and Freel himself — apprehensive about his well-being.


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  3. #107
    Flash the leather! _Sir_Charles_'s Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Personally, I think the divorce was the deciding factor in all of this, not the concussions.

    (Christy) Freel, who had been divorced from Ryan Freel since April after 11 years of marriage, and had spoken to him briefly on the eve of his death.
    Sad, regardless of the reasons.

  4. #108
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    It appears that Ryan Freel is the first Major Leaguer to be diagnosed with CTE.

    http://jacksonville.com/sports/high-...in-disease-cte

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  6. #109
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    At least the family has a small bit of comfort now.

  7. #110
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Interesting that the report from the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy and Sports Legacy Institute released their findings during the Winter Meetings yet there was no mention of it during the meetings.

    Granted, I don't think MLB is in of itself liable as the NFL has admitted for the disease in it's former players but making changes such as eliminating the home plate collision certainly show that the MLB is attempting to be somewhat proactive. The article also suggests the MLB may one day track the number of hits to head players take.

    Certainly a shame for Ryan, who played the game fearlessly, but as mentioned at least his family have some answers.

  8. #111
    Red's fan mbgrayson's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    The 'Ryan Freel being first baseball player diagnosed with CTE' has made it onto the headline story on CNN at the moment: See HERE.

    Did Ryan play football in high school or college?
    Last edited by mbgrayson; 12-15-2013 at 07:14 PM.
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  9. #112
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    I mean this in the right way, but I am glad to hear this, in a sense that at least there was a reason out of his control for this. Probably will help the family and help players in non-NFL, non-NHL sports.

    RIP Farney.

  10. #113
    First Time Caller SunDeck's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by SirFelixCat View Post
    I mean this in the right way, but I am glad to hear this, in a sense that at least there was a reason out of his control for this. Probably will help the family and help players in non-NFL, non-NHL sports.

    RIP Farney.
    I think that's an appropriate sentiment. Having lived through the suicide of a loved one, I can attest to the importance of an explanation. It may not help alleviate the pain, but being able to put a few more puzzle pieces together can go a long way.
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  11. #114
    I wear Elly colored glass WrongVerb's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by mbgrayson View Post
    The 'Ryan Freel being first baseball player diagnosed with CTE' has made it onto the headline story on CNN at the moment: See HERE.

    Did Ryan play football in high school or college?
    I might be totally mis-remembering this, but I think he played hockey.
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  12. #115
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    I understand brain damage may have been a large factor, but isn't it also possible that depression and alcohol had a lot to do with it as well?

    It's kind of a chicken/egg scenario, and we'll never really know for sure. I still think Freel was dealing with some pretty bad problems off the field.

    Anyone willing to risk their body the way he did to catch a baseball has something wrong with them. I was in the sun deck (first row) during a game where he slammed into the wall to make a catch. You could feel your seat shake when he crashed into it.

    The play he made in Chicago for a foul ball against the dugout was insane. He could have broken his neck. It's almost like he played the game like he didn't have anything else to live for. Still a sad story, even years later.

  13. #116
    Class of 2023 George Foster's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    I could be wrong about this, and I'm not trying to be gross, but how could they examine his brain when he shot himself there? Why did it take 12 months? This is a serious question. It was a shot gun according to reports.
    Last edited by George Foster; 12-16-2013 at 02:51 AM.
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  14. #117
    Redsmetz redsmetz's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by George Foster View Post
    I could be wrong about this, and I'm not trying to be gross, but how could they examine his brain when he shot himself there? Why did it take 12 months? This is a serious question. It was a shot gun according to reports.
    I can't remember the whole story with Freel's death, but was that reported? I know there have been a couple of NFL players who purposely did not commit suicide that way so their brain could be studied. I know that's grim to say, but this has become a serious health issue and I remember reading that. Of course, suicide is such a desperate act that one doesn't expect much rational thought, but this is what has been reported with some other players.

    My brother-in-law is an athletic trainer out in Missouri and he has been banging the drum on concussions among youth for several years now.
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  15. #118
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by jhiller21 View Post
    I understand brain damage may have been a large factor, but isn't it also possible that depression and alcohol had a lot to do with it as well?

    It's kind of a chicken/egg scenario, and we'll never really know for sure. I still think Freel was dealing with some pretty bad problems off the field.

    Anyone willing to risk their body the way he did to catch a baseball has something wrong with them. I was in the sun deck (first row) during a game where he slammed into the wall to make a catch. You could feel your seat shake when he crashed into it.

    The play he made in Chicago for a foul ball against the dugout was insane. He could have broken his neck. It's almost like he played the game like he didn't have anything else to live for. Still a sad story, even years later.
    Perhaps the depression/alcohol abuse was because of the concussions. That seems to be the pattern for these NFL players.
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  16. #119
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by Chip R View Post
    Perhaps the depression/alcohol abuse was because of the concussions. That seems to be the pattern for these NFL players.
    And yet the NFL has a lower suicide rate than the general population. There are a thousand things that lead to depression. I have no doubt that CTE contributes, but nobody really knows how much at this point.

  17. #120
    Member cumberlandreds's Avatar
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    Re: Ryan Freel commits suicide

    Quote Originally Posted by redsmetz View Post
    I can't remember the whole story with Freel's death, but was that reported? I know there have been a couple of NFL players who purposely did not commit suicide that way so their brain could be studied. I know that's grim to say, but this has become a serious health issue and I remember reading that. Of course, suicide is such a desperate act that one doesn't expect much rational thought, but this is what has been reported with some other players.

    My brother-in-law is an athletic trainer out in Missouri and he has been banging the drum on concussions among youth for several years now.
    In the article klw posted it was stated that his death was by self inflicted gunshot. I'm sure only a small part of the brain would be needed to test for CTE.
    I'm glad there is some closure but its still a very tragic thing to happen.
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