Walter Payton Used Drugs/Suicidal

[CrustyRedskin]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

true dat, remember when Jim Brown basically called Franco Harris a pussy for runnin out of bounds? He said he admired Payton though.

plus he was classy all the way, played on sucky teams in the 70s & waited to be a part of a super bowl. Even gave up the spotlight in the backfield to the Fridge (speakin of former players w/problems).

I don't ever remember him promoting himself, his image just happened to be "squeaky clean" by the way he carried himself. More than anything to me, this shows how much the media coverage (which we consume like mad) has changed athletes' public image & privacy.

If Jim Brown thought Franco was a puss for running out of bounds i wonder what he thought about all of Emmitt Smiths fetile position plays along with running out of bounds... hmmmm.

[mredskins]

Folks get so emotionally attached to players yet we don't really know who they are off the playing field.

[MTK]

He could do it all on the field, run with power, run with speed, catch, block, even throw.

He was also the main reason I checked off organ donor on my license.

[SmootSmack]

The book is about his entire life, and his entire life includes these things. I learned long ago to separate the player on the field from the person off the field. You kind of have to. Because of my job I know a lot that others here probably don't about a lot of today's (and yesterday's) athletes that not much surprises me (and I know so little really) but this Walter Payton news is kind of stunning though, perhaps as much as Kirby Puckett

[SFREDSKIN]

All I know is Walter was one of my all time favorites. The guy played with the worst OL line for years and still rushed for thousands of yards, punished defenses finishing runs. Obviously that took it's toll. Sad story.

[hooskins]

I think this story is sad, but not as horrible as people hype it up to be. Life is tough folks. People have affairs, broken marriages, abuse drugs and go through some deep lows. The society we live in today has some major issues and Payton isn't the first to go through them. If anything, we should use this story as lesson that money and success isn't going to solve anything.

I think the sad part is the affect of injuries and continuous pounding. The NFL hasn't done a great job helping their vets, in general. So whenever the "No Fun League" actually has initiatives to prevent these kinds of occurrences (ex.penalties and fines for hits) I support it. For those that claim the game is changing and it won't be what it once was, I agree. We will have less stories of players in perpetual pain abusing drugs....

[MTK]

Originally Posted by hooskins

I think this story is sad, but not as horrible as people hype it up to be. Life is tough folks. People have affairs, broken marriages, abuse drugs and go through some deep lows. The society we live in today has some major issues and Payton isn't the first to go through them. If anything, we should use this story as lesson that money and success isn't going to solve anything.

I think the sad part is the affect of injuries and continuous pounding. The NFL hasn't done a great job helping their vets, in general. So whenever the "No Fun League" actually has initiatives to prevent these kinds of occurrences (ex.penalties and fines for hits) I support it. For those that claim the game is changing and it won't be what it once was, I agree. We will have less stories of players in perpetual pain abusing drugs....

It's just surprising. It's like if we find out in 10 years that Peyton Manning had these kinds of problems.

WP had a pretty clean image prior to this news.

[skinsfan69]

[QUOTE=hooskins;842174]I think this story is sad, but not as horrible as people hype it up to be. Life is tough folks. People have affairs, broken marriages, abuse drugs and go through some deep lows. The society we live in today has some major issues and Payton isn't the first to go through them. If anything, we should use this story as lesson that money and success isn't going to solve anything.

I think the sad part is the affect of injuries and continuous pounding. The NFL hasn't done a great job helping their vets, in general. So whenever the "No Fun League" actually has initiatives to prevent these kinds of occurrences (ex.penalties and fines for hits) I support it. For those that claim the game is changing and it won't be what it once was, I agree. We will have less stories of players in perpetual pain abusing drugs....[/QUOTE]

In this instance I think Walter just had an addiction. He could've done many other things to off set the pounding he took. He choose to play balls to the ball. I admire him for it, but let's not go trying to change a gladiator sport and try and micro manage it to death.

[SmootSmack]

Not to derail this thread, but even with an 18 game season the plan is for the number of games to remain the same. 2 preseason and 18 regular, as opposed to the current 4 preseason and 18 regular. So this repeated argument at least one of you here has about adding two games doesn't really fly

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Not to derail this thread, but even with an 18 game season the plan is for the number of games to remain the same. 2 preseason and 18 regular, as opposed to the current 4 preseason and 18 regular. So this repeated argument at least one of you here has about adding two games doesn't really fly

Then maybe you should look at it as minutes played in a season or potential minutes played because you really don't know when they will be subbed and how long offense/defense will be on the field.

Current minutes played by a starter baring injury and if they played every down.

16 x 60 = 960 regular season potential minutes
4 x 30 = 120 pre season potential minutes (this is assuming they play just half the game in pre-season, it is probable less then that)

Current total potential minutes played 1080

18 game season

18x 60 = 1080 regular season potential minutes
2 x 30 = 60 pre-season potential minutes (they actual may play more then a half in this format since they only have 2 games to beef up)

18 game schedule total potential minutes played by a starter 1140

That gives you a delta of 60 potential more minutes (a whole game) a starter would be playing (potential for injury) in the 18 game season.


If you are full time player in the NFL you will definitely see more playing time in the 18 game format then you would in the 16 game format.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by mredskins

Then maybe you should look at it as minutes played in a season or potential minutes played because you really don't know when they will be subbed and how long offense/defense will be on the field.

Current minutes played by a starter baring injury and if they played every down.

16 x 60 = 960 regular season potential minutes
4 x 30 = 120 pre season potential minutes (this is assuming they play just half the game in pre-season, it is probable less then that)

Current total potential minutes played 1080

18 game season

18x 60 = 1080 regular season potential minutes
2 x 30 = 60 pre-season potential minutes (they actual may play more then a half in this format since they only have 2 games to beef up)

18 game schedule total potential minutes played by a starter 1140

That gives you a delta of 60 potential more minutes (a whole game) a starter would be playing (potential for injury) in the 18 game season.


If you are full time player in the NFL you will definitely see more playing time in the 18 game format then you would in the 16 game format.

Very well put!

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Not to derail this thread, but even with an 18 game season the plan is for the number of games to remain the same. 2 preseason and 18 regular, as opposed to the current 4 preseason and 18 regular. So this repeated argument at least one of you here has about adding two games doesn't really fly

Smoot, no way! this is my biggest pet peeve w/the argument for 18 games. We all know that starters & often used reserves don't play many downs in the preseason to begin with. The argument that 2 preseason games = 2 regular season games in terms of chance for injury is just bunk. It surely isn't an apples to apples comparison.

Coaches will play guys in the preseason as much as they need to, thus some play very little. If anything, taking 2 preseason games away will just lead to more scrimmages, unless the cba prohibits that. 4 preseason games is more for the coaches & guys trying to make the team. The avg., established player, i.e. the vets, maybe plays 4 full quarters during the entire 4 game preseason.

Not to mention, the chance of injury is greater when playing an entire game as fatigue, soreness, etc. factors in. The vast majority of guys playing most downs in the regular season are virtually never playing a full preseason game.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

smoot, no way! This is my biggest pet peeve w/the argument for 18 games. We all know that starters & often used reserves don't play many downs in the preseason to begin with. The argument that 2 preseason games = 2 regular season games in terms of chance for injury is just bunk. It surely isn't an apples to apples comparison.

Coaches will play guys in the preseason as much as they need to, thus some play very little. If anything, taking 2 preseason games away will just lead to more scrimmages, unless the cba prohibits that. 4 preseason games is more for the coaches & guys trying to make the team. The avg., established player, i.e. The vets, maybe plays 4 full quarters during the entire 4 game preseason.

Not to mention, the chance of injury is greater when playing an entire game as fatigue, soreness, etc. Factors in. The vast majority of guys playing most downs in the regular season are virtually never playing a full preseason game.

x2.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Not to derail this thread, but even with an 18 game season the plan is for the number of games to remain the same. 2 preseason and 18 regular, as opposed to the current 4 preseason and 18 regular. So this repeated argument at least one of you here has about adding two games doesn't really fly

In 4 pre season games the starters really only play in two of them. The 3rd game and the 2nd. With an 18 game season the starters are going to put more strain on their bodies, and that's why none of them were buying the 18 game season.

[53Fan]

He was a great RB. Too bad he couldn't have enjoyed it more. RIP Walter.