Why are athletes dying? What is the X factor?

[gotmojo]

A 16 year old boy (Ryan Owens) collapsed across the bridge from where I am living last week during football practice.

"A 16-year-old Henderson County High football player died Wednesday morning after collapsing at the end of a football practice.
The victim was Ryan M. Owens, who collapsed around 9:20 a.m. as the team was leaving the practice field and returning to the stadium locker room, according to a statement released at an afternoon press conference.
An autopsy is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday at the state medical examiner's office in Madisonville, Coroner Bobbie Cantley announced at a brief 4 p.m. news conference that provided few other details.
Practice began at 8 a.m. and players were given multiple water breaks and were sprayed with hoses during the practice time," school officials said in a prepared statement.
"At 9:20 a.m. as the team was going to the locker room a studen collapsed and was taken by vehicle to the locker room and 911 was called; CPR was administered, and the student was transported to Methodist Hospital."

This is interesting as the autopsy on Owens came back and was ruled inconclusive, even for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

"An autopsy on Thursday could not determine the cause of Owens' death. The National Weather Service in Paducah said the temperature in Henderson Wednesday at 9 a.m. was 82 degrees with 79 percent humidity and the heat index was 88 degrees."

I have had the fortune of playing at almost every stage of the sport and have practiced in conditions much worse than what they were that day. I understand other things factor into this but that's my question.....Until the last 5 - 7 years this was unheard of. 11 died in 2001, and that was just in football alone. What is the X factor here? Why is this happening now?

"11 football players, from high school to the NFL, died in 2001 during summer practices." Two within the last two years here locally. 19 athletes died in 2003 nationally, all sports combined.

http://www.momsteam.com/alpha/features/editorial/seventeen_athletes.shtml

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/jul/22/kyschoolsheat/

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2006/jul/20/health-of-players-is-big-concern-for-coaches/

 

[FISHTALES]

we are pushing the limits with everything, not just gear, but practicing, training, and more people are doing it, plus an increased media outlet that informes everyone within hours when someone dies.

 

[slat1]

This stuff has gone on for years. The media controls the focus of the news.
An example would be the year of the shark in Florida. Statistics show that there were no more shark attacks that year then the average. Yet, since the media focused on every attack it changed the perception of what was going on.

 

[OMEGA]

This stuff has gone on for years. The media controls the focus of the news.
An example would be the year of the shark in Florida. Statistics show that there were no more shark attacks that year then the average. Yet, since the media focused on every attack it changed the perception of what was going on.

ding ding ding

they like to direct our focus on the absurd and have us consider it real.

All the while havign a media black out on real issues.

No dont look here, look here instead!

 

[boxerjake]

Thousands of people die every day ....... why make a fuss because someone was an athlete , it matters not .

 

[gotmojo]

This stuff has gone on for years. The media controls the focus of the news.
An example would be the year of the shark in Florida. Statistics show that there were no more shark attacks that year then the average. Yet, since the media focused on every attack it changed the perception of what was going on.

I understand it has gone on for some time and why we hear about it now due to media. However, I know the deal with shark attacks but statistically speaking these deaths are actually on the rise for what ever reason. Not to mention most people are not in tuned to the "shark" world as much as they are the "sports" world.

 

[gotmojo]

Thousands of people die every day ....... why make a fuss because someone was an athlete , it matters not .

Totally off base....

 

[bran987]

The Jews are putting poison into gatorade that only Jews are immune to so they can not only control the financial world but also be the only star athletes.

 

[gotmojo]

ding ding ding

they like to direct our focus on the absurd and have us consider it real.

All the while havign a media black out on real issues.

No dont look here, look here instead!

You consider children dropping dead "absurd" and not a real issue?

Media blackout and aversion has no place here. When was the last time something like this has taken front page over the "big" news.

 

[OMEGA]

You consider children dropping dead "absurd" and not a real issue?

Media blackout and aversion has no place here. When was the last time something like this has taken front page over the "big" news.

When one compares the numeric toll of this issue compared to broader over all economic and political issues which by definition affect a larger population I would say yes.

In the US the media likes to focus on personal individual issues and the pshychosis that comes with that. Its great for the individual consumer culture and is great at seperating people from one another especially good to keep the ruling class in power.

Have you ever seen the BBC or classic PBS shows on political and economic issues? ask your self which does more of a public service ?