September 06, 2005

Coroner: 49ers' Herrion died of heart disease:

posted by justgary to football at 07:38 PM - 16 comments

Previously.

posted by justgary at 07:39 PM on September 06, 2005

Let us hope that his last thoughts were good ones.

posted by supersly26 at 08:06 PM on September 06, 2005

God Bless Him. In the previous thread i was the first to mention a possible drug related issue with his untimely demise. However it was heart disease(something i figured they could have determined with an autopsy)Which is why i thought it could have been related more so to any type of performance enhancer(or street drug that elevates heart rate). The reason for my speculation was a selfish one. I wanted to have something to blame his death on besides his weight/size/cardio fitness or anything else having to do with heart/artery health. I've lived my entire life with a "lineman build" as they call it. (Stocky/heavy frame).I also have suffered from high cholesterol for the past 15 years.I rarely go to the drs. due to the lack of health insurance. And its a hard thing to admit, that one minute you could be doing something you love and the next minute you're gone.I wanted to have something to blame this young mans death on,besides a disease that is so hard to detect(without proper testing)(i.e mr.Herrion passing his NFL physical) I deeply regret my speculation concerning Mr. herrions death. Again i Pray Gods blessing upon his family, friends, and loved ones. I move for an immediate rally for the NFL and teams individually to begin testing for diseases this deadly.The NFL must become more heart health conscious with the size requirements/and intense physical demand put on NFL players. If the NFL would have canceled just 1 of mr.Herrion's drug tests(all of which he passed)and had him take an angiogram, maybe he'd still be with us.

posted by Web_Spiner at 09:20 PM on September 06, 2005

There were alot of people who jumped to the same conclusion... I too, send my prayers to his family and friends....

posted by daddisamm at 10:08 PM on September 06, 2005

What a sad situation. I send my condolences.

posted by tina at 10:46 PM on September 06, 2005

It's so sad to see someone regarded so highly by the people who knew him best go on from this life. I'm glad to hear that the accusations of drug use have been put to rest, god speed thomas, we will never forget you.

posted by bharr_77 at 01:26 AM on September 07, 2005

I move for an immediate rally for the NFL and teams individually to begin testing for diseases this deadly. How on earth do you test for such a thing? I mean, clearly there are diagnostic procedures, but nothing so simple as a prick-your-finger-with-a-lancet type test for coronary artery blockage. If you have symptoms, you go to a doctor. Doctor figures it out in time, you get it taken care of, all's well. But in the absence of symptoms (and in a country where many people have no health care whatsoever), does it make sense to perform expensive diagnostic procedures on everyone in the NFL for every deadly disease just in case?

posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:12 AM on September 07, 2005

Not only expensive, but risky. Routine cardiac catheterization (i.e. angiogram) is not indicated for simple screening, especially in 23 year olds. It carries many risks, including renal failure, hematomas, even heart attacks. We do them when there's symptoms, but otherwise it's not a great screen basically due to cost and risk. It is possible that a stress test could have shown something, but even they're not 100% accurate. That said, this guy HAD to have had a family history of early coronary disease, so maybe choosing certain higher risk players to screen would be reasonable.

posted by brewdudepa at 08:58 AM on September 07, 2005

this guy HAD to have had a family history of early coronary disease Not necessarily...it has to start somewhere...

posted by MeatSaber at 09:43 AM on September 07, 2005

COST COST COST. what an attitude. "fuck em, let them die"? "as long as they're entertaining me"? you cant put a fucking cost on fathers,son's,mother's,daughter's etc...lives. I bet if one of your family members passed physicals,then something like this happened in their line of work,you would have a lawsuit faster than you could say "im a narrow minded asshole". We're not talking about these type of tests for the teller at your bank or the person who rung-up your groceries at walmart. This is the fucking NFL. expensive??????? what does a human life cost ??? "we're developing a technique to measure a players core body temp to prevent heat stroke". "we've developed this machine were you put these virtual reality goggles on,and it can determine whether or not you have a concussion in 6 minutes"(so if you dont we can get you back on the field faster) concussions are fatal 3% of the time if that. yet hundreds of thousands of dollars is being spent on this technology.(to get them back on the field faster or to help save their life?) EXPENSIVE? ok maybe not an angiogram. how about the "echo test". If a person has enough blockage as to cause MI during their line of work then they damn sure should beable to develop a test that could possibly save someones life.I think we can agree that they do have the tests and the means. then why isnt it done? does john q "whiteguy" have to die before its done? EXPENSIVE? i bet the first damn thing people like you said about new orleans was, "i wonder if the cost is worth pumping all that water out". You're talking about one of the richest damn sports leagues in the world.If i go get a fucking physical from damn doctor, you can damn sure believe that artery blockage is one of the fucking things he damn sure better find if i have it.Or is the doctor trying to determine if the the strength of my left ACL is worth the contract im getting? this guy wasnt suffering from mild chest pains, he fell the fuck over dead after he performed his job.we can pretty much agree that he didnt have say 30% blockage. EXPENSIVE? i wonder what one team made from jersey sales last year. Whats your life worth? honestly? do you think its worth the cost of a any heart/cardio test at all? How many people in this country have by-pass surgery every year. Blockage is very detectable. EXPENSIVE? you people should be a fucking shamed of yourself. And so should the greedy ass fucking NFL. This thread is about a man who gave his life for a game,and he's not the first.Dont try to look cool by posting some ignorant retort and ruining this thread.Its about the unfortunate passing of a young man that probably could have been prevented. If he could join this conversation right here and now, what do you think his opinion would be? Would you have the fucking nerve to tell him that the tests that could have possibly saved his life are a bit to expensive and not rational?he would probably say, i have a couple hundred thousand dollars and top of the line insurance.I cant help but wonder if this happen to someone like say Tom brady or brett farve would there have been a fucking congressional hearing as to determine how the hell they passed a physical.You know, the fucking hearings they are having just to see if someone is "cheating" with drugs? My local damn ymca has a fucking defibrillator. the NFL cant detect enough blockage in a players arteries that could possibly stop his fucking heart during or after a damn game? think about it: putting on a pair of shoulder pads cost:your life. going to play a game cost: your life. running up and down a football field on TV cost: your life thomas herrion never getting to see his family or drive his niece around because some people think the costs to do certain tests that would have possibly saved his life are to "expensive"...priceless. Shame on you for even mentioning something like cost when someones life has been lost. EXPENSIVE? God bless thomas herrion, who PAID the ultimate price for something he loved doing and for the entertainment of others.

posted by Web_Spiner at 05:34 PM on September 07, 2005

With the money he was making and the health coverage he was getting as an NFL player, Thomas Herrion had access to any heart test or health test he wanted. I'm all for the NFL being proactive when it comes to the health of its players, but expecting the NFL to test for any and all things that might kill its players is excessive. Athletes die in their prime all the time of conditions they didn't know about.

posted by rcade at 08:05 PM on September 07, 2005

If he could join this conversation right here and now, what do you think his opinion would be? Would you have the fucking nerve to tell him that the tests that could have possibly saved his life are a bit to expensive and not rational? Would you have the nerve to tell him that since he was only third string, that you took it upon yourself to speculate that since he wasn't good enough he must have been doping, OTC or not. Do you think he would still spit in your face because it was only after one of his friends spoke up, and results of a drug test came out that you changed your tune. Do what you have to so you can look in the mirror, but the fact is they don't give people heart cath's without signs/symptoms of an MI.

posted by jojomfd1 at 09:22 PM on September 07, 2005

I dont think they will find any blockage(due to him being only 23)I do think they will find some trace of performance based/or recreational drug that most likely will be deemed the "cause" of death. I hate to speculate at this time. However this guy was a "3rd stringer" who was trying to make the roster.I guess i see now why some of these guys want more money. Some of them actually do "leave it all on the field". May God Bless His Family. posted by Web_Spiner at 6:58 PM CST on August 21 Do i think he would spit in my face after seeing this?No i dont.Having the type of blockage he had at his age is and was virtually unheard of.In a previous post Texan lost in NY stated he got an ekg and it showed trouble. I received an EKG when my nerve pain specialist put me on a new nerve pain medication. It took about 6 minutes. You mean to tell me that guys over approx 260lbs or over shouldnt get a mandatory EKG when working in the extreme heat? that costs to much? Gimme a break. when i made the "drug reference" again I was referring to a stimulant period(over the counter or otherwise)Congress can insinuate drug use about athletes in general and its ok? I look in the mirror just fine. I dont think a man like thomas herrion would "spit in anyones face" you disgusting excuse for a human being.I changed my tune after i reread my own words and saw how they could be misunderstood. And again i honestly was referring to a GNC type ephedra product since there was a report of "supplements in his locker". Read before you type little man. I know one thing, I know you wouldnt "spit in my face" you ignorant ass. Maybe you might have "spit in your exgirlfriends face" and thought it was cool. Just to say such a thing really shows what type of man/woman you are. But again, this thread is about thomas herrion. not about whos face you think would be spat in.Have some respect. people make mistakes, and they realize them, then they apologize. I can only assume that a man/woman who talks about "spitting in anyones face" wouldnt know anything about that. Grow up before someone forces you to. Im assuming the john q whiteguy statement offended you.

posted by Web_Spiner at 11:00 PM on September 07, 2005

No statement offended me, I just found this quite a different turn on your part from your original posts in the first thread. All the white/black comments don't bother me at all. They actually showcase your true ignorance. As far as the girlfriend comments those don't even deserve a response. So, I will now no longer feed the troll. Proceed to rant and rave freely.

posted by jojomfd1 at 12:09 AM on September 08, 2005

This entire situation is very sad for Thomas Herrion, his family and friends. Let's try to remember that and not make this personal. Of course the NFL should at least do an echo test but until they do, these guys make enough money to pay for the test themselves, just like rcade said. It's unlikely many players will do this because at the age of Herrion, they still think they're invincible. Web_Spiner, make sure you get yourself checked regularly and follow your dr.'s orders...dietary, exercise, etc. We want to see you here with us a long time but getting so wound up over harmless (even though thoughtless) comments won't do you any good.

posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:08 AM on September 08, 2005

Thanks for the advice Texan. You're right.I guess i got offended by someone thinking that i "turned" my point of view because it was the "politically correct" thing to do.I genuinely realized my mistake, said i was sorry, and that was it. I'm new here,but from some of the FPP's i've read in the past,even admitting to being wrong is something you dont find much of here. As far as the "feed the troll" comment. This is a sign that some of you guys who have been here longer need to seriously think about what is posted in the "locker room". Alot of these newer people see things like people being called "trolls" and saying that George michael is "gay". They take comments like these an apply them to everyone that doesnt agree with them.It seems like on every other thread there is someone being called a troll or gay just due to a disagreement. You guys that have been here longer are examples to the rest of us (whether you want to be or not) I mean pretty soon every thread on this site is going to end with "screw you, die troll, i'll spit in your face,you and george michael are gay". Even the debate on this site used to be respectable, even when people disagreed. Now i feel even worse because none of this is about Mr.Herrion...RIP.

posted by Web_Spiner at 03:42 AM on September 10, 2005

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