Every parent's worst nightmare

This just makes me so sad. We know people who were at the game and my husband used to play for NHS (football and baseball). It's just totally tragic :(

This is just so sad. My thoughts are with this boy's family and friends.

That is terrible. I just can't even imagine:cry:

You're right...it's a nightmare. Life can be so short. :(

This is terrible, what a horrible way to start the school year.

I have been unable to shake this since I opened the paper this morning and read the headline. That could have been my son. . . .

Things like this are just not supposed to happen.

There is no depth to this sorrow. My heart and prayers go out to the family and his friends.

:( I don't like news like this...

I can't stop thinking about this either.......so tragic! What could have happened for him to have an abdominal injury that killed him? He apparantly was sacked by 2 players in the gut. Sounds to me like involuntary manslaughter.............why are people so enthralled with football? It's barbaric!!! Where is the outrage!:cry:

I can't stop thinking about this either.......so tragic! What could have happened for him to have an abdominal injury that killed him? He apparantly was sacked by 2 players in the gut. Sounds to me like involuntary manslaughter.............why are people so enthralled with football? It's barbaric!!! Where is the outrage!:cry:

His liver ruptured. It's not super common for a liver to rupture that severely, but spleen injuries are pretty common according to my hubby. But, I don't think it's fair at all to accuse two other young boys, who now have to live with the reality of this tragic accident, of any kind of crime :(

His liver ruptured. It's not super common for a liver to rupture that severely, but spleen injuries are pretty common according to my hubby. But, I don't think it's fair at all to accuse two other young boys, who now have to live with the reality of this tragic accident, of any kind of crime :(

I'm sure the hit was intentional, but the outcome unintentioanl. My point is; the players are taught to use force.......and a kid was KILLED, unintentional or not.......it's a sick game all in the name of "sport".....

So now there is a kid that is dead and 2 more boys that have to live with this the rest of their lives............again......what is the point of football?

I have to admit, we are big SEC football fans, and also appreciate high school football. But when it came time for my own son to play, let's just say my feelings changed considerably.

There are many rules in place to reduce the likelihood of this type of outcome. I'm convinced the vast majority of coaches teach their teams how to hit cleanly and properly, and the amount of protection for players has been improved also. I remember reading a story a year or two ago of a young basedall player killed when a pitch hit him in the chest and stopped his heart. All sports entail some level of risk. I do agree, of course, that football by its nature is a violent sport. But I just recently read that the worst sport for injury is. . . .cheerleading!! Being thrown from the top of a human pyramid has its risks also.

None of this does anything to diminish the pain of that poor boy's parents. My heart is with them, and I pray for their comfort.

I'm sure the hit was intentional, but the outcome unintentioanl. My point is; the players are taught to use force.......and a kid was KILLED, unintentional or not.......it's a sick game all in the name of "sport".....

So now there is a kid that is dead and 2 more boys that have to live with this the rest of their lives............again......what is the point of football?

I mean no disrespect to the family........I can't even imagine the grief they are going through.

Eventually someone has to ask why we are so excited for a sport that our children play or watch, that is common happenstance to bust your spleen or worse.....death from other injuries.

:idontno: What's the point of wearing a seatbelt????

I'm sure the hit was intentional, but the outcome unintentioanl. My point is; the players are taught to use force.......and a kid was KILLED, unintentional or not.......it's a sick game all in the name of "sport".....

So now there is a kid that is dead and 2 more boys that have to live with this the rest of their lives............again......what is the point of football?

Because if they don't have someplace to work out their aggression in pads and helmets, they will do it somewhere else. They are (as a whole) very physical little beasties.

Like Miss Critter said, they're taught to hit cleanly but sometimes they miss. Just like in wrestling, they're taught to physically overpower their opponent within certain parameters. Baseball is a great example of a non-contact sport where people get killed. So is hockey.

SJ hasn't chimed in yet, but I think it's fairly obvious that statistically your male child between the ages of 16 and 25 will more likely be killed in a car wreck than in a regulated football game. (If you doubt it, ask the parents of those boys about the car insurance premiums.)

Here in Georgia, we usually have more deaths from practicing in August heat than we do in the games. It's not the fault of the game--we're fragile beings.

This is a tragedy , no one expects anything like that to happen. Every August there are also the heat exhaustion deaths .

All sports are inherently dangerous. Football is moreso than most because it is a contact sport. Part of their training is how NOT to get hurt. Athletes in all sports run the risk of serious injury - be it baseball, basketball, surfing, golf (yes, golf - ever been hit in the head by a golf ball?), wrestling, anything that involves physical activity. We tend to forget - or deny - the possibility of a life-threatening injury.

The kids in the area - even those who did not know the young man - are taking it very hard. Wesley told me about it at 8:00 yesterday morning; it was all over MySpace long before the Daily News online ran anything.

Don't make this about football. Make this about a young man who had a freakish accident, and pray for his family. I cannot even imagine...

Being sacked full force by players trained on lead sleds was not an accident. I do agree that all sports have inherent risks, I just hope that every parent that allows or demands that their children play these games really know what could happen.

thank you for a very thoughtful post to such a tragedy.

thank you for a very thoughtful post to such a tragedy.

snarky not needed here either.............

Being sacked full force by players trained on lead sleds was not an accident. I do agree that all sports have inherent risks, I just hope that every parent that allows or demands that their children play these games really know what could happen.

I don't agree, they very well could have been diving to avoid a late hit. I don't believe blame is to be placed in this situation, but compassion. The one or two players who hit him are probably feeling more remorse, guilt, and pain than anyone.

I don't agree, they very well could have been diving to avoid a late hit. I don't believe blame is to be placed in this situation, but compassion. The one or two players who hit him are probably feeling more remorse, guilt, and pain than anyone.

Very well said!

God's peace and comfort to the family of that young man.

I thought of this story today at lunch when my co-workers were talking about some football players from this region who were killed about a month ago...in a car... Time to go hug a kid. :(

My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and school mates of the boys both the young man that died and those that were involved in the tackle.

Both families are having to deal with something that no one ever wants to experience.

The loss of a child is a life changing tragedy that one never gets over and only through your personal faith and the love of family and friends do you even survive.

And even then it is a very long road; one I have traveled as many others have.

I wish for them peace and healing with time.

snarky not needed here either.............

Sorry, I was trying to reply to MissCriter and where I posted it did look like I was being snarky. But didn't mean to be at all. My 14 year old grandson got hit on the pitchers mound by a line drive. He dropped to the ground, got up and fell to the ground again. I can't begin to describe how we felt at that moment. He's still playing ball, loves it, and I'll never forget how lucky and thankful we are.

Sorry, I was trying to reply to MissCriter and where I posted it did look like I was being snarky. But didn't mean to be at all. My 14 year old grandson got hit on the pitchers mound by a line drive. He dropped to the ground, got up and fell to the ground again. I can't begin to describe how we felt at that moment. He's still playing ball, loves it, and I'll never forget how lucky and thankful we are.

I can't even begin to imagine. Blood running cold, your own heart stopping are what I would imagine. Thank God (literally) that he is okay.