NFL player Damar Hamlin collapses during game; suffers cardiac arrest

[TIC]

That is the only thing that matters at this point. Wild conjectures about the cause are pointless and frankly only damaging at this point. But that doesn't stop people from doing it.

The NFL has its hands full right now, as it desperately tries to balance the sensitivity of Hamlin's injuries with the remainder of the season and the looming playoffs.

I'd hate to be in those front offices (NFL) during these times. They're bound to get criticized no matter what they decide.

just because people are questioning the cause does not mean they are not concern for this man. master posted a question asking if we are seeing more of these incidents as he must be noticing something that he felt like asking the forum. i agree wild conjectures are pointless. the question from master & my own about other possibilities of cause are far from wild conjectures & are more about reasoned discussion. you & i will never know the real cause, no matter what the media says but i for one will be keeping an eye out hoping that these incidents don't become more regular. i'm not really familiar with the workings of the nfl, could you please inform me what you are referencing there? in regards to the remainder of the season & being in the front offices. from their point of view wasn't this tragic incident just a random occurrence off a routine tackle? or are they getting flack about player safety of something? what decision are they supposed to make?

It doesn't appear we are "seeing more of these incidents." But here's a look back at other cardiac related incidents on the field of play (including other sports):


https://www.insider.com/sports-stars...-hamlin-2023-1

"Damar Hamlin isn't the first pro athlete to have cardiac arrest on the field — here are 5 other stars who collapsed while the clock was running"

From the article:

• Chuck Hughes, Detroit Lions NFL player - Collapsed without contact on the field of play in 1971 and died
• Christian Eriksen, Danish soccer player - Non-contact collapse during Euro 2020 during a game in 2021. Was revived.
• Chris Pronger, NHL St. Louis Blues - Collapsed after hit from puck on chest during game in 1998. Made a full recovery.
• Jay Bouwmeester, NHL St. Louis Blues - Collapsed while on bench in 2020. Was revived and later retired from the sport.
• Marc-Vivien Foé, Cameroon soccer team - Non-contact collapse during game in 2003. Could not be revived.

Also from the article:

"Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin has been hospitalized in critical condition after being treated on the field for cardiac arrest. The 24-year-old safety collapsed after a tackle during a Monday night game against the Bengals.

While the details of Hamlin's health aren't yet clear, the incident is part of a long history of athletes suffering cardiac events during competition in sports, such as football, soccer, and hockey.

Dozen of other such incidents have occurred in the past few decades, some of them fatal. While heart problems in elite athletes are rare, they can occur because of underlying conditions, including undiagnosed heart disease or genetic abnormalities, which are exacerbated by intense exercise and physical stress, according to research published in 2019.

Getting hit in the chest with enough force can also disrupt the heartbeat, a condition called commotio cordis, which is also rare but can be caused by an object like a hockey puck or baseball, or contact with another player.

While pro athletes are routinely screened for medical conditions, some risks are difficult to predict or prevent, resulting in shocking and occasionally deadly mid-game medical emergencies."

"Underlying conditions"... "undiagnosed heart disease"... "genetic abnormalities". "Exacerbated by intense exercise and physical stress..."

I'm going with these for the time being.

Factually-based opinions from medical professionals, whose opinions have more weight than anybody on Facebook or Twitter.



Oh... about the NFL and its decisions.

The game where Hamlin was injured was finally postponed after it was clear that none of the players were in any emotional shape to continue. The game was critical in determining playoff positioning and seeding for the beginning of playoff season a week and a half from now. The NFL has a decision to make as to whether make up this game... cancel it altogether... or push the playoffs back in order to accommodate the finishing of the game at some later date. Their decision will have ramifications on a group of teams currently fighting for playoff positioning.

The play itself where Hamlin was injured was most definitely a routine tackle, which obviously factors into the determinations being made as we speak as to the possible causes for the injury. Until more knowledgeable minds than you or I come to some sort of conclusions, the cause remains unknown. The league (NFL) meanwhile, finds itself in the unenviable position of having to delicately balance the still uncertain outcome of Hamlin's recovery, with the need to finish the season and begin the playoffs.

it could be that the media is just focusing on these incidents more currently but as i said in my original post in this thread, i have noticed several people i know who i considered young & in good health; whose health has deteriorated over the last few years. four of the guys have had heart issues. the causes of their health deterioration could be many but the one thing they have in common is that they are all covid vaccinated & boosted. now in saying that i also have friends that have been vaccinated & had booster shots who are still in good health. underlying conditions"... "undiagnosed heart disease"... "genetic abnormalities are definitely causes but it also a fact that when you mix chemicals you will get reactions. you can go with whatever you like, i'm happy to say i will never know what the cause was. cheers for the information on the nfl. i figured it was about the game being called off & affecting points & standings. the cause will always remain unknown to you & i. you will either choose to believe the conclusion presented to you or not, i'll file the information away in my mind as a definite possibility of cause but i will never know that to be true. hey look at us, having a slightly civil conversation so far. happy new year to year titofan, i hope you are successful in all your pursuits this year

It's my long held opinion that we have to be careful when we make correlations. It can be a pitfall... and after taking a course in Statistics in college I have a healthy respect for correlation studies. So mentioning that some people you know that you considered young and in good health, and have had heart issues... and making the correlation with COVID vaccines... is a bit of a slippery slope. Granted... you immediately clarified that you know other friends who have had the vaccines and are still in good health. Something to consider, of course.

IMHO it's always healthy to hold off on speculation until one has gathered enough information to make an informed, intelligent, rational opinion. And still we could be wrong.

But I'm glad we're not arguing about this particular subject, and yes... we've been having a civil conversation so far.

Thanks for the well wishes, TIC. You as well. May the coming year bring good things for you and your loved ones.

And I was happy to clear up the issue with the NFL. I can definitely understand how those who don't follow the league could be confused about certain things.

Right now I think they're going to try to finish the game at some point. Maybe eliminating the bye week that normally follows the Conference Championships and heading into the Super Bowl. It would make the most sense.

i wasn't making a correlation between their health issues & the covid vaccines just stating one commonality between them. as i said the causes for their deteriorating health could be many. i will add that most of my closest friends & family are not covid vaccinated as you probably guessed & although i can only speak for myself, my observations of those closest around me is that their health is on par with what it was pre covid if not better. i myself very rarely get sick. & again i know people that have had covid vaccines & are still healthy or healthier now. i agree on holding off on speculation, like i said you & i will never really know the true cause, information will be provided & we can choose to believe & trust what we are told. let's hope you & i can continue with the civil discussions. i'm sure you have a lot of knowledge & my opinion is we can all learn something from each other, everyone has something to offer. yeh thanks for the nfl stuff, i wasn't sure where it was in the season & what importance the games meant. in my opinion it would seem fair to reschedule/ restart the game if possible?