[needle]

Cal officials confirmed Friday morning that a member of the football team, Ted Agu, has died.

Agu was a 6’1″ 240-lb. defensive end from Bakersfield. He was a junior. Early reports indicated Agu may have collapsed during a conditioning drill.

http://blog.sfgate.com/cal/2014/02/07/ca...ayer-dead/

[needle]

Cal officials confirmed Friday morning that a member of the football team, Ted Agu, has died.

Agu was a 6’1″ 240-lb. defensive end from Bakersfield. He was a junior. Early reports indicated Agu may have collapsed during a conditioning drill.

http://blog.sfgate.com/cal/2014/02/07/ca...ayer-dead/

[OutsiderFan]

Any time something like this happens it is unfortunate and saddening.  It's especially sad when the player is a walk-on who is giving it everything he has to earn playing time on his team.  Just really sad.

[OutsiderFan]

Any time something like this happens it is unfortunate and saddening.  It's especially sad when the player is a walk-on who is giving it everything he has to earn playing time on his team.  Just really sad.

[czaja]

It's always very sad when something like this happens, and I can't help but wonder what happened.  Perhaps an undiagnosed heart condition?  In any event, 21 years old is far too young to die.

[czaja]

It's always very sad when something like this happens, and I can't help but wonder what happened.  Perhaps an undiagnosed heart condition?  In any event, 21 years old is far too young to die.

[yvonne]

Ted, in life.

http://youtu.be/QmRKAf0ye78

[yvonne]

Ted, in life.

http://youtu.be/QmRKAf0ye78

[yvonne]

To quote Alan Ball, "A person who has lost a spouse is called a widow or widower; one who has lost one’s parents is called an orphan. But the situation of one who has lost a child is so awful to even contemplate that there is no word to describe it." The loss of a child might well be the point where grief reaches its unimaginably heart-wrenching zenith, where it triumphs and becomes all pervading and black - black as the darkness of death itself.

http://gosumag2004.50webs.com/5/15.html

[yvonne]

To quote Alan Ball, "A person who has lost a spouse is called a widow or widower; one who has lost one’s parents is called an orphan. But the situation of one who has lost a child is so awful to even contemplate that there is no word to describe it." The loss of a child might well be the point where grief reaches its unimaginably heart-wrenching zenith, where it triumphs and becomes all pervading and black - black as the darkness of death itself.

http://gosumag2004.50webs.com/5/15.html

[terry]

Very sad. I suppose the "how and why" will come out eventually, but it doesn't really matter because it won't change anything. What a terrible loss for his family.

It makes you stop and think about your own loved ones, doesn't it? My son is in a dangerous part of the world right now, in the Middle East. Praying for his safety.

[terry]

Very sad. I suppose the "how and why" will come out eventually, but it doesn't really matter because it won't change anything. What a terrible loss for his family.

It makes you stop and think about your own loved ones, doesn't it? My son is in a dangerous part of the world right now, in the Middle East. Praying for his safety.

[Hulk01]

Praying for your son, too.

For two years I dated a woman who had just lost her son. it's actually worse than it sounds and it sounds horrifying beyond words. 

She is nearing the end of year three and seems right where she was a year and two years ago. The temptation to be the white knight gets strong but you learn the knights is powerless, a sllly affectation.

Very sorry.  He looks and sounds like a special kid.  This an event earlier this week has me reflecting on the death of Steve Prefontaine, who I saw hours before he died.  38 years later i still cannot see a photo of him without plunging. 

[Hulk01]

Praying for your son, too.

For two years I dated a woman who had just lost her son. it's actually worse than it sounds and it sounds horrifying beyond words. 

She is nearing the end of year three and seems right where she was a year and two years ago. The temptation to be the white knight gets strong but you learn the knights is powerless, a sllly affectation.

Very sorry.  He looks and sounds like a special kid.  This an event earlier this week has me reflecting on the death of Steve Prefontaine, who I saw hours before he died.  38 years later i still cannot see a photo of him without plunging. 

[StanFan88]

+1. So sad to read about something like this.

[StanFan88]

+1. So sad to read about something like this.

[Papa John]

I actually learned about Ted Agu's death from an ABC News link that included the following tweet from DL Cameron Walker:

"You were a blessing to all of us and it hurts so bad to know that I'll never walk next to ur locker again and hear your voice speaking to me," Walker wrote. "You left too soon. But ur in a better place now & we all have another guardian angel watching over us. I love you, Ted. I miss you already. I'll never forget you, Pre-Med Ted. You and your family are in my prayers."

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/c...s-22416989

I'm about to leave work to go pick up my son from his elementary school. I'm going to give him an extra big hug and be thankful for every moment that I have with him on this earth.

[Papa John]

I actually learned about Ted Agu's death from an ABC News link that included the following tweet from DL Cameron Walker:

"You were a blessing to all of us and it hurts so bad to know that I'll never walk next to ur locker again and hear your voice speaking to me," Walker wrote. "You left too soon. But ur in a better place now & we all have another guardian angel watching over us. I love you, Ted. I miss you already. I'll never forget you, Pre-Med Ted. You and your family are in my prayers."

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/c...s-22416989

I'm about to leave work to go pick up my son from his elementary school. I'm going to give him an extra big hug and be thankful for every moment that I have with him on this earth.

[M T]

[Edit:  The article quoted has been removed from its site and I'm not aware of why.  So trust this quote accordingly.  Perhaps the source used by the reporter may have been mistaken, misquoted, or may have improperly given out private information and withdrew it.  I quoted what was in that article at the time of my posting.]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...-his-death

In apparent compliance with NCAA protocol, Cal was aware that their player who died Friday had sickle cell trait, according to a source.
...
An official cause of death has not been determined. However, the manner of the player's death fits a profile. Since 2000, sickle cell trait related cases are the leading cause of death among NCAA Division I football players. The overwhelming majority of those deaths have occurred suddenly during offseason conditioning.

[M T]

[Edit:  The article quoted has been removed from its site and I'm not aware of why.  So trust this quote accordingly.  Perhaps the source used by the reporter may have been mistaken, misquoted, or may have improperly given out private information and withdrew it.  I quoted what was in that article at the time of my posting.]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...-his-death

In apparent compliance with NCAA protocol, Cal was aware that their player who died Friday had sickle cell trait, according to a source.
...
An official cause of death has not been determined. However, the manner of the player's death fits a profile. Since 2000, sickle cell trait related cases are the leading cause of death among NCAA Division I football players. The overwhelming majority of those deaths have occurred suddenly during offseason conditioning.

[BostonCard]

We had a player with sickle cell trait who had to be medically retired due to complications of it.  All I can say is that we should be very thankful that he retired before something like this happened.

BC

[BostonCard]

We had a player with sickle cell trait who had to be medically retired due to complications of it.  All I can say is that we should be very thankful that he retired before something like this happened.

BC

[Leftcoast]

The AFCA (Football coaches)is working to raise awareness of this condition.  Here's an article on Sickle Cell Trait within football taken from the AFCA website.  Dick Tomey, ex San Jose coach and current AFCA president, also had a kid struck down by this while at Hawaii.  Interestingly it often hits during off season training.

http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=97

The condition's link to Agu's death is still speculation (and the CBS website has pulled down their earlier news item at least temporarily) but the description of Agu's fall fits the normal pattern.

[Leftcoast]

The AFCA (Football coaches)is working to raise awareness of this condition.  Here's an article on Sickle Cell Trait within football taken from the AFCA website.  Dick Tomey, ex San Jose coach and current AFCA president, also had a kid struck down by this while at Hawaii.  Interestingly it often hits during off season training.

http://www.afca.com/article/article.php?id=97

The condition's link to Agu's death is still speculation (and the CBS website has pulled down their earlier news item at least temporarily) but the description of Agu's fall fits the normal pattern.