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Former Oregon Lineman’s Injury a Failure of Leadership

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Good update Jordan!

 
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It's hard to see former Oregon Ducks football players and coaches seated in a courtroom. There is a stark difference between the electric greens and yellows of...

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This guy would have made $125+M in the NFL? Based on whose calculus?

 

He and his lawyer's get $100M+ I think it further proves up that 'Lady Justice' left town a long time ago.

 

Sucks that the kid got hurt as a result of a too stringent practice regime.

 

What if he had been injured doing the 'Oklahoma Drill?' Or injured as was Ifo in practice? He gets millions of dollars?

 

THIS is the kind of stuff, along with CTE, etc., that will make CFB disappear. This kid wins his case and the flood gates will open.

 

Are any of these scholarship sports worth the candle today to a university? In this litigious society, is the risk of liability worth it? 

Edited by Jon Joseph
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If , in fact , his life expectancy due to kidney disease and failure resulting from the exercise regime is a real possibility, then he does deserve some compensation .  But $120M, really?   He would have been a fringe NFL player at best, and no fringe player makes that kind of NFL money.  My perspective from what I've read, Taggert, the strength coach, and U of O should comensate him for future related medical expenses, shortened life expectancy, and some sum for what he's gone through, but not pie in the sky potential income loss. 
 

The whole mess is the result of an overzealous, under trained stregth coach, with the okay by the head coach represented byour University.  Mistakes happen, that's what insurance is for.  This should never have gone as far as it has.

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Brenner is suing for the $125 million for both punitive damages and pain & suffering, after suffering the potentially fatal rhabdomylosis and being hospitalized 3 days for it. His life may be shortened by 10 years. Not sure how much of the $125 million is related to any potential NFL pay and how much is related to quality of life. I guess I'm personalizing this way too much, but if Doug Brenner was my son, I'd be in that courtroom every minute of every day of the trial hoping he wins the case and gets a good settlement.

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If my reading comprehension and memory are holding up against the aging process I believe the original lawsuit against the coaches, UO and NCAA stated $20 million for physical damages, decline in health and life expectation and loss of earnings. $100 million was added against the UO and NCAA for punitive damages to insure that the rules and regulation are instituted to forbid this type of exercise. 

 

The verdict or settlement will likely be less. After the lawyer fees whatever is left over is due and deserved by Brenner.

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It is reasonable for any coach in D-1 athletics to know the medical consequences for poor workouts.  The Oregon coaching staff fired one the best strength and conditioning trainers in the US and replaced him with an uncredentialed coach whose actions led to severe consequences.  The athletes will likely have a shortened lifespan… no amount of money will be able bring that back but maybe a $125M punitive damages will make player safety during workouts a priority in athletics.

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"I don’t think Taggart did anything to intentionally hurt any of his players."

 

Yes and No.  Did he say "work them till they hurt", no.  Did he and his trainer show wanton disregard for the players' health, YES = intent.

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On 5/2/2022 at 11:00 AM, Pocketchange said:

It is reasonable for any coach in D-1 athletics to know the medical consequences for poor workouts.  The Oregon coaching staff fired one the best strength and conditioning trainers in the US and replaced him with an uncredentialed coach whose actions led to severe consequences.  The athletes will likely have a shortened lifespan… no amount of money will be able bring that back but maybe a $125M punitive damages will make player safety during workouts a priority in athletics.

Amen, and I wrote something similar back when it was in the jury selection phase I believe. The amount seems ridiculous at first glance, but the blame for this mess falls on the desks of the people in charge. Or it should, although we know it doesn't always work out that way.

 

I am sure nobody from the strength coach up to the athletic director and the president of the university *wanted* to put the players in the hospital and cause serious long term damage to their health, but in the end, when you are the one who hired the unqualified employee and that employee's (predictable) mistake leads to something like this, you need to pay the price. And a big result will help future administrators remember that fact.

 

The 'bucks' stop here? Something like that!

Edited by Viking Duck
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I don't see any Oregon coaches seated in that courtroom. Oregon Duck Football Players, but slick might as well have his name taken out of Oregon history as far as I am concerned, along with his strength coach. He certainly can't be considered an Oregon coach. I would give him the name of defendant in a lawsuit.

 

It’s hard to see former Oregon Ducks football players and defendants seated in a courtroom. there, fixed it.

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On 5/2/2022 at 2:00 PM, Pocketchange said:

It is reasonable for any coach in D-1 athletics to know the medical consequences for poor workouts.  The Oregon coaching staff fired one the best strength and conditioning trainers in the US and replaced him with an uncredentialed coach whose actions led to severe consequences.  The athletes will likely have a shortened lifespan… no amount of money will be able bring that back but maybe a $125M punitive damages will make player safety during workouts a priority in athletics.

OK. 3 guys were hospitalized. Not good. But that's 3 out of how many? And 2 of the 3 are not bringing suit. When 3 out of 85+ in any endeavor suffer do you change the entire modus operandi? 

 

Player safety has been universally addressed by the NCAA. Players practice for fewer hours now and contact in practice is limited. Both of these make sense and both are fine with me. The same practice restraints have been adopted in the NFL.

 

Tragically, every year a player dies of heart failure when the rest of the team suffers no lingering injury. This is the nature of our game and our species.

 

As for losing years and years off of his life? According to whom? The Doctor hired to testify by the plaintiff's attorney? 

 

I suffered dehydration twice while practicing football in high school. I am 75 years old.

 

Frankly and by no means pejoratively, I think there are generational differences as to how this matter is being viewed? 

 

I don't see handing the plaintiff 60 to 70% of $125M, his lawyers will collect the balance, will make a material difference as to how CFB practice in today's environment is conducted, beyond what has already been addressed and implemented. 

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On 5/3/2022 at 9:29 AM, Jon Joseph said:

When 3 out of 85+ in any endeavor suffer do you change the entire modus operandi? 

Obviously it depends on the endeavor.  3 of 85 wrong answers on a SAT test is pretty darn good.  However I'm not buying any chicken from the plant that has "only" 3.5% of the product contaminated with salmonella nor am I booking an airline where 3 of 85 flights crash.

 

Most programs in most years don't send athletes to the hospital for rhabdomyolysis and that should be the standard.  This was egregious.

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On 5/3/2022 at 2:32 PM, McDuck said:

Most programs in most years don't send athletes to the hospital for rhabdomyolysis and that should be the standard.  This was egregious.

I have no idea regarding the number of players who annually suffer extreme dehydration in practice?

 

I do know that tragically, a player or 2 die every year as a result of practicing football. Even with every safeguard in place.

 

I certainly respect your opinion. I just don't believe the young man should receive $120M based on the hypothesis that his life has been significantly shortened. As far as I know that as of today the young man's quality of life has not been affected at all?

 

To the best of my knowledge he is not bed ridden or confined to a wheel chair.? Please correct me if I am in error.

 

I believe McCormack was one of the guys hospitalized. He was cleared to return to play ball. And he returned to play ball without bringing a law suit.

 

If you believe $120M is appropriate for having to spend a few days in the hospital for excessive dehydration than so be it.

 

The jury in the case is likely to agree with you.

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I have never voiced an opinion on the amount of damages which would be appropriate, I certainly have never stated the plaintiff should receive the full amount of the lawsuit.  Taking a belief that the "professional" adults in the room should have exercised caution and extrapolating that I advocate a nine figure settlement is using a very broad brush.

 

I really don't know what is a reasonable amount, I'm not in the courtroom, I haven't heard the testimony.  In other words I don't have sufficient data to draw a valid conclusion.  Anything else is simply reacting to emotion.

 

 

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