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RIP Billy Ray Smith jr
Posted on 7/30/26 at 8:15 am
Posted on 7/30/26 at 8:15 am
Great player from back in the day. Only 64. Died from dementia due to CTE
Posted on 7/30/26 at 8:24 am to BroomfieldReb
Terrible news. He was one hell of a football player.
I didn't encourage my sons to play football because of the health risks. My brother-in-law, a former defensive end in the SEC, didn't either. We did other sports. It seems that football has largely become a sport for lower income kids looking for a way out economically. Doctors, lawyers and corporate execs mostly send their kids to lacrosse, soccer, tennis and T&F.
I didn't encourage my sons to play football because of the health risks. My brother-in-law, a former defensive end in the SEC, didn't either. We did other sports. It seems that football has largely become a sport for lower income kids looking for a way out economically. Doctors, lawyers and corporate execs mostly send their kids to lacrosse, soccer, tennis and T&F.
Posted on 7/30/26 at 8:36 am to Cimarron
I don’t think this is a new thing. There is a reason football catches fire in the south
Posted on 7/30/26 at 8:41 am to Cimarron
quote:
lacrosse
Alongside hockey, it is far from a "safe alternative" if head injury prevention is the primary concern.
RIP: Billy Ray
This post was edited on 7/30/26 at 8:42 am
Posted on 7/30/26 at 9:19 am to Che Boludo
Isnt soccer the leading sport for concussions?
Posted on 7/30/26 at 9:23 am to lefty08
No. It is football followed by lacrosse and hockey
Posted on 7/30/26 at 10:03 am to Che Boludo
According to Google, soccer is only behind football in men’s sports and the top women’s sport for concussions
Posted on 7/30/26 at 10:13 am to lefty08
quote:
According to Google, soccer is only behind football in men’s sports and the top women’s sport for concussions
Interesting as gemini disagrees.
AI Google search engines shouldn't fight in front of the kids
Posted on 7/30/26 at 10:17 am to BroomfieldReb
RIP
Helluva player for Arkansas and the Chargers but his prime NFL years happened when I was a little kid. Can't hear the name without thinking of Trading Places.
Helluva player for Arkansas and the Chargers but his prime NFL years happened when I was a little kid. Can't hear the name without thinking of Trading Places.
This post was edited on 7/30/26 at 10:18 am
Posted on 7/30/26 at 10:22 am to Che Boludo
quote:
Alongside hockey, it is far from a "safe alternative" if head injury prevention is the primary concern.
Your chances of having severe brain injury are exponentially less. In soccer, kids aren't allowed to head the ball until after age 10 and there are practice restrictions to age 14 in order to mitigate risk. There are approximately 30 headers in a game for both teams. In football, a player typically experiences physical contact on nearly every play they are on the field—averaging roughly 60 to 80 physical collisions or blocks per game for high-contact positions like linemen and linebackers.
It's not comparable.
Posted on 7/30/26 at 11:41 am to BroomfieldReb
I remember both him and his dad. Sad - both dying at 64. 
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:05 pm to Diamondawg
It could be autoimmune and the head injuries could have triggered it.
Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger.
Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger.
This post was edited on 7/30/26 at 6:10 pm
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:08 pm to Cimarron
quote:
Terrible news. He was one hell of a football player.
I didn't encourage my sons to play football because of the health risks. My brother-in-law, a former defensive end in the SEC, didn't either. We did other sports. It seems that football has largely become a sport for lower income kids looking for a way out economically. Doctors, lawyers and corporate execs mostly send their kids to lacrosse, soccer, tennis and T&F.
Yet OU willing to support football by paying big money through NIL.
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:11 pm to lefty08
Not to mention continually striking a ball with your head. Might now be massive blows but they all add up.
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:16 pm to BroomfieldReb
Started as a freshman defensive tackle weighing about 210 when most defensive tackles were weighing anywhere from 270 to 280
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:32 pm to BroomfieldReb
What a great football player. RIP.
Posted on 7/30/26 at 6:46 pm to Dirty 6th
Rest in peace Billy
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