This is a story filed by Sports Illustated on December 5th on the death of Ohio State football player and varsity wrestler Kosta Karageorge. Kostas body was found in a dumpster on December 31, along with the apparent weapon. The story goes on to explain that several athletes on both the Ohio State football and wrestling teams knew that Karageorge had a history of concusions that brought about significant pain and depression. He was a walk-on on the football team and spent most of his time on the scout squad, a particularly strenous activity, that requried him to have significant contact while simulating future Buckeye opponents. Ohio State players wore his number on their jerseys during the Sugar Bowl. The SI article on December 5th is the last story that I can find on the internet. No one, including ESPN who carried the playoff game between Ohio State and Alabama, has asked the Ohio State coaching staff, if they were aware of Karageorges history of concussions. No one asked Urban Meyer or any of his assistants about the decision to wear Karageores number in the Sugar Bowl. No one has asked the athletic training department at Ohio State if they thought that it might not be a good idea for a guy suffering depression from concussions was walking on to the football team. It is almost as if there is a conspiracy between ESPN and Ohio State to not draw any attention to Kostas death while the football teams prepares to compete for a national championship. At a time when there is more concern over the long term effects of concussions than ever, it seems strange that one of the most powerful organizations behind the bowl playoffs, ESPN, and a university playing for the national championship choose to ignore whether or not Ohio State followed the appropriate protocols for an athlete who was suffering from a series of concussions. Certainly Kosta Karageorge deserves better. And the general public, who have sons and daughters competing in contact sports deserve better as well. -- Terry Pettit
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 14:29:15 +0000