Ryan Freel, dead at 36

This is a sad day for Reds fans. Most of you probably have never even heard of one Ryan Freel. He used to play for the Reds during some of the most horrific years for Reds fans. Essentially, he was a utlility player that was brought in who played each play as if it were his last. He attempted to over achieve with each at bad, each fly ball, every attempted stolen base. He did this on teams who would be out of the playoff hunt every single year, sometimes even 20 or 30 games out of first place, yet he played like it was the World Series every single game.

Apparently Ryan was about to retire after playing for the Royals for a few years. His body battered, his aging body on the decline, the gig was up for his professional career. He was known to Reds players as someone with extreme ups and downs, never knowing which Ryan Freel would show up to play, but as a fan you knew who would show up every single day. For most, he was a favorite due to his effort on the field. Apparently Ryan hit another down period once he had to retire from the game, so he ended his life this past weekend.

Ryan is both an inspiration to me and a representation of the failure of the human condition, for we should always give everything we do our all no matter how seemingly trivial or inane, but we should never let the outcome of that effort, whether it be good or bad, define our worth as a human being and desire to live.


May he rest in peace.

Originally posted by whodey
This is a sad day for Reds fans. Most of you probably have never even heard of one Ryan Freel. He used to play for the Reds during some of the most horrific years for Reds fans. Essentially, he was a utlility player that was brought in who played each play as if it were his last. He attempted to over achieve with each at bad, each fly ball, every attempte ...[text shortened]... be good or bad, define our worth as a human being and desire to live.


May he rest in peace.

Well said, whodey! It is sad when someone takes his own life when he could have embarked on a different career instead, perhaps in coaching youngsters. We need better mental health services in general and better ways of identifying those who are vulnerable to suicide. may he rest in peace.

Originally posted by scacchipazzo
Well said, whodey! It is sad when someone takes his own life when he could have embarked on a different career instead, perhaps in coaching youngsters. We need better mental health services in general and better ways of identifying those who are vulnerable to suicide. may he rest in peace.

He was the only sign of life in that franchise for years. How ironic is that?

Originally posted by whodey
He was the only sign of life in that franchise for years. How ironic is that?

There has been a slew of suicides recently within my inner circle. It is not only disturbing, but also makes one angry at people who take this cowardly way out. I know all the psychobabble about pain, but I find these people weak. Most disturbing is that each and every one of them was immensely talented/gifted in one way or other. All these people could have given "new life" to their own lives via immersing themselves in mind numbing work of some form or other. If one feels one's life is over then embarking on a selfless mission might eradicate depression. Just to cite one example. One of these folks was a talented math teacher at a local posh school. I don't know, perhaps moving into an inner city school and applying math talents to change lives. I always think of those who go through adversity with more dignity and grace such as Paul Sallie, a uchicago professor. Diabetic, double amputee, partially blind, generally unhealthy, huge curmudgeon, but gives so freely of himself his lectures all always packed. If your cell phone goes off during a lecture it gets confiscated, stomped on with his wooden leg and flung out the window. He is nearing 80 and shall never retire!

Originally posted by scacchipazzo
There has been a slew of suicides recently within my inner circle. It is not only disturbing, but also makes one angry at people who take this cowardly way out. I know all the psychobabble about pain, but I find these people weak. Most disturbing is that each and every one of them was immensely talented/gifted in one way or other. All these people could ed on with his wooden leg and flung out the window. He is nearing 80 and shall never retire!

It is not only disturbing, but also makes one angry at people who take this cowardly way out. I know all the psychobabble about pain, but I find these people weak.

Never really understood those who deem all those who commit suicide as "cowardly" / "weak". Can you explain that attitude? Have you considered that some just may not have the same fear of death / attachment to life as you?

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
[b]It is not only disturbing, but also makes one angry at people who take this cowardly way out. I know all the psychobabble about pain, but I find these people weak.

Never really understood those who deem all those who commit suicide as "cowardly" / "weak". Can you explain that attitude? Have you considered that some just may not have the same fear of death / attachment to life as you?[/b]

I do consider it and will never cease to consider it a cowardly way out. Even intense psychological pain is only temporary. Not only cowardly, but selfish since it always leaves a trial of devastation, bereaved families having to find a messy scene, a messy clean up, and intense pain for the survivors. If these selfish people stopped to think of anything but themselves for one minute perhaps they'd think twice. You fail to understand "those" like me, and I fail to understand "them", full of self hatred and hatred for their loved ones. In the end "they" are far worse than I am! I have immense compassion for those left behind. As I stated before, every single one of the recent suicides in my inner circle were all highly intelligent and accomplished people, including one who finished engineering at Stanford with a 4.0 then celebrated by stepping into the path of a train in San Jose. Wasted a spot someone else less selfish might have used. Another one, with elderly parents, shot himself only to be found by his frail parents. He was a multi-degreed Vanderbilt grad and criminal DA. Don't lecture me about their pain! Stop and think of the pain of the bereaved and the devastation they face.

Originally posted by scacchipazzo
I do consider it and will never cease to consider it a cowardly way out. Even intense psychological pain is only temporary. Not only cowardly, but selfish since it always leaves a trial of devastation, bereaved families having to find a messy scene, a messy clean up, and intense pain for the survivors. If these selfish people stopped to think of anythin ...[text shortened]... ut their pain! Stop and think of the pain of the bereaved and the devastation they face.

Even intense psychological pain is only temporary...Don't lecture me about their pain!

I said nothing about "pain". What I spoke of was the idea that "some just may not have the same fear of death / attachment to life as you" which is not the same thing.

If these selfish people stopped to think of anything but themselves for one minute perhaps they'd think twice.

I imagine that most do think twice, but decide that suicide is still the best option. Are you perhaps being selfish in placing the pain you feel above their right to do with their lives as they see fit?

You fail to understand "those" like me, and I fail to understand "them", full of self hatred and hatred for their loved ones.

Doesn't seem like "self hatred" or " hatred for their loved ones" need apply. Are you perhaps placing those labels upon them instead of dealing with your pain in a more healthy manner?

As I stated before, every single one of the recent suicides in my inner circle were all highly intelligent and accomplished people, including one who finished engineering at Stanford with a 4.0 then celebrated by stepping into the path of a train in San Jose. Wasted a spot someone else less selfish might have used. Another one, with elderly parents, shot himself only to be found by his frail parents. He was a multi-degreed Vanderbilt grad and criminal DA.

If you believed them to be intelligent and respected them, then why not respect their decisions regarding their own lives? Seems highly presumptuous (and selfish) to expect others to live their lives according to what you believe is best for yourself and/or others.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
[b]Even intense psychological pain is only temporary...Don't lecture me about their pain!

I said nothing about "pain". What I spoke of was the idea that "some just may not have the same fear of death / attachment to life as you" which is not the same thing.

If these selfish people stopped to think of anything but themselves for one minute p ...[text shortened]... ive their lives according to what you believe is best for yourself and/or others.

Far be it for me or you to judge these people. That is pointless since we are not their judge.

What I will say is that people who lose hope lose their desire to live. After all, hope is all we have.

Originally posted by whodey
Far be it for me or you to judge these people. That is pointless since we are not their judge.

What I will say is that people who lose hope lose their desire to live. After all, hope is all we have.

Never really understood those who claim that "hope is all we have". Perhaps "hope" is all you have, but there are those who choose to live in reality rather than "hope". Do you honestly believe it?

Not sure what's going on with SP. First he deemed all those who commit suicide as "cowardly" / "weak". Upon being asked to explain that attitude, he instead seemed to try to make a case that they are "selfish" which seemed to point to his own selfishness instead.