Roberts to miss FanFest to avoid stress, Duquette wants him to reconsider

[ScottieBaseball]

Without getting into my personal life I'd just say I'm intimately familiar with someone getting their brain knocked around and the kind of psychological damage that follows. And I get really angry when I see a bunch of people ***** about FanFest autographs or his contract status or (the worst) doubting what he's going through.

I didn't bring up suicide casually. My point is that his issues are infinitely more serious than baseball at this point. His wife's comments, what I know about Brian Roberts the competitor and ambassador, and from what I've seen from concussion victims I know, he's probably in the darkest place he can possibly be.

There's a certain feeling that comes with these injuries. It's like your life is broken and you've had your purposes taken away because you just can't follow your passions anymore. And $20 million can't buy these things back.

When you posted that one line that you were worried about suicide I thought you were simply going for shock value. I even gave you an infraction for it. When you PM'd me in more detail where you were coming from, I have to admit it was pretty eye-opening.

I'll open myself up here...I've been through some of this. I was diagnosed as clinically depressed in my late-teens and still remember distinctly what that felt like. I worked it out over a few months and moved onto happily into adulthood.

I also suffered a concussion a few Thanksgivings ago (playing flag football, tipped ball at the line of scrimmage, I and another player were running full speed to get under the ball and his forehead hit me squarely on the chin knocking me out cold), and it's also something I remember distinctly. The dizziness, the confusion, the headaches, the nasuea, the lethargy...they all varied day-by-day (up and down) and were consistent for a month but lingered for at least two months. The other part of that that Barnaby's PM reminded me of was the depression. For the lack of a better way to compare the two, it was just different. It sucked not being able to carry on an intelligent conversation with my wife. I quite often lost my train of thought or my words didn't match what I meant to say. It made me sad and angry at the same time. There were Christmas parties that I typically would have looked forward to that I bailed out of partly because I just didn't have the energy, but also because I didn't know how my brain would be working. I remember angrily telling my wife that, if we went, she may as well hang a sign around my neck that said, "Hi, I'm Scott and I have a concussion, so please excuse me!"

I do remember being a week or so into the post-concussion symptoms and feeling hopeless. Doctors couldn't tell me how long they'd linger. I'd struggle to fall asleep every night hoping that at least some of the symptoms wouldn't be there tomorrow. It was scary every morning to wake up and take inventory...Dizziness? No. Confusion? TBD. Headache? Yes. Nausea? Ugh...

Thankfully for me, I had an understanding employer. When I was able to function, I worked. When I couldn't, I didn't. I also have a ridiculously compassionate, supportive, and understanding wife. Last, I was fortunate that it lasted a 6-8 weeks, because I remember just before I started to turn the corner contemplating just how much longer I'd be able to live like that. I can't say that suicide crossed my mind, but who knows if my symptoms had lasted for several months?

My point is that, while 'suicide' is a terrible word and idea and Barnaby's initial post about it seemed shocking, harsh, and inappropriate, I don't think it's a subject not worth mentioning.

[El Gordo]

I think your right, as a Brob fan you have to be embarrassed by the level of stupidity in this thread.

As a OH member I'm embarrassed. You would think it's the Sun board from this thread.

[El Gordo]

The hole thread is about morales....Brians past morales tell us we can expect him to milk every dollar out of the team who gave a marginal prospect every chance in the world to make it big....Which he most likely did with the help of roids...For him not to consider some type of buyout from his dumb self inflicted injury is just another example of his selfishness in the same way his roid use was a selfish way to the big money he now has earned none of...

And so goes this business of baseball...There should be some type of self injury clause in these contracts.

While there is a parallel to be drawn with Kendry's injury I wouldn't say this whole thread is about him, It's about BRob.

[Lucky Jim]

If Belle is a world class butthole what is Roberts....At least Belle never was busted for roids only to come clean after by feeding us a bunch of lies that Ray charles could see...I am sorry but Roberts has shown himself to have very flimsy morales at best.

I want to name my next band Flimsy Morales.

[weams]

When you posted that one line that you were worried about suicide I thought you were simply going for shock value. I even gave you an infraction for it. When you PM'd me in more detail where you were coming from, I have to admit it was pretty eye-opening.

I'll open myself up here...I've been through some of this. I was diagnosed as clinically depressed in my late-teens and still remember distinctly what that felt like. I worked it out over a few months and moved onto happily into adulthood.

I also suffered a concussion a few Thanksgivings ago (playing flag football, tipped ball at the line of scrimmage, I and another player were running full speed to get under the ball and his forehead hit me squarely on the chin knocking me out cold), and it's also something I remember distinctly. The dizziness, the confusion, the headaches, the nasuea, the lethargy...they all varied day-by-day (up and down) and were consistent for a month but lingered for at least two months. The other part of that that Barnaby's PM reminded me of was the depression. For the lack of a better way to compare the two, it was just different. It sucked not being able to carry on an intelligent conversation with my wife. I quite often lost my train of thought or my words didn't match what I meant to say. It made me sad and angry at the same time. There were Christmas parties that I typically would have looked forward to that I bailed out of partly because I just didn't have the energy, but also because I didn't know how my brain would be working. I remember angrily telling my wife that, if we went, she may as well hang a sign around my neck that said, "Hi, I'm Scott and I have a concussion, so please excuse me!"

I do remember being a week or so into the post-concussion symptoms and feeling hopeless. Doctors couldn't tell me how long they'd linger. I'd struggle to fall asleep every night hoping that at least some of the symptoms wouldn't be there tomorrow. It was scary every morning to wake up and take inventory...Dizziness? No. Confusion? TBD. Headache? Yes. Nausea? Ugh...

Thankfully for me, I had an understanding employer. When I was able to function, I worked. When I couldn't, I didn't. I also have a ridiculously compassionate, supportive, and understanding wife. Last, I was fortunate that it lasted a 6-8 weeks, because I remember just before I started to turn the corner contemplating just how much longer I'd be able to live like that. I can't say that suicide crossed my mind, but who knows if my symptoms had lasted for several months?

My point is that, while 'suicide' is a terrible word and idea and Barnaby's initial post about it seemed shocking, harsh, and inappropriate, I don't think it's a subject not worth mentioning.

Thanks for sharing this. It is a serious issue that I never really thought of in this context.

[El Gordo]

When you posted that one line that you were worried about suicide I thought you were simply going for shock value. I even gave you an infraction for it. When you PM'd me in more detail where you were coming from, I have to admit it was pretty eye-opening.

I'll open myself up here...I've been through some of this. I was diagnosed as clinically depressed in my late-teens and still remember distinctly what that felt like. I worked it out over a few months and moved onto happily into adulthood.

I also suffered a concussion a few Thanksgivings ago (playing flag football, tipped ball at the line of scrimmage, I and another player were running full speed to get under the ball and his forehead hit me squarely on the chin knocking me out cold), and it's also something I remember distinctly. The dizziness, the confusion, the headaches, the nasuea, the lethargy...they all varied day-by-day (up and down) and were consistent for a month but lingered for at least two months. The other part of that that Barnaby's PM reminded me of was the depression. For the lack of a better way to compare the two, it was just different. It sucked not being able to carry on an intelligent conversation with my wife. I quite often lost my train of thought or my words didn't match what I meant to say. It made me sad and angry at the same time. There were Christmas parties that I typically would have looked forward to that I bailed out of partly because I just didn't have the energy, but also because I didn't know how my brain would be working. I remember angrily telling my wife that, if we went, she may as well hang a sign around my neck that said, "Hi, I'm Scott and I have a concussion, so please excuse me!"

I do remember being a week or so into the post-concussion symptoms and feeling hopeless. Doctors couldn't tell me how long they'd linger. I'd struggle to fall asleep every night hoping that at least some of the symptoms wouldn't be there tomorrow. It was scary every morning to wake up and take inventory...Dizziness? No. Confusion? TBD. Headache? Yes. Nausea? Ugh...

Thankfully for me, I had an understanding employer. When I was able to function, I worked. When I couldn't, I didn't. I also have a ridiculously compassionate, supportive, and understanding wife. Last, I was fortunate that it lasted a 6-8 weeks, because I remember just before I started to turn the corner contemplating just how much longer I'd be able to live like that. I can't say that suicide crossed my mind, but who knows if my symptoms had lasted for several months?

My point is that, while 'suicide' is a terrible word and idea and Barnaby's initial post about it seemed shocking, harsh, and inappropriate, I don't think it's a subject not worth mentioning.

Great post Scottie. I would imagine what you went through is very similar to what Brian is dealing with. From your account it's easy to understand why he wouldn't feel up to fanfest or why he is not in a position to deal with retiring etc. He is in the middle of something pretty bad and it could be over in another 2-3 weeks or it could continue. I hope the O's and their fans are as supportive as your wife and employer were.

[weams]

I want to name my next band Flimsy Morales.

What type of music would Flimsy Morales play? Would a soon to be 53 year old be out of place at their performance? My Morales have been known to be flimsy at times in my past.

[.500_OR_BETTER]

If Belle is a world class butthole what is Roberts....At least Belle never was busted for roids only to come clean after by feeding us a bunch of lies that Ray charles could see...I am sorry but Roberts has shown himself to have very flimsy morales at best.

The hole thread is about morales....Brians past morales tell us we can expect him to milk every dollar out of the team who gave a marginal prospect every chance in the world to make it big....Which he most likely did with the help of roids...For him not to consider some type of buyout from his dumb self inflicted injury is just another example of his selfishness in the same way his roid use was a selfish way to the big money he now has earned none of...

And so goes this business of baseball...There should be some type of self injury clause in these contracts.

Wait, are you talking about Morales or morals?

[bobmc]

What type of music would Flimsy Morales play? Would a soon to be 53 year old be out of place at their performance? My Morales have been known to be flimsy at times in my past.

The "morale" to this story is to be grateful for every day you have that your brain is clear, focused and unfettered. Let's hope that Brian gets through this ordeal and can get on with his life - O's woes notwithstanding.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I want to name my next band Flimsy Morales.

"Lies That Ray Charles Could See" is a hell of a debut album title.

[LookinUp]

I highly doubt the organization is going to give Roberts a job after baseball if he decides to collect $30 million of his $40 million contract for doing basically nothing. Afterall, he caused this injury to himself. This is no different then a pitcher smashing his pitching hand and being unable to pitch again. I bet some of the people who are playing lawyer for Roberts would be up in arms if this was about a player like Gregg who smashed his hand and was unable to pitch.

If Roberts is unable to perform over the next two years and he continues to hold the team's 40-man roster hostage by one spot while collecting the money he's not earning, I'm going to go out on a limb and say his days as a valued member of the organization is over. Albert Belle is the only other player I can think of who has done this and no organization will touch Belle with a 30-foot pole.

Let's be clear. Roberts isn't holding this franchise hostage. Peter Angelos is.

Roberts injury was self inflicted ON THE BASEBALL FIELD. It was aggravated ON THE BASEBALL FIELD. PA knows the risks and PA has the means to enter into negotiations for a real buy out if he wants. He has the means to raise payroll if he wants.

If I were in Roberts shoes, I don't know what I'd do. I do know that it would be really hard for me to simply give away $20 million. We are talking about a lot of money, but money can go really fast these days and Roberts has a long life in front of him with his primary mechanism to earn money gone.

[mikegallo]

I misspelled it my bad....Honestly IDC if people use roids or not its their bodies not mine...I just think that everyone being so quick to defend him is just such one sided way to look at everything...Yeah I am mad that his injury was really dumb and self inflicted and then he was dumb enough to slide head first the next year to make it worse..

If I had a serious head injury (and I have been a victim of several including concussions) I would make sure that I was sliding feet first..I just think there needs to be some balance here, maybe Brians injury is an ongoing tragedy or maybe he is milking the heck out of it...None of us really know.

But to assume he is a great guy who would never intend to do the team wrong just doesn't sit right to me given his prior behavior.

I think my style hasn't been picked up yet by alot of people...99% of what people think on here I agree with including BROB but it's just so much more fun to present the other side of it whether it is AJ, BROB, Orioles D or whatever.

Alot of my posts I don't even agree with the conclusions I am making but I just like to try out all POV in an attempt to show myself and everyone all sides of the arguement.

[Pedro Cerrano]

LOL at people claiming Roberts should walk away from $20 million. I don't know anyone on this board personally (I don't think) but I'd have a hard time imagining any of us saying "nah" if offered $20 million dollars.

[Lucky Jim]

LOL at people claiming Roberts should walk away from $20 million. I don't know anyone on this board personally (I don't think) but I'd have a hard time imagining any of us saying "nah" if offered $20 million dollars.

I think you might be surprised. I'd like to think that I'm someone who would negotiate a buy-out on it, at the same time, I recognize that it's virtually impossible to put myself in his shoes. I always feel I can move on and do something else - all Brian has known is baseball.

[weams]

With hit single...

"Lies That Ray Charles Could See" is a hell of a debut album title.

"Nothing goes in the nose"