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Originally Posted by Forksref
I know some will take this as being insensitive, but I have always thought that the number one person responsible was Kory Stringer. As a professional athlete, I think he should have been aware of the warning signs of heat stroke. He should know his body better than anyone. This is especially true for someone of his weight and position. I think the athlete is going to be aware of the signs before someone else will notice them.
If he was never educated as to those warning signs, then I think the responsibility could go elsewhere, such as the team, team doctors, trainers, etc. If the team "climate" was such that it was frowned upon to report these signs and to take a break, then the team should be held responsible.
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Point the finger at the Minnesota Vikings. If you want to read a primer about how to incorrectly deal with an overheating player look into the facts of this case. Look at how he had trouble during the previous practice with no follow up. Look at how his coaches criticized him about the earlier problems. Look at how long he was in the training trailer before he was sent the hospital. This was a tragedy and it won't be the last. This case wasn't about an out of shape player. By all accounts Stringer was in the best shape of his pro career. I believe this is a product of the demand for 300+ lb players.
To put the blame on the player is to not understand pro sports. These players are conditioned from the time they are kids to ignore pain, don't wimp out, don't drop out of a drill, be a leader, heat stroke happens to those out of shape, etc, etc,. The reason they are in the NFL is a testament to that competitiveness. In this case Stringer dropped out of a drill and was left alone for a period of time. I believe his position coach later discovered that he was having problems, but the downward spital had already started.
I believe the widow previously settled with the Vikes and is now looking for more $.