Cole Madison

[Golfman]

Anybody hear any more about this kid? Does he have any interest in playing football again? I just went back and listened to a mini camp interview and the kid seemed as excited as could be. 

[FinneasGage]

i'm not 100% sure on the details but i think he was friends with tyler hilinski who committed suicide way earlier in the year. they found a lot of CTE in his brain i believe. speculation is that they may have something to do with him taking time to cope and determine if football is what he wants to do with his career. that's 100% speculation obviously we have no idea what caused him to no-show camp but he's not in the mental space to be playing football at the moment. seems like he could be a leader on the line, so hoping we do end up getting him to come to camp next year if he's ready

[Golfman]

19 minutes ago, FinneasGage said:

i'm not 100% sure on the details but i think he was friends with tyler hilinski who committed suicide way earlier in the year. they found a lot of CTE in his brain i believe. speculation is that they may have something to do with him taking time to cope and determine if football is what he wants to do with his career. that's 100% speculation obviously we have no idea what caused him to no-show camp but he's not in the mental space to be playing football at the moment. seems like he could be a leader on the line, so hoping we do end up getting him to come to camp next year if he's ready

That was what I had heard, but wondered if there was any additional news as to where his mind was regarding resuming his career. 

[Gopher Trace]

 Yet his camp has also said -- back in late August when they made it clear with us that Madison was going to be absent for a while -- that the plan remains for him to play:

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/packers-cole-madison-plans-to-play-at-some-point/

Just a really weird situation. It's hard not to pass judgment, but I'll try to imagine that he has some really good frickin reason for which I'll feel like a Richard if I ever slam him for not showing and then find out what it was.

[AlexGreen#20]

SPECULATION ALERT

The logical jump some might be willing to make is that Hilinski used Madison's rifle to kill himself due to CTE related mental instability.

We know based on the SI report that a bunch of teammates taught Hilinski to shoot earlier that year.

Initial reports were that Hilinski used a roommates's rifle to kill himself. 

Madison and Hilinski were roommates at the time and based on Madison's Instagram at the time, Madison was an avid hunter and gun enthusiast. 

Not gonna lie, if my best friend went insane due to playing the game I'm going to start playing professionally, used knowledge that I gave him and a weapon that I left laying around to kill himself, I'd be pretty messed up in the head myself. That's a lot to unpack.

Again, just speculation, but the pieces fit and it would explain a lot of what he's dealing with. 

 

 

[Nick_gb]

30 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

SPECULATION ALERT

The logical jump some might be willing to make is that Hilinski used Madison's rifle to kill himself due to CTE related mental instability.

We know based on the SI report that a bunch of teammates taught Hilinski to shoot earlier that year.

Initial reports were that Hilinski used a roommates's rifle to kill himself. 

Madison and Hilinski were roommates at the time and based on Madison's Instagram at the time, Madison was an avid hunter and gun enthusiast. 

Not gonna lie, if my best friend went insane due to playing the game I'm going to start playing professionally, used knowledge that I gave him and a weapon that I left laying around to kill himself, I'd be pretty messed up in the head myself. That's a lot to unpack.

Again, just speculation, but the pieces fit and it would explain a lot of what he's dealing with. 

 

 

Yeah, hard to pass judgment all things considered. Just got to wish the best for the guy and hope he gets his head right.

[Golfman]

1 hour ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

SPECULATION ALERT

The logical jump some might be willing to make is that Hilinski used Madison's rifle to kill himself due to CTE related mental instability.

We know based on the SI report that a bunch of teammates taught Hilinski to shoot earlier that year.

Initial reports were that Hilinski used a roommates's rifle to kill himself. 

Madison and Hilinski were roommates at the time and based on Madison's Instagram at the time, Madison was an avid hunter and gun enthusiast. 

Not gonna lie, if my best friend went insane due to playing the game I'm going to start playing professionally, used knowledge that I gave him and a weapon that I left laying around to kill himself, I'd be pretty messed up in the head myself. That's a lot to unpack.

Again, just speculation, but the pieces fit and it would explain a lot of what he's dealing with. 

 

 

As a human being, I hope he works through the issues he's dealing with and gets himself right.

As a Packer fan, I hope that leads him to continuing his football career. Not sure what he will become, but I sure would like to know if he could be the answer at RG for us. 

[AlexGreen#20]

11 minutes ago, Golfman said:

As a human being, I hope he works through the issues he's dealing with and gets himself right.

As a Packer fan, I hope that leads him to continuing his football career. Not sure what he will become, but I sure would like to know if he could be the answer at RG for us. 

Let's be real for a minute here.

Unless Madison has been working out everyday, there's a very good chance he's going to come back next year not in football shape. That's not good.

Of all the guys we drafted, excluding Donnerson (and maybe Moore), he had the most work to do from a technique and mental standpoint, coming from that God-forsaken Leach offense. He'll basically be a rookie and a raw and rusty one at that. 

I have a hard time not worrying about where his head is going to be at from a passion stand point. Hard to imagine that a guy who has been away for a while and had that experience with head trauma is going to play with the kind of violence and passion you need from that spot.

Guys that lose their rookie year and all that developmental time have a horrible record of succeeding in the NFL also. 

Madison should be counted on as a UDFA caliber prospect, if he ever shows up. Not to say that he can't succeed, but you're talking long *** odds. Definitely not a guy we should be penciling in at any position long term or even as a backup.

[Norm]

17 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

Guys that lose their rookie year and all that developmental time have a horrible record of succeeding in the NFL also.

This. I put as much faith in him being a player for us as any random udfa next year sadly. Hopefully he gets right with himself, that's what's actually important.

[Golfman]

If he's still 320 pounds he's still got football talent. This is way over the top hyperbole. Now, if he was going to be a draft bust, that is what it is, but to say he sat out a year he's toast is over the top. 

I'll continue to be the optimist and see what happens. 

[Cakeshoppe]

Honestly, I regard him as retired at this point. Think of it like your favorite band going on “indefinite hiatus”. They’re done as a band and if at somepoint they do reuinte, you know the music won’t be the same. It’s a terribly sad story and I wish the best for him and his continued healing and personal success, but I don’t have high hopes for on-field contributions to the Green Bay Packers. 

[Golfman]

7 minutes ago, Cakeshoppe said:

Honestly, I regard him as retired at this point. Think of it like your favorite band going on “indefinite hiatus”. They’re done as a band and if at somepoint they do reuinte, you know the music won’t be the same. It’s a terribly sad story and I wish the best for him and his continued healing and personal success, but I don’t have high hopes for on-field contributions to the Green Bay Packers. 

Could be and I do not blame anyone who gives up football because of the head trauma and long-term consequences. I won't my kid play so I get it. 

[Joe]

5 hours ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

SPECULATION ALERT

The logical jump some might be willing to make is that Hilinski used Madison's rifle to kill himself due to CTE related mental instability.

We know based on the SI report that a bunch of teammates taught Hilinski to shoot earlier that year.

Initial reports were that Hilinski used a roommates's rifle to kill himself. 

Madison and Hilinski were roommates at the time and based on Madison's Instagram at the time, Madison was an avid hunter and gun enthusiast. 

Not gonna lie, if my best friend went insane due to playing the game I'm going to start playing professionally, used knowledge that I gave him and a weapon that I left laying around to kill himself, I'd be pretty messed up in the head myself. That's a lot to unpack.

Again, just speculation, but the pieces fit and it would explain a lot of what he's dealing with. 

 

 

Hate to jump back, but I was unaware of the report. I know you have to say that it's speculation and all so you don't get attacked here, but I don't think that's speculation at all. It makes way too much sense.