Spot on, Ken. True nihilism is lack of curiosity about why tragedies happen. Far easier and cheaper to sweep them under the rug, especially if honest questions might inconvenience all the people invested in organized contact sports.
When I read your piece, I immediately remembered Aaron Hernandez RIP. Lots of other lives too could have been different and better if only we cared enough.
100%. Our lab studies CTE at the cellular level and the damage is crazy. We get brains donated by suicides etc. If it’s real bad you can just see the entire brain has shrunk. Earlier on I was on a study of how the shearing force of impact is particularly bad to neurons in the anterior cingulate, implicated in emotional regulation and depression. The fact that he knew it was a posthumous diagnosis and did this then handed us his brain really shows he understands the game. Oh and sidenote the domestic violence implications of CTE are terrible to think about. My two cents.
I thought of the great Mike Webster when I heard CTE. A teammate of Terry Long, Mr Webster fell to pieces after he retired, having played center for 16 seasons. From the AMA: “[The pathologist who performed the autopsy] saw the horror of a lifetime of high-impact head trauma that Webster himself said was equivalent to being in ‘about 25,000’ car wrecks.” (Aaron Hernandez also came to mind.)
We won’t know the answer until the autopsy results are released, but given the current climate, maybe the autopsy results won’t *be* released. Maybe Trump et al. would rather cling to their random violence story, which I don’t believe for a minute.
I wish the government could explain their rationale for cloaking these notes, manifestos, etc. in secrecy. Do they think this man’s suicide note would create a slew of copycats (read sarcasm)? I’m weary of being given the mushroom treatment.
Right on! Too early to tell if a violent trend is developing to get our leaders to listen about “if-you’re-lucky (IYL) health care. As you wrote, random will be the reason for these shootings; much easier to comprehend.
Great insight! Thanks Ken. I stopped following the NFL after Junior Seau’s death & strictly forbade my son from playing football. I have a buddy from law school who played division 1 football in the 1980’s but couldn’t make the NFL. From 2012-2021 his Facebook page was filled with eulogies to former teammates and group efforts to pull former teammates out of awful situations. I can’t understand why Roger Goodell doesn’t face a torrent of questions about this.
“Nihilistic Violent Extremists”. That would be the entire government of Israel carrying out a genocide in Israel together with the U.S. government leaders of both parties that enable it with bombs and high tech weapons. This also includes the fossil fuel executives that are fueling accelerating global warming.
"Unlike Mangione, however, Tamura’s victims had nothing to do with his reported health issues."
What is the current state of the reporting on Mangione and United Healthcare?
My understanding that no direct link was discovered, i.e. Magnione never was insured by United Healthcare and never denied treatment by United Healthcare. He just picked them as a symbol.
They also all were users of cannabis which can produce psychosis in many people. Especially with heavy use over several years. Cannabis psychosis has gotten much more common with high-THC products adding to the problem. Cannabis was found in Tamura’s vehicle but much of the media failed to report it. The odds that he imagined he had CTE due to psychosis are actually higher than actually having CTE from high school football.
Yeah I mean CTE may factor in here somewhere, and we don’t have nearly enough info, but if I were to speculate… this absolutely screams cannabis associated psychosis
We've all had covid at this point, which causes rage and neuroinflammation. That on top of CTE is a horrible combination.
Covid-related neuroinflammation is much more likely than cannabis. At least 1/3 of covid patients have neuropsychiatric changes. The whole population is likely a lot more emotionally labile than we were pre-pandemic.
"Some patients present with anosmia, cognitive and attention deficits (ie, brain fog), new-onset anxiety, depression, psychosis, seizures, and even suicidal behavior.1,2 These present before, during, and after respiratory symptoms and are unrelated to respiratory insufficiency,1 suggesting independent brain damage. Follow-ups conducted in Germany and the United Kingdom found post–COVID-19 NPs (neuropsychiatric symptoms) in 20% to 70% of patients, even in young adults, and lasting months after respiratory symptoms resolved,1 suggesting brain involvement persists."
Ugh. Reefer madness. It never dies. This is a far more speculative take than CTE from football, or just a dude who lost his marbles through some completely random factor.
It is a well established fact that heavy THC use can cause psychosis in some individuals. It is especially prevalent in young males. About 5% will develop schizophrenia. It is not to be taken lightly. Repeating “Reefer Madness” does not make it less of a problem.
Might consider editing this sentence for accuracy or clarity:
"Unlike Mangione, however, Tamura’s victims had nothing to do with his reported health issues."
Technically speaking, neither United Health nor the CEO of UH had anything to do with Mangione's personal health issues, and he wasn't denied coverage by whoever his insurance company was, which I am pretty sure was not United or an affiliate.
It amounts to government reserving to itself the right to frame a situation as it sees fit. Truth is sure having a hard time of it these days.
I'd think that anyone planning suicide and wanting to let the world know why he/she decided to do it would make a copy of any note and leave it where a family member or friend was sure to find it.
I hope someone will float the full suicide note your way, Ken. Selective reporting serves no one except those in power.
Couldn't agree more. I really resent being told that publishing such things glorifies the killer.
If CTE can be diagnosed posthumously, has his brain now been autopsied?
Not yet, but it will be. Apparently the process takes weeks.
Spot on, Ken. True nihilism is lack of curiosity about why tragedies happen. Far easier and cheaper to sweep them under the rug, especially if honest questions might inconvenience all the people invested in organized contact sports.
When I read your piece, I immediately remembered Aaron Hernandez RIP. Lots of other lives too could have been different and better if only we cared enough.
100%. Our lab studies CTE at the cellular level and the damage is crazy. We get brains donated by suicides etc. If it’s real bad you can just see the entire brain has shrunk. Earlier on I was on a study of how the shearing force of impact is particularly bad to neurons in the anterior cingulate, implicated in emotional regulation and depression. The fact that he knew it was a posthumous diagnosis and did this then handed us his brain really shows he understands the game. Oh and sidenote the domestic violence implications of CTE are terrible to think about. My two cents.
it's really scary
“They’re nihilists dude. Nihilists.” Walter Sobchak, The Big Libowski.
i kept hearing that as i wrote this haha
I thought of the great Mike Webster when I heard CTE. A teammate of Terry Long, Mr Webster fell to pieces after he retired, having played center for 16 seasons. From the AMA: “[The pathologist who performed the autopsy] saw the horror of a lifetime of high-impact head trauma that Webster himself said was equivalent to being in ‘about 25,000’ car wrecks.” (Aaron Hernandez also came to mind.)
We won’t know the answer until the autopsy results are released, but given the current climate, maybe the autopsy results won’t *be* released. Maybe Trump et al. would rather cling to their random violence story, which I don’t believe for a minute.
I wish the government could explain their rationale for cloaking these notes, manifestos, etc. in secrecy. Do they think this man’s suicide note would create a slew of copycats (read sarcasm)? I’m weary of being given the mushroom treatment.
Of course, MSM is totally in $$$$ bed with the NFL. It provides a big chunk of its revenue.
i imagine the NFL being roughly as powerful as the vatican
More powerful.
The owners are Trump donors.
He killed the head of Blackstone’s REIT division, no? An errant shot? Hard to say, but seems odd to me.
Right on! Too early to tell if a violent trend is developing to get our leaders to listen about “if-you’re-lucky (IYL) health care. As you wrote, random will be the reason for these shootings; much easier to comprehend.
Ken, your thoughts are priceless. Thank you.
Great insight! Thanks Ken. I stopped following the NFL after Junior Seau’s death & strictly forbade my son from playing football. I have a buddy from law school who played division 1 football in the 1980’s but couldn’t make the NFL. From 2012-2021 his Facebook page was filled with eulogies to former teammates and group efforts to pull former teammates out of awful situations. I can’t understand why Roger Goodell doesn’t face a torrent of questions about this.
https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/san-diego-news/the-legacy-of-chargers-icon-junior-seau-ten-years-after-his-death
“Nihilistic Violent Extremists”. That would be the entire government of Israel carrying out a genocide in Israel together with the U.S. government leaders of both parties that enable it with bombs and high tech weapons. This also includes the fossil fuel executives that are fueling accelerating global warming.
"Unlike Mangione, however, Tamura’s victims had nothing to do with his reported health issues."
What is the current state of the reporting on Mangione and United Healthcare?
My understanding that no direct link was discovered, i.e. Magnione never was insured by United Healthcare and never denied treatment by United Healthcare. He just picked them as a symbol.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/04/us/luigi-mangione-diary-entries-murder-case
They also all were users of cannabis which can produce psychosis in many people. Especially with heavy use over several years. Cannabis psychosis has gotten much more common with high-THC products adding to the problem. Cannabis was found in Tamura’s vehicle but much of the media failed to report it. The odds that he imagined he had CTE due to psychosis are actually higher than actually having CTE from high school football.
Yeah I mean CTE may factor in here somewhere, and we don’t have nearly enough info, but if I were to speculate… this absolutely screams cannabis associated psychosis
We've all had covid at this point, which causes rage and neuroinflammation. That on top of CTE is a horrible combination.
Covid-related neuroinflammation is much more likely than cannabis. At least 1/3 of covid patients have neuropsychiatric changes. The whole population is likely a lot more emotionally labile than we were pre-pandemic.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-19-psychosis-neurological-symptoms-5176173
Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2778090
"Some patients present with anosmia, cognitive and attention deficits (ie, brain fog), new-onset anxiety, depression, psychosis, seizures, and even suicidal behavior.1,2 These present before, during, and after respiratory symptoms and are unrelated to respiratory insufficiency,1 suggesting independent brain damage. Follow-ups conducted in Germany and the United Kingdom found post–COVID-19 NPs (neuropsychiatric symptoms) in 20% to 70% of patients, even in young adults, and lasting months after respiratory symptoms resolved,1 suggesting brain involvement persists."
Cannabis induced psychosis was already well established long before Covid.
not nearly as common though.
Ugh. Reefer madness. It never dies. This is a far more speculative take than CTE from football, or just a dude who lost his marbles through some completely random factor.
It is a well established fact that heavy THC use can cause psychosis in some individuals. It is especially prevalent in young males. About 5% will develop schizophrenia. It is not to be taken lightly. Repeating “Reefer Madness” does not make it less of a problem.
Might consider editing this sentence for accuracy or clarity:
"Unlike Mangione, however, Tamura’s victims had nothing to do with his reported health issues."
Technically speaking, neither United Health nor the CEO of UH had anything to do with Mangione's personal health issues, and he wasn't denied coverage by whoever his insurance company was, which I am pretty sure was not United or an affiliate.
It amounts to government reserving to itself the right to frame a situation as it sees fit. Truth is sure having a hard time of it these days.
I'd think that anyone planning suicide and wanting to let the world know why he/she decided to do it would make a copy of any note and leave it where a family member or friend was sure to find it.