Sad News: Pio Sagapolutele has died

[Deus Irae]

Massive stroke and heart attack at just 39 years of age:

Sagapolutele's versatility to play end and tackle appealed to Belichick. When Belichick joined the New England Patriots as assistant head coach in 1996, he recruited Sagapolutele to rejoin him. Sagapolutele started 13 games for the Patriots during the season and at right defensive tackle in Super Bowl XXXI against Green Bay.

Former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman dead at age 39 - cleveland.com

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Rembered him in the 96 season, that is pretty scary with his age, we are the same age..

 

[BradyFTW!]

Man, that's depressing. Sad to hear it, RIP Pio.

 

[Kontradiction]

Sad news indeed. However, one would have to wonder if the stroke/heart attack at his age was due to steroids or any other type of drug abuse when he was younger.

 

[DaBruinz]

That is sad.. I didn't realize he was so young when he was with the Pats...

RIP PIO...

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I remember him too. Does anybody know why the Pats let him go after the 1996 season?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Sad news indeed. However, one would have to wonder if the stroke/heart attack at his age was due to steroids or any other type of drug abuse when he was younger.

Third post? Really? The speculation couldn't wait?

 

[capetide]

Third post? Really? The speculation couldn't wait?

I know. It's a sad state of affairs in our country when, immediately after feeling sad for a loss, we immediately try to blame the deceased for some supposed misdeed to justify his loss.

 

[Kontradiction]

Third post? Really? The speculation couldn't wait?

So there's supposed to be a time limit on speculating the cause of a stroke or heart attack of a 39 year old? Or should I have waited for the fifth post instead?

 

[Kontradiction]

I know. It's a sad state of affairs in our country when, immediately after feeling sad for a loss, we immediately try to blame the deceased for some supposed misdeed to justify his loss.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "...to justify his loss", because nothing can JUSTIFY it. However, you have to assume that a 39 year-old that suffers a stroke and a heart attack either had some pre-existing heart and/or brain condition or quickened his untimely death due to some outside circumstances.

 

[Deus Irae]

They've updated the story. Now they're writing that it was an aneurysm.

 

[Patjew]

How terribly sad.

 

[Gwedd]

I came close to checking out when I was 47. I had two blood clots that each blocked an artery. I was walking back to my home up a shallow hill and suddenly had this massive crushing pain in my chest. Called the ambulance and got to the hospital in time.

I had a pretty active life, but I tore an achilles and had to stay sedentary with my leg in a boot for 6 weeks, and that's when the clots developed.

I'm only saying this because these things can and do happen at all stages of life. They don't have to involve drugs or alcohol or steroids, etc.

Sad to hear of Pio's dying like that. With an aneurysm, though, that could happen to anyone at anytime, without any warning.

 

[BradyFTW!]

So there's supposed to be a time limit on speculating the cause of a stroke or heart attack of a 39 year old? Or should I have waited for the fifth post instead?

Not a time limit, and it wasn't regular speculation. It's just common decency to not immediately bring up the possibility of drug abuse, especially when there's no evidence of it.

 

[Kontradiction]

Sad to hear that it was because of an aneurysm. That can happen to anyone.

Not a time limit, and it wasn't regular speculation. It's just common decency to not immediately bring up the possibility of drug abuse, especially when there's no evidence of it.

I wasn't passing it off as fact. I just wondered about it because he was so young.

EDIT: If it wasn't me, someone else would have brought it up. I apologize if it offended you, but that's just the way I am. I would assume that you knew you were going to see all sorts of different personalities when joining a public forum.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I read a disturbing report a few weeks ago on how some of the NFLs biggest players (in physical terms) have died before the age of 50 due to heart related problems due to their size and weight,Its dangerous for these players who are large to work so feverishly and carry all that weight at the same time,especially as the hot weather comes around,Its hard on the heart.

I don't know how guys as big as Wilfork and guys that are as big as old Ted Washington out there do it when the heat flares up - no matter how gifted,strong,young and durable they are - it has to be tough out there for the heavy boys.

 

[Kontradiction]

I read a disturbing report a few weeks ago on how some of the NFLs biggest players (in physical terms) have died before the age of 50 due to heart related problems due to their size and weight,Its dangerous for these players who are large to work so feverishly and carry all that weight at the same time,especially as the hot weather comes around,Its hard on the heart.

I don't know how guys as big as Wilfork and guys that are as big as old Ted Washington out there do it when the heat flares up - no matter how gifted,strong,young and durable they are - it has to be tough out there for the heavy boys.

Wilfork is from Florida. He's used to it by now.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

Sad news indeed. However, one would have to wonder if the stroke/heart attack at his age was due to steroids or any other type of drug abuse when he was younger.

Reggie White says hello

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I was just talking to my dad the other day about Pio. I always thought he had the coolest name. lol.

Well, rest in peace big man

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I read a disturbing report a few weeks ago on how some of the NFLs biggest players (in physical terms) have died before the age of 50 due to heart related problems due to their size and weight,Its dangerous for these players who are large to work so feverishly and carry all that weight at the same time,especially as the hot weather comes around,Its hard on the heart.

I don't know how guys as big as Wilfork and guys that are as big as old Ted Washington out there do it when the heat flares up - no matter how gifted,strong,young and durable they are - it has to be tough out there for the heavy boys.

Many Samoans fit in this exact category. I know a guy that was only 31 and he passed away last summer. He was well over 300lbs and had very high blood pressure at a very young age. He had a heart attack while riding his motorcycle.