NFL Players Reported Missing From Boat Trip

[VegasPackFan]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,502785,00.html

Strange story, just breaking. Could be even more bad news for the Lions.

[Fritz]

Holy crap. Bad news for two bad teams.

[VegasPackFan]

Now saying it is Corey Smith (Lions) and Victor "Marquis" Cooper (Raiders).

[Guiness]

They'll be ok. The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure.

'course, we might not see them for some time...

In with the first Gilligan's Island joke!!! :)

[mission]

Shit, strange story. Hope they find these dudes...

[KYPack]

One report I heard was it was a 21 footer.

Moral of this tale is..

Rent the big boat, with GPS, loran and the whole deal guys. It might save your life.

[MJZiggy]

I think they'll be found in a bar in Key West, myself...

[DonHutson]

Every Viking fan's heart skipped a beat when they saw that headline.

[CaptainKickass]

Nahh -

My guess is they turn up on next week's episode of "Lost".

Seriously though- I hope they're ok.

[Rastak]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/2/443443.html?title=Coast+Guard+finds+person+clingin g+to+overturned+boat



BREAKING UPDATE:
The Coast Guard has found an overturned boat with one person clinging to it. It's unknown if it's the vessel of four missing boaters.

Tampa General Hospital reports they received a call saying the Coast Guard would be bringing someone to their hospital from a boating incident.

The Coast Guard vessel, Tornado, was traveling from Mississippi on a training exercise, but joined in the search.
Coast Guard officials said another boat has left to aid in the search. Officials said if medical attention is needed, a helicopter will be sent out.



http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article980435.ece



12:27: Nick Schuyler is the boater who has been found, according to the cousin of Marquis Cooper, Ray Sanchez, who is at the Clearwater boat ramp where the men were last seen and has been getting updates from family. He was found 38 miles west of Tampa Bay alive and clinging to a boat, Sanchez said.

The Coast Guard cutter Tornado found the boat and dispatched a smaller boat to rescue him.

[Tarlam!]

It blows my mind that there are jokes being made about the possible tragedy.

[Zool]

It blows my mind that there are jokes being made about the possible tragedy.

People deal with tragedy in their own ways Tar. Try not to think less of the people who like to keep things light.

[Tarlam!]

It blows my mind that there are jokes being made about the possible tragedy.

People deal with tragedy in their own ways Tar. Try not to think less of the people who like to keep things light.

Well, my wife was hit by a train 3 months ago. I couldn't imagine how someone could make a joke about that that deals with tragedy that would be acceptable.

[Rastak]

It blows my mind that there are jokes being made about the possible tragedy.

People deal with tragedy in their own ways Tar. Try not to think less of the people who like to keep things light.



How is it possible to keep it light when it's very likely 3 guys died at a young age? I guess I just don't get it. Some things just aren't meant to be joked about in my mind but to each his own.

I guess those who want to can laugh it up.

[retailguy]

How is it possible to keep it light when it's very likely 3 guys died at a young age? I guess I just don't get it. Some things just aren't meant to be joked about in my mind but to each his own.

I guess those who want to can laugh it up.

Well said, Ras. I have always believed that there are a bunch of younger people in the world that have never experienced a tragedy to someone close to them.

It changes your perspective. (At least it did mine. I've never experienced a feeling of "helplessness" quite like it, and hope I never feel that way again.)

Tar, as I've said before, I'm sorry for your loss, and I also apologize for any insensitivity here that may have dragged out feelings based upon your loss.

[Bossman641]

Sad story.

Please keep the updates coming Ras.

[mission]

Man, I had a handful of tragedies by the time I was 16. 18, I was holding my best friend -- dead (random murder spree) and riddled with holes -- in my arms.

There is really no excuse for joking about this shit. If you aren't sure how to deal with tragedy and feel a need to "shed light on it" then you might as well just not say a fucking thing at all.

Not that anyone's posts affect me in this thread, but there's gonna be a time somewhere (outside of the internet) that you might wanna just put your head down.

[KYPack]

That's a minor miracle. I didn't think anything would be found.

My post was not a joke, BTW. I go thru this all the time with pals down in Fla when we go fishing. Get the bigger boat with safety equipment, GPS and powerful radio. There's no way I'd go in the deep fishing water with a 21 foot boat. it's OK in calm seas, but you have to plan for the quick storm.

Yeah, it's a bummer all the way round.

Too bad for these guys and their families.

[mission]

That's a minor miracle. I didn't think anything would be found.

I agree. And with your first post too.

21 feet is tiny for those kind of waters... eeek.

[retailguy]

That's a minor miracle. I didn't think anything would be found.

My post was not a joke, BTW. I go thru this all the time with pals down in Fla when we go fishing. Get the bigger boat with safety equipment, GPS and powerful radio. There's no way I'd go in the deep fishing water with a 21 foot boat. it's OK in calm seas, but you have to plan for the quick storm.

Yeah, it's a bummer all the way round.

Too bad for these guys and their families.

I didn't take your post as a joke at all. 'Course I was in too small of a boat for the waves once, (off the coast of California) and vowed I'd never do that again.... :shock: and haven't... and won't. :o

[sheepshead]

Any word on the 'hoe's??

[Rastak]

Any word on the 'hoe's??

I heard your mother and sister got off the boat before it left.

[sheepshead]

Any word on the 'hoe's??

I heard your mother and sister got off the boat before it left.









Aaaaaaoooooooooooooooooo

[Rastak]

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/custom/story.aspx?storyid=98476&catid=20


Coast Guard: Boat has been found, awaiting word on Marquis Cooper, Nick Schuyler in serious condition
Posted By: Erica Pitzi 14 mins ago


From PFT:



REPORT: MARQUIS COOPER FOUND ALIVE
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2009, 2:51 p.m. EST

Monday is a day of miracles on the Gulf Coast — two have occurred, and there are two to go.

After Nick Schulyer was found clinging to the overturned hull of the 21-foot fishing boat lost at sea on Saturday, there’s a report that Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper has been found alive.

There’s still no work on Lions defensive end Corey Smith or William Bleakley.

Schuyler reportedly is in serious condition at Tampa General Hospital. He told his mother that he survived by telling himself that she would not be attending his funeral.

[Rastak]

Tampa newspaper now has withdrawn the Cooper story:



REPORT OF COOPER’S DISCOVERY IS WITHDRAWN
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2009, 3:23 p.m. EST

Without even so much as an apology or an “our bad,” Tampa 10 has withdrawn its report that Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper has been found.

We regret to say that we’ve got some experience regarding getting it wrong when it comes to matters of life and death, and the one thing that you’ve got to do when you make a mistake like that is apologize profusely and profoundly for the error.

The search continues for Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith

[Bossman641]

Tampa newspaper now has withdrawn the Cooper story:



REPORT OF COOPER’S DISCOVERY IS WITHDRAWN
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2009, 3:23 p.m. EST

Without even so much as an apology or an “our bad,” Tampa 10 has withdrawn its report that Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper has been found.

We regret to say that we’ve got some experience regarding getting it wrong when it comes to matters of life and death, and the one thing that you’ve got to do when you make a mistake like that is apologize profusely and profoundly for the error.

The search continues for Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith

How does a story like that get mixed up?
Bad news

[Rastak]

Tampa newspaper now has withdrawn the Cooper story:



REPORT OF COOPER’S DISCOVERY IS WITHDRAWN
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2009, 3:23 p.m. EST

Without even so much as an apology or an “our bad,” Tampa 10 has withdrawn its report that Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper has been found.

We regret to say that we’ve got some experience regarding getting it wrong when it comes to matters of life and death, and the one thing that you’ve got to do when you make a mistake like that is apologize profusely and profoundly for the error.

The search continues for Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith

How does a story like that get mixed up?
Bad news


Not sure, it was the headline for about 10 minutes, then it was gone and so was all traces in the body of the story.

[mission]

Tampa newspaper now has withdrawn the Cooper story:



REPORT OF COOPER’S DISCOVERY IS WITHDRAWN
Posted by Mike Florio on March 2, 2009, 3:23 p.m. EST

Without even so much as an apology or an “our bad,” Tampa 10 has withdrawn its report that Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper has been found.

We regret to say that we’ve got some experience regarding getting it wrong when it comes to matters of life and death, and the one thing that you’ve got to do when you make a mistake like that is apologize profusely and profoundly for the error.

The search continues for Marquis Cooper, Corey Smith

How does a story like that get mixed up?
Bad news

Seriously. W.T.F.

I went from like "WOW, no fuckin way!" to "OH..."

Imagine family and friends reading that let alone me!

[MJZiggy]

Damn, I was really hoping it was an unplanned side trip. :(

Here's hoping someone picked them up or they found somewhere to land.

[DonHutson]

So I made one of the jokes, and it was distasteful. For that I apologize.

But I also find it a little troubling that this is a national news story in the first place. Pointless accidents happen to decent people everywhere, everyday. They're all tragic.

This particular story shouldn't be any more heartbreaking or important than any other simply because two of these guys happened to play in the NFL, in my opinion. You put their actual names in the headline instead of 'NFL players' and this never gets on the news wire. I don't want to cast dispersions on anyone's interest in the story, but personally, I don't get.

So if I have a snarky attitude about the story, it's fueled by my perception of misplaced media priorities as opposed to the nature of the story itself. It goes without saying the story itself is a sad one, but it's just one of many.

[red]

well they had hopes that the other 3 might be alive because the survivor said they were all wearing life jackets

but now the coast guard has called off the search

rip

[Brandon494]

So I made one of the jokes, and it was distasteful. For that I apologize.

But I also find it a little troubling that this is a national news story in the first place. Pointless accidents happen to decent people everywhere, everyday. They're all tragic.

This particular story shouldn't be any more heartbreaking or important than any other simply because two of these guys happened to play in the NFL, in my opinion. You put their actual names in the headline instead of 'NFL players' and this never gets on the news wire. I don't want to cast dispersions on anyone's interest in the story, but personally, I don't get.

So if I have a snarky attitude about the story, it's fueled by my perception of misplaced media priorities as opposed to the nature of the story itself. It goes without saying the story itself is a sad one, but it's just one of many.

I bet you would have a different opinion if it was a Packer player who was lost at sea.

[DonHutson]

I bet you would have a different opinion if it was a Packer player who was lost at sea.

Of course I would be more interested because I would have more of a personal stake in it. I don't have a problem with this being a local story in the markets where these players played. Any similar accident would be a local story in the market where it happened. But if Jarret Bush and Breno Giacomini were missing, I still wouldn't expect this to be a national story.

Maybe I'm just an asshole, but I don't why the rest of us should care more about this than any similar story involving non-athletes.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

well they had hopes that the other 3 might be alive because the survivor said they were all wearing life jackets

but now the coast guard has called off the search

rip

Life jacket or not....very few people can withstand hypothermia.

[MadtownPacker]

These guys probably drowned if big waves flipped the boat. Hope they didnt suffer too bad. RIP

[oregonpackfan]

well they had hopes that the other 3 might be alive because the survivor said they were all wearing life jackets

but now the coast guard has called off the search

rip

Life jacket or not....very few people can withstand hypothermia.

Even though the water temp was a reported 65 degrees F, the body temp is 98 degrees. With hypothermia, the internal organs begin to shut down.

This is just a tragic story. :(

[imscott72]

Nick Schuyler, the lone survivor from a Florida fishing-trip disaster involving two NFL players before the search was called off, revealed that the four lost men at one point had a helicopter hovering over them.
The helicopter's light shined down on the four, but must not have seen them. Schuyler said the NFL players -- Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper -- were first to drift away in the rough waves. He called former USF player Will Bleakley "a hero" for swimming under the capsized boat they were hanging onto to retrieve life vests. Bleakley eventually was separated too. The search for Cooper, Smith, and Bleakley was called off at sunset Tuesday.
Source: Associated Press
Related: Marquis Cooper

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Really sad story. I just hope they didn't suffer or are not still suffering. God be with them.

[mission]

Really sad story. I just hope they didn't suffer or are not still suffering. God be with them.

That's really all you can hope for really.

Rest in Peace.

:flag:

[SkinBasket]

I bet you would have a different opinion if it was a Packer player who was lost at sea.

Of course I would be more interested because I would have more of a personal stake in it. I don't have a problem with this being a local story in the markets where these players played. Any similar accident would be a local story in the market where it happened. But if Jarret Bush and Breno Giacomini were missing, I still wouldn't expect this to be a national story.

Maybe I'm just an asshole, but I don't why the rest of us should care more about this than any similar story involving non-athletes.

I'm with ya on this one. It feels like they're sensationalizing the situation due to the minor NFL ties, probably to the detriment of the friends and family involved.

[Patler]

I bet you would have a different opinion if it was a Packer player who was lost at sea.

Of course I would be more interested because I would have more of a personal stake in it. I don't have a problem with this being a local story in the markets where these players played. Any similar accident would be a local story in the market where it happened. But if Jarret Bush and Breno Giacomini were missing, I still wouldn't expect this to be a national story.

Maybe I'm just an asshole, but I don't why the rest of us should care more about this than any similar story involving non-athletes.

I'm with ya on this one. It feels like they're sensationalizing the situation due to the minor NFL ties, probably to the detriment of the friends and family involved.

People are interested because the subjects are "famous" in one way or another and the story is tragic. It is the same for athletes far and wide, performers and entertainers, the wealthy, etc.

Would Paris Hilton's stories be national news if she worked for minimum wage at the local Walmart?
Would Britney Spears many meltdowns have made even the local news if she was a nurse at the hospital?
If you or I had an altercation in a bar would it make national news like for Barnett.
If Brett Favre retired and unretired, then had a beef with his boss at Am Fam Insurance, would Greta Van Sustern interview him?

I don't know if it is sensationalizing the situation, it is just giving the public stories they are interested in hearing, Is it any worse because the people are "famous"? No, of course not. But it is of greater general interest because more people are interested in hearing about it.

Are any of us interested in knowing who is brought in for interviews at a local business? Why do we care who the Packers bring in?

[Rastak]

These guys probably drowned if big waves flipped the boat. Hope they didnt suffer too bad. RIP


Well, I am only repeating what one of the hosts said on NFL radio. He stated he had some contacts in the coast gaurd and all 4 of them were clinging to the boat. Per this host, they one by one started to panic and hallucinate from the sun and left the boat. The dude they found was the only one who stayed clinging to the thing.


He also mentioned they found one empty life jacket. They all 4 had them on when the boat flipped.


Sad story no matter what really happened.

[GrnBay007]

Lions retire missing boater Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season



RICHMOND, Va. -- The Detroit Lions will retire the number 93 for the 2009 football season in memory of player Corey Smith, one of three men lost when their fishing boat capsized off the Florida Gulf Coast three weeks ago.

Lions player development director Galen Duncan told several hundred mourners in Smith's hometown church Saturday that Smith's number would be retired for a year in honor of a player of extraordinary heart and competitive drive.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80f6181b&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

[Gunakor]

Lions retire missing boater Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season



RICHMOND, Va. -- The Detroit Lions will retire the number 93 for the 2009 football season in memory of player Corey Smith, one of three men lost when their fishing boat capsized off the Florida Gulf Coast three weeks ago.

Lions player development director Galen Duncan told several hundred mourners in Smith's hometown church Saturday that Smith's number would be retired for a year in honor of a player of extraordinary heart and competitive drive.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80f6181b&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Anyone think they would have given that number to another player this year had they not retired it? Would any of the players have even accepted the number? Gosh, I'd hate to be the guy they gave that number to this year.

[Guiness]

[quote=GrnBay007]Lions retire missing boater Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season

Not to be callous or anything, but why retire his number? Obviously, you put it on the shelf for a while; do something to honour his memory, such as a ceremony, or an award, but I would tend to think retiring a number would be for things done on the field.

ok - now being callous - a kid points to one of the jerseys hanging from the rafters, and ask his dad 'What did he do?' The response would be 'He died'. But what can you expect from that franchise?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

[quote=GrnBay007]Lions retire missing boater Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season

Not to be callous or anything, but why retire his number? Obviously, you put it on the shelf for a while; do something to honour his memory, such as a ceremony, or an award, but I would tend to think retiring a number would be for things done on the field.

ok - now being callous - a kid points to one of the jerseys hanging from the rafters, and ask his dad 'What did he do?' The response would be 'He died'. But what can you expect from that franchise?

Are you willfully obtuse?

You might say, Cory was a an outstanding member of the lions. He had tremendous drive and heart. He was an undrafted player who made it and won a superbowl. See, that is what happens when you work hard and stay positive. But, as good of a player, he was even a better man.

[SkinBasket]

Lions retire missing boater Smith's No. 93 for 2009 season

Not to be callous or anything, but why retire his number? Obviously, you put it on the shelf for a while; do something to honour his memory, such as a ceremony, or an award, but I would tend to think retiring a number would be for things done on the field.

ok - now being callous - a kid points to one of the jerseys hanging from the rafters, and ask his dad 'What did he do?' The response would be 'He died'. But what can you expect from that franchise?

I think it's only retired for the year out of respect or mourning or something. Now if Obama would only dedicate a couple billion dollars to teaching black people how to swim, we wouldn't be having this racist conversation.