Son of Erik Kramer found dead

jr/shotglass · Nov 1, 2011

Dick Whitman said:

poindexter said:

From the story:
It may always be unknown just how far the younger Kramer would have gone in football...

A senior sitting on the bench as a backup on the Thousand Oaks high school team? I have a pretty good idea how far this was going.
Click to expand...

Not to be insensitive, because the story is sad, but from a journalistic standpoint, this kind of reporting by news side is so par for the course. Any time a current or former athlete ever died or got into trouble, it was like clockwork, some variation of the following:

"So was he a pretty good player, big part of the team?"

"He was OK. Backup running back. Got a few carries in blowouts."

"Do you think he might have been able to play in college?"

"Maybe a small school. They'll take anyone."

"But what about the Big Ten? Do you think he could have played in the Big Ten? Or maybe Notre Dame?"

"No way."

"I don't mean for sure, though. I mean, there was at least a chance, right?"

"No chance."

"But everyone has a chance. You never know what might happen in life!"

"Well, if you put it that way ..."

Next day headline:

H: H.S. football star dead in accident
S: Big Ten may have been in standout's future

The first cousin of this is when a gang banger gets shot and killed, and we learn from the news account that he had gotten his life together and was working toward a degree.

"Dirty Sanchez, his relatives said, was taking his role as a father seriously. He was working toward a degree, as they believed he recently looked into taking an online course at the University of Phoenix."
Click to expand...

This is so right, it's frightening.

Tip from years of dealing with this: Don't give them an in. If the kid was a benchwarmer, don't allow that there is ANY way he could have been termed a "football star." And if they try, "But everyone has a chance!", ask them if they aren't just trying to find an angle that isn't there.

gravehunter · Nov 1, 2011

Gator said:

In every death, there's a lawsuit to be filed ...
Click to expand...

Especially in California

cyclingwriter · Nov 1, 2011

Dick Whitman said:

poindexter said:

From the story:
It may always be unknown just how far the younger Kramer would have gone in football...

A senior sitting on the bench as a backup on the Thousand Oaks high school team? I have a pretty good idea how far this was going.
Click to expand...

Not to be insensitive, because the story is sad, but from a journalistic standpoint, this kind of reporting by news side is so par for the course. Any time a current or former athlete ever died or got into trouble, it was like clockwork, some variation of the following:

"So was he a pretty good player, big part of the team?"

"He was OK. Backup running back. Got a few carries in blowouts."

"Do you think he might have been able to play in college?"

"Maybe a small school. They'll take anyone."

"But what about the Big Ten? Do you think he could have played in the Big Ten? Or maybe Notre Dame?"

"No way."

"I don't mean for sure, though. I mean, there was at least a chance, right?"

"No chance."

"But everyone has a chance. You never know what might happen in life!"

"Well, if you put it that way ..."

Next day headline:

H: H.S. football star dead in accident
S: Big Ten may have been in standout's future

The first cousin of this is when a gang banger gets shot and killed, and we learn from the news account that he had gotten his life together and was working toward a degree.

"Dirty Sanchez, his relatives said, was taking his role as a father seriously. He was working toward a degree, as they believed he recently looked into taking an online course at the University of Phoenix."
Click to expand...

I'll add to the second part:

Relatives said Sanchez grew up going to church and was good in school. He loved his family, they said. However, he got caught up with the wrong crowd a few years ago.

Dick Whitman · Nov 1, 2011

If I were a gang banger, I would never try to turn my life around. It seems like they only get shot when they start trying to turn their life around. I would just keep bangin'. Business as usual. Because from everything I read in the newspaper, that's the safest way to go.

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! · Nov 18, 2011

Bump.

This gets worse ...

As first reported by KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, of the individuals cited with various counts related to Kramer's death, 19-year-old David Nernberg has been most directly linked, charged with suspicion of involuntary manslaughter. While Kramer's official autopsy failed to discover a conclusive reason of death, investigators are convinced that a drug overdose was involved in his passing, with heroin a likely narcotic culprit.

Here's how KTLA described the latest findings from detectives:

The night before Kramer was pronounced dead, detectives told KTLA that Nernberg was partying with Kramer at a park and at some point, Kramer became unconscious and was in need of medical attention.

Authorities say that's when Nernberg put Kramer into his car and started driving around, calling his friends and asked what he should do.

Eventually, Nernberg took Kramer to his house, dragged his body inside and left him there until the following morning where he was found dead.

That Kramer's death appears to have come from a drug overdose is particularly trying for the teen's family, which had watched their son overcome substance abuse before transferring to Thousand Oaks. The teen spent part of his sophomore year in a rehab center and had credited his love of football as giving him hope for a better future
Click to expand...

rmanfredi · Nov 18, 2011

THEY SHOULD SHUT DOWN THE THOUSAND OAKS FOOTBALL PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY AND BURN THE SCHOOL TO THE GROUND!!!

DanOregon · Nov 18, 2011

It's a tragic story - but like the Michael Jackson story, I can't help thinking of the countless drug overdoses that don't end up with arrests simply because the victim isn't well-known or isn't related to anyone famous.

TigerVols · Nov 18, 2011

Sorry for the family's loss...

...but Dick Whitman's post was spot on, and MM's made me spray Dr Pepper; and unlike IJAG, I don't feel guilty about it one bit.

Piotr Rasputin · Nov 19, 2011

Link to ESPN.com story:

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/story/_/id/7251307/four-charged-death-ex-nfler-erik-kramer-son-griffen-kramer

Always nice to find out that the group of morons someone hung out with, had no intention of helping out when trouble actually occurred.

Kind of makes the whole "Darn those news siders for acting like he could have been a good QB!" rants ring a bit more hollow.

imjustagirl · Nov 19, 2011

Okay, then you bite the fuckin' bullet, take him to a hospital and call a lawyer.

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Son of Erik Kramer found dead

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

gravehunter Member

cyclingwriter Active Member

Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! Well-Known Member

rmanfredi Active Member

DanOregon Well-Known Member

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Son of Erik Kramer found dead

jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

gravehunter Member

cyclingwriter Active Member

Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!! Well-Known Member

rmanfredi Active Member

DanOregon Well-Known Member

TigerVols Well-Known Member

Piotr Rasputin New Member

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