depression killed Griffin? depression killed Griffin? link: http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1187756773161550.xml&coll=1 Ex-Seton Hall star Griffin dies in crash Wednesday, August 22, 2007 BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO Star-Ledger Staff It was a macabre and tragic ending to a troubled life, according to those who knew Eddie Griffin, and when the news of his death spread last night, they could only mention its heartbreaking symmetry and predictability. The former Seton Hall University basketball sensation, whose NBA career was a five-year odyssey detoured by depression, alcoholism, suspensions and several stints in jail, died in Houston last week when his vehicle collided with a freight train, according to a statement released last night by the Harris County, Texas, medical examiner's office. Griffin, 25, went through a railroad barrier at 1:30 a.m. last Friday and his SUV was struck by a moving train in a fiery explosion. The body was identified only last night by dental records, according to Derek Hollingsworth, an attorney who represented Griffin in criminal cases. The Philadelphia native was alone in the vehicle. "The whole Seton Hall family is upset to lose someone so young," said state Senate President Richard Codey, who employed Griffin in his office just before Griffin was selected in the 2001 NBA draft. "He was such a good kid, but he had this (depression) problem, which we all found out later." Griffin was signed by the Nets in early 2004, but he never got to play that season. They had signed him after he was waived by the Houston Rockets, but an altercation in a Rutherford hotel brought his alcohol dependency into sharp focus, so he took the 2003-04 season off to get treatment at the Betty Ford Clinic and at John Lucas' rehab program in Houston. "He was a low-key, almost introverted type of kid. Never bothered anybody, just very quiet," Nets president Rod Thorn recalled. "We were getting ready to activate him when something occurred that convinced us not to activate him and let him go. "It seemed he was one of those kids where there was always something going on. He had some demons that he just couldn't get control of. We tried to help in a number of ways. You just feel terrible. Terrible." Griffin's demons were regular escorts, from the moment the basketball cognoscenti became aware of his astonishing physical ability. He was a sensation at Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia, where he was Parade magazine's national player of the year, but he got into a fight during his senior season with a teammate and was forced out of school. During his freshman season at Seton Hall, he was suspended for punching teammate Ty Shine in the locker room. Griffin left school after only one year, and was taken by the Nets with the No. 7 pick on June 28, 2001. Thorn said his team never had any intention of keeping him, and Griffin was dispatched to Houston for Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. "It was inevitable that he had to leave Seton Hall -- especially when there was talk of him being a lottery pick," Codey said. "But he was in no way prepared for the NBA life, going to a strange city, without family or friends. And then, he was dealing with the death of his brother." Three months before the draft, Griffin's half-brother, Marvin Powell, died of a heart attack at 34. Griffin later told ESPN that losing his brother triggered a depression that went untreated until 2004, when he underwent six weeks of treatment at Baylor University's Menninger Clinic. By then, Griffin had already lost two jobs -- in Houston and New Jersey. He had already been suspended numerous times, charged with mar1juana possession, jailed for violating a court-ordered curfew stemming from an aggravated assault charge against his ex-girlfriend -- he was accused of hitting her and shooting at her -- and, according to those who were close to him at the time, his drinking was out of control. Still, he was an extraordinary talent, so the Minnesota Timberwolves gave him another shot for the 2004-05 season. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement: He gave the Wolves a 6-11 presence in the paint that they had lacked, and the Wolves gave him a mentor in Kevin Garnett. "Eddie's always had the potential to be something special," Garnett said last year. "Eddie was the only person that ever stopped Eddie." But even after he received a multiyear contract extension before the next season, Griffin's problems persisted. He pled guilty to "inattentive driving" after hitting a parked car in March 2006, and was suspended for violating the NBA's anti-drug program last January. The Timberwolves bought out his contract one month later and he never played again. "All his free passes are up," Wolves VP Kevin McHale said at the time. "I could give you names of people in our league who still have all their free passes in their pocket waiting to use them, and I could also give you a list of guys who don't have any more free passes. Eddie is one of those guys." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Dave D'Alessandro may be reached at ddalessandro@starledger.com
Damn......This is crazy....I kept up wit his career and stuff even after he left houston......R.I.P. Eddie =(
His got killed last Friday. His SUV hit a train and he got burned over recognition that is why they have to get dental record in order to indentify him. It was sad he has some future in this league if he could get his act straight.
I wouldn't be surprised. Major Depression if untreated or poorly treated leads to suicide. An alcohol or drug use history further increases the frequency and magnitude of depression leading to a greater chance of suicide. Unfortunately Eddie had an extremely unhappy life. May God bless him.
R.I.P. Eddie. I am saddened by this tragic accident, Man I wish nothing but the best for all of the ex-Rockets where ever they end up.
http://blogs.chron.com/jeromesolomon/2007/08/eddie_griffin_sad.html August 22, 2007 Eddie Griffin ... sad The tragic death of Eddie Griffin last weekend in an SUV-train crash, was a sad end to a troubled life. He was always supposed to be a star, but in the end - four days after his final breath - he was just an African-American male, very muscular physique and very tall, with Sean John jeans and size 13 Timberland boots ... no shirt. That's how Harris County Chief Medical Examiner Luis A. Sanchez described Griffin in the office's "unidentified decedent notice." Six years ago, the headlines were so hopeful in tone. "Young Rockets make future look bright" the Chronicle said of the introductory news conference with Griffin and Terence Morris, who like Griffin was acquired in a draft-day trade. Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich said that year's draft was as "as big as any we've had in the history of the franchise." Tomjanovich was somewhat right, it was as big a mistake as the team has ever made. The Rockets moved four first-round draft picks that day to get Griffin, a 19-year-old who in five NBA seasons (two with the Rockets) never averaged 9 points a game, and Morris, who never averaged 4 points a game in three NBA seasons. I'll always remember Griffin, who the Rockets traded three first-round picks for, as a lonely child. I talked to him several times and he had very little to say. Near the end of his rookie year, I went on a road trip with the Rockets and I remember running into several players at a swank downtown Orlando hotel that was the second stop on a four-game, weeklong trip. The other players were grown men. Griffin was a kid. A tall kid, but just a kid. I can still see Cuttino Mobley, who was all smiles when he stopped to chat in the hotel lobby. Cat had just added gear on a shopping trip that he planned to sport at dinner and a night on the town that evening. Several other players were coming and going as well. They all seemed to have things to do, places to go, people to see, on this day off. When I saw Griffin, he said he had nothing to do. I offered to take him to dinner. He declined. Late that night, I was walking through downtown with an NBA scout looking for a blues club per the recommendation of hotel staff. We saw Griffin standing on the street outside a couple of clubs/bars where a huge crowd of 20-somethings were waiting to get into some happening spot. Griffin was just standing there. I asked him what was up. He said he was just chilling. He had already tried to go in, but was denied. He wasn't old enough. I think I said something that was supposed to be clever like, "One day you'll be old like us or Kevin Willis and you'll be out here trying to find a quiet club instead of the one that's jumping." I told him that I was certain I could talk to the guys at the door and get him in if he really wanted to go. He declined, saying he was just going to walk around. I don't know how long he walked around that night, but I remember thinking that it was kind of sad to be so young with so much promise and so much money, and not have anything better to do than walk around. Eddie Griffin, who struggled with alcoholism, was 25 when he died. "Eddie is free now," former Rockets guard and NBA coach John Lucas told Jonathan Feigen last night. Sad.
Damn, my nephew told me this last night and I thought he was referring to the comedian. Sad story, RIP Eddie
I posted that blog on page 15, tinman. Stop editing Vernon Maxwell's wiki for a minute and read the thread.
As a young male about Griffin's age I can relate to dealing with severe depression. Its tough, especially when your young. Money isn't always a solution for things either. I wish Griffin could have at least stayed out of trouble as far as his drinking problem goes, but we can only hope that he is in a better place with his brother now.
They took him seriously. They admitted him into the treatmeant programs. It wasn't some kind of tedious job for John Lucas. He actually loves the players and cares for them and understands what it's like to have a drug problem and trying to survive the pressures of the NBA and media. John understood and took his work with Griffin seriously. John Lucas and Eddie Griffin still kept in contact and called each other, even though he was no longer in the program. This is freely given, because it was outside the program.
I still remember when he was leaving the program w/ Lucas Griffin said he is going to be a Monster when he comes back. People in the BBS were going crazzy becuase we didnt have him anymore... To bad it didnt work out.
If this is in any way inappropriate a mod or Clutch please fell free to remove it. But I just thought I would mention, my girlfriend used to work for the FBI for several years, she quit and now works in private security. When I asked her last night, "Hey did you hear about what happened to Eddie Griffin, not the comedian but the basketball player?" She said "No, what happened?" When I told her what happened, her response was a bit chilling, she didn't even flinch, she didn't even hesitate or anything, she just very calmly, very matter of fact said, "Yep, I've been waiting for something just like this. This is one of the mobs favorite methods of execution. As soon as that NBA ref scandal happened I knew this would follow soon." I asked her, "You mean you think this is a mob hit related to the betting scandal?" She said, "It wouldn't surprise me one bit, in fact I am sure that's what it is. Eddie was an easy target to make a statement with because everyone knew about his problems. He wouldn't have to be involved with the betting, but he would be an easy target for a statement hit because no one would question it. But then the mob can send a message to all the players and refs that are involved in it. This will happen to you if you say anything." She continued, "Actually, just the other day me and Eric (friend of hers from FBI) were saying how we were expecting something like this any day." I asked her if the FBI believes more refs and players are involved in this betting thing. She said, "It's been a problem ever since Stern took over as commissioner. He's very connected to it." I then asked her what she meant by this being a typical mob style hit. She said, "It has all the exact signs. Easy target, no one will ask questions, related to an issue that threatens the mob, sends a message to people that might have damaging info on them. The no ID on him or the car. The way the car ignored the lights and warnings. How he will I am sure be found to have drugs and alcohol in his system. This is classic-style mafia work. He had the history of drug and alcohol abuse and depression, so no one questions the extreme bizarre happenings, he even had the previous history with road incidents so it all fits nicely on a death report. Most likely it will turn out that his car was wired up for this and the locks would not open, the windows locked down and the car suddenly accelerated when he approached where the train was. They follow you around for awhile, if you regularly go over a train track, that's perfect. Train track "incidents" are one of their all-time favorite methods of execution. They probably just rigged the car, followed him, then waited for when he went near the track late at night and pressed a button. He was probably on a typical type schedule pattern and was easy to set up." I know this is extremely controversial so please anyone who is offended by it just say so and a mod or Clutch just delete. But I thought this was interesting coming from how she was so almost even like, "I'm surprised it took this long" attitude.
