Herschel Walker and Brett Favre think they can still play

[Prime Time]

http://deadspin.com/herschel-walker-says-he-played-russian-roulette-more-t-1712458617

(Click link above to watch video)

Herschel Walker Says He Played Russian Roulette "More Than Once"
Samer Kalaf

Former NFL player and MMA fighter Herschel Walker stopped by Highly Questionable today to talk about his playing career and other topics, and Dan Le Batard brought up the story that Walker once played Russian roulette at his lowest point after his football days. Walker clarified that the game happened “more than once.”

When Walker, who has dissociative identity disorder, first told the story to Nightline in 2008, he described himself as alone with a gun:

But shortly after retiring from football, Walker descended into mental mayhem. At one point, Walker says he sat alone at his kitchen table and played Russian roulette with a loaded pistol. Walker told Woodruff, “To challenge death like I was doing, you start saying, there’s a problem here.”

His explanation on Highly Questionable made it sound like more of a competition with other people:

If you came to my home, and you wanted to challenge me at everything—anything—I didn’t think you were worthy enough, because I work out like a madman. I still work out today, all the time. And I think some people don’t put the time in. So, I would take a bullet, put it in the cylinder, spin it, and tell you to pull it. People said, “Herschel, you’re nuts.” They’d walk away, I’d take that gun, put it to my head, and snap it. That’s how it was. I was so fired up with—that I could overcome anything, and I think that’s what it was. I didn’t realize it was from that anger, all that anger that I had, that I didn’t like myself. I was not even happy with who I was.

The guy sounds like he’s in a better state of mind these days.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...walker-53-says-he-could-still-play-in-the-nfl

(Click link above to watch video)

Herschel Walker, 53, says he could still play in the NFL
By John Breech | CBSSports.com

The general consensus in the NFL is that once a running back hits the age of 30, his production starts to decline.

Don't tell that to Herschel Walker, though, because that's nonsense to him.

During an interview on Thursday, the former NFL running back said he thinks he could suit up and play in the NFL right now. At age 53.

"There is not a doubt in my mind, if I played today, I (could) contribute to a team," Walker told Boomer & Carton.

Walker seems to think he'd fit right in with today's NFL, where almost every team has some sort of "running back-by-committee."

"Let me tell you the reason why [I can play]," Walker said. "Running backs today don't play every play. They only play, like, a couple of plays and they go out of the game."

Walker also thinks his 53-year-old body could help out at another position.

"I can return kickoffs," Walker said. "I still run very well, like I've always (run). So I know I can be a positive thing."

I'm not completely sold on this yet, but from a fantasy standpoint, I'm convinced enough that I'd take Walker over Trent Richardson.

So why hasn't Walker returned to the NFL?

"I thought about it, but I'm still fighting," Walker said. "I've gotta get out of the fighting first. Once I get out of the MMA stuff, then I may go back and play. I want to be the George Foreman of football."

That "fighting" Walker is referring to is Mixed Martial Arts. The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner has been partaking in MMA for the past five years.

According to Walker, MMA has been keeping him in such good shape that he can still run a blazing fast 40.

"The last time I ran a 40, I ran a 4.3," Walker said. "That was like a year ago. That was when I had not been doing any track work. All I had been doing was [MMA]."

On the other hand, it's been almost 20 years since Walker played in the NFL. The former Cowboys, Eagles, Vikings and Giants running back last played in the league in 1997 and he's now older than 17 of the NFL's 32 head coaches.

For the record, the oldest player to ever play in an NFL game was George Blanda, who suited up in 1975 at age 48 for the Raiders. More recently, there was kicker Morten Anderson, who played for the Falcons in 2007 at age 47.

Anyway, the good news here is that if you're favorite team should happen to be in the market for a 53-year-old running back at any point this season, you'll know there's one available.

 

[Legatron4]

Jesus what a lunatic. Sign him.

 

[Mackeyser]

Seriously, if he can still run a 4.3 at ANY age... give him a look.

Because...a 4.3 is a 4.3.

And I've seen him fight in the octagon. His age stops being an issue the second he hits the other dood in the face. He really does take everything SERIOUSLY. I almost think he takes smiling seriously...

 

[Stranger]

jesus, he suffers from DID's. do people here know how that happens to the brain? what kind of childhood did he have? must have been really bad.

 

[Legatron4]

jesus, he suffers from DID's. do people here know how that happens to the brain? what kind of childhood did he have? must have been really bad.

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4643971

Herschel Walker has always been something of a puzzle. As difficult as the star running back was to bring down on the field, it was harder, still, to figure out what made him tick.

"I told somebody once, 'You don't want the Herschel that plays football ... babysitting your child," Walker told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff. "When I am competing, I am a totally different person.'"

He means it literally.

For the first time, the 46-year-old former professional football player reveals in a book published this week, "Breaking Free," that he has a rare and controversial mental illness called dissociative identity disorder — or D.I.D. — formerly known as multiple personality disorder.





"I had it the whole time, I just didn't know what it was," Walker said.
The athlete who played 15 seasons of professional football in the NFL and USFL and pushed a bobsled for the 1992 U.S. Olympic team in Albertville, France; the family man who married his college sweetheart; the man who once danced with the Fort Worth Ballet; the business man — Walker says none of those guys were him. Not really. Those were his "alters," he says -- alternate personalities.

Walker's family, former teammates and fans reacted to the revelation with shock.

"I know him better than anybody 'cause I raised him," Walker's father, Willis Walker Sr. told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in January. "This is my first knowing about that."





The disorder usually has its roots in childhood trauma.
"I was a fat little kid with a speech impediment," Walker told Woodruff. "I used to get beat up, not just picked on."

Walker's therapist Jerry Mungadze, said he met Walker's alternate personalities, or alters, in therapy. "They will come out and say, I am so-and-so. I'm here to tell you Herschel is not doing too good ... When he finishes, it would just disappear back in him, and Herschel comes out."

Walker and Mungadze believe the disorder actually helped Walker — who started for a number of NFL teams, including the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys — succeed on the gridiron.

Mungadze offered a theory about the subconscious logic in Walker's head. "Since people are laughing at you, we're going to make you so strong, so fast, so talented, that you're going to be above everyone. And that is what went into building this super athlete."



But shortly after retiring from football, Walker descended into mental mayhem. At one point, Walker says he sat alone at his kitchen table and played Russian roulette with a loaded pistol. Walker told Woodruff, "To challenge death like I was doing, you start saying, there's a problem here."



Married to Many
Walker's diagnosis answered a lot of questions for Walker's ex-wife Cindy Grossman, who was married to Walker for 16 years before she knew about the illness.

"Well, now it makes perfect sense, because each personality has a different interest. This one has an interest in ballet, this one has an interest in the Marines, this one had an interest [in the] FBI, this one had an interest in sports," she said.

Grossman recognized different sides of her husband, even different voices. "It's hard to explain, but even his physical countenance would change. ... There was also a very sweet, lovable [personality]. That's the one he told me I married. He told me I didn't marry Herschel."

But there were darker moments.

"We were talking and the next thing I knew," Grossman remembered, "he just kind of raged and he got a gun and put it to my temple.'"

Walker's ex-wife now believes one of his alternate personalities was in control at that moment. "There was somebody there that was evil."



'If I Can Remember It, I'll Talk About It'
Walker says he does not remember the event, and many others, including — shockingly — the highlight of his collegiate football career, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1982.

Periods of memory loss are one of the symptoms of the disorder. "A lot of the things that happened there that she may remember, he doesn't remember because those were the things that were being done by the alters that were so unlike him," Mungadze explained.

"Do you not remember something like that because you think that was another alter," Woodruff asked, "or do you want to get out of having to talk about it?"

"No, no, no, no," Walker insisted. "I'm talking about everything else. If I can remember it, I'll talk about it."

There were other incidents Walker does not recall. "I was pregnant and it was probably 100 degrees out," Grossman said. "Herschel was dressed in a full sweat suit, tights, sweats, jacket, and he was running through the house. ... he said, 'Close the door. I am having bad thoughts. I am thinking I am going to hurt you.'"

On another occasion, Walker threatened to kill his wife, his wife's friend and his therapist in a therapy session.

Mungadze said he saw many alters on that day: a raging one, a protector, and finally a child when Walker hit a wall and broke his hand.

Walker does not deny the events, but says he has no memory of them. "No, I don't remember that, but I probably did it."

After a hospital trip to treat Walker's hand, Grossman remembers Walker calling her, "'Miss lady."

"And I said, 'My name is Cindy.' And he said, 'Herschel's hungry. Do you know what he likes to eat?'" she recalled. "I said, 'Well, I know he likes wings."

"People outside — Cindy, Doctor Jerry — may have seen that, whereas I may not remember a lot of that," Walker told Woodruff. "And I hear them say that, and I say, 'Oh, that's weird.'"



Living as 'We' Instead of 'I'
It is difficult to understand how someone with this disorder sees the world.

"It's just personalities that can do different things for you," Walker said.

Mandgadze offers a metaphor. "It's like a teacher in a classroom, a very chaotic classroom, where the students do what they want to do — hit each other, scream ... we would like them to have some way of managing his alters, almost like a teacher manages students."

"But we all do that. We get angry or we get frustrated; our eyes change, our face changes, right?" Woodruff asked Mungadze.

"No, not to that extent," Mungadze replied.

"There are a lot of doctors that say, 'We don't think this exists, this D.I.D.," Woodruff asked Grossman.

"That makes me kind of angry," replied Grossman. "I just know he has it. I know what I saw."

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defines the disorder as "the presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states that recurrently take control of behavior." The alternate identities "frequently have different names and characteristics that contrast with the primary identity."

In the book, Walker names around a dozen alters, including "The Warrior" who handled football and the pain that came with it. "The Hero" took over in public appearances.

Woodruff asked which alters are good and which are bad. "Oh, there's a lot of bad ones in there," Walker answered.

Sometimes, Walker says, the alters disagree about the diagnosis. "Sometimes I tell myself, 'Herschel, that's bunch of crap. That's not real.' There's moments, but then I say that maybe it's just an alter trying to fool me. They say, 'Herschel, that ain't right.'"

Walker has been in treatment for eight years but takes no medication. He feels he has brought the unruly classroom in his head more under control. "I've totally changed from back then to where I am today."

Mungadze described the steps of therapy as acceptance of the alters and then assimilation of their functions into the main individual. Writing the book was therapeutic for Walker. He hopes its publication will change the public's image of the disorder and encourage people suffering from the illness to get help.

"D.I.D. is not 'Sybil' or 'Three Faces of Eve.' D.I.D. is just an illness that people are dealing with," Walker said.

In "Breaking Free," Walker wrote, "I feel the greatest achievement of my life will be to tell the world my truth."

 

[fearsomefour]

Jesus what a lunatic. Sign him.

HAHA.
Great post. That is t-shirt material.

 

[fearsomefour]

Walker is a freak athlete for sure.
His single mindedness, focus on athletic stuff in this case, to the point of driving people way and not having any sort of "normal" life is not unusual in hyper successful people. Makes me wonder how many have a similar condition. To be so focused on a goal for oneself requires a certain amount of self centeredness.
It would be interesting to see someone that age trying to compete at the NFL level. As a special teamer, a Full back, taking a swing pass out of the back field....maybe he could still contribute.
George Foreman was an interesting case. He was always a pure power guy....power on loan from Zeus. Not much technique when he was younger. At any rate, I know a guy who is involved in boxing, owned a gym ect. He said he saw Foreman working out about 4 years ago....in his 60s now. He was chubby and slow, but, he said when he started unleashing the power shots it was something to behold, even in his 60s. Some guys are just touched.

 

[Selassie I]

I got to meet Herschel when I was in HS. Things were very different back at that time when it came to college recruiting.

There was a girl in my grade (Bridgette Gordon) who was literally the best girls basketball player in the country. Every single school in the nation was after her.

Georgia's tactic was very clever and I don't believe this would be allowed today. Herschel rolled up to our HS in a limo and took Bridgette to lunch. Bridgette and I were friends and she had me and a few others come up and talk to Herschel when he pulled up. Dude is a monster and he was very nice to all of us... he was recruiting of course, but it seemed very genuine. We didn't get to go to lunch with them though LOL. I still laugh about that whole thing. Star athlete pulls up and drives off with a HS girl in his limo.

It was cool to meet him like that.

Herschel's moves in the limo must not have been all that impressive though,,, cause Bridgette went on to play for Pat Summit at Tennessee. She won NCAA Championships and an Olympic gold medal... as well as a very successful Pro B-ball career.

 

[Stranger]

"I know him better than anybody 'cause I raised him," Walker's father, Willis Walker Sr. told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in January. "This is my first knowing about that."

BS. HIs father is a liar. Someone inflicted consistent trauma on Walker when he was a child. No way a parent doesn't know this, or isn't the one responsble.

 

[Prime Time]

Walker's diagnosis answered a lot of questions for Walker's ex-wife Cindy Grossman, who was married to Walker for 16 years before she knew about the illness.

"Well, now it makes perfect sense, because each personality has a different interest. This one has an interest in ballet, this one has an interest in the Marines, this one had an interest [in the] FBI, this one had an interest in sports," she said.

Grossman recognized different sides of her husband, even different voices. "It's hard to explain, but even his physical countenance would change. ... There was also a very sweet, lovable [personality]. That's the one he told me I married. He told me I didn't marry Herschel."

But there were darker moments.

"We were talking and the next thing I knew," Grossman remembered, "he just kind of raged and he got a gun and put it to my temple.'"

Walker's ex-wife now believes one of his alternate personalities was in control at that moment. "There was somebody there that was evil."

I'm sure the D.I.D. diagnosis is correct but that sure sounds like the same guy I was as a raging alcoholic during the 70's. My ex-wife would attest to that. Once I stopped drinking all that scary crap went away.

His single mindedness, focus on athletic stuff in this case, to the point of driving people way and not having any sort of "normal" life is not unusual in hyper successful people. Makes me wonder how many have a similar condition. To be so focused on a goal for oneself requires a certain amount of self centeredness.

In order to succeed at a high level at anything, a great amount of focus and single-mindedness is required. The great ones have that while most don't.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIOA0phpQ-Y



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8LGMzhhfe4



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSsgbMpD_fw

 

[brokeu91]

I don't care if he runs a 4.2. If that guy has DID, then he has some very, very serious personality pathology and you don't want him anywhere near a young, impressionable football team

 

[Stranger]

I don't care if he runs a 4.2. If that guy has DID, then he has some very, very serious personality pathology and you don't want him anywhere near a young, impressionable football team

Yup.


http://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/Content/Consumer_Updates/Dissociative_Identity_Disorder.aspx

Dissociation is a common, naturally occurring defense against childhood trauma. When faced with overwhelming abuse, children can dissociate from full awareness of a traumatic experience. Dissociation may become a defensive pattern that persists into adulthood and can result in a full-fledged dissociative disorder.

Formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is a condition in which a person has two or more distinct identity or personality states, which may alternate within the individual's conscious awareness. The different personality states usually have distinct names, identities, temperament, and self-image. At least two of these personalities repeatedly assert themselves to control the affected person's behavior and consciousness, causing long lapses in memory that far exceed typical episodes of forgetting. Additionally, physiological conditions, such as direct effects from substance use or general medical conditions such as seizures, must be ruled out.

 

[RamzFanz]

Jesus what a lunatic. Sign him.

What does it feel like knowing you may never in your life surpass how funny that post was?

This post should be used in power point presentations in comedy classes around the world to demonstrate how to satire a tragedy with blatant honesty. Six words and two punctuation marks. The brevity, callousness, greed, narcissism... :bow:

 

[Legatron4]

What does it feel like knowing you may never in your life surpass how funny that post was?

This post should be used in power point presentations in comedy classes around the world to demonstrate how to satire a tragedy with blatant honesty. Six words and two punctuation marks. The brevity, callousness, greed, narcissism... :bow:

I don't know man, that response of yours was pretty damn funny

 

[dieterbrock]

My dad used to take me to the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden when I was a kid. Loved watching the running particularly to see my personal Hero, Eamonn Coughlin run (and win) the Wannamaker mile.
So one year, (I'm thinking it was 1981), my dad is talking to me about Herschel Walker, he had just crushed Notre Dame in the Sugar bowl and my dad tells me that he's going to be at the Millrose. Was amazing, he ran in the 60 yard dash against Carl Lewis. You think he looks big on a football field, but lining up against these wiry sprinters it looked like a Mack truck lined up against a bunch of mini Coopers

Became a huge fan of him that day and basically became a Georgia Bulldog fan (As a #2 behind ND of course)
Hersch became my favorite college player, then as luck would have it, became a New Jersey General in the USFL. I got season tickets and saw many of his home games.

Special dude for sure, however 2 things
1) I seriously doubt he can run a 4.5 at this point much less a 4.3
2) His "MMA career" consisted of 2 fights, the last of which was like 4 years ago, and both were against a couple of tomato cans. I was glad he won and it was impressive at that age but watching him fight was more hoping he didnt get hurt than it was watching him dominate...

 

[Stranger]

My dad used to take me to the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden when I was a kid. Loved watching the running particularly to see my personal Hero, Eamonn Coughlin run (and win) the Wannamaker mile.
So one year, (I'm thinking it was 1981), my dad is talking to me about Herschel Walker, he had just crushed Notre Dame in the Sugar bowl and my dad tells me that he's going to be at the Millrose. Was amazing, he ran in the 60 yard dash against Carl Lewis. You think he looks big on a football field, but lining up against these wiry sprinters it looked like a Mack truck lined up against a bunch of mini Coopers

Became a huge fan of him that day and basically became a Georgia Bulldog fan (As a #2 behind ND of course)
Hersch became my favorite college player, then as luck would have it, became a New Jersey General in the USFL. I got season tickets and saw many of his home games.

Special dude for sure, however 2 things
1) I seriously doubt he can run a 4.5 at this point much less a 4.3
2) His "MMA career" consisted of 2 fights, the last of which was like 4 years ago, and both were against a couple of tomato cans. I was glad he won and it was impressive at that age but watching him fight was more hoping he didnt get hurt than it was watching him dominate...

and here he is...

http://images.performgroup.com/di/l...herschel-walker_5m4e8p9k8wx5177t7ft3zldta.jpg

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...n-says-falcons-have-room-for-herschel-walker/

Dan Quinn says Falcons “have room” for Herschel Walker
Posted by Mike Florio on June 24, 2015

Getty Images

Former NFL running back Herschel Walker says he can still play football. Current Falcons coach Dan Quinn says, “Bring it on.”

Appearing Tuesday at a Buckhead Business Association meeting, Quinn said the Falcons could use Walker.

“He’s one of my favorite all-time players,” Quinn said, via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “Yeah, we have room for him. . . . He’d definitely fit in great from a competitive standpoint.”

It’s unclear whether Quinn was serious about the invitation to Walker. It’s also unclear whether Walker is serious when he says he can still play.

If both sides are serious, why not arrange a workout? If Walker makes the team, the 53-year-old tailback would become the oldest player in NFL history, by a full half decade.

If Walker’s claim sounds familiar, it should. In 2014, while still a mere 52, Walker said he could still play in the NFL.

So when is he actually going to give it a try?

 

[LesBaker]

HWalker is FOS, that's full of shit.

He's never run a 4.3 in his life has he? But now he can? And I don't think he fought more than a handful of MMA matches before retiring.

This is a guy that a little while ago also claimed he eats one meal a day.

I'm doubting Mr. Walkers veracity LOL.

 

[Robocop]

'cocaine's a helluva drug'

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/26/dan-quinn-says-he-was-joking-about-herschel-walker/

Dan Quinn says he was joking about Herschel Walker
Posted by Mike Florio on June 26, 2015

Getty Images

Well, there went the plot for a potential Disney movie.

Falcons coach Dan Quinn says he was joking when he recently suggested that the team would be interested in 53-year-old running back Herschel Walker, who continues to say he could still play in the NFL.

“Look, what I said about Herschel being one of my all-time favorite players is true, but nobody should take seriously what I said about having room on the team for him,” Quinn said, via Chris Mortensen of ESPN. “I love him, yes, but some of that was in jest. I love the running backs we have on our roster. We had a great offseason, and I’m excited about going into training camp with that group.”

Quinn admits he wasn’t misquoted when he said the Falcons “have room” for Walker, but that his words were misinterpreted. It wasn’t clear based on the initial report from theAtlanta Journal Constitution whether Quinn was serious about being interested in Walker.

So, to summarize, if Walker is going to launch a wrong-side-of-50 return to the NFL, he’ll be doing it somewhere other than Atlanta.