Death and sports don't usually go hand in hand. But, lately sports competition has proven to be a fight for your life.

Since 1995, 15 college and high school athletes have died from heat related problems. In the last 3 months, college football players from Florida, Florida State and Northwestern have died while preparing for fall practice. Recently, an arena football league player died after a game, in the locker room when his heart stopped. And, the highest profile death occurred when Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer died 15 hours after collapsing from heat exhaustion following a Vikings practice.

These deaths are troubling because, in every case, young people have died long before their time. It would be easy to write them off as fate or bad luck, but a bigger concern is the environment they occurred in and how that environment may have contributed to their early deaths.

Sports are dangerous, stressful and painful. Anytime an athlete overexerts himself there's always the chance something can go wrong with his body. I'm not trying to be an alarmist, but we should understand that blindly accepting old sports practices of being tough, sucking it up and not showing you're hurt is not only stupid, but can also be life threatening. What those involved in sports forget is that long after the cheering and playing stops, life goes on-or at least it should.

I, like many, played sports through college. It wasn't a driving force in my life and I knew my future was in talking about sports not playing them. The real jocks and stars on the team kept on playing even when they were spitting up blood or couldn't tell you their names or where they were after a terrible collision. I couldn't be that tough or disciplined and most that play sports can't either. Those who can't watch those who can go on to play in the pros. While being able to have mind over matter is a wonderful trait, doing so comes at a potentially high cost. With strength of body sometimes comes loss of perspective and common sense.

In many cases, athletes must decide that glory and what's good for the team is more important than their own mental or physical health. If athletes buy into the team concept, and they have to if they want to play team sports successfully, then they also succumb to the belief that giving into pain lets the team down. That feeling can lead to guilt, self doubt and can be self-destructive. Many athletes think the best way to combat that feeling is to reject pain until their last breath. Few battles in life can be so final.

It's a mental-physical conflict reserved primarily for athletes in team competition. Think about it. When have you heard about a golfer, tennis player, competitive swimmer or anyone in an individual competitive sport die from heat exhaustion or any other effort in their sport? Those athletes listen to their bodies. Tennis players don't play with muscle pulls and are sure to drink liquids during changeovers. Golfers pull out of tournaments when their back hurts too much. And, they come off the golf course when there's a thunder and lightning storm. Does this mean they aren't athletes or are wimps compared to team sport players who play through pain? It means they're smarter and have a better appreciation for the balance in life needed to be both a successful athlete and a healthy person.

An exception to the giving to the team at all cost attitude is John Frank. Frank was a starting tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. He made the All-Madden team for his blocking skills and won a Super Bowl Championship in 1989. In the prime of his career and with another Super Bowl on the horizon, he announced his retirement. He enjoyed football, but it wasn't his only goal in life. Frank is that unique athlete who saw the value in lifelong happiness instead of momentary happiness in fame and money. As Frank said in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, "For me, it was always a quality of life issue. Football was always a means to an end. I had goals and went for them." He made his career changing decision after having several bones in his hand broken during a game with the Detroit Lions. He did so because his goal in life beyond football was to be a plastic surgeon. " That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I knew how vulnerable I was, that I could possibly lose the function in my hand. And that simply was too high a price to pay." Twelve years later, John Frank, 49er tight end and Super Bowl champion is now Dr. John Frank, Plastic Surgeon. Frank is that rare athlete who was talented and passionate about his sport, but also in touch with reality. He said once, "I'm in a position now where I can use my skills to really help people, what could be better than that."

John Frank is the exception rather than the rule in sports where machismo and false pride prevails. My hope is that the untimely and senseless death of Korey Stringer and others, as well as the shining example of John Frank, will make everyone involved in sports pause and think of what's best for the athlete, both in the game they play and in life. Let the final score be a winning one for the athlete in life, not just in the sport they play.

I feel better now.

I'm Ron Barr.

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