Did the fans deserve a warning about Kill's seizures?

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Triple D

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I was wondering about this the other day and I'm not sure what the correct answer is. If Kill warned the players that he could have a possible seizure and not to be alarmed by it and if he informed the U early on into his application and negotiations that this might be an issue, were the fans owed a press release or something prior to the first home game that this may be an issue?

It was a shock to all of the fans who were there at the stadium, the majority of us I'm sure thought at first that it could have been a heart attack and even though we knew the seizure history by what had been reported prior to that in the media, I'm not sure everyone connected the dots as to what was happening. After a few minutes fans began spreading word that it may have been a seizure from listening to the radio, but there was no announcement at the game, either when they removed him from the stadium or after the game following the last play as to what was happening.

I know it's a gray area, his medical privacy versus the fans right to know, but I am wondering if the fans should have had a warning prior to the games like the players did. There were a lot of anxious and scared fans there and this may have made the situation easier to deal with. I commented to my son following the game that this could be a very serious situation, if it was a seizure it seems odd that so many of the players and marching band members stayed on the field in prayer circles for an extended period of time after the game. I'm just glad he's OK, that's the main concern.

Your thoughts?
 

Nope, it is Kill's health and his business to tell who he wishes.
 

Ummm..pretty sure this was discussed publicly when he was hired. People focused more on his kidney cancer, but the seizure disorder was a known issue and it was public information that he had one on the sidelines at SIU. Should be warning enough.

As an aside, if someone with a seizure disorder comes to a game and sits in your section, should they warn you?
 


So everywhere you go you should contact everyone around you about your sizure condition, heart condition, mental health condition and on and on? I work in a medical setting. People have the right not to tell us if they have aids etc. To me that's wrong, but thats the way it is in that situation.
 


year of the gopher said:
Ummm..pretty sure this was discussed publicly when he was hired. People focused more on his kidney cancer, but the seizure disorder was a known issue and it was public information that he had one on the sidelines at SIU. Should be warning enough.

As an aside, if someone with a seizure disorder comes to a game and sits in your section, should they warn you?
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Point taken, but that brings up the question if Coach Kill was worried enough about it to share his medical history and possible seizures with the players/administration who should have known that by what had been reported to ease their minds would it have been wise to also share that with the fans? I'm not sure I would have, but I thought this would make an interesting thread topic.
 

No, but I want to know if my dentist or the broad who cuts my hair is prone to seizures.
 

His seizure difficulty was common knowledge of anyone following football closely. It was discussed many times along with the cancer and was brought up when interviewed for the job. I bet I had heard about his seizures twenty to thirty times from various sources so it didnt surprise me much at all. I suppose if you are a very casual fan it could have surprised you.
 

Doc1001 said:
His seizure difficulty was common knowledge of anyone following football closely. It was discussed many times along with the cancer and was brought up when interviewed for the job. I bet I had heard about his seizures twenty to thirty times from various sources so it didnt surprise me much at all. I suppose if you are a very casual fan it could have surprised you.
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Exactly. The same was true for me.
 



Stay away from me, I am extremely flatulent at times. I can't help it, it just happens. There, you have been warned.
 

I know more about the Gophers and their staff than the average rube out there knows (but far less than most of you guys, most likely), and I very vaguely remember something about Coach Kill having a seizure either at NIU or SIU. So finding that information out wasn't a shock. But having all the knowledge in the world about that stuff still doesn't prepare you for watching someone unexpectedly having a seizure.

Dr.Don said:
Stay away from me, I am extremely flatulent at times. I can't help it, it just happens. There, you have been warned.
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Yer a doctor.. You should know well enough to get that tish fixed!!
 

Formo said:
But having all the knowledge in the world about that stuff still doesn't prepare you for watching someone unexpectedly having a seizure.
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In my experience it does (as soon as I saw him move violently on the ground I went from "WTF is going on" to "Oh crap, seizure") but I also know my experience probably isn't typical.
 

I knew of his history also, but I think at first everyone thought "heart attack".
 



My first thought was he had gotten hit by a player watching it on tv. Then I saw him writhing on the ground and figured it was a seizure. Scary either way but I was aware that he has had them before.
 

I was at the opposite corner of the stadium , so we didn't really know what was going on. After I while I began to think if it was life threatening, they would have gotten him out of there in an ambulance. It was creepy having that many people that silent.
 

No, he didnt need to tell us anything about his past medical history. Only his employers needed to know.
 

GoAUpher said:
In my experience it does (as soon as I saw him move violently on the ground I went from "WTF is going on" to "Oh crap, seizure") but I also know my experience probably isn't typical.
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Well, I'm very experienced with experiencing seizures 3rd person.. but I still wasn't prepared for the sudden eeriness that Coach's seizure caused.
 

Triple D said:
Point taken, but that brings up the question if Coach Kill was worried enough about it to share his medical history and possible seizures with the players/administration who should have known that by what had been reported to ease their minds would it have been wise to also share that with the fans? I'm not sure I would have, but I thought this would make an interesting thread topic.
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The players and administration work closely with Coach Kill and needed to be prepared to go on with their jobs in the event he had a seizure. I don't really see a need to inform all potential observers to the possibility of it happening.
 

Formo said:
Well, I'm very experienced with experiencing seizures 3rd person.. but I still wasn't prepared for the sudden eeriness that Coach's seizure caused.
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Keep in mind too that I had to watch it off the DVR (fall wedding FTW) and not in person too.
 


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