Lunchtime Thoughts: Tragedy at Tarleton

ByTravis Stewart/Texas Football  --Loss of Tarleton player resonates with all of us.

Zach Shaver dies after head injury at practice
It happens so infrequently that the majority of us never even consider the possibility until it hits the news: A football player dying as a result of game-related injuries. I feel safe saying that it's the worst fear of the entire Texas football community, across the high school level, up into the college ranks and even through our pro franchises. Monday, our nightmare became a reality, as Tarleton State redshirt freshman Zach Shaver died at a Fort Worth hospital two days after he was rushed there following his collapse at a practice. The former WF Rider defensive lineman was engaged in a "routine" block with an offensive lineman shortly before he collapsed, but the exact cause of death has yet to be determined. To Shaver's friends and family, the best we can offer is our heart-felt condolences. But to the community at large, the moral is obvious: We play a dangerous game where, regardless of how unlikely, a young man or woman's future can be irrevocably altered in the blink of an eye. Texans take an extreme amount of pride in our favorite pastime -- indeed, it pays my bills -- but the root of it all is still mildly controlled violence. Should we change the game? Depends -- anti-concussion helmets are a step in the right direction. But the very nature of football toes the line of safety and, as a consequence, makes the risks unavoidable. Today is a day to both remember that and the young man we lost.