Good article on Eustachy and Gillespie

**Bader** · 09-17-2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

You mean "chooses" don't you?

Sure you could say that instead. I fail to see how that breaks defining alcoholism as a disease?

**BryceC** · 09-17-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by MadCy

I think some are missing the point of what he said. He didn't say one was worse than the other. Both are diseases, cancer and alcoholism are diseases. People don't laugh at other people with cancer, why should they laugh at people with another disease, alcoholism?

People don't ask for alcoholism just as much as people don't ask for cancer. If you think alcoholism is so easy to control... wow, I wish I could go through life as naive as you are.

I don't laugh at people with alcoholism, but a common perception is that people who are acoholics do it to themselves. I share this outlook and I don't have nearly the same empathy level for alcoholics as I do for cancer patients.

Of course it isn't easy to control, addictions never are... however it is still the responsibility of the individual to manage their situation.

**JY07** · 09-17-2009, 12:43 PM

So if alcoholism is a disease, are all addictions considered "diseases"?

i.e. smoking addiction, drug addiction, eating addiction, gambling addiction, video game addiction, etc

**GM4ISU** · 09-17-2009, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Cydkar

Uhmm, his last 2 years we sucked. If that would have continued he would not still be here.

yes you are right, but if he was allowed to take care of his problem , things would have been right back to Big 12 Champs

**mustangcy** · 09-17-2009, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by GM4ISU

yes you are right, but if he was allowed to take care of his problem , things would have been right back to Big 12 Champs

He's got his problems taken care of and so far has done nothing at Southerm Miss for 6 years. Not one single post season appereance. I'm no LE hater but facts are facts..w/o Floyds players and Tinsley LE had very little success at ISU.

**jaretac** · 09-17-2009, 01:45 PM

What if you work with chemicals that are known to cause cancer, is cancer then a choice? Of course there are differences between cancer and alcoholism. Was he trying to compare what he went through to what someone with cancer goes through, only he knowns; but I think LE's comparison was that they both destroy the bodies and destroy lives. In that way it is an accurate comparison.

I think that some on here fail to recognize how addictive and how big of a problem alcohol can be.

**Cyclones01** · 09-17-2009, 04:01 PM

I don't think anyone here is arguing that alcoholism is worse than cancer, nor are they arguing the degree to which it can affect lives. Whether you think it is a disease or a choice doesn't matter. The fact is alcohol can ruin lives, end lives, or both. Whether you feel sympathetic or not, it also doesn't matter. The point is, when someone is dealing with a life threatening situation, brought upon by themselves or not, it is not something that should be joked about

**jdoggivjc** · 09-17-2009, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by superman_101680

I'm not missing the point. I just don't classify alcoholism a disease.

And you are free to have your opinion on that, just like Christine Maggiore was free to believe that there was no direct link between HIV and AIDS (of course, she and her daughter also died from pneumonia as a complication of untreated AIDS). But the fact is, the AMA, which does a hell of a lot more in medical or disease research than you ever will, does classify it as a disease.

**Knownothing** · 09-17-2009, 04:29 PM

I think the argument is Alchoholics have a choice. They chose to drink. If they have a problem they have a problem. Just quit trying to relate your problems to people who have got cancer. So some are saying alchohol should be considered on the same level as a women who got breast cancer and dies??? No because she had no choice. She could do nothing about it.
I understand Alchoholism sucks. I think we all get that. It's just not the same as if you catch a disease. It just is not.

**gogagig** · 09-17-2009, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Knownothing

I think the argument is Alchoholics have a choice. They chose to drink. If they have a problem they have a problem. Just quit trying to relate your problems to people who have got cancer. So some are saying alchohol should be considered on the same level as a women who got breast cancer and dies??? No because she had no choice. She could do nothing about it.
I understand Alchoholism sucks. I think we all get that. It's just not the same as if you catch a disease. It just is not.

None of the "alcohol is not a disease" people have responded to my "then what about sexually transmitted diseases" argument......how would you respond to that?
Are sexually transmitted diseases not diseases then?

**jbhtexas** · 09-17-2009, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by gogagig

None of the "alcohol is not a disease" people have responded to my "then what about sexually transmitted diseases" argument......how would you respond to that?
Are sexually transmitted diseases not diseases then?

Aren't sexually transmitted diseases generally viruses of some kind? Alcoholism is not a virus to my knowledge. Frankly, I don't see the usefulness or relevance of bringing STDs into the discussion, since the pathology between STDs and alcoholism is so different.

**cycloneML** · 09-17-2009, 04:51 PM

The ISU pres was so short sighted to push him out. What if we would have taken the high road and helped him with his problem, second chance, etc. I wish we could have been "big" enough to do this. Instead, we pushed him out and suffered right along with him. I for one have suffered alcoholism as a result of watching our bball team after he left.