My thoughts and prayers go out to this guy, who, at least from what I've read was a quality person and on the field was probably headed for a third straight academic all american year and may well have made it up to being the all time NIU rush leader. .
From the DeKalb Daily Chronicle:
DeKALB -- In all likelihood, Thomas Hammock's career as a stellar Northern Illinois University tailback have come to an unexpected and unfortunate early end.
The Daily Chronicle has learned that a series of medical tests revealed a build-up of fatty tissue around his heart. It is a serious condition regardless of a person's general physical status and is one that can be more life threatening based on over-exertion, the Chronicle was told. In general, most medical experts recommend that the best interests of the patient would preclude any extra physical exertion.
Following NIU's season-opening 42-41 overtime victory over Wake Forest University, Hammock experienced some difficulty in breathing. That resulted in the series of medical exams which led to his being sidelined.
In a press report released in conjunction with the start of Saturday's non-conference football game at the University of South Florida, Northern Illinois head football coach Joe Novak announced that Hammock -- one of 30 candidates for the 2002 Doak Walker National Runningback Award -- would not play in Saturday's second game of the season due to medical reasons.
The release went on to state "The 5-foot-8, 211-pound Hammock is currently undergoing a series of medical tests, Novak explained. His playing status will be reviewed later this week. Junior tailback Michael Turner is expected to start in Hammock's place in the Northern lllinois line-up vs. USF."
A graduate of Fort Wayne's (Ind.) Bishop Luers High School, Hammock entered the South Florida game this week as the Mid-American Conference's No. 2 rusher and the No. 7 ground-gainer in major-college football. He was just named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week for his game-high 172 yards and two touchdowns (three and seven yards) on 38 carries in the Aug. 29 win over the Demon Deacons.
During his career, Hammock has produced 12 100-yard or better rushing performances and Northern Illinois has won nine of those games. The two-time Academic All-America selection currently ranks No. 6 on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,432 career yards. Since the 1982-83 academic year, only two National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1-A rushers have recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns and earned First-Team Academic All-America honors -- Hammock in 2000 and 2001 and University of Virginia All-America runningback Tiki Barber in 1995 and 1996.
From the DeKalb Daily Chronicle:
DeKALB -- In all likelihood, Thomas Hammock's career as a stellar Northern Illinois University tailback have come to an unexpected and unfortunate early end.
The Daily Chronicle has learned that a series of medical tests revealed a build-up of fatty tissue around his heart. It is a serious condition regardless of a person's general physical status and is one that can be more life threatening based on over-exertion, the Chronicle was told. In general, most medical experts recommend that the best interests of the patient would preclude any extra physical exertion.
Following NIU's season-opening 42-41 overtime victory over Wake Forest University, Hammock experienced some difficulty in breathing. That resulted in the series of medical exams which led to his being sidelined.
In a press report released in conjunction with the start of Saturday's non-conference football game at the University of South Florida, Northern Illinois head football coach Joe Novak announced that Hammock -- one of 30 candidates for the 2002 Doak Walker National Runningback Award -- would not play in Saturday's second game of the season due to medical reasons.
The release went on to state "The 5-foot-8, 211-pound Hammock is currently undergoing a series of medical tests, Novak explained. His playing status will be reviewed later this week. Junior tailback Michael Turner is expected to start in Hammock's place in the Northern lllinois line-up vs. USF."
A graduate of Fort Wayne's (Ind.) Bishop Luers High School, Hammock entered the South Florida game this week as the Mid-American Conference's No. 2 rusher and the No. 7 ground-gainer in major-college football. He was just named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week for his game-high 172 yards and two touchdowns (three and seven yards) on 38 carries in the Aug. 29 win over the Demon Deacons.
During his career, Hammock has produced 12 100-yard or better rushing performances and Northern Illinois has won nine of those games. The two-time Academic All-America selection currently ranks No. 6 on the school's all-time rushing list with 2,432 career yards. Since the 1982-83 academic year, only two National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1-A rushers have recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns and earned First-Team Academic All-America honors -- Hammock in 2000 and 2001 and University of Virginia All-America runningback Tiki Barber in 1995 and 1996.
