Bounties, Seau's death shine spotlight on head injuries
Inherent violence in football makes one think it must be
tempered somewhat for safety's sake   Imagine Briggs' thrill
when he finally got the chance to have lunch with Junior Seau.
He sounded like an awestruck kid recalling that day.  "When I
thought of linebackers, Seau was at the top of my list,'' Briggs
said.  As with the rest of the NFL, it hit Briggs hard when
Seau, 43, took his own life Wednesday by shooting himself in the
chest. Like many other amateur physicians, Briggs assumed Seau
suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and that a
brain injury from 19 NFL seasons contributed to his belief that
suicide was the only option.  But I didn't call Briggs only so
he could eulogize a fallen idol. I called to ask how Briggs
could criticize Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma's season-long
suspension as "a bunch of b.s.,'' yet overlook how the penalty
made the game safer so perhaps future ex-NFL players don't fall
into the apparent emotional ab