Travis Claridge
Encyclopedia
Travis Claridge was an American football
offensive lineman in the National Football League
. Born in Detroit, Michigan
, he played for the Atlanta Falcons
between 2000 and 2003 and for the Carolina Panthers
in 2004.
. His dad coached football at Almont H.S. When he was in the 4th grade he moved with his dad to California. Then as a 7th grader Travis and his dad moved to Vancouver, Washington
. Travis went to Fort Vancouver High School
. In 1995 he became the number one offensive lineman in the country and the number two high school football player in the nation. He choose the Trojans of the University of Southern California
over 60-plus schools.
and the first to do so as a true freshman in college football and was voted the Pac-10
top offensive linesman in 1999. Started in both the Senior Bowl
and East-West Shrine Game
. He won the Morris Trophy as the PAC 10s top lineman.
in the second round of the 2000 draft
, he started for 62 games in his first four seasons. However, a knee injury limited him to 6 games in the 2003 and the Falcons did not extend his contract.
Although he signed with the Carolina Panthers
as a free agent in 2004, he was cut during training camp. In 2005, Claridge played two games at the Right Tackle position with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
in the Canadian Football League
. He played brilliantly in his debut and was voted MVP of the game. It was the first time any player in his first CFL game was voted player of the game. He was injured in his second game and did not play again.
, Nevada
, he was transported to Saint Rose Dominican Hospital
in Henderson
where he later died at age 27. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
reported on 10 May 2006 that the cause of death was acute pneumonia
, exacerbated by respiratory depression brought on by intoxication with the painkiller
oxycodone
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2006/05/09/claridge-death.html.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive lineman in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, he played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
between 2000 and 2003 and for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in 2004.
Early life
Travis Claridge grew up in Almont, MichiganAlmont, Michigan
Almont is a village in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,803 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Almont Township....
. His dad coached football at Almont H.S. When he was in the 4th grade he moved with his dad to California. Then as a 7th grader Travis and his dad moved to Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
. Travis went to Fort Vancouver High School
Fort Vancouver High School
Fort Vancouver High School, known as FVHS, is a public high school located in Vancouver, Washington. It is named after Fort Vancouver, an early trading outpost...
. In 1995 he became the number one offensive lineman in the country and the number two high school football player in the nation. He choose the Trojans of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
over 60-plus schools.
College career
Claridge started 48 games for USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and the first to do so as a true freshman in college football and was voted the Pac-10
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
top offensive linesman in 1999. Started in both the Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
and East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
. He won the Morris Trophy as the PAC 10s top lineman.
Professional career
After being selected by the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the second round of the 2000 draft
2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
, he started for 62 games in his first four seasons. However, a knee injury limited him to 6 games in the 2003 and the Falcons did not extend his contract.
Although he signed with the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
as a free agent in 2004, he was cut during training camp. In 2005, Claridge played two games at the Right Tackle position with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He played brilliantly in his debut and was voted MVP of the game. It was the first time any player in his first CFL game was voted player of the game. He was injured in his second game and did not play again.
Death
After being found unconscious at his home in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, he was transported to Saint Rose Dominican Hospital
St. Rose Dominican Hospital - Siena Campus
St. Rose Dominican Hospitals - Siena Campus is owned and operated by Catholic Healthcare West and is located in Henderson, Nevada.-History:The Siena Campus was the second St. Rose facility to open in Southern Nevada, bringing much-needed healthcare services to the growing Henderson area in 2000....
in Henderson
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
where he later died at age 27. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
reported on 10 May 2006 that the cause of death was acute pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, exacerbated by respiratory depression brought on by intoxication with the painkiller
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
oxycodone
Oxycodone
Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication synthesized from opium-derived thebaine. It was developed in 1916 in Germany, as one of several new semi-synthetic opioids in an attempt to improve on the existing opioids: morphine, diacetylmorphine , and codeine.Oxycodone oral medications are generally...
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2006/05/09/claridge-death.html.