Cedric Benson has passed away - RIP 🤘​​​​​​​

[DanTheHorn 4,901]

Found out late today. Very sad news. RIP Ced.

[Lhorn 4,886]

Watched the Will Matthews interview and cried again.  Heartbreaking.  I bet there are dozens of guys like Will who could break your heart talking about their memories of Ced.  Seemed like a special guy.  Can't believe he's gone. 

 

Some one posted a picture of Ced sitting next to VY on the bench.  Man, what a special time.  To have the best QB in college football hand off the best tailback at the time.  Good memories.   

Edited August 19, 2019 by Lhorn

[SEC 1,174]

53 minutes ago, Lhorn said:

Watched the Will Matthews interview and cried again.  Heartbreaking.  I bet there are dozens of guys like Will who could break your heart talking about their memories of Ced.  Seemed like a special guy.  Can't believe he's gone. 

 

Some one posted a picture of Ced sitting next to VY on the bench.  Man, what a special time.  To have the best QB in college football hand off the best tailback at the time.  Good memories.   

It was a redshirt freshman Ramonce Taylor, before he got in trouble. He was monster in filling in for Ced the following year. What an insane wealth of talent on that bench.

[LTtxfan 48,979]

More ESPN...

Former RB Cedric Benson remembered on social media

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27414847/former-rb-cedric-benson-remembered-social-media

[C-Man 27,057]

Wow -- I want to give Will Matthews a hug. What a shitty deal. RIP, Ced.

[LTtxfan 48,979]

Decent article...

"Remembering Cedric Benson: Talent, toughness and that smile"

https://247sports.com/college/texas/LongFormArticle/Remembering-Cedric-Benson-The-talent-toughness-originality-and-that-smile-134564691/#134564691_4  

[Pimphand 5,597]

Cedric Benson will always be a part of our 4 NFL horsemen.  From 1997-2018 Texas had a historical running back in the top 100 all time list in the league.

From Priest Holmes making the Baltimore squad as an undrafted free agent in 1997 until Jamaal signed the 1 day contract to retire as a Chief on May 1st of this year.

They would rush for 7,218 times for 31,761 yards at 4.4 yards per carry as a group.  We were quite spoiled during that time.

[RomaVicta 29,794]

16 hours ago, Goo Punch said:

shit is crazy. i was also at that state championship game against westlake. life is fleeting. RIP Ced.

He and Huston Street are what I remember about that game. Benson breaking the line time after time carrying his team to victory while Street kept having to tackle him from his safety position. Both players had such heart.

Ced had a great smile. So sorry he exited at such a young age. Hardly seems fair.

[Girdwood 118]

13 hours ago, thestud said:

2000 Westlake was a very good, very complete team. Lee didn’t have shit except for Cedric and Eric Winston. Lee had zero business even being in that game, but they had Cedric and Westlake didn’t.

Lol wut. Midland Lee was coming off 2 straight state titles in 1998 and 1999. 

[Longboard Horn 40,145]

 

[TornACL 7,676]

That's a trifecta of total fucking badassery right there. 

[Armybrat 40,744]

4 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

He and Huston Street are what I remember about that game. Benson breaking the line time after time carrying his team to victory while Street kept having to tackle him from his safety position. Both players had such heart.

Ced had a great smile. So sorry he exited at such a young age. Hardly seems fair.

That game is what convinced Huston Street to play baseball at UT. He said being dragged around by Ced was a strong motivator to drop football. Lol

[Steel Shank 9,415]

22 minutes ago, thestud said:

 

 

Yes I’m fully aware of that because unlike you, I saw all three. In fact, I watched Cedric in person 11 times in his high school career. How many did you see? Midland Lee wasn’t a complete team in 2000, not even close. Westlake was far and away the better TEAM that day, but Lee had Cedric and Westlake didn’t. That’s how much of a badass CB was.

 

 

Then they had business being there.

[jimmyjazz 45,560]

That remains the only state playoff game I've ever attended.  I went just to see Ced.  I came away pretty impressed by Huston Street as well.  It was like some kind of Disney movie.

[Digdogger 1,343]

13 hours ago, NAVY said:

Midnight, around 10 years ago on W Courtyard Dr, I was making out with my GF. We're dry humping on the hood of my Acura. Cedric drives up and says “yo, I live right over here (pointing 2 houses away) y’all come over”. Such a kind, bad ass man. Thank you Ced. The planet needs more folks like you. 

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[BabaYaga 15,212]

Dammit this is heart breaking.  Loved watching him play.

[Goredho 17,349]

6 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

He and Huston Street are what I remember about that game. Benson breaking the line time after time carrying his team to victory while Street kept having to tackle him from his safety position. Both players had such heart.

Ced had a great smile. So sorry he exited at such a young age. Hardly seems fair.

That’s what I remember, too.  Cedric was the absolutely the best player on the field, but Street’s sheer fucking bravery in continuing to throw himself into Ced damn near every play was an allegory for perseverance against improbable odds.

Rest in peace, Ced.  Your life rippled wide.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Goredho

[Mojo Hand 4,580]

11 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Seriously, I wish I had a friend like Will Matthews.

I wish I deserved a friend like Will Matthews.  I guess I never really knew what kind of guy Ced was, but he must have been really special as a person. 

[faps 806]

RIP Ced. He was definitely a part of my fav Longhorn teams. Him, VY and DJ were fuckin' beasts.

Also, if you street view his house on W Courtyard, he's standing in the driveway.  

[Goodman 3,273]

 

[ChickenSandwich 9,798]

1 hour ago, BabaYaga said:

Dammit this is heart breaking.  Loved watching him play.

He just looks like what a bad ass RB should look like. A brick wall with speed and balance. 

[orangeut 212]

Never forget Ced with his helmet unbuckled looking thru the facemask, all the way from Midland Lee days.   What a great player.

[Machinator 32,097]

21 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Does anyone wear 32 right now?

A Danny Young truck stick or three in the La Tech game would be a great tribute.

RIP to a legend.

[Bevo 13,527]

I grew up on dirt bikes, but I don't think I would ever ride a street bike in Austin. It is just too dangerous. Maybe, I would get a dual purpose and ride it to the grocery and back and possibly the country roads near my house.

 

Did the girl die also? I heard the minivan people went to the hospital.

[ChickenSandwich 9,798]

Was it the bike that caught fire in the TMZ video ?  

[NowThis 931]

Cole Pittman #44 DE died in an auto accident  in Feb 2001, perhaps was on the same team as Ced, but i don't believe the # 44 was retired. 

Edited August 19, 2019 by NowThis

[Huckleberry 32,703]

I agree that we don't retire numbers for premature deaths. Absolutely should honor him in a dozen other ways, though.

[TrashMaster G 17,388]

12 hours ago, BigOrange1 said:

i like the #32 helmet sticker idea (or a patch on the jersey).  i'd let roach wear #32 for his senior year and retire it after the season.

I'm down with this.

38 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Did the girl die also? I heard the minivan people went to the hospital.

Yes, she also died.

[jimmyjazz 45,560]

KXAN is saying the girl was Aamna Najam.  It appears she is a UT grad (audiology) and was studying for a PhD in the same area.  (EDIT:  Not PhD, "AuD".  An interdisciplinary doctorate.) 

27 years old, and apparently a real beauty.  The report claims that Ced was "speeding westbound" but didn't cite eyewitnesses or forensics, so who knows.  Two people gone, way too young:

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2019 by jimmyjazz

[Armybrat 40,744]

RIP to the young lady. So tragic to see good young lives gone in such a useless manner.

Wonder if they were wearing helmets, not that it would have helped in this awful case.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Armybrat

[Anastasis 23,394]

SIAP

https://www.austintexas.gov/news/traffic-fatality-50-3

TRAFFIC FATALITY #50

Case:          19-2291933

Date:           Saturday, August 17, 2019

Time:          10:20 p.m.

Location:    4500 FM 2222/Mount Bonnell Road   

Deceased 1:  Cedric Benson | Black male | 12/28/1982

Deceased 2:  Aamna Najam | Asian female | 01/26/1992

The preliminary investigation yielded testimony from witnesses who reported seeing the BMW motorcycle driven by Cedric Benson traveling at a high rate of speed westbound in the left lane of FM 2222. A white, 2014 Dodge van was stopped at the T-intersection of Mount Bonnell Road and FM 2222. After checking for oncoming traffic, the van attempted to turn left on to FM 2222 when it was struck by the oncoming motorcycle.
 
The driver of the van was evaluated by EMS on scene and refused transport. The passenger of the van and a bystander at the scene attempted to render aid to Mr. Benson and his passenger Aamna Najam. Cedric Benson and Aamna Najam were both pronounced on scene.
 
The van driver remained on scene and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
 
The family of Cedric Benson respectfully requests privacy during this difficult time and asks that media refrain from contacting them.
 
Anyone with information regarding this case should call APD’s Vehicular Homicide Unit at (512) 974-4424. You can also submit tips by downloading Austin PD’s free mobile app on iPhone and Android. 

This is Austin’s 50^th fatal traffic crash of 2019, resulting in 52 fatalities this year. At this time in 2018, there were 41 fatal traffic crashes and 42 traffic fatalities.

These statements are from the initial assessment of the fatal crash and investigation is still pending. Fatality information may change.

[Anastasis 23,394]

Isn't that intersection controlled by a light? 

[Wally Pryor 5,244]

No.

[Hate 20,103]

No. This is the view from just east of Mt. Bonnell Road. It’s about 150 yards to the intersection where the wreck happened. You can see how easily this happened when you consider it was a night and he may have been speeding. If he had been drinking or smoking, it would only make it worse.

 

 

[Magus Ossis 2,784]

Of course the van driver will state that he stopped and looked for cross-traffic.

[Brisketexan 104,628]

3 minutes ago, Magus Ossis said:

Of course the van driver will state that he stopped and looked for cross-traffic.

The thing is, if Cedric was doing what I suspect he was (and what I've seen a jillion bikes on 2222 doing) -- hauling ass well above the speed limit -- it really doesn't matter.  That's why the speed limits on limited-visibility roads (with hills, curves, etc.) really matter.

The van driver looks, sees no vehicle.  She pulls out.  As she's doing so, the bike tops the hill, going (e.g.) 75 instead of 45.  Instead of the van having 3 seconds to clear the intersection before a previously-unseen 45 mph vehicle gets there, it has 1.6 seconds.  The speed to reaction time translation is really, really important.  It's the biggest reason that posted speeds are what they are in these areas.

I live in the neighborhood -- there are plenty of hills and semi-blind corners.  On more than one occasion, I have looked, seen no vehicle, pulled onto the road, only to see a vehicle traveling WAY too fast coming towards me.  Thus far, I've been able to punch it, and/or the other vehicle has been able to slow down, so as to avoid a wreck.  But wrecks like this happen, and if the bike is traveling too fast, it's likely the bike's fault.  I hate to think that Ced got himself and that gal killed, but based on my experiences on these roadways, as well as the report already noting that witnesses observed the bike traveling quite fast, tell me that's likely the case.

[JFKFC 4,878]

1 hour ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Was it the bike that caught fire in the TMZ video ?  

I think the TMZ article said Ced and the young lady were themselves on fire, likely because of the fuel tank on the motorcycle. They likely died on impact. Just terrible. 

[Longboard Horn 40,145]

Nice tribute to Benson from LHN

 

[Wally Pryor 5,244]

2 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

The thing is, if Cedric was doing what I suspect he was (and what I've seen a jillion bikes on 2222 doing) -- hauling ass well above the speed limit -- it really doesn't matter.  That's why the speed limits on limited-visibility roads (with hills, curves, etc.) really matter.

The van driver looks, sees no vehicle.  She pulls out.  As she's doing so, the bike tops the hill, going (e.g.) 75 instead of 45.  Instead of the van having 3 seconds to clear the intersection before a previously-unseen 45 mph vehicle gets there, it has 1.6 seconds.  The speed to reaction time translation is really, really important.  It's the biggest reason that posted speeds are what they are in these areas.

I live in the neighborhood -- there are plenty of hills and semi-blind corners.  On more than one occasion, I have looked, seen no vehicle, pulled onto the road, only to see a vehicle traveling WAY too fast coming towards me.  Thus far, I've been able to punch it, and/or the other vehicle has been able to slow down, so as to avoid a wreck.  But wrecks like this happen, and if the bike is traveling too fast, it's likely the bike's fault.  I hate to think that Ced got himself and that gal killed, but based on my experiences on these roadways, as well as the report already noting that witnesses observed the bike traveling quite fast, tell me that's likely the case.

Correct.  You could sit at the intersection for 5 minutes and look, and look, and look, for traffic.  And think that's it okay.   But if you pull out when it is "okay" and someone is speeding, all bets are off.  That guy is going to be on top of you in a heartbeat.    

[Brisketexan 104,628]

1 minute ago, Wally Pryor said:

Correct.  You could sit at the intersection for 5 minutes and look, and look, and look, for traffic.  And think that's it okay.   But if you pull out when it is "okay" and someone is speeding, all bets are off.  That guy is going to be on top of you in a heartbeat.    

Thanks.  No matter what, just a shitty, shitty and heartbreaking outcome.

[Roofle 266]

3 minutes ago, JFKFC said:

I think the TMZ article said Ced and the young lady were themselves on fire, likely because of the fuel tank on the motorcycle. They likely died on impact. Just terrible. 

I pray that it was on impact, because yes, the TMZ stuff coming out today appears to say that Ced and Aamna were engulfed in flames.

[Armybrat 40,744]

I have turned left from Mount Bonnell westward onto 2222 a number of times in the past 55 years, and it ALWAYS has been a tense experience..... in broad daylight.  And in the mid 1960s I used to drive my MGA roadster higher than the speed limit all the way down to Bull Creek. It is very easy to see why this tragedy could happen.

My older brother makes that same turn several times a week to go teach classes at Concordia. He is always wary.

[Anastasis 23,394]

9 minutes ago, Roofle said:

I pray that it was on impact, because yes, the TMZ stuff coming out today appears to say that Ced and Aamna were engulfed in flames.

Yeah, the still images are pretty rough. 

[DaysOff 7,853]

Dammit this is heart breaking.  Loved watching him play.

As I recall we attempted 8 passes that day because aggy sucked and we had Ced. RIP

[BabaYaga 15,212]

4 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

5 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Dammit this is heart breaking.  Loved watching him play.

As I recall we attempted 8 passes that day because aggy sucked and we had Ced. RIP

Nice to see the Ag secondary hasn't changed all that much.  Good job Jason Appel (#19).  Being both slow and taking a bad angle is always my favorite combination!

[ZB'Tejas 593]

53 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

I have turned left from Mount Bonnell westward onto 2222 a number of times in the past 55 years, and it ALWAYS has been a tense experience..... in broad daylight.  And in the mid 1960s I used to drive my MGA roadster higher than the speed limit all the way down to Bull Creek. It is very easy to see why this tragedy could happen.

My older brother makes that same turn several times a week to go teach classes at Concordia. He is always wary.

Mount Bonnell turning west onto 2222 has a light now. This was on the north section of Mount Bonnell turning west on 2222 where there is no light. I used to live on that stretch and always went down to Mesa to turn left. Always instructed the Uber drivers to do that as well because so many people fly down that hill.

[TheMailBox357 213]

Quote

A Texas football legend was lost over the weekend, and his impact goes beyond the NFL and his time with the Longhorns, back to when he was a legend few had seen, but everyone had heard about.

 

[Valmy77 13,094]

Damn. Sad and shocking news. RIP Ced, we know you always meant well.

This makes me sick.

[WhatTheBuck 28,713]

Bobby Carpenter shared a story about Cedric on his radio show today. Bobby's younger brother was playing for the University of Cincinnati and was booked on a flight to go visit Bobby who was playing in Dallas. Cedric was playing for the Bengals and was booked on the same flight connecting at DFW on his way back to Austin. The two were seated next to each other and struck up a conversation. Whatever the circumstances, the flight wound up being canceled and had to be rescheduled for the next day. So Cedric volunteered to give the younger Carpenter a ride home, then came and picked him up and drove him back to the airport the next day. 

Bobby sends his thoughts and prayers. 

[SHOOTER12 8,789]

2 hours ago, Hate said:

No. This is the view from just east of Mt. Bonnell Road. It’s about 150 yards to the intersection where the wreck happened. You can see how easily this happened when you consider it was a night and he may have been speeding. If he had been drinking or smoking, it would only make it worse.

 

 

Wholly crap, that image has "death trap" written all over it.