people who get hit in the head repeatedly (read most hockey players) have some serious issues to deal with. The damage can manifest itself in so many ways from depression, inability to reason, to flat out psychosis. Sometimes drugs like paxil can help
Sad story with the family left behind. Hopefully there are no bills to take care of so that there is one less stressor on his wife and kids who didn't deserve to deal with this.
Fuck, someone get these big guys some help. NHLPA in the house anywhere? Look after your own guys, come on.
Fuck, someone get these big guys some help. NHLPA in the house anywhere? Look after your own guys, come on.
Are you kidding? These guys can't stop trying to hit each other in to next week every night on the ice......they don't give a shit about each other until they have a funeral to go to.
Now, if the NHL were to give instant ejections for fighting a la the NBA and NFL, maybe a change can be made.
Its hard to say where the middle really is as this is the JOB that they do, theres more info out on such things now then when their careers started as more about being careful when fightning would work/not work wear your helmet all that jazz BUT,
Im not going to say that fightning belongs or doesnt or whatever, guys are bigger, faster, stronger...in a different direction is Sid the Kid does NOT return forget fightning possibly everything goes down the tubes (I took a bet that he returns before feb the 1st YES i bet on everything) anyways...these guys know who they are and what it is, perhaps more what the NHL should do than the PA even is have a retirement stratgey for players of ANY caliber or skill level to exit, not just shut the doors and look the other way! its the NHL not wal-mart as if your dealing with minimum wagers.
Short of the end of hockey, or football, concussions will still occur. Minimizing their occurence should be a priority for the NHLPA, but also for the NHL. From a strictly business standpoint, these are assets . . . sometimes highly valuable ones.
I think the NHL should BAN fighting outright. Fight during a game, and you are gone for the rest of that game, and make the penalty 10 minutes instead of 5. Do it again, and it's an automatic 10 games, and the loss of a roster spot for the team. Third offense = 40/40. Fighting would disappear very quickly under those conditions. That takes care of the low hanging fruit, now you need to come up with a viable way to protect the head better . . . helmet design, maybe?
Its not a debate nor arguement, fighting has been part of hockey 80+ years, to just drop it might be a bit harsh I thikn fighting stops sticks go up!
As for helmet design? I agree completely head shots are a bit hard to govern especially with ref's they can barely get it right now.
I watch my fair share of hockey and enjoy THE GAME I wouldnt be upset if fighting was dropped thats not why I watch it, but I think if it just goes away something different comes into play, as for cutting it back 10 minutes from 5 thats actually a decent fix!!
Now revealed he suffered from Depression so that makes sense.
Im not going to slam depression but alot of people in the world suffer from it. Nothing changes and people move on some not so much, not to sound heartless but nothing will come of it until its some massive icon or senator or something.
Sorry if this is insulting to anyone that has or knows someone that suffers but it shouldnt be the determining reason to get rid of fighting, thats all Im saying here.
Even if the depression is a result of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, I think the brain trauma comes more from giving and receiving body checks, rather than actual fighting. Since these players are enforcers, they're more involved in the hitting. Of course, since they never say anything if they do get concussed in a fight, we don't know.
There's depression, and then there is clinical depression. Everyone gets depressed once in a while when the chips are down. But not everyone gets the brain chemical imbalance. I've never experienced it so I can't say how bad it is or what.
It's almost like saying "it's only a headache, move on," to a guy who's had a migraine for two days.
Was listening to a talking head on the radio the other day (FAN590, I think). Commented on watching the old games on Classics network, and how checking used to be about disrupting the play, rather than crushing the puck carrier. Very few of the bone-jarring, and therefore brain-rattling, hits. Mostly just riding the guy off the puck, bumps here and there. Have not made the comparison myself, but it might be interesting.
Im not going to slam womens hockey, its great stuff...as is olympic hockey, I dont know where a good fix is....maybe shrink the season?? But thats big money your killing so that wont happen...when your suspened for 5 games or whatever or out for 20 thats not a big deal when theres 80+...when its 50+ thats kinda huge!!
Season will NOT get shorter. Ban fighting, make the penalties hurt the team as well as the player, and fighting will disappear. I think if you make the "Train Wreck" hits more painful for the hitter (whether through softer pads or w/e) the big bangers will modify their technique, minimizing impacts/concussions. The main issue is "will". Does the NHL have the willpower to make and, more importantly, ENFORCE the rule changes? Doubtful, imo . . .
Don Cherry (hey, he's from Kingston so I'll always give him some slack) has commented again and again on the equipment being used today. The hardened plastic elbow pads that he rapped Ron McLean's head with, the rock hard shoulder pads, etc. He has suggested repeatedly that going back to the softer materials would result in less injurious checking on both sides of the hitter/hittee equation.
The fighting.. I don't even know what to say about that. It's either too complicated or too simple. It involves the economy of the game, arguements for tradition, etc.
OHL is going to soft caps on the shoulders and elbows starting this season, as is the WHL. Pretty sad when the Junior ranks are making the leaps in player safety ahead of the NHL, but that is usually how it has worked . . .
he rapped Ron McLean's head with, the rock hard shoulder pads, etc. He has suggested repeatedly that going back to the softer materials would result in less injurious checking on both sides of the hitter/hittee equation.
Wait wait wait.....Don Cherry actually said something sensible? Video or it didn't happen
Like it or not, fighting will always have a place in hockey. The real problem is blind side hits/cheap shots on players who aren't looking or near the puck.
Your wish is my command. Don makes good points in this clip. I spent 24 years in Kingston and he reminds me of every other old man from Kingston including my Dad. Will always have a soft spot for him no matter what a gibbering, racist, going senile, angry old man he is.
Of course we have now totally derailed this thread from the original subject of the recent death of Wade Belak.
Comments
WTF is going on in the brains of NHL tough guys?
Ex-NHLer Belak committed suicide: sources
Never heard a bad word about him. By all accounts he was a great guy off the ice. RIP
Wouldn't you want to get to see them grow up?
He was a millionaire so there shouldn't be any financial trouble there and no history of any mental illness.
Once again no Suicide note left so just a bunch of questions that will never be answered.
people who get hit in the head repeatedly (read most hockey players) have some serious issues to deal with. The damage can manifest itself in so many ways from depression, inability to reason, to flat out psychosis. Sometimes drugs like paxil can help
Sad story with the family left behind. Hopefully there are no bills to take care of so that there is one less stressor on his wife and kids who didn't deserve to deal with this.
Fuck, someone get these big guys some help. NHLPA in the house anywhere? Look after your own guys, come on.
Are you kidding? These guys can't stop trying to hit each other in to next week every night on the ice......they don't give a shit about each other until they have a funeral to go to.
Now, if the NHL were to give instant ejections for fighting a la the NBA and NFL, maybe a change can be made.
I can agree with the Habs fan on this one. The NHL could get rid of fighting by the end of next season, if not sooner. They choose not to . . .
Nice to see the OHL is going with soft caps on the shoulder and elbow pads this season. Not much, but every little bit helps.
Im not going to say that fightning belongs or doesnt or whatever, guys are bigger, faster, stronger...in a different direction is Sid the Kid does NOT return forget fightning possibly everything goes down the tubes (I took a bet that he returns before feb the 1st YES i bet on everything) anyways...these guys know who they are and what it is, perhaps more what the NHL should do than the PA even is have a retirement stratgey for players of ANY caliber or skill level to exit, not just shut the doors and look the other way! its the NHL not wal-mart as if your dealing with minimum wagers.
I do wish he would rip none the less
I think the NHL should BAN fighting outright. Fight during a game, and you are gone for the rest of that game, and make the penalty 10 minutes instead of 5. Do it again, and it's an automatic 10 games, and the loss of a roster spot for the team. Third offense = 40/40. Fighting would disappear very quickly under those conditions. That takes care of the low hanging fruit, now you need to come up with a viable way to protect the head better . . . helmet design, maybe?
As for helmet design? I agree completely head shots are a bit hard to govern especially with ref's they can barely get it right now.
I watch my fair share of hockey and enjoy THE GAME I wouldnt be upset if fighting was dropped thats not why I watch it, but I think if it just goes away something different comes into play, as for cutting it back 10 minutes from 5 thats actually a decent fix!!
Im not going to slam depression but alot of people in the world suffer from it. Nothing changes and people move on some not so much, not to sound heartless but nothing will come of it until its some massive icon or senator or something.
Sorry if this is insulting to anyone that has or knows someone that suffers but it shouldnt be the determining reason to get rid of fighting, thats all Im saying here.
Interesting article on CBC
Are NHL enforcers' addictions, depression a result of on-ice brain trauma? - Canada - CBC News
There's depression, and then there is clinical depression. Everyone gets depressed once in a while when the chips are down. But not everyone gets the brain chemical imbalance. I've never experienced it so I can't say how bad it is or what.
It's almost like saying "it's only a headache, move on," to a guy who's had a migraine for two days.
So, anybody like the Women's game?
The fighting.. I don't even know what to say about that. It's either too complicated or too simple. It involves the economy of the game, arguements for tradition, etc.
Wait wait wait.....Don Cherry actually said something sensible? Video or it didn't happen
Like it or not, fighting will always have a place in hockey. The real problem is blind side hits/cheap shots on players who aren't looking or near the puck.
Your wish is my command. Don makes good points in this clip. I spent 24 years in Kingston and he reminds me of every other old man from Kingston including my Dad. Will always have a soft spot for him no matter what a gibbering, racist, going senile, angry old man he is.
Of course we have now totally derailed this thread from the original subject of the recent death of Wade Belak.