I heard hotel, then I heard 'condo'. Either way, long story short, alone in TO. Odd.
Toronto isn't home for him though. His family have decided to settle in Nashville because his wife set-up a business of sorts there. He was in Toronto because he was preparing for Battle of the Blades. His plan was to stay in Toronto for the weekdays and go home on the weekends.
It`s a bit off-topic, but this video shows how concussions affected Matt Dunigan, a TSN panelist that played in the CFL (quarterback). Looking through the internet, Belak was never diagnosed with a concussion. Damn! I guess this video is still instructive. My bad
I mentioned earlier that these incidents have given hockey's physical nature a bad eye. Now whether or not these deaths were caused by fighting...it doesn't change the fact that the media in recent months have been picking up only negative news with regards to hockey's physical side. It already was being frowned upon before these three deaths because of the Crosby incident...it's only gotten worse since these deaths.
Like I said, regardless of whether or not it was caused by fighting....the general public(non hardcore hockey fans) is starting to look at the physical side of the game in a different light. I really don't it will be long before rules against fighting become stricter than what they are.
Lastly, I'd like to add my opinion: I really don't see how that would take away from the excitement of the game. Head hitting and fighting are banned in the Olympics and this is some of the most exciting hockey you can watch. Moreover, the playoffs rarely have fights and the entertainment level is extremely high.
I really don't think fighting is needed. And the whole argument that, removing fighting won't give agitators someone to answer to imo is a stupid one. Agitators already have free reign to do whatever the hell they want without answering the bell. Moreover, this issue can easily be overcomed by making the costs of agitating extremely high(i.e giving the refs greater discrestion for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in which the infractions are more than just a 2 min penalty...agitators will lose favor with their team's quickly when they put them in disadvantagous situations.)
Fighting should be abolished. There's no more doubt in my mind now.
In a league with a little class, sure. The NHL can't even punish it's players accordingly, and the NHLPA is as gutless as it gets. Until they find a way to take out the horrible cheap shots, pathetic head injuries etc, you need a fighter.
Its strange. There was a lull in the nhl where you didnt hear about enforcer deaths. I heard about john kordic, but after that, I dont recall any tragic deaths until bob probert and the list has grown since.
The life of some of these enforcers remind you of the culture of pro wrestlers with the drug/alcohol abuse, painkiller consumption, and the daily grind that their bodies went through
Belak's death also reminds you how mental illness can be effectively disguised. From everytime I've seen him and by all accounts, this guy was outgoing, fun-loving and just a blast to be around. It makes me look around my circle and wonder if someone is having similar thoughts. At the very least, lets hope that deaths like these raise awareness to depression and mental illness.
Its strange. There was a lull in the nhl where you didnt hear about enforcer deaths. I heard about john kordic, but after that, I dont recall any tragic deaths until bob probert and the list has grown since.
The life of some of these enforcers remind you of the culture of pro wrestlers with the drug/alcohol abuse, painkiller consumption, and the daily grind that their bodies went through
Belak's death also reminds you how mental illness can be effectively disguised. From everytime I've seen him and by all accounts, this guy was outgoing, fun-loving and just a blast to be around. It makes me look around my circle and wonder if someone is having similar thoughts. At the very least, lets hope that deaths like these raise awareness to depression and mental illness.
The stigma that can be somewhat attached to mental illness is at the root here, and for a so called tough guy in the world of pro sports to have to go to the Dr and tell the doc how he is " feeling " would be too much for the macho type of rock em sock em type of hockey player...
This fun loving well adjusted guy, obviously had alot of issues, and everyone missed them...very sad indeed. Not just Belak, but Rypien and Boodgard,and this situation, will force the league to deal with this stuff, and both the league and PA need to man up, and make sure all of these guys get counselling during their careers, and after the game is over for them...truly tragic for those families involved.
In a league with a little class, sure. The NHL can't even punish it's players accordingly, and the NHLPA is as gutless as it gets. Until they find a way to take out the horrible cheap shots, pathetic head injuries etc, you need a fighter.
Having fighters on the team sure helped Patrice Bergeron.
Wait, it didn't. And when he was injured, every Bruin, including the big bad fighters, stood around doing nothing.
Yea because there are many UFC players with commits suicide.
But it's a moot point you never liked fighting anyway.
Wow, comparing UFC fighters with enforcers... I've seen them all..
How many of them UFC fighters fight 20 times in less than 8 months with guys not in their weight categories ?
You basically prove all my points concerning people who love fights in hockey... it's not for the pleasure of the game itself and the "importance" it has on the income of it... but just for your lust of seeing two guys fight each other.
Head hitting and fighting are banned in the Olympics and this is some of the most exciting hockey you can watch.
Of course it's good hockey. You've got basically 6 or 7 teams icing the best talent in the world for a couple of weeks not 30 teams 'filling out' rosters after 3 or 4 good players per team for 80 - 100 games a year. You can bet there would be fighting if those 6 or 7 teams played each other more than once or twice every four years and I bet you the hockey/entertainment would be even better.
The Wade Belak myth Buster: Because we see someone on TV we know what they are thinking.
So many people pretend to know what an athlete is thinking and what their values are, often telling others where a player will sign, for how much, etc. because TV interviews and 1 liners from online sources give us a window into their souls. Let's just agree that we don't know jack ***** about these people and leave it at that .
Yea because there are many UFC players with commits suicide.
But it's a moot point you never liked fighting anyway.
I'm probably a bigger fan of MMA than you. I enjoy watching two guys fight and display their amazing skills. I don't enjoy watching street fights or bar fights. There used to be a purpose to fighting in the NHL and it's always been part of the sport. But for quite some time now, this has died. It's pretty obvious but change is the toughest thing to do in every day life, so some people just can't see that.
Some actually still believe fighting nowadays somehow protects players.
That just shows how badly some are in denial.
Fighting in the NHL is solely an entertaining aspect. I don't watch games to see a fight. I don't care for it. I will watch every PPV of the UFC along with some other promotions like dream, strikeforce and K-1 so I can enjoy some real fighting. Watching two guys on skate try pounding each other missing 90% of their punches and then buckling down is freaking idiotic.
Now, some are dying from substance abuse and suicide more so than ever. I don't give a crap what happens to UFC fighters, it's not the NHL and they're in the sport of fighting. You don't see too many skilled players commit suicide too. What's your point??. That's the dumbest comment I've ever read.
the Belak situation is tragic. RIP, and my thoughts go out to his family and friends.
I find that the cluster of three deaths very odd. There has been at least 1 guy per team per year that was a fighter, more or less. How many have taken their own life, or died from injuries of addictions caused by their treatment, doctor directed, or self directed? Why so much tragedy lately?
Another element also needs to be examined in my opinion, how the changing society has affected these guys. Income, expectations, media exposure etc...
Have any of these elements had a hand in the increased frequency of tragic events like this?
BTW, I have never been a big Georges Laraque fan, but I heard an interview yesterday from him saying he wants to help fellow players. While the cyncial part of me said "this guy is playing an angle to create a job for himself, the rational side of me thought that he really sounded sincere and I think in conjunction with a psychologist, his idea could really help.
Having fighters on the team sure helped Patrice Bergeron.
Wait, it didn't. And when he was injured, every Bruin, including the big bad fighters, stood around doing nothing.
For every one instance you bring up, a hundred have been prevented. People die wearing seatbelts, does that mean you shouldn't wear one?
I used to love fighting in the game, but now I don't care for it. If they could get rid of it, and protect the players, I'm all for it. But as long as the idiots at the top consider ramming somone's head into the boards, glass or ice a 'hockey play' things will never change.
Last edited by hototogisu: 09-02-2011 at 09:03 AM.
Reason: not needed
For every one instance you bring up, a hundred have been prevented. People die wearing seatbelts, does that mean you shouldn't wear one?
I used to love fighting in the game, but now I don't care for it. If they could get rid of it, and protect the players, I'm all for it. But as long as the idiots at the top consider ramming somone's head into the boards, glass or ice a 'hockey play' things will never change.
Actually,that's false. There are several instances of players getting destroyed despite teams having tough guys.
Look at Boston...despite having "protectors"
Bergeron..head shotted twice
Savard...head shotted three times
Krecji...head shotted one time
Horton head shotted one
Look at Pittsburgh despite having Rupp and Godard
Crosby head shot twice in two weeks
look at the habs the year they had Laraque, Komisarek and Kostopoulos...Andrei Kostitsyn got ***** by Sauer.
There are soooo many instances which show that the whole idea of protection is a myth. In fact there is very little to support other wise.
Last year, Lucic toughness did not stop an Atlanta defensemen from almost taking his head off.
Look at what Chara did to Grabovski despite the Leafs having a team full of fighters.
Cooke on McDonaugh. Lapierre's dick move to Nichol. There are several instances that show that protection is only a myth.
Last edited by hototogisu: 09-02-2011 at 09:12 AM.
Reason: edited quoted post
The Wade Belak myth Buster: Because we see someone on TV we know what they are thinking.
So many people pretend to know what an athlete is thinking and what their values are, often telling others where a player will sign, for how much, etc. because TV interviews and 1 liners from online sources give us a window into their souls. Let's just agree that we don't know jack ***** about these people and leave it at that .
QFT, should be signature material. Nothing gave you the impression he would do that.
The Komisarek situation did it to me. I was sure he would sign with the Habs and be captain. He then goes to the Leaf and we learned he was not liked in the room.
No one really knows we are thinking, even our most close friends don't.
For every one instance you bring up, a hundred have been prevented. People die wearing seatbelts, does that mean you shouldn't wear one?
I used to love fighting in the game, but now I don't care for it. If they could get rid of it, and protect the players, I'm all for it. But as long as the idiots at the top consider ramming somone's head into the boards, glass or ice a 'hockey play' things will never change.
That's pretty tough to pass as a fact. How can you measure the amount of times an enforcer prevented a player from being hit hard, or cheap shot? You can't. It's unfortunate, because it could have put this debate to rest.
I don't think cheap shots happen a whole lot of times. There are a few players that do it and that's about it. You won't see Gionta, Gomez, Plek, etc do cheap shots. You'll see guys like Cooke, Ruutu, Orr do them, and nobody will ever prevent that, never did.
On a general question though, I don't think there is one player, big or small, strong or weak, that would brake off from hitting someone, even more so if the target is a prime player like Crosby.
The only thing that's measurable is the number of concussions suffered by players despite having ''protectors'' on the team.
So, in the end, it pretty much comes down to personal opinion. Sure, you can think that if the Pens didn't have those ''protectors'', then maybe Crosby would have been hurt and abused more often. I don't believe that because, as I said, anybody that has a chance to take a run at the best player in the NHL will do it with pleasure, without thinking twice.
For every one instance you bring up, a hundred have been prevented.
Players are not scared of fighters. They're not going to fight them and that's it. The most a fighter can do is growl.
What could scare a player away from cheap shotting another would be harsh punishments (for head shots, for example) or a goon who goes after those who injure his team mates. The fighting part is just for show (a bad one) and doesn't help prevent cheap shots at all.
In a league with a little class, sure. The NHL can't even punish it's players accordingly, and the NHLPA is as gutless as it gets. Until they find a way to take out the horrible cheap shots, pathetic head injuries etc, you need a fighter.
Even with fighters cheap shots happen. They do not act as deterrents.
IMHO, fighting needs to be abolished. It is antiquated and really does not add much to the experience of the game. I watch hockey for speed and skill and not for thuggery. I can watch the UFC for that.
As for the NHLPA, the organization is incompetent. The goal of a union is to take care of their members, financially AND health wise. With the number of cheap shots in the league and the recent deaths to four tough guys (Tom Cavanagh is the other) they are not taking care of the latter.
The image of the league in the last few years has taken a beating and things do not look like they will improve anytime soon. They have not decided to rectify anything at ATM. I have seen Sloths move faster than the NHL to accomplish something important.
