This is the tip of the iceberg in regards to NHL players abusing pain pills, IMO.
Yeah this isn't exactly anything that is exclusive to NHL players either. Although, it is odd that 3 guys with the same role all die in the offseason from similar causes. It could be a coincidence but it is worth looking into to see if there is a bigger issue here. And I saw the comment about retirement, Boogaard just signed a long term inflated deal last year and Rypien just signed a deal with Winnipeg this summer.
Yeah this isn't exactly anything that is exclusive to NHL players either. Although, it is odd that 3 guys with the same role all die in the offseason from similar causes. It could be a coincidence but it is worth looking into to see if there is a bigger issue here. And I saw the comment about retirement, Boogaard just signed a long term inflated deal last year and Rypien just signed a deal with Winnipeg this summer.
Not trying to pick on you or anything but I don't understand why people make comments like this. Rypien had been battling depression since his teen years and committed suicide. Boogaard became addicted to pain killers after a surgery and mixed them with alcohol. Belak well, he hung himself after retiring. While if you just look at 3 enforcers dying in a 4 month stretch yea they are similar, but once you look at the facts they are all completely different. I am not saying that the NHL shouldn't do more to help their players but to say they all died of the same thing is wrong.
Last edited by Chris43: 09-01-2011 at 09:11 PM.
Reason: grammar
That's rough. I thought he wasn't completely out of the game, I thought he was doing something for the Preds radio?
He was going to be an on air personality for TV I believe for the Preds. He was also going to be on Battle of the Blades and seemed really excited about it on Twitter. In fact, he tweeted about it the night before. People have pictures of him partying the night before in TO. It's just so weird, especially since he was JUST on the radio talking about Rypien and Boogaard.
Not trying to pick on you or anything but I don't understand why people make comments like this. Rypien had been battling depression since his teen years and committed suicide. Boogaard became addicted to pain killers after a surgery and mixed them with alcohol. Belak well, he hung himself after retiring. While if you just look at 3 enforcers dying in a 4 month stretch yea they are similar, but once you look at the facts they are all completely different. I am not saying that the NHL shouldn't do more to help their players but to say they all died of the same thing is wrong.
Don't worry.. I got my big boy pants on!
I was just throwing the possibility out there. I thought they all died from pills in which case that would be an eerie coincidence. Three enforcers with a self inflicted deaths in one summer is enough to at least consider there could be a bigger issue. They all could be isolated incidents as well. Again, doesn't hurt to look into the issue. That is all I'm saying.
Boogaard mixed pain killers and alcohol and died accidently, Rypien has been fighting depression for years and we don't know the story about Belak yet...so blaming fighting is kinda ridiculous at this point.
John Kordic was the last heavyweight to die a tragic death during his playing career. If fighting was to blame, what about the hundreds of enforcers since the 1920's? Shouldn't more besides Kordic be dead?
Boogaard mixed pain killers and alcohol and died accidently, Rypien has been fighting depression for years and we don't know the story about Belak yet...so blaming fighting is kinda ridiculous at this point.
John Kordic was the last heavyweight to die a tragic death during his playing career. If fighting was to blame, what about the hundreds of enforcers since the 1920's? Shouldn't more besides Kordic be dead?
To add to that, look at a guy like Grimson who was a top heavy for years and what does he do after his playing days? Goes to law school and becomes a lawyer.
Boogaard mixed pain killers and alcohol and died accidently, Rypien has been fighting depression for years and we don't know the story about Belak yet...so blaming fighting is kinda ridiculous at this point.
John Kordic was the last heavyweight to die a tragic death during his playing career. If fighting was to blame, what about the hundreds of enforcers since the 1920's? Shouldn't more besides Kordic be dead?
I don't know if you are referring to me but I'm not blaming fighting. I didn't say that, you are implying that if in fact you are referring to my comments. I'm merely posing a question that maybe, just maybe there is a bigger issue at hand. Not fighting necesarrily but maybe players in general aren't getting access to the type of treatment or care they need? It could be pure coincidence that they are all enforcers but they are all also hockey players. And again, it may have zero to do with hockey but this could shed some light on areas where the NHL and the NHLPA need to do a better job of taking care of their players. Maybe they do offer them access to all kinds of treatment and care and these just happen to be 3 isolated incidents?
I don't understand why people are getting defensive about asking a simple question. I guess asking a question and finding answers is a lot harder than burying your head in the sand and making assumptions.
I wasn't talking about you specifically, just been listening to TSN radio and Fan590 and they keep talking about fighting this and fighting that...it's kinda ridiculous.
I think one thing all the players seem to agree with is that NHL players aren't taken well care of after there career's are over.
It doesn't take much to see what is going on in the sporting world! All sports are in trouble! Its called performance enhancing substances and everyone is doing them for the mega bucks!
It doesn't take much to see what is going on in the sporting world! All sports are in trouble! Its called performance enhancing substances and everyone is doing them for the mega bucks!
Of the guys who died, none had problems with performance enhancing drugs.
Probert like coke and alcohol, Rypien seemed to like alcohol, Boogaard died from mixing oxycontin and alcohol. Belak suffered from depression.
He was going to be an on air personality for TV I believe for the Preds. He was also going to be on Battle of the Blades and seemed really excited about it on Twitter. In fact, he tweeted about it the night before. People have pictures of him partying the night before in TO. It's just so weird, especially since he was JUST on the radio talking about Rypien and Boogaard.
Of the guys who died, none had problems with performance enhancing drugs.
Probert like coke and alcohol, Rypien seemed to like alcohol, Boogaard died from mixing oxycontin and alcohol. Belak suffered from depression.
We read this news and that about players but do we really know the facts! The truth is the media gets told stories and everyone is cautious about what to say. The real truth is that these players had problems other than personal and it had to do with drugs,period!
PJ Stock now says it wasn't suicide and more will come out in the days ahead. He said they've removed the word suicide from the report and now it just says accidental death.
