Wade Belak dead

[Hurricane Hank]

TSN reporting that Belak was found dead in a Toronto hotel earlier today. WTF.

 

[dj1470]

What?
He was like what 35 years old?
Geez.

 

[pencilneckgeek2]

....

 

[GlavaMan]

http://sports.ca.msn.com/top-stories/former-nhler-belak-found-dead-in-toronto-condo

 

[mishi]

That sad shit. He leaves a family behind. What's going on with all these NHL tough guys dying lately?

 

[FTWWTF]

R.I.P. Wade

 

[Toronto Passions]

That sad shit. He leaves a family behind.

That is the worst part of this.

 

[curious newbee]

According to the CBC website, they claim 'sources said' he took his own life. That's really sad and if it's true, people will slam him...I hope not. It's tragic when someone comes to that decision to do that but no one will truly be able to understand or even agree with what caused him to do so (except if it was mental illness). Let's just leave it as tragic and hope that he finds the peace he was seeking...and those who he left behind can receive all the support they need to get through this. I remember him in the interviews...always had a sense of humour and friendly....gave it his all on the ice too. RIP Wade.

 

[Insidious Von]

The inference is clear; the NHL has to clean up its act. No athlete should have to earn a living by taking punches to the head, fighting and the body armour have to go. Belak's passing, Marc Savard's retirement and the state of Sidney Crosby should should be a spur to action.

Before he passed away Reg Fleming donated his brain to Boston University, the findings are provocative:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/sports/hockey/18concussion.html?pagewanted=all

 

[sleazure]

Cases like this always make me wonder if there was a treatable problem with his brain chemistry. We're probably gonna hear a lot about postconcussion syndrome this week. Apparently, it can cause mood swings and depression in come cases.

 

[blackrock13]

An good interview with George LaRoche on CBC where he said he knows about 50 enforcers who careers are over, many of whom were paid relatively little, and they are having trouble dealing with their demons. Many falling into drug and alcohol abuse.

No one had any idea this was going to happen. From the videos, his condo appears to be at One King West and there are no family condos there. If his family live in TO, it must have been his home away from home for game days.

I just heard that he and his family had just bought a dream home in Nashville, where he was a broadcaster and he was only in town for the Battle of the Blades. He had it all, but apparently all was good enough to protect him from those dark corners.

 

[shack]

An good interview with George LaRoche on CBC where he said he knows about 50 enforcers who careers are over, many of whom were paid relatively little, and they are having trouble dealing with their demons. Many falling into drug and alcohol abuse.

It's possible that the makeup of a guy who is willing to be a hockey goon predisposes him to substance abuse. There's gotta be low self-esteem for a guy whose talent compares so lowly in relation to his colleagues that he can only stay in the league by using violence (and it's not even spontaneous).

I know I'm generalizing but it doesn't sound like an unreasonable scenario.

 

[bobistheowl]

The skill set of a Hockey goon doesn't translate well to civilian life.

 

[sleazure]

It's possible that the makeup of a guy
who is willing to be a hockey goon predisposes him to substance abuse. There's gotta be low self-esteem for a guy whose talent compares so lowly in relation to his colleagues that he can only stay in the league by using violence (and it's not even spontaneous).

I know I'm generalizing but it doesn't sound like an unreasonable scenario.

To paraphrase, and I hope I'm not being unfair, "being a bully was bad for his self-esteem". To a true bully, knocking the shit out of someone you despise would probably be great for the old self-esteem.

 

[Carling]

maybe it's time for the NHL to ban fighting?...with 3 tough guys dead in a year, (and many more dead ie.Kordic,Probert)fans should think about the mental/physical toll these guys go thru, just to appease their need for violence in the game....

 

[GlavaMan]

Ban fighting and these guys wouldn't be in the NHL....wouldn't even get a sniff. Many of them would not make the AHL if fighting were banned.

 

[Loosely]

That is the worst part of this.

Hey Phil, it's good to know you feel this way.

 

[shack]

To paraphrase, and I hope I'm not being unfair, "being a bully was bad for his self-esteem". To a true bully, knocking the shit out of someone you despise would probably be great for the old self-esteem.

Your paraphrase was too short. Shoulda been ".............. self-esteem because his skills were so poor, the only was he could stay in the league was to beat up other guys." A lot of these guys are not "true bullies", just bullies on the ice and most of the guys they fight, they do not despise but are forced to do so because it is their job and they need to do it to stay in the league.

 

[nad_smith]

absolutely sad
...a dad quit on his 2 little girls...feel sorry for them

 

[Ref]

maybe it's time for the NHL to ban fighting?...with 3 tough guys dead in a year, (and many more dead ie.Kordic,Probert)fans should think about the mental/physical toll these guys go thru, just to appease their need for violence in the game....

Maybe it is time for the NHL (and all major league sports) to prepare athletes for "life after the game". Super stars may have a break due to local status, however regular schmucks do not have the opportunities for a life after hockey (or whatever sport) that more popular guys have.

I'm not talking about a "guaranteed job program", but a program aimed at assimilating athletes into normal society and/or focusing on a new career. This is a program that should be offered and funded through a joint venture of the national sports organization and their unions/players associations.