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Players' Tribune: Hockey is Not For Everyone


Phil

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The NHL’s title for their annual diversity campaign, “Hockey is For Everyone.”

 

Makes me crack up.

 

Because, right now, hockey is not for everyone.

 

I learned that when I was 16.

 

That same kid — the guy who went on to play over 400 NHL games — came up to me a few days after I refused to take part in his horrific ritual and tapped me on the shoulder during a practice. I turned, and he shoved his fiberglass stick through my mouth. I lost seven teeth in half a second. Blood gushing down my chest into my pants. And that was when I knew.

 

This game, it’s not for me.

 

It never has been.

 

The purpose of this story is not to drag everyone in hockey, or the sport itself, into the mud. This is about the biggest problems facing the game I love — and how we can fix them.

 

I’m talking about the racism, misogyny, bullying and homophobia that permeates the culture of hockey. These issues have ramifications that most cannot — or will not — see. They are not fun to talk about. And it seems like most only want to discuss them when something drastic happens, like K’Andre Miller’s horrific experience in an online Q and A a few months ago. Someone hijacked the Zoom call and called him the n-word over and over again through the chat feature.

 

He’s 20 years old, goddammit.

 

Breaks my heart.

 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/hockey-is-not-for-everyone-akim-aliu-nhl

 

--

 

Like all Players' Tribune articles, you need to read the whole thing to really appreciate it.

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Good read. Not shocked at all by Downie's actions. He always seemed to be a dick. Slightly shocked that Aliu named names but good for him. No one should have to put up with that type of shit.

 

i think we're shocked because we're so used to not ever hearing anyone say things like that, which is a lot of what the article is about

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the old style goon hockey mentality remains alive and well although it spends most of its time below the surface.

 

i've said it before but the stellar and simick guys in the morning remain guilty of it to this day. can't say how many

times they have an old school guy on and after issuing the fighting is not good for the sport decree take the guy down

memory lane guffawing as he tells stories of old.

 

just this last weekend they did a gordie how thing on nhl (was probably a rerun as they have zero insight how to make that a good channel) but half the damn show talked about gordie throwing elbows, sticks knuckles etc... not saying its not a thing of the past and should be forgotten but its not the good old days either, compared to the pure skill you are seeing now, which is much more enjoyable and will build and diversify the game.

 

the meatheads need to be run out of the league for good. you pull some shit like downie, who was irrelevant in the league and you should be gone. bertuzzi should have been gone. get in a guys face, fine. talk the talk fine. we all know what the line is however so it should never be crossed.

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Essa Tikkanen comes to mind. Guy could talk shit with the best of 'em but knew not to cross the line.

 

spot on. and thats how u play a sport. u are free to trash talk, intimidate all u want. just don't make it personal.

 

go back and look at dick butkus highlights. text book. 23 as well.

 

as much as i love mess, he crossed the line plenty of times. there's a great youtube video on him i think its called goals and elbows. xchecked gilmour in a series as well and took him out of it. not the game today.

 

how pissed would we be if someone brained panarin right now?

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Downie has his own issues. He watched his father die in a car crash right beside him on the way to practice when he was 8. He's deaf in one ear due to some rare disease, a fact that led him to be picked on as a kid. He is, by many accounts, borderline insane. He went from a complete disgrace in the OHL, to national hero due to the WJC, to the NHL, and has now come full circle.

 

Not to excuse his behavior in regards to Aliu (Who is a headcase himself) but using Steve Downie as some barometer of attitudes in hockey is utterly useless, not that it'll stop anybody from doing so.

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Downie has his own issues. He watched his father die in a car crash right beside him on the way to practice when he was 8. He's deaf in one ear due to some rare disease, a fact that led him to be picked on as a kid. He is, by many accounts, borderline insane. He went from a complete disgrace in the OHL, to national hero due to the WJC, to the NHL, and has now come full circle.

 

Not to excuse his behavior in regards to Aliu (Who is a headcase himself) but using Steve Downie as some barometer of attitudes in hockey is utterly useless, not that it'll stop anybody from doing so.

 

What makes Aliu a "headcase"?

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Downie has his own issues. He watched his father die in a car crash right beside him on the way to practice when he was 8. He's deaf in one ear due to some rare disease, a fact that led him to be picked on as a kid. He is, by many accounts, borderline insane. He went from a complete disgrace in the OHL, to national hero due to the WJC, to the NHL, and has now come full circle.

 

Not to excuse his behavior in regards to Aliu (Who is a headcase himself) but using Steve Downie as some barometer of attitudes in hockey is utterly useless, not that it'll stop anybody from doing so.

 

Downie appears to be a very troubled guy. That's an explanation, which is neither a defense nor an excuse. What he did to Aliu from what we know thus far was inexcusable. But he is but one guy. He is not "Hockey", as if that's some unitary collective. To blame a whole group of people for the actions of one guy is a bit much. Which is what the media does very often.

 

As to hazing, it's not a good thing when it goes too far. But it also can be harmless nonsense and bond a team. And appears it got way beyond playful nonsense in this instance. And that also happens across sports. Newsflash though; Aliu will not be the last guy to get BenGay in his underwear, and that is not the end of the world. That is not nearly the same thing as racism, physical or sexual abuse.

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I had another great Dunny anecdote, too, but it has a sad ending as I just found out.

 

I Played shiny and went to school with a guy adopted from Sri Lanka, I think, he was in area playing Tier2 A and I was playing C and Midget. He was pretty awesome, hilarious, and had seen a lot of shit towards himself growing up in rural Alberta and being better than pretty much everybody around. We went on an epic playoff run and I remember nodding to him in a big home game as he was behind my net. Reading through this I looked him up only to learn he's passed away a couple years ago at age 36, I'm told he took his own life, and can't help but ponder that given the article.

 

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=82901

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Sure. And one I don't care about.

 

Just sayin. Aliu may think he got cross-checked in the teeth because he?s black (or half black). Downie may have a different story why he did what he did. Im not excusing anything, nor do i think Aliu is making shit up but i?d like to hear Downie?s version too

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I had another great Dunny anecdote, too, but it has a sad ending as I just found out.

 

I Played shiny and went to school with a guy adopted from Sri Lanka, I think, he was in area playing Tier2 A and I was playing C and Midget. He was pretty awesome, hilarious, and had seen a lot of shit towards himself growing up in rural Alberta and being better than pretty much everybody around. We went on an epic playoff run and I remember nodding to him in a big home game as he was behind my net. Reading through this I looked him up only to learn he's passed away a couple years ago at age 36, I'm told he took his own life, and can't help but ponder that given the article.

 

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=82901

 

Very sad indeed. Im alway in bewilderment when I realize that someone is in such bad place inside that he/she has to take their own life. I pray and hope i never find out.

 

My grandfather took his own life but he was at the end of his and didnt want to suffer anymore

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