89 replies to this topic

[haroldsnepsts]

Which statement? Of course we have no concrete proof, or else NHL's marketing system would not have done its job well. Steroids and other enchanters have the possibility of leading to a instant unexcepted dead.

NHL players use stims etc., period. Bigger more physical guys (such as fighters) are more likely to use steroids where as players who rely more to skill may only use restoring stimulants.

To be clear, you're making baseless accusations. No evidence, links, nothing.

Not directly, necessarily. Rypien has to do with the unexpected deaths lately. And the unexpected death's have to do with steroids etc.

I didn't know this was a "R.I.P thread" in the Water cooler. I thought you are supposed to actually discuss in the General discussion section. My bad.

Of the unexpected deaths, only a couple could even be loosely tied to potential steroids or doping.

You really can't see how people might get upset when you come into a thread about a hockey player who just died, and with no evidence at all imply that his death is due to steroids. And then go on and lump a bunch of other hockey deaths in the same category, when they clearly had no link to steroid abuse?

[GSBrooks13]

There is a time and a place for the Steroid discussion, and I am pretty sure this is not it.

Rypien was easily one of my favourite fighters over the last couple seasons. RIP Rick.

[Chairman Maouth]

I'm on the west coast of Canada and listening to local Vancouver radio this very second. All the discussion is about Rypien's battle with severe clinical depression and how unfortunate this whole thing is.

Rypien was one of my favourite Canucks. He was known as a kind man who cared for his teammates and had some great friends and advocates in Kevin Bieksa and Mason Raymond. They publicly stood up for him (as did the Canucks organization) through his battles with depression and leaves of absence from the Canucks. Rypien was a troubled young man and his death has a lot in common with psychological issues and nothing to do with steroids. f*** all.

Edited by Chairman Maouth, 16 August 2011 - 01:07 PM.

[mjlegend]

I'm on the west coast of Canada and listening to local Vancouver radio this very second. All the discussion is about Rypien's battle with severe clinical depression and how unfortunate this whole thing is.

Rypien was one of my favourite Canucks. He was known as a kind man who cared for his teammates and had some great friends and advocates in Kevin Bieksa and Mason Raymond. They publicly stood up for him (as did the Canucks organization) through his battles with depression and leaves of absence from the Canucks. Rypien was a troubled young man and his death has a lot in common with psychological issues and nothing to do with steroids. f*** all.

The Canucks did everything they could for him when he was in their organization. Such a shame he felt he had no other alternative because he was a good role model until a couple of days ago.

[sleepwalker]

Did you post this in the right thread? What the hell does steroids have to do with the people Hockeytown mentioned?


Dan Snyder - car crash
Luc Bourdon - motorcycle accident
Mandi Schwartz- leukemia
Derek Boogaard - substance abuse problem, but it was alcohol and oxycodone
Zholtok - arrhythmia, no evidence of steroids
Cherpanov - inconclusive, but no solid evidence of steroid use or doping

Agreed.

While steroids is something that is kept hush-hush in the NHL and swept under the rug and ignored, it also has nothing to do with the deaths being discussed in this thread, which as you pointed out were caused by a variety of different things, none of which were steroids.

[Chairman Maouth]

The Canucks did everything they could for him when he was in their organization. Such a shame he felt he had no other alternative because he was a good role model until a couple of days ago.

I've gone from sadness and grief last night to a bit of anger at Rypien today for wasting his life. He had it pretty good when looking at things from the surface. I also realize the anger I feel is likely born of ignorance about clinical depression. I don't know. It's just all so tragic on so many different levels. I loved the guy and maybe I'm being selfish that I won't get to see this little guy take on guys a foot taller who outweigh him by 70 pounds ever again. I know he was no longer a Canuck and I was pissed about that, but still, this is all so s***ty. I guess he will always be a Canuck now.

Edited by Chairman Maouth, 16 August 2011 - 01:40 PM.

[NeverForgetMac25]

I've gone from sadness and grief last night to a bit of anger at Rypien today for wasting his life. He had it pretty good when looking at things from the surface. I also realize the anger I feel is likely born of ignorance about clinical depression. I don't know. It's just all so tragic on so many different levels. I loved the guy and maybe I'm being selfish that I won't get to see this little guy take on guys a foot taller who outweigh him by 70 pounds ever again. I know he was no longer a Canuck and I was pissed about that, but still, this is all so s***ty. I guess he will always be a Canuck now.

If that's your thought process, than you truly don't understand depression.

That's not a knock on you, as you claimed ignorance about the disease. I'm just confirming the fact that you don't know enough about it.

RIP Rick.

[Chairman Maouth]

If that's your thought process, than you truly don't understand depression.

That's not a knock on you, as you claimed ignorance about the disease. I'm just confirming the fact that you don't know enough about it.

RIP Rick.

Yeah thanks for the confirmation. Very helpful.

[stevkrause]

There is a time and a place for the Steroid discussion, and I am pretty sure this is not it.

Rypien was easily one of my favourite fighters over the last couple seasons. RIP Rick.

Well said.

[Chairman Maouth]

Fantastic article about Rypien.

[NeverForgetMac25]

Yeah thanks for the confirmation. Very helpful.

Sarcastic?

Bottom line is that if you're mad at someone for taking their life when the individual never was able to get control of his/her depression shows you simply don't understand how the disease can fully consume them.

[wings1110]

I've gone from sadness and grief last night to a bit of anger at Rypien today for wasting his life. He had it pretty good when looking at things from the surface. I also realize the anger I feel is likely born of ignorance about clinical depression. I don't know. It's just all so tragic on so many different levels. I loved the guy and maybe I'm being selfish that I won't get to see this little guy take on guys a foot taller who outweigh him by 70 pounds ever again. I know he was no longer a Canuck and I was pissed about that, but still, this is all so s***ty. I guess he will always be a Canuck now.

I agree its kinda hard as fans and hockey players who would do anything to play in the NHL and live the life he was. Its hard to imagine how someone could be depressed when hes living the dream life of millions of people. But depression is a disease in which it wont spare you even if you are living an amazing life. A clinically depressed individual can be living a perfect life and have everything they ever wanted for themselves, yet still be depressed, its a disease that is swept under the rug way 2 often, just because you can be in perfect physical health, but not emotional health.

[haroldsnepsts]

Bottom line is that if you're mad at someone for taking their life when the individual never was able to get control of his/her depression shows you simply don't understand how the disease can fully consume them.

I agree its kinda hard as fans and hockey players who would do anything to play in the NHL and live the life he was. Its hard to imagine how someone could be depressed when hes living the dream life of millions of people. But depression is a disease in which it wont spare you even if you are living an amazing life. A clinically depressed individual can be living a perfect life and have everything they ever wanted for themselves, yet still be depressed, its a disease that is swept under the rug way 2 often, just because you can be in perfect physical health, but not emotional health.

Both well put.

People suffering from depression don't commit suicide to be selfish assholes. They do it to end pain. It's psychological, but it's still pain and can be constant and unbearable.

It's definitely a disease that's swept under the rug too often. Major depression is not the same as just being sad, or cynical, or negative. It comes from brain chemistry and from the depths of who a person is, and is not something that millions of dollars or playing a sport you love will change. Honestly the regular exercise and routine of practices and teammates probably helped, but sadly it wasn't enough.

All that being said, I can understand being angry. Even not blaming Rypien, it's a frustrating, tragic situation. I want to be pissed at somebody.

[55fan]

I've gone from sadness and grief last night to a bit of anger at Rypien today for wasting his life. He had it pretty good when looking at things from the surface. I also realize the anger I feel is likely born of ignorance about clinical depression. I don't know. It's just all so tragic on so many different levels. I loved the guy and maybe I'm being selfish that I won't get to see this little guy take on guys a foot taller who outweigh him by 70 pounds ever again. I know he was no longer a Canuck and I was pissed about that, but still, this is all so s***ty. I guess he will always be a Canuck now.

Sadness and anger is a normal reaction to grief and the loss of a loved one, regardless of how they died. When the person was young and still had expected calendar years left, it makes it even harder.

I just buried a 33-year-old friend last week. Too young. Too many medical problems culminating in cancer.

Acceptance happens eventually, even though the sting is still there. I can imagine that he meant more to you since he was on your team. Take care of yourself, dear.

[stevie for president]

Did you post this in the right thread? What the hell does steroids have to do with the people Hockeytown mentioned?


Dan Snyder - car crash
Luc Bourdon - motorcycle accident
Mandi Schwartz- leukemia
Derek Boogaard - substance abuse problem, but it was alcohol and oxycodone
Zholtok - arrhythmia, no evidence of steroids
Cherpanov - inconclusive, but no solid evidence of steroid use or doping

Zholtok, Cherepanov, and Mickey Renaud all died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, along with dozens of other young athletes. At this time, there is no conclusive evidence that shows a link between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and anabolic steroid use. There is no proof at all that any of these players mentioned above, or Rick Rypien, have used steroids. We don't even know what the cause of death was for Rick Rypien! For all we know, this could have been a suicide. (And to anyone that thinks "he had nothing to be depressed about" and things along those lines, depression is a disease, much like addiction. The general public is very ignorant when it comes to both of these diseases.)

EDIT: Only the first sentence was intended personally for you, just to clarify how those individuals died.

Edited by stevie for president, 16 August 2011 - 03:16 PM.

[NeverForgetMac25]

Wow, being neg'ed for simply stating that anger or being mad at an individual who takes their own life due to depression is the wrong emotion. The fact of the matter is that sadness is the correct emotion to feel about this. Sadness that Rick was never able to get control of his disease or see a doctor that was able to help. Neg this all you want. That's the truth.

[stevkrause]

Sadness and anger is a normal reaction to grief and the loss of a loved one, regardless of how they died. When the person was young and still had expected calendar years left, it makes it even harder.

I just buried a 33-year-old friend last week. Too young. Too many medical problems culminating in cancer.

Acceptance happens eventually, even though the sting is still there. I can imagine that he meant more to you since he was on your team. Take care of yourself, dear.

Sorry for your loss

[Chairman Maouth]

Wow, being neg'ed for simply stating that anger or being mad at an individual who takes their own life due to depression is the wrong emotion. The fact of the matter is that sadness is the correct emotion to feel about this. Sadness that Rick was never able to get control of his disease or see a doctor that was able to help. Neg this all you want. That's the truth.

I'm not sure there is a "wrong emotion". People handle stuff like this in different ways. There may very-well be some people who were a helluva lot closer to Rypien than I was feeling the same way at this moment, because according to everything I've been reading the last few minutes, anger is a very common emotion in a case like this. I've also been reading that denying anger is more harmful than expressing it, so I guess perhaps I'm more well-adjusted than you give me credit for.

edit: I want to be clear. Me feeling angry (and it is perhaps better described as bewilderment) comes from a place that has nothing to do with what a family member may feel. It may be a similar emotion but is undoubtedly rooted in a different place.

And thanks Karen, but I'm just a hockey fan like you guys. And sorry for your loss also.

Edited by Chairman Maouth, 16 August 2011 - 04:01 PM.

[Crymson]

I've gone from sadness and grief last night to a bit of anger at Rypien today for wasting his life. He had it pretty good when looking at things from the surface. I also realize the anger I feel is likely born of ignorance about clinical depression.

Correct. Please acknowledge this and avoid making pretentious statements.

Both well put.

People suffering from depression don't commit suicide to be selfish assholes. They do it to end pain. It's psychological, but it's still pain and can be constant and unbearable.

It's not pain. It's suffering. There's a difference. The average person feels pain when something very saddening happens. What depression causes is a step beyond that.

It's definitely a disease that's swept under the rug too often. Major depression is not the same as just being sad, or cynical, or negative. It comes from brain chemistry and from the depths of who a person is, and is not something that millions of dollars or playing a sport you love will change. Honestly the regular exercise and routine of practices and teammates probably helped, but sadly it wasn't enough.

The average person who hasn't suffered from depression is unaware of how hugely dangerous severe depression can be. When it comes to battling serious depression, especially if it's a lifetime condition, you win or you die.

[NeverForgetMac25]

I'm not sure there is a "wrong emotion". People handle stuff like this in different ways. There may very-well be some people who were a helluva lot closer to Rypien than I was feeling the same way at this moment, because according to everything I've been reading the last few minutes, anger is a very common emotion in a case like this. I've also been reading that denying anger is more harmful than expressing it, so I guess perhaps I'm more well-adjusted than you give me credit for.

edit: I want to be clear. Me feeling angry (and it is perhaps better described as bewilderment) comes from a place that has nothing to do with what a family member may feel. It may be a similar emotion but is undoubtedly rooted in a different place.

And thanks Karen, but I'm just a hockey fan like you guys. And sorry for your loss also.

I never said you weren't well-adjusted or that holding in anger is a good thing. I simply find it to be misplaced in the case of depression. A few of the closest people in my life have battled depression their whole lives, and I also had a friend who ultimately took his life because he simply couldn't bear to live with it any longer.

Like you said, your feeling of anger is perhaps better described as bewilderment. I think that's a much better way of putting it. For me, the only sense of anger I can see regarding this situation would be if Rick had continuously tried to get help for his depression and the system kept failing him because we just don't have a handle on depression the way we'd all like up to this point.