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HockeyCrazy3033

Report: Wade Belak found dead in home

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cept pro wrestling is like the circus, not real, and is no way a sport.

You obviously know nothing about pro wrestling.

Wrestlers get injured more often than any other athletes. They also don't have offseasons to rest up their bodies. Concussions especially are unavoidable in the ring. Sure the action is staged, but the point is they take many injuries to the head and take a ridiculous amount of painkillers to offset their problems and aches.

Fighting isn't as common as it used to be in hockey, but guys are bigger and stronger nowadays, and getting hit in the head by these giant enforcers has to take its toll on a brain and body. Also, there's a lot of stress with this particular job over some other positions in hockey.

Edited by GMRwings1983

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You obviously know nothing about pro wrestling.

Wrestlers get injured more often than any other athletes. They also don't have offseasons to rest up their bodies. Concussions especially are unavoidable in the ring. Sure the action is staged, but the point is they take many injuries to the head and take a ridiculous amount of painkillers to offset their problems and aches.

Fighting isn't as common as it used to be in hockey, but guys are bigger and stronger nowadays, and getting hit in the head by these giant enforcers has to take its toll on a brain and body. Also, there's a lot of stress with this particular job over some other positions in hockey.

No doubt it is a stressful job - I consider hockey fighting more 'real' than boxing - it's bare knuckles and with no matt on the floor. I'm a laid back guy but I got serious shakes before and after the real fights I have been in over the years. Sure, they get paid well for it, but I can only imagine the stress involved in keeping that up for years on end, on a per-game basis.

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No doubt it is a stressful job - I consider hockey fighting more 'real' than boxing - it's bare knuckles and with no matt on the floor. I'm a laid back guy but I got serious shakes before and after the real fights I have been in over the years. Sure, they get paid well for it, but I can only imagine the stress involved in keeping that up for years on end, on a per-game basis.

boxing is a sport. Im talking about that hulk hogan bulls***.....trashy imo

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I found this article regarding Fedoruk insightful when it comes to the minds of enforcers.

Ferdoruk believes most NHL enforcers have issues off the ice. Mental things that drag them down. 

He says most enforcers are never really secure in their role or with their team and are always wondering whether they “fit.” That’s their common bond, he said.

“It seems more and more, the guys who are demon fighters are the ones who play this role,” he said. “I don’t know if this goes hand-in-hand or you have to be a little crazy to do what we do. It’s a price you pay.”

With some rewards, he says.

http://www.csnphilly.com/08/31/11/Former-Flyer-Fedoruk-battles-demons-to-g/news_flyers.html?blockID=556996&feedID=704

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Says it was a suicide. It's sad to say this, but I wonder if these low-level guys who had a good run in the NHL but didn't make quite enough to retire on feel hopeless and like they have nothing else to do but end their life. Unless there is some sort of pension I'm not aware of, which there should be. But either way, haven't there been a few suicides lately?

There's been a few suicides in Baseball as well. Sad.

I found this article regarding Fedoruk insightful when it comes to the minds of enforcers.

Ferdoruk believes most NHL enforcers have issues off the ice. Mental things that drag them down. 

He says most enforcers are never really secure in their role or with their team and are always wondering whether they “fit.” That’s their common bond, he said.

“It seems more and more, the guys who are demon fighters are the ones who play this role,” he said. “I don’t know if this goes hand-in-hand or you have to be a little crazy to do what we do. It’s a price you pay.”

With some rewards, he says.

http://www.csnphilly.com/08/31/11/Former-Flyer-Fedoruk-battles-demons-to-g/news_flyers.html?blockID=556996&feedID=704

Plain and simple, they need to get fighting out of the game along with head shots... We're going to see the same thing in 10 years with the UFC fighters dying of early deaths too.

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Says it was a suicide. It's sad to say this, but I wonder if these low-level guys who had a good run in the NHL but didn't make quite enough to retire on feel hopeless and like they have nothing else to do but end their life. Unless there is some sort of pension I'm not aware of, which there should be. But either way, haven't there been a few suicides lately?

Yes, there is a pension for players who play more than 400 games.

Belak was going to be working as a broadcaster for the Predators and was in Toronto training for Battle of the Blades on CBC. He was one of the lucky ones who had opportunities post-hockey to make a living.

I don't think money is a factor. I think getting punched in the head hundreds of times with bare knuckles and the cumulative effect it has on the brain is more at play here, but that's just my opinion.

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Yes, there is a pension for players who play more than 400 games.

Belak was going to be working as a broadcaster for the Predators and was in Toronto training for Battle of the Blades on CBC. He was one of the lucky ones who had opportunities post-hockey to make a living.

I don't think money is a factor. I think getting punched in the head hundreds of times with bare knuckles and the cumulative effect it has on the brain is more at play here, but that's just my opinion.

I agree that money is likely not an issue here, not only did he have sources of income coming, he also made about $9M during his NHL career (I guess he could have blown it all though). I'm not sure about the blows to the head theory though. Wade has said on a few occassions that he has never had a concussion in his entire life.

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Yes, there is a pension for players who play more than 400 games.

Belak was going to be working as a broadcaster for the Predators and was in Toronto training for Battle of the Blades on CBC. He was one of the lucky ones who had opportunities post-hockey to make a living.

I don't think money is a factor. I think getting punched in the head hundreds of times with bare knuckles and the cumulative effect it has on the brain is more at play here, but that's just my opinion.

I think Ferdoruk's quote explains a lot. You likely have to be a certain type of person to accept the role of being an NHL enforcer, especially today when the majority of fighting is placed on one or two players per team. However, I don't recall seeing these issues in the late 80's and early 90's when many of the league's most active fighters were playing/retiring.

Until there is an actual link to fighting, and not the personal demons these players had, I think naming this as the cause is a bit premature (as you suggested). I hope this is just a terrible anomaly that will help other players who are battling personal demons.

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If it's pain killers, it really is about time they made oxycodone schedule 1 or whatever the same classification as heroin is, because that's basically what it is but in a pill.

Oxy, like any other drug, has its uses, and some people need it. Like any other drug, directions must be followed, particularly dosing and avoiding alcohol.

I don't know that drugs were the case in these last two. Only Boogaard's death was linked to oxy as far as I know.

At any rate, I agree with Working Overtime in hoping that this will help other players. Perhaps if it is being talked about, someone might get the help they need and we won't have to wake up to another loss.

Condolences to the Belak family and their friends.

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Yes, there is a pension for players who play more than 400 games.

Belak was going to be working as a broadcaster for the Predators and was in Toronto training for Battle of the Blades on CBC. He was one of the lucky ones who had opportunities post-hockey to make a living.

I don't think money is a factor. I think getting punched in the head hundreds of times with bare knuckles and the cumulative effect it has on the brain is more at play here, but that's just my opinion.

I agree, this makes things a lot clearer. Such a shame this stuff happens. :(

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Reading a recent interview with Brad May about the anxiousness & depression he felt going into a game with Minny where he knew he would have to fight Boogaard really makes me wonder if that emotional rollercoaster isn't doing more damage to players in the enforcer role than the fights themselves.

Thoughts & prayers going out to the Belak family...

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I agree that money is likely not an issue here, not only did he have sources of income coming, he also made about $9M during his NHL career (I guess he could have blown it all though). I'm not sure about the blows to the head theory though. Wade has said on a few occassions that he has never had a concussion in his entire life.

None that he knew of.

Belak probably had over 100 fights in his NHL career. And that's just the NHL, not any from his days in the minors. Seems unlikely you could fight that many times and not get at least one concussion.

I'm guessing with these guys it's a number of factors. Being a marginal player never knowing if you're going to get cut. The grueling aspects of your role in punching guys in the head and taking punches. Not having many options outside of hockey when your career is over, and hockey has probably been their whole life. And possible depression and other symptoms from post-concussion syndrome.

Edited by haroldsnepsts

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None that he knew of.

Belak probably had over 100 fights in his NHL career. And that's just the NHL, not any from his days in the minors. Seems unlikely you could fight that many times and not get at least one concussion.

I'm guessing it's a number of factors. Being a marginal player never knowing if you're going to get cut. The grueling aspects of your role in punching guys in the head and taking punches. Not having many options outside of hockey when your career is over, and hockey has probably been their whole life. And possible depression and other symptoms from post-concussion syndrome.

What incentive would Belak have to lie about having concussions or PCS after he retired? You could argue that there is incentive to lie while playing, but I can't see any reason he would knowingly deny symptoms when has retired. PCS is a serious topic, and one that is popular at the moment, but I don't think we can say he suffered from PCS if there is no evidence he did.

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What incentive would Belak have to lie about having concussions or PCS after he retired? You could argue that there is incentive to lie while playing, but I can't see any reason he would knowingly deny symptoms when has retired. PCS is a serious topic, and one that is popular at the moment, but I don't think we can say he suffered from PCS if there is no evidence he did.

Sorry, let me clarify. I wasn't in any way implying Belak was lying about having a concussion or PCS. But he's been in the league since 1998. Any real awareness and talk about concussions has only come in the last few seasons. I'm betting sometime in his NHL career he probably got a concussion, but may not have been diagnosed. He just got his "bell rung."

And the second paragraph I also wasn't talking about Belak specifically, but just what has seemed to be happening with enforcers lately. That it's likely some combination of some or all of those factors.

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