Report: Wade Belak found dead in home

[wings1110 184]

Agreed, the role of enforcer, and fighting in general, time has passed. Fighting should be an automatic game suspension. I've read many times the pressure enforcers face before games knowing they have to fight and the possible injuries they could face. Players shouldn't have to go through that, plus all the mental problems they have after their career's are finished.

Also, it's been said many times, hits to the head should be taken more seriously. I don't understand why it's so difficult for people to understand what's going on, and how easy things can be avoided by doing something as simple and civil by banning hits to the head. Either someone is going to have to die on the ice, or Don Cherry and the old generation of thinking will have to pass on for anything to change.

are you serious? no one is forcing them 2 play in the NHL!!!! so many thing wrong with that post i cant even address. just no, fighting is part of hockey. its people like you turning hockey into soccer and ruining the sport I love.

[ChelisChick 174]

At a time like this, finger-pointing always works:

Toronto Star.

Whether anyone agrees with the statements, the fact that it's bringing so much attention is a positive thing. It needs to be addressed more openly. There's no shame in having any sort of mental illness. The stigma attached to any sort of mental issue is what the real problem is.

Whether the NHL or the NHLPA agrees or not, dialogue is a good thing. Bringing the issue into the light is a good thing. And if by starting a "war of words" on Twitter or any other public forum keeps just ONE player from following this same path, it will all be worth it.

Gonna miss you in Nashville this season Wade.

[PredsFanTheBayouState 263]

Whether anyone agrees with the statements, the fact that it's bringing so much attention is a positive thing. It needs to be addressed more openly. There's no shame in having any sort of mental illness. The stigma attached to any sort of mental issue is what the real problem is.

Whether the NHL or the NHLPA agrees or not, dialogue is a good thing. Bringing the issue into the light is a good thing. And if by starting a "war of words" on Twitter or any other public forum keeps just ONE player from following this same path, it will all be worth it.

Gonna miss you in Nashville this season Wade.

this season is gonna be rough for the predators organization and preds fans,hopefully they can overcome this tragic loss and focus on winning a stanley cup.wade would be happy if the preds win the cup this season.

rip wade belak

i kept having this weird dream of wade belak and derek boogaard fighting up in heaven and rick rypien is cheering them on.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Agreed, the role of enforcer, and fighting in general, time has passed. Fighting should be an automatic game suspension. I've read many times the pressure enforcers face before games knowing they have to fight and the possible injuries they could face. Players shouldn't have to go through that, plus all the mental problems they have after their career's are finished.

Also, it's been said many times, hits to the head should be taken more seriously. I don't understand why it's so difficult for people to understand what's going on, and how easy things can be avoided by doing something as simple and civil by banning hits to the head. Either someone is going to have to die on the ice, or Don Cherry and the old generation of thinking will have to pass on for anything to change.

That's not where I was going with my post.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Both his mother and TSN's Michael Landsberg, who has also battled this state, say that they have been aware of Belak's battle with it for some time.

[Guest Shoreline]

Agreed, the role of enforcer, and fighting in general, time has passed. Fighting should be an automatic game suspension. I've read many times the pressure enforcers face before games knowing they have to fight and the possible injuries they could face. Players shouldn't have to go through that, plus all the mental problems they have after their career's are finished.

Also, it's been said many times, hits to the head should be taken more seriously. I don't understand why it's so difficult for people to understand what's going on, and how easy things can be avoided by doing something as simple and civil by banning hits to the head. Either someone is going to have to die on the ice, or Don Cherry and the old generation of thinking will have to pass on for anything to change.

The NFL has made rule after rule after rule after rule surrounding hits and how they can be made, and I don't see much difference at all regarding head injuries.

The NHL has begun to make rule after rule and oh look, still, head injuries are common.

While I applaud the fact that there's been significant breakthroughs and aggressive research being placed on head injuries and the results of them, at some point, one has to simply recognize that this is in fact a physically violent sport that a player opt's in to, and there are risks that are associated with it. I don't see people going into boxing, rugby, UFC, or other sports telling them they need to start banning violent acts or ******* nitpicking every which way they can hit.

The use of research surrounding injuries to the head and prevention should be used in a way of prevention that doesn't undermine how the sport of hockey has long been played. The reverting of pads, for example, I can certainly agree with. This impacts the player who's doing the hitting making it more painful for the player making the hit and logically would place more restraint on the person, as well as make the player making the hit absorb more of the damage. This still does not undermine the physical nature of the sport or flatten the role that physical play has in the sport.

I'm watching in more recent years this sort of placing sports on some fantasy, cloud-nine pedestal where you can remove the physical/violent aspect of the sport and have it a) still be the sport played at the same level of competitive nature, and b) be entertaining. If you notice I'm not much of a fighter slappy at all, and I come into quite a heavy disagreement with those who assert that we need fighters on this team, on the other hand, the physical nature is part of what makes hockey, "hockey", and what makes football, "football". This contemporary fantasy attempt at idealizing every single hit that's placed where it's perfectly away from the head, or perfectly square, or perfectly above the knees, and where the player lands on a spot that's going to be less trauma to a certain body part is only going to result in a bogged down, ******* boring ass game to watch, and it's going to send mixed messages to both people who play and watch hockey. It's quite ridiculous. Leave it alone. Banning hits to the head is not going to make hockey a safe sport. Banning fighting is not going to make hockey a safe sport. Nothing is going to make hockey a safe sport. All of these rules, however, are going to make hockey not "hockey" but something ******* completely different.

Edited September 3, 2011 by Shoreline

[PredsFanTheBayouState 263]

there was nice full page tribute to wade belak in yesterdays tennessean written by preds player david legwand:

<A href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/795012/belak-ad_1315641a.jpg">

[Konnan511 1,736]

Auto Erotic asphyxiation....what a way to go.

RIP Wade, you were always a fan favorite.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I was thinking this may have been the cause when I 1st had heard that he had hung himself...INXS frontman Michael Hutchence died the same way.

Didn't David Carradine die that way also?

[10 Minute Misconduct 104]

Auto Erotic asphyxiation....what a way to go.

RIP Wade, you were always a fan favorite.

Highly doubtful; and considering his dad said he was told he killed himself - pure spectulation. Just because one or two people say he wouldnt have killed himself and there's more to it doesnt make it true. Tho' i agree, would be quite sad to see someone die like that...really un-needed.

Edited September 5, 2011 by 10 Minute Misconduct

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Auto Erotic asphyxiation....what a way to go.

Is it bad that I first heard about this through South Park?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Auto Erotic asphyxiation....what a way to go.

RIP Wade, you were always a fan favorite.

Link?

[Konnan511 1,736]

I can't believe someone would neg' me for saying he was a fan favorite. Some sick f***s on this site.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I can't believe someone would neg' me for saying he was a fan favorite. Some sick f***s on this site.

Are you really so bored that you're trolling in a thread about a dead hockey player?

[PredsFanTheBayouState 263]

I can't believe someone would neg' me for saying he was a fan favorite. Some sick f***s on this site.

i gave you + 1 for saying he was a fan favorite,he was one of a my favorite players too.

[ChelisChick 174]

I can't believe someone would neg' me for saying he was a fan favorite. Some sick f***s on this site.

I gave you the neg for mentioning a cause of death that has NOT been established. Yes, he was a fan favorite. He was my favorite player for the Predators.

But for you, or any other poster, to start posting crap without a credible source to back it up....it pissed me off. Still does. And I'm not apologizing for it. If you want to start calling people out for being sick f***s, I suggest a look in the mirror first.

I'm done. Show some respect people. A 35 year old man with 2 little girls is dead.

PredsFanInTheBayouState, thank you for posting the full page ad that was in the Tennessean. I don't subscribe to the paper, and I couldn't find it online.

[PredsFanTheBayouState 263]

I gave you the neg for mentioning a cause of death that has NOT been established. Yes, he was a fan favorite. He was my favorite player for the Predators.

But for you, or any other poster, to start posting crap without a credible source to back it up....it pissed me off. Still does. And I'm not apologizing for it. If you want to start calling people out for being sick f***s, I suggest a look in the mirror first.

I'm done. Show some respect people. A 35 year old man with 2 little girls is dead.

PredsFanInTheBayouState, thank you for posting the full page ad that was in the Tennessean. I don't subscribe to the paper, and I couldn't find it online.

you are very welcome,i have a subscription to the tennessean where i can view it on my computer screen.

Edited September 6, 2011 by PredsFanTheBayouState

[toby91_ca 620]

Link?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/CBC-s-P-J-Stock-Wade-Belak-not-a-suicide-but-a?urn=nhl-wp11744

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/CBC-s-P-J-Stock-Wade-Belak-not-a-suicide-but-a?urn=nhl-wp11744

I meant an actual verified account that said it was auto-erotic asphyxiation. Konnan basically stated it as if it were fact.

That's just a link to someone else speculating.

Edited September 6, 2011 by haroldsnepsts

[toby91_ca 620]

I doubt you'll ever get an actual verification of this. It's obviously just more speculation, but I was just showing where he may have heard this.

When I first read his post, I was actually pretty disgusted, thought it was very poor taste, but that was before I heard about the speculation.

[55fan 5,133]

I know he was a public figure, but for the sake of his memory and respect for his wife and kids, I think we've entered the area where we need to respect their privacy and simply mourn the passing of a man who was influential as a hockey player.

Not trying to tell people what to do or say, or what they can or can't say. Just saying that maybe we need to think about that and let the guy rest in peace.

[puckloo39 5,686]

Not trying to tell people what to do or say, or what they can or can't say. Just saying that maybe we need to think about that and let the guy rest in peace.

I agree, for what it's worth. RIP, Wade.

[Guest 13GoWings40]

I know he was a public figure, but for the sake of his memory and respect for his wife and kids, I think we've entered the area where we need to respect their privacy and simply mourn the passing of a man who was influential as a hockey player.

Not trying to tell people what to do or say, or what they can or can't say. Just saying that maybe we need to think about that and let the guy rest in peace.

QFT

However it happened, we're gonna miss you Wade. I hope you are at peace and that your family is able to find closure.

[toby91_ca 620]

I know he was a public figure, but for the sake of his memory and respect for his wife and kids, I think we've entered the area where we need to respect their privacy and simply mourn the passing of a man who was influential as a hockey player.

Not trying to tell people what to do or say, or what they can or can't say. Just saying that maybe we need to think about that and let the guy rest in peace.

Totally agree, but the problem is that something like that is newsworthy.