I have lived most of my life within 100 miles of the Canadian border, i.e. hockey country. So I read John Branch’s excellent New York Times series on Derek Boogard’s brain damage with interest and the response from the National Hockey League with dismay.
A post-mortem examination of Mr. Boogard’s brain – he died at 28 from an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs – showed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University has studied the brains of four deceased hockey players and found each suffered from CTE. Three of the four, including Mr. Boogard, were goons – that is, they were recruited not for their skill with the puck, but only to beat people up on the ice.
In Wednesday’s Times, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Todd Fedoruk, a retired goon and friend of Mr. Boogard, defended fighting in North America’s professional hockey leagues. (Sanctioned fighting exists only in N. American pro leagues; college, European and Olympic players face ejection and potential multi-game suspensions for fighting.)
Here are their arguments:
1 – “Our fans tell us they like the level of physicality in our game.” – Mr. Bettman. Clearly, he has a euphemism coach. Translation: “Many of our fans come to hockey precisely to see two huge guys repeatedly punch each other in the head. They want blood on the ice. Teeth are even better.” (Players remove each other’s helmets when they commence fighting; thus sacrifice their brain cells for the sake of their knuckles.) Elsewhere, men are arrested for staging “bum fights,” in which homeless men are paid to fight. The only difference between these and the NHL are skates, salaries and official sanctioning.
2 – “There are certain players who have no respect for the opponent. A fighter enforces that respect amongst players. Without the enforcer, the free reign for dangerous plays on key players is not kept in check — no matter how many rule changes or suspensions you hand out.” – Mr. Fedoruk. I’ve played every sport popular in North America and I accept rough play (some of it by me) is part of the equation when I take to the field, court or ice. I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of broken bones, I get it. But permanent brain damage? That’s a price too high. And the notion that the players are the best enforcers of “the code”? That, Mr. Fedoruk, is an unfortunate fiction foisted on players by men that only profit and never take any real risk from the game.
3 – “I think people need to take a deep breath and not overreact. We’re being extremely medically proactive, but there is a gap in the medical science.” – Mr. Bettman. I agree, four brains is a small sample size, but realize, CTE cannot be diagnosed until the patient is dead and his brain has been removed from its skull. Given that’s the case, I think it behooves the NHL to take a precautionary approach. Not only is it the right and moral thing to do, but now that the league’s been warned of a potential issue, the legal liability is boundless. By the way, the same holds true for professional football, but the National Football League and its players are paying better attention, at least for now.
Sadly, the NHL is taking a “prove harm” approach, which means many more players will have to suffer mental degeneration before the league acts. Far sadder is the fact that this is the same approach the federal government takes toward air and water pollution and contaminants in the food supply. At least NHL players are well compensated. Poor people living in industrial areas are not.
If North American pro hockey cannot control the game or its players, then it needs to be shut down. I don’t think that’s the answer. What Messrs. Bettman and Fedoruk fail to understand is that if hockey fails to act, parents will. Hockey is booming right now in America – or at least the part of it where I live. As Mr. Branch’s articles made clear, no one gets to the pro leagues without parental support – lots of equipment, lots of early mornings at the rink, miles and miles of driving. Mr. Boogard’s parents clearly regret what happened to their son and regret what would have happened to him had he lived. His brain, now in a Boston laboratory, sends a warning we should well heed.
A Goon’s Brain
I have lived most of my life within 100 miles of the Canadian border, i.e. hockey country. So I read John Branch’s excellent New York Times series on Derek Boogard’s brain damage with interest and the response from the National Hockey League with dismay.
A post-mortem examination of Mr. Boogard’s brain – he died at 28 from an accidental overdose of alcohol and drugs – showed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University has studied the brains of four deceased hockey players and found each suffered from CTE. Three of the four, including Mr. Boogard, were goons – that is, they were recruited not for their skill with the puck, but only to beat people up on the ice.
In Wednesday’s Times, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Todd Fedoruk, a retired goon and friend of Mr. Boogard, defended fighting in North America’s professional hockey leagues. (Sanctioned fighting exists only in N. American pro leagues; college, European and Olympic players face ejection and potential multi-game suspensions for fighting.)
Here are their arguments:
1 – “Our fans tell us they like the level of physicality in our game.” – Mr. Bettman. Clearly, he has a euphemism coach. Translation: “Many of our fans come to hockey precisely to see two huge guys repeatedly punch each other in the head. They want blood on the ice. Teeth are even better.” (Players remove each other’s helmets when they commence fighting; thus sacrifice their brain cells for the sake of their knuckles.) Elsewhere, men are arrested for staging “bum fights,” in which homeless men are paid to fight. The only difference between these and the NHL are skates, salaries and official sanctioning.
2 – “There are certain players who have no respect for the opponent. A fighter enforces that respect amongst players. Without the enforcer, the free reign for dangerous plays on key players is not kept in check — no matter how many rule changes or suspensions you hand out.” – Mr. Fedoruk. I’ve played every sport popular in North America and I accept rough play (some of it by me) is part of the equation when I take to the field, court or ice. I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of broken bones, I get it. But permanent brain damage? That’s a price too high. And the notion that the players are the best enforcers of “the code”? That, Mr. Fedoruk, is an unfortunate fiction foisted on players by men that only profit and never take any real risk from the game.
3 – “I think people need to take a deep breath and not overreact. We’re being extremely medically proactive, but there is a gap in the medical science.” – Mr. Bettman. I agree, four brains is a small sample size, but realize, CTE cannot be diagnosed until the patient is dead and his brain has been removed from its skull. Given that’s the case, I think it behooves the NHL to take a precautionary approach. Not only is it the right and moral thing to do, but now that the league’s been warned of a potential issue, the legal liability is boundless. By the way, the same holds true for professional football, but the National Football League and its players are paying better attention, at least for now.
Sadly, the NHL is taking a “prove harm” approach, which means many more players will have to suffer mental degeneration before the league acts. Far sadder is the fact that this is the same approach the federal government takes toward air and water pollution and contaminants in the food supply. At least NHL players are well compensated. Poor people living in industrial areas are not.
If North American pro hockey cannot control the game or its players, then it needs to be shut down. I don’t think that’s the answer. What Messrs. Bettman and Fedoruk fail to understand is that if hockey fails to act, parents will. Hockey is booming right now in America – or at least the part of it where I live. As Mr. Branch’s articles made clear, no one gets to the pro leagues without parental support – lots of equipment, lots of early mornings at the rink, miles and miles of driving. Mr. Boogard’s parents clearly regret what happened to their son and regret what would have happened to him had he lived. His brain, now in a Boston laboratory, sends a warning we should well heed.
© Mark Floegel, 2011