As a person who works in schools; I am well aware of just how rumors get started. A few comments made by students usually well away from those who the ‘rumor’ that quickly are repeated, changed and repeated some more suddenly become the scuttlebutt everyone is talking about. The sources of the rumors are usually able to maintain their anonymity. This is often fortunate for those individuals as their baseless speculation is often hurtful and tempered by a level of mean-spiritedness. Schools are literal factories of rumors and are the fodder for plenty of drama. When it was first reported that former Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard was found dead it did not take long before the speculation to begin. Whether it was on twitter or other sports blogs; many started to make assumptions that he died due to complications from fights he had been involved in or drugs. One rumor that I heard; allegedly came from a first responder (an EMT) to Boogaard’s apartment where they implied drugs were the cause of his death.
Many more reputable bloggers and media refrained from participating in the ‘guessing game’ regarding the Regina, Saskatchewan-native’s death, preferring to respond once an autopsy (and its toxicology report) was published. Those results found that Boogaard died from mixing alcohol with oxycotin medication he had been taking for his shoulder injury. Whether it was simply an accident or a dangerous gamble is still unsure. It would appear the rumor about the EMT saying it was drugs is true; and if that story is indeed credible shouldn’t the divulge of such information mean that employee in question should lose their job? I would think so. Either way, that really is water under the bridge at this point. The big question is. Should the news that Boogaard’s death was alcohol and drug related affect the way we as fans remember him?
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My simple answer…NO. Not one bit. Death due to drugs and / or alcohol is always tragic. I am not sure why but the first person I always think of when I think of a promising career cut short is that of comedic actors John Belushi and Chris Farley. While I will never really forget the circumstances around their death it does not take away what either of these people were able to accomplish. Boogaard I imagine will be remembered much in the same way. People will feel that he too was deprived of living a longer life due to an issue with substances (accidental or not) but they will also remember the good feelings that went with watching him play and battle for his team. By all accounts; despite his size and strength he was remarkably humble and polite. Boogaard was the kind of guy who felt lucky to have a job where he could play a game and make a living doing just that.
I have to admit, I am normally not the kind of person that always dwells on the positive. I guess this is the question I’d ask anyone who may be feeling as though they’re disappointed in Derek Boogaard. What purpose will it serve to be angry with Boogaard over what happened? I believe there is almost nothing to be accomplished by disrespecting those who have passed on. The details of his death should not tarnish his legacy as a Wild fan favorite and his death did not cause physical harm to anyone else. The death of those that are young are always hard to grapple with, no matter the circumstances but whether it was something they could control or something entirely accidental the pain that they’re gone still remains regardless of the cause. It is alot like a person’s attitude; its something you choose. You are free to feel what you wish; but you still have a choice. Just my 2 cents.
Aeros go to Game 7 after blowing 3-0 series lead
Finishing off a vulnerable opponent is a challenge for some and that certainly is the case for the Wild’s American League affiliate, the Houston Aeros as they squandered a 3-0 series lead to the Hamilton Bulldogs after losing their most recent game 5-4 in double overtime. The Aeros for the most part have used its strong forecheck to dominate in terms of shots on goal but goals have been hard to come by. Game 6 was a great example of that as the Aeros fired 60 shots on goal but that was still not enough to vanquish the Bulldogs. Houston’s scoring by committee can both be a blessing and a curse. Its a blessing for match ups since it makes it a nightmare for opposing teams to pair up their best shut down players against your top forwards but the curse comes around when your team needs a goal and you don’t have that true go-to talent when you need it the most. The Bulldogs have that go-to guy in Nigel Dawes, but for the Aeros its (insert player here). That’s no offense (no pun intended) to Robbie Earl, Jon DiSalvatore or even Colton Gillies but none of them are the kind of player that scores so often they can be called a go-to offensive threat.
Luckily for the Aeros, Game 7 is at Houston’s Toyota Center on Tuesday. Matt Hackett has been pretty good, stopping 33 shots in today’s loss but he must be better if the Aeros are to advance to the Calder Cup Finals. Their potential opponent, the Binghamton Senators are already waiting and will be well rested after sweeping the Charlotte Checkers in just 4 games.
Wild sign Granlund and Larsson, but both are staying Europe
The Minnesota Wild signed two more of its key prospects from 2010, in 1st rounder Mikael Granlund and 2nd rounder Johan Larsson to Entry Level deals. Yet both players have also stated they will be spending the 2011-12 season playing in their respective European league. For Granlund, he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he is staying so that he can fulfill his military requirement and get that behind him so when he finally arrives in North America he can focus all of his energies of playing in the NHL. Larsson feels he has more he can learn in the Swedish Eliteserien but he is expected to participate in the team’s prospect camp this summer. I have little doubt the news that Larsson and especially Granlund not making his Wild debut this season will frustrate some Wild fans, but if he feels he’s best served by getting his national commitments out of the way instead of putting them off until later like team captain Mikko Koivu has (until this summer) then I hope he does just that. Granlund shined at the World Championships, scoring 2 goals and 9 points in 9 games, including scoring a Lacrosse-style goal that became a viral hit on the web.
This year’s World Championships was a bonanza for Wild players. Marek Zidlicky was named one of the tournament’s best defenseman, but the real star was the performance of Mikko Koivu and Mikael Granlund who led the way for Finland to win its first World Championship since 1995. The picture you see above is Koivu partying down with Finnish President Tarja Halonen who some say looks like late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien. Hockey always gives good reasons to party,
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