I’m usually leaning towards the less compassionate takes on pro-athletes. Not unanimously, and I try to judge each situation individually and have immense respect for prioritizing mental health, family and general well being.
I just know that I also have a tendency to have a jaded outlook on the misfortunes of millionaires who are paid to play the greatest game in the world. I’m a disabled veteran with mental health issues, divorced, badly in debt, bad relationship with alcohol, don’t see my son enough, etc. I see these guys with the greatest job in the world, money that even 5% of would solve my life’s problems, great health, beautiful wives and families… I know they’re human and try to maintain that perspective but find it difficult to evaluate them the same way I do people I know who are truly “down and out”.
All of that said… there’s definitely been an increase in players taking these leaves or utilizing the player assistance program. Sure, some people will say that’s a sign the stigma around mental health is lessening (which is good) OR that the athletes todays are somehow softer than prior eras (which I believe is situationally true but also entirely a case by case basis). Personally, I actually think that we simply are expecting and demanding more than ever from these guys. Hockey is an incredibly physical sport. Football and boxing are comparably punishing, but how many boxing matches or football games and practices per year are there compared to the schedule of an NHL player? These guys enter the league younger than almost any other sport. Bedard at 18 years old playing with a fishbowl and a broken jaw half of last year is a good example. Guys used to smoke darts and eat junk food between periods. Now if you’re not training with Gary Roberts in the off-season your commitment to the sport is questionable. Additionally the game is so coached and managed these days… you don’t even get to go out and play. You get a role and a system to execute and you better figure out how to squeeze into a square hole if you wanna get ice time, etc.
I think… maybe, I’m just reaching a point in life where I’m realizing a lot more empathy and grace should be afforded to virtually everyone. These guys are just young men and as BLESSED as they are (and they shouldn’t take that for granted) there is definitely more being asked of them than ever before and maybe we’re over coaching and over managing the sport. These dudes are just human. I’m Ovie’s age, so 99% of the league is younger than me. They’re young men, sometimes boys, and now they’re expected to be an almost robotic level of perfect because the perception is “if you wanna play at this level, you need to do EVERYTHING right”. I get that… the costs are passed on to the consumer and they’re extremely high these days… but it’s still not realistic. And it is just a game. Just entertainment. I’ve never been a Miller fan but for some reason, he’s a guy I didn’t see taking a leave of absence and I guess it’s made me reevaluate my position as a whole.
/rant off
