April Reimer: I had 300 death threats in one night

[Fan in Exile]

After the Toronto Maple Leafs’ collapse in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs, a large number of fans took to social media to vent their frustration. One of their targets was April’s husband, James, a Toronto goalie since 2008.

But because James doesn’t have an Twitter account, it was April who had to endure the hate.

Some fans also got a hold of April’s cellphone number and made frightening phone calls and sent disturbing texts. She said police were easily able to track the senders.

“I had 300 death threats in one night because James lost a game,” Reimer told a gym full of senior students at St. John’s College on Thursday. “It’s OK for people to have an opinion about a professional athlete. They can say he’s a bad goalie. But when it gets hurtful, hateful or harmful, that’s not acceptable.”

Link: http://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/s...Fp5&ocid=wispr

Gives a little more perspective on the pressure and crappiness of the Leafs' market, something Burke is very familiar with. Not the type of guy you would think would start to crack but even he did. And when you see what happened to Reimer, and consider Burke's insight into the situation, I think we take a strong run at Reimer in free agency. Burke always stood by Reimer and you have to think taking him out of that situation, he could be a different player. And also, why would he want to re-sign with the Leafs given the crap he had to put up with there?

[TheScorpion]

Wow, that's messed up.

[Puppet Guy]

People are scum.

[1qqaaz]

This makes me think that no team will have to trade to acquire Reimer for re-signing purposes (before the deadline).

Looks like he'll be a UFA

Yeah, Burke must be familiar with this kind of thing as well.

[polak]

Wow what is wrong with people?

Everyone knows that death threats are far more effective when they're attached to bricks and thrown through the victims window. Typical Toronto. Short cuts for everything.

[Igottago]

Has the internet made people more mentally unstable or does it just facilitate that mental instability that was already there?

Its always alarming how many people go as far as threatening someone's life on social media because of pretty irrelevant things. I'm not sure if its actually dangerous or if its just pathetic.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by polak

Wow what is wrong with people?

Everyone knows that death threats are far more effective when they're attached to bricks and thrown through the victims window. Typical Toronto. Short cuts for everything.

[flamesfan1297]

Wow that is horrible

[AcGold]

What gets into people in those scenarios is often sports betting. People bet too much and lose their mind with terrible losses.

I remember watching an mma fight, Velasquez vs. Dos Santos 2, that was supposed to be a blowout for Dos Santos. As Velasquez dominated and picked his opponent apart you could see which people bet on Dos Santos as they would slowly sink in their chair and many people stormed off in a rage before it was over. That's why you don't bet on sports, sure thing does not exist.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Has the internet made people more mentally unstable or does it just facilitate that mental instability that was already there?

Its always alarming how many people go as far as threatening someone's life on social media because of pretty irrelevant things. I'm not sure if its actually dangerous or if its just pathetic.

It's the same reason people rage over someone meeting when is not their turn. If you aren't face to face with a person, you can attach all kinds of emotions to them without repercussion

[burn_this_city]

People are cowards and will only show their true colors behind the veil of anonymity.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Has the internet made people more mentally unstable or does it just facilitate that mental instability that was already there?

Its always alarming how many people go as far as threatening someone's life on social media because of pretty irrelevant things. I'm not sure if its actually dangerous or if its just pathetic.

My take is, the internet gives people an avenue to say shocking and offending things with no serious repercussions. Just as compassion is one trait of human behaviour, being an a-hole is another.

Some people just like to piss other people off, and social media is a great way to do it without relative consequences. Even on the forum here we see it. Some of the stuff said here or on social media by people would never be said to someone face to face.

[saillias]

Being an a-hole is a whole different league from death threats. There's annoying behavior and illegal behavior

[GirlySports]

for the lawyers out there. will there ever be laws against hateful social media comments?

is it possible?

[MoreDrank]

Originally Posted by polak

Wow what is wrong with people?

Everyone knows that death threats are far more effective when they're attached to bricks and thrown through the victims window. Typical Toronto. Short cuts for everything.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by saillias

Being an a-hole is a whole different league from death threats. There's annoying behavior and illegal behavior

Yeah I thought death threats were illegal everywhere.

[Table 5]

And people wondered why some were cringing at the level of Hiller-hate starting to permeate on CP. This is the level of uglyness it can eventually turn into.

[Gaskal]

Man that's harsh. Isn't she a goalie too? If it was Calgary, instead of death threats I would've been pleading for her to strap on the goalie pads and step between the pipes for her husband haha

[PepsiFree]

There is a selection of sports fans that can't seem to separate the player from the person, and for whatever reason, have to make things personal when taking about or criticising players. It especially happens in places like this, HF, and Twitter where the veil of "the Internet" has made people think they don't ever have to stand behind their words. Those people are terrible people.

That's not specific to sports fandom though, terrible people just exist in every group of people.

[FlamesAddiction]

Why can't they just have the tunnel of shame like in Edmonton?