The Players' Tribune - Patrick O'Sullivan

[Huntingwhale]

I think most of us kind of knew some of the hardships Patrick O'Sullivan had gone through. This is a tough read though, so be warned.

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/pat...van-nhl-abuse/

[The Yen Man]

Tough read for sure, but good for O'Sullivan for opening up and bringing awareness to stuff like this. Its nuts how crazy some hockey parents get, but I guess for those individuals, it doesn't matter if it's hockey or not, they're just abusive either way.

[bubbsy]

Great writeup. Sad story.

[Bobblehead]

Holy crap. I hope this opens some eyes, but I doubt it will.

[spennywalks]

this makes me sick.

[undercoverbrother]

I read this, but hadn't posted it.

That is a tuff read. I am disgusted that nobody would step in, or question what was happening.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Tough read for sure, but good for O'Sullivan for opening up and bringing awareness to stuff like this. Its nuts how crazy some hockey parents get, but I guess for those individuals, it doesn't matter if it's hockey or not, they're just abusive either way.

Hockey was his outlet/excuse.

[Ulrith]

Wow. Just sickening.

I just can't comprehend someone doing to that to their kid (or anyone for that matter).

[TomLeeMC]

Wow. Good read. Makes my stomach turn though, how you could treat a child that way. Horrible.

[CaptainCrunch]

Tough to read.

[8sPOT]

It is sad, and hard to imagine. And even though this is the extreme side, its actually very common.

Had a teammate in Pee-Wee who was always really quiet, and almost awkward before games. He was one of the best players on our team and would score 4 goals and his Dad would be ripping into him as they went to the car. I remember thinking thats why he's so good, he has no choice. Scary stuff though in hindsight.

[timbit]

Such a sad and horrific story.

So grateful for my father.

[dirk diggler]

and I am sure his dad is still out there walking around, not in jail with a life sentence that he deserves

[Gundo]

Jesus, as a new hockey father this completely reminds me to keep it fun and take pressures off of my son and to just let him enjoy the game.

[Beatle17]

Excellent article and I am glad Patrick seems to be coming through the dark side. One of the most interesting points from the article, which I think every parent needs to read was this part:

"But that’s not what some parents, even normal ones, want to hear. Honestly, that’s not the direction youth hockey is trending. When I was in the NHL, I’d be doing my off-season workouts at the gym with Daniel Carcillo and some other NHL buddies, and we’d look over and see 12-year-old kids doing the same two-hour workout we were doing, with a trainer screaming at them the whole time. Half the time their parents would be there, yelling at them, too.And it’s absolutely comical. It’s doing nothing".


and this part too:


"True story: I played with Drew Doughty his rookie year in Los Angeles. He came into camp and he could barely do one rep on the bench press. He’ll laugh about it now. He was not in shape at all, at least in the way these “Old Time Hockey” blowhards talk about it. Then we’d go out for practice and he’d be the best player on the ice. Doughty was just a pure, natural hockey player with incredible vision and a brain for the game.
He was in hockey shape. He could think circles around you."


When are parents going to learn this, either the kid has the ability or he doesn't.

[BigRed]

More detail, from his draft year:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...1340/?page=all


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[T@T]

This is the 3rd or 4th time I read about O'Sullivan's abuse from his father, newsflash, there are thousands of others with the same or worst fate that didn't make a few million $$$ playing a game that were abused as well. Yeah, tough story but enough already, there's far worst and we don't know their names.

[red sky]

Originally Posted by T@T

This is the 3rd or 4th time I read about O'Sullivan's abuse from his father, newsflash, there are thousands of others with the same or worst fate that didn't make a few million $$$ playing a game that were abused as well. Yeah, tough story but enough already, there's far worst and we don't know their names.

Just wow. And missing the point entirely.

[Red Menace]

Originally Posted by T@T

This is the 3rd or 4th time I read about O'Sullivan's abuse from his father, newsflash, there are thousands of others with the same or worst fate that didn't make a few million $$$ playing a game that were abused as well. Yeah, tough story but enough already, there's far worst and we don't know their names.

what an awful response....these cases need to be brought public, and the victims should never be told "enough already"....that attitude is why these things keep re-ocurring in society.

[Goodlad]

Originally Posted by T@T

This is the 3rd or 4th time I read about O'Sullivan's abuse from his father, newsflash, there are thousands of others with the same or worst fate that didn't make a few million $$$ playing a game that were abused as well. Yeah, tough story but enough already, there's far worst and we don't know their names.

The reason O'Sullivan continues to talk about his abuse is to remind people about those unknown others. If you read the article he explicitly states as much. You seem to think he's doing it to generate sympathy.