[News] Kyle Beach reveals himself as John Doe, speaks out to TSN's Rick Westhead about abuse

[automaton 3]

I'm still fuming over this. Kyle's interview was heart-wrenching. It is despicable how he was treated.

I think the NHL's response has been completely inadequate here. A 2M fine and then duck for cover? Pathetic.

The actions of the Blackhawk staff involved needs to be denounced in the strongest possible manner.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by Flaming Homer

That's not the case for everyone.

2010 version of me would still say things like "that's gay", make gay jokes to my friends. Likely would have thought it preposterous that such a large man could be taken advantage of by a much smaller man.

2021 version of myself has learned many new things. I've learned things I thought and said before were offensive even if I didn't mean them in that way. I've learned that having power over someone doesn't just mean physically.

And ultimately that's my biggest issue with the players like Toews, Kane etc. They were young kids at the time. Speaking out could of cost them their standing as well and they likely were in the same 2010 mindset I was. But now is the time to say they were wrong. That it was unacceptable and they are sorry for what happened. Instead, it's deflection and speaking highly of the men who ultimately were involved in covering it up.

The path for redemption was easy and right in front of them and they chose not to take it. For me, that tarnished their reputation.

As I said before look back at society in 2005-2010. Things were so different.

I saw another repeat of Entourage (HBO) from that era last night. The Jewish agent Ari (nice stereotype A) called his gay, Asian assistant (nice stereotype B) a f####t several times and made series of gay jokes.

That was the culture then. At least a show like that would not get aired today.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

As I said before look back at society in 2005-2010. Things were so different.

I saw another repeat of Entourage (HBO) last night. The Jewish agent Ari (nice stereotype A) called his gay, Asian assistant (nice stereotype B) a ###### five times and made series of gay jokes.

That was the norm and acceptable it seems.

2010 wasn't that different. A bit different situation but big law firms have long been dens of toxic masculinity as well. Yet this was 1999:

https://nypost.com/1999/11/26/top-la...arass-scandal/

Now I suppose the big difference was that this was before a whole bunch of witnesses.

[djsFlames]

So Toews will get the loudest booing ever heard at the dome now right?

Who's with me.

[Dan403]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

So Toews will get the loudest booing ever heard at the dome now right?

Who's with me.

And Keith.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

So Toews will get the loudest booing ever heard at the dome now right?

Who's with me.

Im on board with a league wide booathon of all those involved. I want players to not want to play for that organization purely because they don’t want to be hated by association. I also condone the throwing of non-threatening projectiles such as eggs and various liquids.

I’m also on board with a league wide sit out until those involved are gone. We’ve been talking a lot about the power of the players in that moment. Well the players’ power has only increased since then, and public perception is on their side. I just couldn’t see myself going out onto an NHL bench with Q as my coach. When is it up to the Barkovs and the Schieffles to now say “no”?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Dan403

And Keith.

Keith is a triple threat: Ex-2010 Hawk leader; a-hole on the ice anyway; present day Oiler.

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

2010 wasn't that different. A bit different situation but big law firms have long been dens of toxic masculinity as well. Yet this was 1999:

https://nypost.com/1999/11/26/top-la...arass-scandal/

Now I suppose the big difference was that this was before a whole bunch of witnesses.

I remember that! The guy exposed himself to female Torys partners at a function celebrating the merger of the firms.

[shogged]

This is the “Rape Culture” that so many other survivors warned us about.

[iggyloob12]

I think it's reasonable to recognize that 22-year-old players like Kane and Toews lacked the emotional maturity to know how to react to the situation back then, especially when they've grown up in hockey's socially backward culture.

But with 11 years of hindsight and months to reflect, show a little empathy. Own up to the fact that you didn't possess the tools to react the way you should have to be a supportive teammate. And apologize for being such a crappy teammate and explain how you would do thing differently today because you're older, more mature and the culture has changed, however incrementally.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

I remember that! The guy exposed himself to female Torys partners at a function celebrating the merger of the firms.

Yup. A huge merger between powerhouse US and Canadian law firms. And the guy was the name on the door, and only 60, not some doddering old holdover or some young articling student.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by MonaTone

So Toews is more upset that his good pals had some consequences (and not very severe ones) than he is upset that a teammate of his was sexually abused and his employer/coach/teammates/himself turned the other way to it. AND the abuser went on to abuse again with their endorsements.

What a POS.

Toews says they were not complicit. Maybe, but they were negligent. The truth is probably that many of them were.

And when negligence leads to future harm, in this case later on with a minor... you might as well call yourself complicit. Because it doesn't have a chance to happen if you don't stand silent.

Toews is showing us exactly what caused this. Looking the other way for the group, arguing in favour of their accomplishments, and showing that his loyalty goes beyond the negligence for young guys that became victims.

It happened under their watch. They were at the top of the heap, and were overlooking the team while the events unfolded. It was their responsibility, and they failed. No amount of cups, contributions, and hard work erases nor excuses that, Jonathan.

This is what he completely fails to understand, and likely will not learn from coming out of this based on his words. I think this is the ####iest part. This terrible thing happens, and it is clear that many guys learned/took away nothing from it going forward.

They're just "sorry" that it happened. Not sorry for the victim. Not sorry that they didn't act. Just sorry that it happened.

That's the apology of a passive bystander that will do nothing to help correct the same kind of situation in the future.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

As I said before look back at society in 2005-2010. Things were so different.

I saw another repeat of Entourage (HBO) from that era last night. The Jewish agent Ari (nice stereotype A) called his gay, Asian assistant (nice stereotype B) a f####t several times and made series of gay jokes.

That was the culture then. At least a show like that would not get aired today.

Ari being a pig was wrong then as it is now. But he’s an over the top caricature and is supposed to be offensive. I wouldn’t say that using those words were acceptable then, for anyone, nor was covering up sexual assault.

I’d put hockey culture about 30 years behind the rest of us. Basically it’s the early 90s for them.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

There was no talk about how Peters was a good guy who just made a mistake.

And they did their own investigation and fired Peters before the NHL could even step in or do their own thing.

Compare that to how Chicago, Florida, and Winnipeg are handling this and it really does make me appreciate the Flames leadership team a little more again this morning.

I also really want to believe that the Flames would have acted just as quickly if the team was 18-6-4, as opposed to the 12-12-4 they were at the time. I recall some of us had already soured on BP by that point and saw it as a lucky escape route for Treliving.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by dino7c

WTF cares how they played though?

That should have zero to do with firing his ass

It's simply an observation. The players on the Panthers either don't relate or don't care about this enough to have it impact them. They appeared to play no different than any other game.

The Raiders on the other hand who like every other NFL Team have a sizable portion of their roster who would feel the impact of a rascist statement made by the guy leading them into battle. Hence why they may not have played very well and rebounded after that guy was removed.

Hockey players as a whole may require a bit more education on this matter.

I think Quenneville should be sent to Russia yesterday regardless of how the team plays. He should bear a huge amount of guilt here.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It's simply an observation. The players on the Panthers either don't relate or don't care about this enough to have it impact them. They appeared to play no different than any other game.

The Raiders on the other hand who like every other NFL Team have a sizable portion of their roster who would feel the impact of a rascist statement made by the guy leading them into battle. Hence why they may not have played very well and rebounded after that guy was removed.

Hockey players as a whole may require a bit more education on this matter.

I think Quenneville should be sent to Russia yesterday regardless of how the team plays. He should bear a huge amount of guilt here.

Yes the Raiders tanked that game against the Bears but the circumstances were different. You have a lot of black players as well as an openly gay one that were likely very conflicted about the man leading them in that game. The Panthers players likely feel very little attachment to this story and it's their job to go out and play. Quenneville is not a sexual predator and while it appears he's guilty of poor judgement, likely many feel he doesn't deserve to lose his job. If they did it probably would have showed up in their play.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by Red Ice Player

Kindred spirits of Gym Jordan.

You need to refer to him by his full name: Gymnasium Jordanium to make sure other Jim Jordans aren't unfairly tarred and feathered.

[iggyloob12]

Interesting bit of public self reflection from Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic.

And until my TSN colleague Rick Westhead got wind of this story, and never let go in his dogged pursuit of the truth — not to mention The Athletic’s work by Mark Lazerus, Scott Powers and Katie Strang — there is no question that I think Beach felt the hockey media let him down, too.
On a personal level, I’m now asking myself, could I have done more? In my day-to-day coverage of the game in pursuit of hockey news such as trades, signings, line changes and features, am I asking the right questions? And I think a lot of people in my business are asking themselves the same questions this week.

[Meers]

Quennville and Cheveldayoff both need to be permanently banned from hockey.

[djsFlames]

On a personal level, I’m now asking myself, could I have done more? In my day-to-day coverage of the game in pursuit of hockey news such as trades, signings, line changes and features, am I asking the right questions? And I think a lot of people in my business are asking themselves the same questions this week.

Well, the guys in Edmonton certainly aren't, as evidenced by last night.