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

[dino7c]

Imagine contradicting the victim hours after he goes on national TV because you are such a fanboy

[Reggie Dunlop]

Gene Principe is a disgusting lickspittle.

[1_Flames_Fan]

After seeing that interview which comes off as completely honest and genuine I am with Kyle when he says he 100% believes everyone on the team knew.

[1qqaaz]

I feel bad for Beach when he breaks down when asked about the 16 year old who was later violated.

I feel bad that he feels bad. Beach reported the incident. He tried to get the ball rolling. It's not his fault that the man was not timely held accountable and later went on to hurt others.
The ones who should feel the blame are the ones who failed to act.

[joejoe3]

Where exactly is Bradley Aldrich right now?

[ben voyonsdonc]

I worry that this is going to be damaging to gay athletes and coaches who want to come out.

One of my biggest fears before coming out was that my male friends would have thought I was going to treat them differently. I didn’t want them to look at me differently because they thought I was looking at them differently. When you are a closeted gay person, you tend to find reasons to stay closeted and the fear that your peers will think you are going to make a move on them is absolutely one of those reasons.

[dash_pinched]

Mark Spector tweet from five days ago...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1451770213536452617

No way he calls Keith out now for not blowing the whistle.

[1_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

I worry that this is going to be damaging to gay athletes and coaches who want to come out.

One of my biggest fears before coming out was that my male friends would have thought I was going to treat them differently. I didn’t want them to look at me differently because they thought I was looking at them differently. When you are a closeted gay person, you tend to find reasons to stay closeted and the fear that your peers will think you are going to make a move on them is absolutely one of those reasons.

There is no comparison between being gay and being a sexual predator.

[Yoho]

I don’t think any of the big name coaches and executives involved thought Beach would have the strength to come out and do an interview right after report.

They have to be rethinking a game plan now.

Including Bettman.

[keenan87]

Just watched the interview. Absolutely disgusted that Quenneville was allowed to coach today.

I am pretty close to giving up on the NHL. Such a toxic culture and I am sure this type of culture doesn't just exist within one organization. Really disappointed. Massive system changes are needed and fast.

.. and Chicago fans actually showed up to watch their team? Wow.

[MonaTone]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

I worry that this is going to be damaging to gay athletes and coaches who want to come out.

One of my biggest fears before coming out was that my male friends would have thought I was going to treat them differently. I didn’t want them to look at me differently because they thought I was looking at them differently. When you are a closeted gay person, you tend to find reasons to stay closeted and the fear that your peers will think you are going to make a move on them is absolutely one of those reasons.

This is super important, how can any player feel that the system and the people within it will do right by them?

[Dogbert]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

After seeing that interview which comes off as completely honest and genuine I am with Kyle when he says he 100% believes everyone on the team knew.

Don’t kid yourself into thinking it stopped with the Blackhawks either. Players talk to players, coaches talk to coaches, media members talk to media members - if what happened to Kyle Beach was known by everyone in the Hawks organization, then most of the NHL knew about it too, and nobody did anything about it.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

There is no comparison between being gay and being a sexual predator.

Definitely agreed. Gay men have been painted as predators for a long time by anti gay activists and organizations though.

[MonaTone]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

There is no comparison between being gay and being a sexual predator.

I don't believe that is the point they were making. Rather the rampant homophobia and complete dismissal of the abuse of a player.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I mean, sorta, consequence for actions do help to deter those actions in the future.

But honestly, this is about a mindset. It's about prioritizing success over humanity. It's about a distorted set of ethical values that are pervasive and integrated into every aspect of this game, and pro sports in general.

I worry that this will continue to happen until the culture of winning at all costs changes.

Openness and consequences can change culture and a mindset pretty f'n quickly.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

There is no comparison between being gay and being a sexual predator.

Sadly, as a gay man, too many people out there figure if you like men, you must also like kids...and it's something many of us have to keep in mind when volunteering, etc.


The narrative from anti-LGBTQ groups is that we're trying to convert kids to be gay - and not in the Alex Jones "They're turning the frogs gay!" style - but like we were going door-to-door like the JWs on Saturday morning.

[1_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

Definitely agreed. Gay men have been painted as predators for a long time by anti gay activists and organizations though.

Sadly that is very true and it's probably still happening and it makes me very sad. In that context I understand the point you were making with your post. Apologies if that came off as rude or insensitive. That wasn't my intent at all.

[Yoho]

I’m thinking the chances of this story ever seeing the light of day was so small.
It literally took an independent investigation by the Blackhawks themselves for any of this to come to surface.

The odds were so stacked against Beach it was incredible, and all of the parties involved knew it.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Good on Kyle for coming out like that. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, this gives me hope that the NHL (as well as other sports leagues) will be much more proactive. Try to sweep this under the rug and blame the victim in an attempt to make it all go away? FU. This will eventually come out and haunt not only the perpetrators, but every single person who helped to hide this crime.


I hope every single person who was in a position of power and knew about it (which is basically everyone?) gets terminated from their current job and gets permanently banned from sports in North America at any level.


Oh, and FU Toews and everyone else who knew and either stood by and did nothing, or tormented Kyle. Hope all of you get incessantly booed at every arena you ever play in until you are embarrassed enough to quit hockey.


Maybe this post is a bit over-the-top, but I still remember clear as day when Sheldon Kennedy came forward and told the world what happened to him. He seemed to have so much push-back, and screamed for help that barely came, even calling out other players who were abused not to share their own personal stories, but just to corroborate his. He opened that window into that dark room where the monsters hid, and a couple of decades later it sure felt like everyone in hockey was in agreement that monsters have no place in the game any longer. That under no circumstances, would a monster be allowed the freedom to be a monster, and that the entire fraternity would all shine lights exposing them for what they were.


I hope everyone involved in keeping this quiet is banished from the game forever.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Good on Kyle for coming out like that. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, this gives me hope that the NHL (as well as other sports leagues) will be much more proactive. Try to sweep this under the rug and blame the victim in an attempt to make it all go away? FU. This will eventually come out and haunt not only the perpetrators, but every single person who helped to hide this crime.


I hope every single person who was in a position of power and knew about it (which is basically everyone?) gets terminated from their current job and gets permanently banned from sports in North America at any level.


Oh, and FU Toews and everyone else who knew and either stood by and did nothing, or tormented Kyle. Hope all of you get incessantly booed at every arena you ever play in until you are embarrassed enough to quit hockey.


Maybe this post is a bit over-the-top, but I still remember clear as day when Sheldon Kennedy came forward and told the world what happened to him. He seemed to have so much push-back, and screamed for help that barely came, even calling out other players who were abused not to share their own personal stories, but just to corroborate his. He opened that window into that dark room where the monsters hid, and a couple of decades later it sure felt like everyone in hockey was in agreement that monsters have no place in the game any longer. That under no circumstances, would a monster be allowed the freedom to be a monster, and that the entire fraternity would all shine lights exposing them for what they were.


I hope everyone involved in keeping this quiet is banished from the game forever.

Yup. If the perpetrators and their protectors want to threaten a kids career to cover sexual assaults up (which seems to be the go-to move for these sick ####s), then the public can take their legacy away. Set the standard of accountability at the top where it hurts the ego maniacs the most. Get the #### out.