Brian Burke pledges to keep his son's message alive.

[Forkboy]

One never likes to see any parent have to discuss their child's death, but Brian Burkle does so here with class and dignity. At the 6:00 minute mark he talks about his son being gay, and how Brian will keep trying to make the NHL "open".

"The NHL should be open, and everyone should be welcome to play this game."

I grew up with hockey, it's in my blood (and my blood is in it). For all it's stereotypes of neanderthals playing it, it's really a very down to Earth sport filled with everyday guys. In all my life of playing myself I can't remember any time where sexual orientation entered into the equation, but to see such a high profile person as Mr. Burke (GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the most popular team in the game, coach of the Canadian Olympic team, and one of the roughest players to ever lace them up) talk about this is big, even if he does so just briefly. There's no doubt there are many gay players in the NHL. I can only hope some of them will draw on Brendan Burke's memory, and his family's strength, and that the sport I love the most can tackle this issue of equality. It's already the most international of sports....time to make it the most open in terms of sexual preference as well.

For some reason, with Haiti and all the rest of the things going on in this fucked up world, Brendan's death has hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought I had a handle on things, but I can't stop crying over this. I really want something good to come of this, for your community, for the sport I love, and most of all, for the Burke family.

http://mapleleafs.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=802&id=60296

[StreetKnowledge]

1. Brian never saw Brendan as his "gay son". He was his son. Period.

The world's homophobes never seem to get the idea that homosexuality is not a choice any more than being heterosexual is. And they are so quick to draw on their self-righteous indignation, but note how fast that stops when its one of their family members who is gay.

Brendan deserves to be remember not for his sexual orientation IMO, but everything about him. I think Brian knows that, too. But his message is, of course, entirely correct.

[Forkboy]

2. In the rough and tumble hockey world this is still a first.

I'll be honest, I grew up thinking Brian Burke was a total hardass who would be totally against anything like gay rights. He was one of the dirtiest, most pugnacious players to ever play the game. When I read the story on his son last year, and how Brian responded to finding out his son was gay, I was totally taken aback. To picture someone like Brian Burke going to a gay rights parade was amazing to me. I pictured him in street brawls, not that. The story about them last year was the highlight of my sports year. This has been the lowlight. :(

[Mojambo]

3. I had no idea Brendan Burke had died.

Horrible news. The world needs people like that kid, a LOT.

[northofdenali]

4. I love hockey. It is one of the most "honest" sports going.

Women's team or men's team, it is rough-and-tumble, requires intensity and true athleticism and a lot of tough-mindedness! (Go Alaska Nanooks!) To say that a gay man (or woman) is incapable on the ice is akin to DADT - it don't work, it won't work, and in the long run, it can't work.

The Mapleleafs are a great team, and Brendan was a great player. His loss is everyone's loss. I hope his dad's words reverberate throughout the sport. Although, at least up here with our Ice Dogs and Nanooks, it seems our gay players have less problems than in the Lower 48. It may be perception: we're a small bunch of folks, everybody "knows" everybody, and as long as you can cut the ice, no one cares (except the neanderthal-few Palin fans, most of whom wouldn't know a puck from their own ass).

:hug: to Brendan's dad and hockey fans everywhere.

[Occulus]

5. I really, really wish I'd had someone like his son to look up to

when my mom ripped the doors off my closet and threw me out into the rain...

That's the literal truth, by the way...

[ZombieHorde]

6. Recommended. nt