Finding Murph: The sad story of Joe Murphy

[bbfan419]

Not sure if people in the US can find this story on TSN, but they aired a documentary of former # 1 overall pick in 1986 Joe Murphy, who briefly played for the Bruins. Such a sad story of how injuries, drugs and bad choices led Murphy spiraling downward . Now 50 years old this former NHL player and top draft pick is now homeless and living on the streets of Kenora Ontario and may have some mental health issues. Another former player Trevor Kidd visited him and brings food and clothing and has offered to help as has several other players. So hard to imagine how a person can fall so far. Hoping he gets the help he needs.

Click to read more...

 

[Gee Wally]

More.......

Retired NHLer battles concussions - DrydenNow.com

 

[GordonHowe]

Not sure if people in the US can find this story on TSN, but they aired a documentary of former # 1 overall pick in 1986 Joe Murphy, who briefly played for the Bruins. Such a sad story of how injuries, drugs and bad choices led Murphy spiraling downward . Now 50 years old this former NHL player and top draft pick is now homeless and living on the streets of Kenora Ontario and may have some mental health issues. Another former player Trevor Kidd visited him and brings food and clothing and has offered to help as has several other players. So hard to imagine how a person can fall so far. Hoping he gets the help he needs.

Just remember that every time Gary Bettman, owners, or league stooge says they "don't know what CTE is," they are LYING. I hope Nick Boynton, et. al. go after these scumbags hammer and tong.

This is the same thing per the NFL, and before that, Big Tobacco (the former having hired the latter's lawyers when concussion injuries came to light).

"Hey, I got mine." Shameless effers.

 

[badbrewin]

TSN has a 15 minute segment on their site regarding Murphy...really sad stuff and hopefully he can be helped

 

[Fenway]

Finding Joe Murphy? Ex-Detroit Red Wings No. 1 pick reportedly homeless

 

[Fenway]

TSN has a 15 minute segment on their site regarding Murphy...really sad stuff and hopefully he can be helped

https://www.tsn.ca/tsn-originals/vi...ph~1466368/tsn-original-finding-murph~1466368

 

[Don Cherry]

What I remember about him as a Bruins was, "JoJo feels good tonight. JoJo's gonna get two tonight. JoJo feels it."

Too bad this happened to him. BUT, he didn't have any problem cashing his huge checks, so why does the game owe him anything. These guys all knew what they were getting into the day they signed on the dotted line, Boynton included. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

 

[neelynugs]

What I remember about him as a Bruins was, "JoJo feels good tonight. JoJo's gonna get two tonight. JoJo feels it."

Too bad this happened to him. BUT, he didn't have any problem cashing his huge checks, so why does the game owe him anything. These guys all knew what they were getting into the day they signed on the dotted line, Boynton included. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

i vaguely remember a story where someone threw all of his gear in the hudson river. maybe slats or neil smith?

 

[Don Cherry]

i vaguely remember a story where someone threw all of his gear in the hudson river. maybe slats?

Could be and it certainly sounds possible. Didn't Moog and Lemelins gear get tossed out of the dressing room by the great Harry Sinden?

 

[Fenway]

 

[smithformeragent]

i vaguely remember a story where someone threw all of his gear in the hudson river. maybe slats or neil smith?

I remember Sean Avery throwing his skates in the Hudson because I told my bowling teammates I threw my shoes in the Merrimack River a couple of weeks later so I’d never have to do another league.

Sean Avery Announces Retirement: "I Threw My Skates in the Hudson"

 

[Don Cherry]

I remember Sean Avery throwing his skates in the Hudson because I told my bowling teammates I threw my shoes in the Merrimack River a couple of weeks later so I’d never have to do another league.

Sean Avery Announces Retirement: "I Threw My Skates in the Hudson"

Your shoes probably never made it to the bottom of the river. They likely ended up on the hood of a 1979 Plymouth.
The river is disgusting unless you get up closer to Franklin.

 

[sarge88]

i vaguely remember a story where someone threw all of his gear in the hudson river. maybe slats or neil smith?

I vaguely remember some controversy with Murphy when he was here.....either he fought in defense of a teammate or didn’t....

Can’t remember exactly.

 

[GordonHowe]

d

Could be and it certainly sounds possible. Didn't Moog and Lemelins gear get tossed out of the dressing room by the great Harry Sinden?

This was Lemelin. Totally classless, totally characteristic move by Sinden. After Reggie had given the Bruins so much.

Oh, and ask Tom McVie how his firing was handled. Sinden left it to OC to do his dirty work.

As for Murphy blithely cashing those million dollar checks, and supposedly knowing what he was getting into per concussions: 1] I have no idea how he spent, or misspent his millions. If that's on him, that's on him.

2] The idea that "he should have known what he was getting into" per concussions and CTE when drafted and throughout his subsequent career, is incorrect. Back then, sustaining a concussion equalled "he got his bell rung." Very few knew of the dangers, least of all players. I reckon if they knew then what they know now, many would retire earlier, per Nick Boynton.

 

[Don Cherry]

d


This was Lemelin. Totally classless, totally characteristic move by Sinden. After Reggie had given the Bruins so much.

Oh, and ask Tom McVie how his firing was handled. Sinden left it to OC to do his dirty work.

As for Murphy blithely cashing those million dollar checks, and supposedly knowing what he was getting into per concussions: 1] I have no idea how he spent, or misspent his millions. If that's on him, that's on him.

2] The idea that "he should have known what he was getting into" per concussions and CTE when drafted and throughout his subsequent career, is incorrect. Back then, sustaining a concussion equalled "he got his bell rung." Very few knew of the dangers, least of all players. I reckon if they knew then what they know now, many would retire earlier, per Nick Boynton.

I got a concussion falling off a ladder 20 years ago. Should I have sued the maker of the ladder for them not telling me I could fall and "get my bell rung"? I also got one in a car accident. Should I have sued Jeep?

Boynton and his over-sized jaw and underbite can go pound sand along with the rest of these clowns simply trying to cash in.

( BTW, I do respect your opinion on this and pretty much everything else you post, unlike many others. )

 

[GordonHowe]

I got a concussion falling off a ladder 20 years ago. Should I have sued the maker of the ladder for them not telling me I could fall and "get my bell rung"? I also got one in a car accident. Should I have sued Jeep?

Boynton and his over-sized jaw and underbite can go pound sand along with the rest of these clowns simply trying to cash in.

( BTW, I do respect your opinion on this and pretty much everything else you post, unlike many others. )

Well, perhaps we can agree to disagree.

I wouldn't equate your concussion experience with that of a professional athlete. I assume you knew there was a possibility of injury when using that ladder. Likewise, most people understand that driving, however safely, poses an inherent risk.

Now, you can reasonably argue that Murphy, et. al. knew the risks of playing in the NHL. Fair enough. Yet I'd say they knew about potential injuries to the knee, back, wrist, etc. I could be wrong but I rather doubt players back then were aware of brain injury through concussion, or the severity of same.

Also: Maybe NIck Boynton and others are merely out for a buck. I could be wrong but I don't believe so. Check Dan Carcillo's videos -- yes, that Dan Carcillo --on The Players Tribune. You can say these guys are bottom feeders after publicity, but check the number of "enforcers" who have died (frequently by suicide). I actually think guys like Carcillo & Boynton are sincere.

One can also point to Marc Savard. And Patrice. Are those two stupid?

Again, trust we can agree to disagree,

GH

 

[EverettMike]

I got a concussion falling off a ladder 20 years ago. Should I have sued the maker of the ladder for them not telling me I could fall and "get my bell rung"? I also got one in a car accident. Should I have sued Jeep?

Boynton and his over-sized jaw and underbite can go pound sand along with the rest of these clowns simply trying to cash in.

( BTW, I do respect your opinion on this and pretty much everything else you post, unlike many others. )

What a repugnant attitude.

 

[Don Cherry]

What a repugnant attitude.

How so? These guys were more than happy to stand there with their hands out. Do you seriously think that anyone ever thought that getting hit in the head couldn't cause damage? If so, they were already stupid before their head injuries and couldn't be helped as of day one.

 

[Rumpy]

Well, perhaps we can agree to disagree.

I wouldn't equate your concussion experience with that of a professional athlete. I assume you knew there was a possibility of injury when using that ladder. Likewise, most people understand that driving, however safely, poses an inherent risk.

Now, you can reasonably argue that Murphy, et. al. knew the risks of playing in the NHL. Fair enough. Yet I'd say they knew about potential injuries to the knee, back, wrist, etc. I could be wrong but I rather doubt players back then were aware of brain injury through concussion, or the severity of same.

Also: Maybe NIck Boynton and others are merely out for a buck. I could be wrong but I don't believe so. Check Dan Carcillo's videos -- yes, that Dan Carcillo --on The Players Tribune. You can say these guys are bottom feeders after publicity, but check the number of "enforcers" who have died (frequently by suicide). I actually think guys like Carcillo & Boynton are sincere.

One can also point to Marc Savard. And Patrice. Are those two stupid?

Again, trust we can agree to disagree,

GH

They are sincere but they all have buyers remorse...

Those guys at some point in their life would have done and gave everything to make it where they did. Essentially they made a deal with the devil ...

But now after the fact they regret it.

Sure I feel bad for these guys but I’m willing to bet if you posed the question to 1/2 these guys if they would change their life and sit behind a computer and be like you and me they would say “yes” until they sat behind a computer and realized how shitty this life is too.

I know I’d go back ten years - take the money, fame, fortune, women, name on the cup, and be dead by now if I had a say in the matter.

Grass is always greener there are few that can and will make the “right” decision like Borland did in the NFL while the choice is there to be made.

Seems repugnant to convince me otherwise.

 

[dafoomie]

I vaguely remember some controversy with Murphy when he was here.....either he fought in defense of a teammate or didn’t....

Can’t remember exactly.

Wish I had video but Tyson Nash was giving Bourque a hard time all night, IIRC Nash took a run at him in the open ice as he was carrying the puck out of the zone but either didn't get much of him or he got shoved down himself but Murphy came flying off the bench and jumped him anyway, and the penalty cost them the game. Wasn't suspended because Steve Heinze saw it and hustled to the bench.

He was later suspended by the team for a big dust up with Pat Burns on the bench over (I think) PP minutes.

 

[GordonHowe]

They are sincere but they all have buyers remorse...

Those guys at some point in their life would have done and gave everything to make it where they did. Essentially they made a deal with the devil ...

But now after the fact they regret it.

Sure I feel bad for these guys but I’m willing to bet if you posed the question to 1/2 these guys if they would change their life and sit behind a computer and be like you and me they would say “yes” until they sat behind a computer and realized how ****ty this life is too.

I know I’d go back ten years - take the money, fame, fortune, women, name on the cup, and be dead by now if I had a say in the matter.

Grass is always greener there are few that can and will make the “right” decision like Borland did in the NFL while the choice is there to be made.

Seems repugnant to convince me otherwise.

Touché.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Not sure if people in the US can find this story on TSN, but they aired a documentary of former # 1 overall pick in 1986 Joe Murphy, who briefly played for the Bruins. Such a sad story of how injuries, drugs and bad choices led Murphy spiraling downward . Now 50 years old this former NHL player and top draft pick is now homeless and living on the streets of Kenora Ontario and may have some mental health issues. Another former player Trevor Kidd visited him and brings food and clothing and has offered to help as has several other players. So hard to imagine how a person can fall so far. Hoping he gets the help he needs.

The older I get, the more I start to believe that even the most "well-off" of our society don't have nearly as far to fall as they think to get to that point.

Even if you've got money, something like a drug addiction (which yes...can happen to anyone for a number of different reasons) can take you down and out real quickly. You then have to rely on family, which you a. may not have b. resents/does not respect you or c. eventually gives up (as is inevitable) and watches you take yourself down. So where exactly does one turn with no money and no outside support? The options that do exist are few and far between and it's a damn tough road.

A big perception problem (which goes beyond mental health) is this weird mental map that society has carved out which shows that those amongst the working class and upper echelons are SO DIFFERENT from someone who is homeless. And, this isn't a "we are all one" sappy/emotional thought. It is genuinely how I feel things work. You may be walking upright on the sidewalk now, but you've really got to watch yourself, or you could end up down a very deep hole...sometimes in a matter of months.

Emerging a little from that dark moment, I really hope this guy can get himself out. I've seen lots of people succeed and lots of people fail. Wish him the absolute best.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I got a concussion falling off a ladder 20 years ago. Should I have sued the maker of the ladder for them not telling me I could fall and "get my bell rung"? I also got one in a car accident. Should I have sued Jeep?

Boynton and his over-sized jaw and underbite can go pound sand along with the rest of these clowns simply trying to cash in.

( BTW, I do respect your opinion on this and pretty much everything else you post, unlike many others. )

I can go either way on that whole debate, but your "analysis" of it is stupid.

Having one-off freak accidents which occur in life is definitely different than having a professional career in which dangers are ALLEGEDLY known about by your superiors, but not revealed to employees for fear of lost profits. The fact is that EVERYONE needs to be held accountable. Players and owners. I have worked in big/corporate business long enough (and it wasn't very long) to realize that money and innocence rarely go hand-in-hand. So, if players want to challenge the league, I say let them...if not just for the fact that it puts more pressure on those up top to put a priority on well-being.

Are some of them (hell, maybe all of them are just greedly assholes) trying to "cash in"? I mean...maybe??? But, your nonchalant stance says that you discount the effects of brain injury and impairment more than anything else.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

What I remember about him as a Bruins was, "JoJo feels good tonight. JoJo's gonna get two tonight. JoJo feels it."

Too bad this happened to him. BUT, he didn't have any problem cashing his huge checks, so why does the game owe him anything. These guys all knew what they were getting into the day they signed on the dotted line, Boynton included. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

I might sound heartless but

If someone drives a car 55 mph in a circle no one will pay more than 5 cents to watch

If they drive 212 mph they can earn a 7 figure per year paycheck

Yes there is a chance car racers will die when they crash... but thats what their sport is about

You, me, and joe could go watch non contact hockey and football if we wanted too but so far no one has ever paid for that. Its like watching no contact boxing... or downhill sking where the hill is 20 feet high

No one points a gun at the athlete and says into the gladiator ring. Instede these people are given a chance to earn a living doing something dangerous

Army... police... fire fighters... dont make as much money but have dangerous jobs too

Coal miners... deep sea fisherman... and many other jobs are dangerous.

I hate to see a hockey player get concusion... i hate to hear a cop was shot... i hate to hear a truck crashed from poor mechanical upkeep

Definitely, nhl should do everything reasonable in its power to make the game safe but if there are maybe 6000 regular nhl players in a 10 year period and only 10 end up in this shape... thats around 1 in 600

Offer me 500k a year for a job that has 1 in 600 chance of ruining my life.. i for one take that risk. Now tell me the pay is more like 2mill per year

Maybe i play 5 years... get my money... retire

The longer you play... the greater the risk. And yet you see players holding onto these jobs until they are 40 with 60 mill in career earnings

Some responsibility has to land on the players shoulders

Personally, i never joined the army because i dont want to be shot at... never drove a car faster than 100mph. I made that choice it was too dangerous for me

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I might sound heartless but

If someone drives a car 55 mph in a circle no one will pay more than 5 cents to watch

If they drive 212 mph they can earn a 7 figure per year paycheck

Yes there is a chance car racers will die when they crash... but thats what their sport is about

You, me, and joe could go watch non contact hockey and football if we wanted too but so far no one has ever paid for that. Its like watching no contact boxing... or downhill sking where the hill is 20 feet high

No one points a gun at the athlete and says into the gladiator ring. Instede these people are given a chance to earn a living doing something dangerous

Army... police... fire fighters... dont make as much money but have dangerous jobs too

Coal miners... deep sea fisherman... and many other jobs are dangerous.

I hate to see a hockey player get concusion... i hate to hear a cop was shot... i hate to hear a truck crashed from poor mechanical upkeep

Definitely, nhl should do everything reasonable in its power to make the game safe but if there are maybe 6000 regular nhl players in a 10 year period and only 10 end up in this shape... thats around 1 in 600

Offer me 500k a year for a job that has 1 in 600 chance of ruining my life.. i for one take that risk. Now tell me the pay is more like 2mill per year

Maybe i play 5 years... get my money... retire

The longer you play... the greater the risk. And yet you see players holding onto these jobs until they are 40 with 60 mill in career earnings

Some responsibility has to land on the players shoulders

Personally, i never joined the army because i dont want to be shot at... never drove a car faster than 100mph. I made that choice it was too dangerous for me

I agree with the basis of this and it outlines a lot of my viewpoints that sides somewhat "against" these players.

But it's definitely a worthy point to mention that your examples mostly deal with life vs. death. Sudden impact fatalities. And not with long-term brain impairment affecting living people. The brain is considered the "last frontier" in the medical field. Even in 2018, we know so little about it compared to any other organ in the body. If the people up top, who also employ those responsible for medical treatment on players, were ignoring or choosing not to access information which maybe, possibly, sort of suggests putting wobbly legged players back in games is a potentially life-altering decision...that's f***ed up.

It goes beyond simply "weighing your options" as a hockey player. If an owner, or anyone in charge, is encouraging the medical staff to clear star players back into hockey games in which they sustained a concussion, is that still all on the player for choosing the career he did? That's hypothetical, but I've seen enough to know it's hardly far fetched in a business of this scale.

If hockey players were under a perpetual risk of sudden impact death (they are to a small degree), and it was the estates of deceased players suing, I'd be with you 100%. It would be known, like auto racing, that freak accidents can happen and you can die. And that equipment isn't 100% effective. This isn't that, though. This is an obscure, "unknown" extreme danger, and if people were withholding information for the benefit of their wallet, seems like there is certainly some justice to be served.

Regardless, many of the judgments against these players I find to be rather impulsive and simply unsympathetic. Hardly impressed with the lack of real thought on them. I do appreciate the fact that your post was not one of those, as I think it's a topic, more than almost any on these boards, that should be treated with a great deal of respect.