News Article: The Players Tribune: Pascal Dupuis ''In my blood'' (Read this -- seriously)

[Whale Mingo]

How can you not respect this man?

Easily. I couldn't imagine looking my wife and kids in the eye and telling them anything is more important to me than them, especially hockey. That's just selfish on a different level than I can respect.

Also, driving to the hospital when he was told not to is taking that selfishness to another level I can't understand. Would you still respect him if he had a medical emergency while driving himself to the hospital KNOWING he was in that condition and it was your family he killed along the way?

Respect that? No chance. Nothing about that says warrior to me, it just screams of stupidity and selfishness.

 

[mpp9]

He needs to retire. It's a game.

 

[66-30-33]

If he is coming back i hope we get rid of Scuds and Kunitz.

 

[Kiith Nabaal]

Also, driving to the hospital when he was told not to is taking that selfishness to another level I can't understand. Would you still respect him if he had a medical emergency while driving himself to the hospital KNOWING he was in that condition and it was your family he killed along the way?

I was going to say a similar thing, but I looked at the article again and at that point he didn't know he had a blood clot. He just thought he had a bad sickness or something. However, him driving even though the doctors told him not to was still pretty bad. Whether he realizes later it was stupid doesn't matter, that isn't really something you can let someone off of the hook for.

I don't know much about reckless driving laws, but I wonder if he could get in trouble for possibly just admitting to it. To be honest, I don't know why he would even think it is a good idea to admit it like this in the first place lol.

 

[Shady Machine]

Easily. I couldn't imagine looking my wife and kids in the eye and telling them anything is more important to me than them, especially hockey. That's just selfish on a different level than I can respect.

Also, driving to the hospital when he was told not to is taking that selfishness to another level I can't understand. Would you still respect him if he had a medical emergency while driving himself to the hospital KNOWING he was in that condition and it was your family he killed along the way?

Respect that? No chance. Nothing about that says warrior to me, it just screams of stupidity and selfishness.

To the bold, he didn't. As soon as he got home and looked them in the eyes, he went to the hospital.

 

[mrzeigler]

Nice to get his insight. It's a good story. I'd like to know how heavily edited these are or how much of a ghost-writer is used.

The writing was good but I actually was left a little wanting. This helped me understand the timeline of the situation but it was a little thin on detail (medical and re: Dupuis's psyche) as far as the uncertainty about the situation ... but I suspect that's why Dupuis chose this outlet to tell his story — it wouldn't push him to reveal details he doesn't want to, and as the "author," he could completely ignore the "but what if you don't?" question — and an honest, thoughtful answer to that question would elevate a good story to one that might be downright heartbreaking. I don't know if any of the Pittsburgh media would have been able to get that out of him, but they were never given the chance.

I'd love to hear the conversations that the Post Gazette and Trib (as well as every local TV station) sports staffs have to be having in the wake of both McCutcheon (his reaction to the Little League champs being stripped of their title) and Dupuis bypassing the local media to share their insight in first-person accounts.

 

[66-30-33]

Ok after reading the article...just retire Duper. Well, once your contract ends that is, untill then stay on LTIR. He will come back and it will come back.

 

[Human]

I really don't think it was the culture of toughness that made him hide it. It was the simple desire to keep playing.

I think it was the good ole "it can't be happening to me", which I guess is fine. aren't we all doing it at one point or another?

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I've always had a good deal of respect for Dupuis, the person. It's not hard to see that he's a good man and has a deep well of strength, will and resolve that I'll never understand. This article only deepens that.

That said...

He needs to retire. It's a game.

Yeah. For crissakes.

 

[Whale Mingo]

To the bold, he didn't. As soon as he got home and looked them in the eyes, he went to the hospital.

Correct, and after it happened again he played 5 games despite knowing he was in a bad situation. I was speaking metaphorically, but the reality is he chose hockey over his health.


If this was some average Joe that chose to go to work in that condition simply so he could support his family would you feel the same? I admire a guy risking his health (even though it's still a bad decision) to support his family more than a guy doing it to play hockey.

 

[Uemoda]

As someone who had to quit (beer league, grant you) hockey because of health issues, and who's had some close calls with chest issues himself, this really hits close too home. Too close.

All I can do is hope with all my heart that Duper makes a full recovery. Then can lace them up and prove to everybody that he's still a hockey player.

Mad respect to him. What a piece of writing that was.

 

[Uemoda]

Easily. I couldn't imagine looking my wife and kids in the eye and telling them anything is more important to me than them, especially hockey. That's just selfish on a different level than I can respect.

Also, driving to the hospital when he was told not to is taking that selfishness to another level I can't understand. Would you still respect him if he had a medical emergency while driving himself to the hospital KNOWING he was in that condition and it was your family he killed along the way?

Respect that? No chance. Nothing about that says warrior to me, it just screams of stupidity and selfishness.

He wasn't doing it to spite them. He was doing it because he thought he could "fight" through it.

That's what I was always taught and I'm sure it's even moreso for an NHLer. You fight through it.


All I can say is that the situation is complicated and ask that you not throw stones at him.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

One thing I'm surprised to not see mentioned is the incident where he got taken off on a stretcher in the Dallas game.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

This is the kind of thing that will probably make Duper a lot of friends around the league--and probably get him a lot of job offers when he does retire.

It makes hockey players look like...I don't even know what it makes them look like...warriors, maybe...it paints them in a really, really positive, human light. 14 could use some of that determination.

It's also the kinda thing that can put you in an early grave, widow your wife, and leave your kids without a father. Jesus.

 

[MeticulouslyDishevel]

Pretty much. Ignoring it for 5 games and implying that he hoped it was too small to find the second time; driving himself to the hospital after being told not to and even waving off the symptoms the first time. It's all just so stupid, he isn't some young guy doing this and he had that retirement contract.

But when sports idolize toughness the way hockey does things like that are bound to happen but at some point it's not toughness or dedication anymore, it's stupidity and dangerous behaviour. I don't know how the doctors or anyone can trust Dupuis with his own health going forward, tbh. Maybe he learned from it the second time, but he sure as hell didn't learn from the first go of it.

Great guy but a god damned idiot with this.

Exactly. It wasn't even his first rodeo with blood clots where he could plead ignorance. He knew it was stupid and dangerous.

A bunch of people are praising him for being a warrior but he took some incredibly stupid risks, and not just for himself. He has a wife and 4 kids. He could have had a heart attack or stroke while driving to the hospital and ran over a bunch of pedestrians (my uncle drove himself to the hospital when he was having chest pains - the docs told him never to do that - the hospital's parking lot attendant has had to smash a lot of car windows to get people out of their cars in those situations).

I feel bad that he's having a tough time and might not be able to retire on his own terms and he worked really hard to get into the league, but that doesn't change the fact that his actions were incredibly dumb.

 

[Whale Mingo]

He wasn't doing it to spite them. He was doing it because he thought he could "fight" through it.

That's what I was always taught and I'm sure it's even moreso for an NHLer. You fight through it.


All I can say is that the situation is complicated and ask that you not throw stones at him.

Who THINKS they can fight through blood clots? The second time he knew it was blood clots and "hoped it was too small to find". Again, who thinks they can fight through blood clots? Even he admits in the article he made bad decisions. My response was not to throw stones, but to reply to the question asked about respecting him for what he did.

I like Duper and wish him nothing but the best, but anyone respecting bad decision making in the name of playing hockey is out of line.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't think anyone has ever doubted Dupes' determination or character, so nothing in this story that effect really surprises me. The only issue people really have with him is that he keeps getting put in a role he's not equipped for. Too bad, because he really is a hell of a hockey player.

As for a possible return, if he's cleared to play I'd love to have him back...ON THE 3RD LINE.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I respect Dupuis a lot as a player and he seems like a good man, but this is just more proof that sports' "warrior" culture needs to go. Guys should not be risking their lives to play a game because they think they owe it to anyone to "battle" through serious health issues or because they don't know enough about said issues to realize the danger they're in.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I respect Dupuis a lot as a player and he seems like a good man, but this is just more proof that sports' "warrior" culture needs to go. Guys should not be risking their lives to play a game because they think they owe it to anyone to "battle" through serious health issues or because they don't know enough about said issues to realize the danger they're in.

He's just a guy who's had to work much harder and ignore more pain than most to get where he's been. He knew that if he missed more time that he'd almost certainly get usurped by a younger, more skilled player.

It makes sense to quit for health and family, but for a guy whose work ethic and determination has been literally the only thing that distinguished him from the pack (we know Dupes is basically an AHLer in terms of pure skill), it's not something that's as easy as a switch to turn off. He's had to live and play with that mindset for a decade plus.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Exactly. It wasn't even his first rodeo with blood clots where he could plead ignorance. He knew it was stupid and dangerous.

A bunch of people are praising him for being a warrior but he took some incredibly stupid risks, and not just for himself. He has a wife and 4 kids. He could have had a heart attack or stroke while driving to the hospital and ran over a bunch of pedestrians (my uncle drove himself to the hospital when he was having chest pains - the docs told him never to do that - the hospital's parking lot attendant has had to smash a lot of car windows to get people out of their cars in those situations).

I feel bad that he's having a tough time and might not be able to retire on his own terms and he worked really hard to get into the league, but that doesn't change the fact that his actions were incredibly dumb.

My grandfather and my uncle did that, with my grandfather also climbing up a hill to the hospital for ***** and giggles. I hope your uncle was okay.

But, yeah, it was stupid as hell and selfish, this could have been a very different story. Hopefully he didn't drive with the second blood clot. I'm actually surprised the Pens let some of that be published, tbh, but the reaction seems to have been focused on warrior/hero/inspiration while ignoring the negatives.

 

[WayneSid9987]

A really important story that every athlete should read. I see the "guts" here in telling his story and putting it out there for everyone to read. He didn't have to do that but he did and it can change the mentality.

Pulling for you Duper and please, be smarter about things in the future.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Pascal is an absolute beast of a person, I read about his 1/3 of his lungs thing and was like...what the hell?

I guess Bob Errey and his love of Pascal in bike shorts has some serious merit.

 

[Deutschland Dangler]

Who THINKS they can fight through blood clots? The second time he knew it was blood clots and "hoped it was too small to find". Again, who thinks they can fight through blood clots? Even he admits in the article he made bad decisions.

I guess you've never had a possibly life-altering medical issue?

 

[SaintLouHaintBlue]

I read the article twice. He deserves some sympathy for sure, but this is a foolish and dangerous line of thinking; I don't think hiding medical situations like this (from doctors and family) should ever be lauded, even if it's your closest family member/toughest uncle.

He's not involved in some life or death situation, like he's trying to escape from the gulags in the middle of winter with a known blood clot or something. It is a sport, at the end of the day, and you HAVE to be able to walk away if something as dangerous as a blood clot is recognized. A blood clot is an incredibly dangerous thing - heart attacks and strokes are not something you can 'muscle through'.

Also, I'm not sure I can bring myself to agree with that quote from his dad.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He's just a guy who's had to work much harder and ignore more pain than most to get where he's been. He knew that if he missed more time that he'd almost certainly get usurped by a younger, more skilled player.

It makes sense to quit for health and family, but for a guy whose work ethic and determination has been literally the only thing that distinguished him from the pack (we know Dupes is basically an AHLer in terms of pure skill), it's not something that's as easy as a switch to turn off. He's had to live and play with that mindset for a decade plus.

I wouldn't say he's an AHL'er in terms of pure skill, he's a legit 3rd line player that got an opportunity and made the most of it, most people squander it because they think "I got drafted high, I have high praise for my skill, I will get this shot again" and they do, but a guy like Dupuis, if he doesn't make the most of it, make himself fit, his career is going to be a grinder in a bottom 6 role.

It's a shame more people don't have more respect for guys like him.