Have an idea for a story? Minews@theotherpress.ca sports // no. 5 ¢ What history tells us about the top of the top ¢ Joe Murphy: from hockey legend to homeless ..and more Joe Murphy: from hockey legend to homeless » Former NHL great reflects on the effects of numerous concussions Brandon Yip Senior Columnist oe Murphy was the number one overall pick in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He was a talented player who possessed great speed and offensive skill. Before he began his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, he won the Calder Cup and NCAA championships. In the 1989-90 season, Murphy was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, and he would win a Stanley Cup with them the following spring. He played ona line known as the “Kid Line” with Adam Graves and Martin Gelinas. The line was productive during the playoffs. Murphy would play three seasons with the Oilers before he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1993. He later played with four more teams: St. Louis, San Jose, Boston, and Washington—before retiring in 2001. Unfortunately, Murphy suffered numerous concussions during his NHL career, and the damage from those concussions greatly impacted his post- hockey life. He has had various symptoms including wild mood swings, constant headaches, and personality changes— including turning into an enforcer and beginning to take alcohol and drugs. Murphy earned over $15 million during his NHL career, yet he became destitute and homeless in Kenora, Ontario. In the 2018 TSN documentary, Finding Murph, TSN reporter Rick Westhead detailed Murphy’s life living in the streets in Kenora. It also showed former NHL goaltender, Trevor Kidd, driving his truck while searching for Murphy. He would eventually locate Murphy sitting outside a convenience store. Kidd had a brief conversation with Murphy, and after being told about Westhead wanting to speak with him, Murphy agreed to be interviewed. Murphy was very candid and honest about his own situation to Westhead: “The people here are so kind, and they love hockey and J love to talk about hockey. Here’s the truth. I’m sleeping on the ground right here and I’m worried about my health. I am soaking wet and cold all of the time. I have a headache. My head is pounding. I need a place to stay. I’m disappointed that no one from hockey has been in touch with me but I’m not mad at the alumni. I don’t need money. I know I wouldn't spend it properly. But I need help. I’m also just a little disappointed with my life. 've made some bad choices.” Furthermore, Murphy admitted that he had been using drugs due to the concussions he had suffered. “I struggled for a few years with cocaine and crystal meth after I first left the NHL,” Murphy said. “Why did I do it? I have been suffering. I have been struggling with the concussions. I do have a head issue. It’s the truth. I remember seeing fireflies after some of those hits and I still see them. I’ve used marijuana a few times more recently but nothing more.” Former NHL goaltender, Glenn Healy, is the current executive director and president of the NHL Alumni Association. He is very aware of Murphy’s situation. In September 2018, Westhead of TSN reported that Healy and Adam Graves, former NHL player and Oiler teammate to Murphy, traveled to Kenora and visited with Murphy for several hours. Healy and Graves declined to comment on their visit. Speaking in a phone interview with the Other Press, Healy declined to disclose further about Murphy’s current situation in order to maintain confidentiality: “I can say this—any player, any place, any time that needs help—can get help from us. So, with no exceptions, whether it is a coping issue that you have [....] or whether itis an immigration issue, we are there to make sure that we help.” Former Oilers defenseman, Kevin Lowe—Joe Murphy’s teammate on the 1990 Oilers cup winning team—wishes the best for his former teammate. Lowe told the Other Press in an email interview that “sadly, I never got to know Joe very well the couple years we played together. I was concerned for him when the story surfaced about him being on the street.” In the documentary, Murphy’s sister Cathy said that her brother is a good person, and he should be able to get help. “He deserves to have help. He didn’t do anything wrong. It’s easy to pass judgment and say you know, ‘he’s crazy, he’s eccentric’ He didn’t go in crazy and eccentric. So, tell me, what happened along the way?” When Cathy was asked for her reaction to the NHL and its fans suggesting that Murphy is homeless due to making poor choices she responded, “I think when you have a brain injury and people make a judgment like that—they have no idea what they're talking about. His mind doesn’t think like a normal person’s mind thinks.” Common traits in NBA championship winning teams Mo Hussain Sports Reporter he road to winning an NBA championship is anything but easy. Whether it’s identifying the right talented pieces that fit well into the team or having to deal with 29 other teams constantly coming up with new ways to try to get one step ahead, it can be a very difficult task. However, history shows that there are some common key traits and attributes in championship winning teams that separate them from the pack. MVP Calibre Player This one may seem obvious, but it is important to point out that only one team (the Detroit Pistons) over the past 20 years has been able to win an NBA championship without an NBA MVP on their roster. Whether it was the Spurs with Tim Duncan, the Warriors with Stephen Curry, the Heat with LeBron James, etc., every team pretty much has to have an MVP caliber superstar. The necessity for a superstar among stars is in part because basketball players are much more in control of the outcome of agame than in most other team sports due to the relatively small number of players in each game—and the fact that MVP-calibre players are usually playing 75 percent of the game. Having a player who is, or at least can be argued to be, the most valuable player in the league is essentially a pre-requisite to an NBA championship. Complementary All-Star Do not get caught up in the notion that one superstar is enough. History seems to show that it’s also important to have someone (not necessarily another MVP-calibre player) who is a perennial NBA All-star that complements the MVP-calibre player: LeBron James had Anthony Davis with the Lakers, Steph Curry had Kevin Durant with the Warriors, Kawhi Leonard had Kyle Lowry with the Raptors. An individual has a lot more control in the sport of basketball than in other sports, but that doesn’t mean one can neglect to bring in other complementary pieces. Veteran Presence Not many people have been inside NBA locker rooms or really know the kind Promotional image for 'Finding Murph' Recently, Murphy was discovered living out in the streets in Regina. He told CTV News Regina in August 2020 that he was in Saskatchewan visiting a friend in Saskatoon—stating it was his first trip to the province. Murphy said he planned to return to Ontario when the time is appropriate for him. “I’m still enjoying life, I love it, I’m kind of moving around, and I’m on the street and I’m ina shelter.” He went on to say that “I just want to get a place where I can get into a steady rental place.” Cathy hopes that her brother is able to get the help he needs: “It’s devastating. He’s my brother. What am I supposed to do? It makes me want to cry. He’s a good human being. He doesn’t deserve to live like this.” Murphy’s daughter, Krystal, also hopes her father will seek help to get himself off the streets: “If I was face-to-face with my dad, I would just tell him that I love him—that I am there for him. I support him. My dad has survived things that would kill most people. He is a survivor, and he can survive this too. But he has to fight and he has to take help.” of impact veterans have on their teams, but history seems to show that having experienced players is acommon trait. Over the past 20 years, the average age of the oldest player on a given championship team is roughly 35.4 years old. The reasons for such a veteran presence can vary depending on each team. A popular theory is that having an older player who isn’t playing as much ona roster might be seen as a stabilizer for the relatively younger players. The wisdom and experience can very much play a key role in helping guide the younger stars on their respective teams to make good decisions on the floor.