R.I.P. Luc Bourdon  

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Ugh, I don't know what to say... shocking, tragic news. Thoughts and condolences to friends and family.

Sportsnet
TSN

Rest in peace, Luc.

by Andrew Strain

3 comments: to “ R.I.P. Luc Bourdon ”

  • PhotoDiarist
    May 31, 2008 at 4:31 AM  

    It really sucks eh? Such an early death without deserving it (as far as I know). At the same time, however, it's rather sad that the value of a hockey player's life is so much higher than that of someone who dies in a developing country. I know it's closer to home, but still, when the numbers are so out of balance, one would think that the non hockey players out there would also have someone writing blog posts for them...

  • Andrew Strain
    May 31, 2008 at 12:53 PM  

    I've been thinking about your point alot over the past day or so, and I'm glad you brought it up here. I keep trying to wrap my head around why this has impacted me so much... I mean, I'd never met Bourdon, and only seen him play live a handful of times. People die everyday, and I couldn't care less. It's such a bizzare feeling, to be this distraught over the death of a stranger.

    I guess it goes to show just how connected fans are with their sports teams; for myself and others, it feels as if a close friend or family member is gone. I live pretty close to GM Place, and wandered down to the memorial yesterday, hoping to read some of what was placed out in memory of Luc. I was shocked at how quickly I had to force myself to leave, lest there be a 24 year old man crying by himself outside of GM Place...

    As fans, we follow intensely every aspect of a players development, especially a highly touted prospect like Luc Bourdon. For the past 4 years, Bourdon has been this teams number one prospect, and was just on the cusp of a regular roster spot, with a long career as an NHL star ahead of him. It's easy to see how, in a hockey market like Vancouver, all the "armchair GM's" out there develop such an attachment to a player over time.

    I think we tend to zero in on individuals in times of tragedy, in order to numb the pain, so to speak. In the helicopter crash in Cranbrook a couple weeks ago, 4 people were killed but the focus of the disaster was on the pedestrian who was struck by the falling chopper and killed. As you add more people to the body count, it becomes less of a tragedy, and more of a statistic... it's the only way we can keep ourselves sane in a world where life is fragile and precious, given and taken arbitrarily in the blink of an eye.

  • PhotoDiarist
    June 1, 2008 at 3:26 PM  

    Terrific explanation.

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