This likely won’t be an opinion well-liked, but here goes: Aldrich is a pedo. We all know that…now. Did the Hawks know that at the time? Likely not. They probably did know he was gay, and maybe weird, but that’s about it. That said, 20 year old, NHL player Beach agrees to meet with (low-level coach) Aldrich at Aldrich’s house. Aldrich blows him. Beach apparently doesn’t fight back. At some point later, Beach claims he was assaulted. Now, at that time, given those circumstances, what do you do? I’d put Aldrich on leave pending investigation - which should be swift - but all things considered at that time, this isn’t Joe Blow Gym Coach doing 14 year old Johnny. It’s a little more complicated. And no one seems interested in exploring that aspect of this case. Me? At 20, as a pro athlete, if some bottom feeder coach tries to blow me, I don’t allow it to happen, then cry rape. But again, minority opinion. And I guess I hate victims.

correct, i agree with you. this is the assault part. the hockey club also had to be wondering why john doe didn't independently go to the authorities with the assault allegation. the hawks started this well (investigated, interviewed all, including 3rd party witness) and then this turned into a shipwreck. even with no proof or flimsy proof of a sexual assault, the fact that a 20 y/o player is hanging out at bars and then back for a nightcap with a coach - they had to keep their foot on the pedal investigating the conflict of interest relationship.

as far as the sexual harassment part and subsequent bullying/shaming...the hockey club messed this up. the video coach's position - mngt/employee, this is an automatic firing..contract dissolved. they ended up giving the video coach a way out - no investigation if you resign. that is really damning.

all in all, due to callousness or contempt or inertia, mid to upper levels of management spectacularly failed with this and they will pay a heavy career price, the club a heavy punitive price along with the shame of allowing this guy to move on and abuse others.

yea i see

coach q is out

Wonder if the Hawks were hesitant to go forward more aggressively originally because they perceived it to be 2 gay guys spatting. Afraid of harassment of a minority. by the Hawks.

This is exactly what happened. There's a lot of fake pearl clutching happening because that's standard protocol in 2021. Poor Danny Bernstein can't bring himself to watch Blackhawk hockey anymore.

maybe as part of a background check they should get an updated listing of nambla members.

Not that I think Opie is interpreting the timeline from the report properly on the knowledge of a physical assault during the 2010 management meeting, but he is right about Aldrich being put on leave pending investigation. That would have been the advice given even in 2010 by counsel. I could see Q pushing back (as he did allegedly in the meeting) and, maybe, counsel, saying, "OK, let him stay on the job for now, but zero contact with players in or out of the building, or else he is gone."

And were those claims suddenly made after he was being mocked by teammates for being a homo?

It's a little more complicated than just "The Hawks are evil." Should organizations police the sex lives of employees? Maybe only of gay employees?

_________________
General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Pretty sure they were made before based on all accounts. The teasing started after the Hawks leaked it

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

In other words, anyone who wasn't ex-Hartford was a spy.

I know about Coop. I think Baines and Boston were spies, too. I feel like more coaches were than weren't.

_________________

I hope your business retains a good employment lawyer.

Would one of the players not looking for attention explain why they were taunting him with gay slurs? I can't imagine they would do that if they knew he was assaulted. I can absolutely imagine that if he were caught doing some shit with a teammate in juniors or some rando after one of his epic nights of drinking. Why didn't they say shit to the coach if they knew he was on the other end of the encounter. There is no way the players would stand for a guy thats openly known to blow players to be on that staff.

The cancel crew is acting like each player was presented with a 150 page document providing them with all the background and details of this story in 2010.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

The players called him a homo because he received head from a nerd half his size. No one would believe he was assaulted because any one else in that room would've fought themselves out of that situation. I mean Patrick Kane fought himself out of a taxi cab over $.20 so someone much larger than him like Beach should've been able to fight his way out of that situation unless he wanted to be there. At least that's how the locker room would understandably perceive it.

_________________
“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

They would have treated the coach the exact same way then and it appears that they did not. He had to have had a history of doing this. He shouldn't even been around this coach that much since he was only with the team in camp and after the season.

_________________
That's my purse! I don't know you!

Is it true Scotty Bowman asked for a blumpkin?

Power isn't always about size and brute strength. Terry Crews talked about a powerful money guy grabbing his dick at a party and him not only being afraid to beat the crap out of the guy, but also being afraid to say anything about it. The illusion of power and influence gives people more control than you can imagine. MANY 20 year old people with Beach's life experience would have done the same thing. Maybe even you.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

You avoid needing a lawyer when you hire people. The only time I've ever had a dispute with an employee was when a dumbfuck partner convinced me to hire someone I knew would be a problem.

Anyway, I'm not sure what you're suggesting here. Is your position that co-workers should not be allowed to have relationships outside the workplace? Beyond being impossible to enforce without needing the lawyer you seem so eager to avoid, It's simply an absurd and untenable position. And I'm guessing many of us posting here would not even exist if such a policy had been enforced or enforceable. I know I wouldn't.

_________________
General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

I think that's the only story that makes sense if you believe that it wasn't consensual. It isn't a stretch to think some dopey hockey player would actually believe that a low level coach could convince the club to throw away it's first round pick because the player refused to allow himself to be sodomized.

This would never happen in the NBA. You've gotta give to those teenagers. They have swagger. "You're gonna end my career? Ha! Fiuck you. I'm getting you fired and when I'm finished I'm going after Popp."

_________________
General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

No it isn't...Beach was a "Black Ace" who had only played a few games with the Ice Hogs at that point. Not a stretch at all to imagine someone competing for his spot doing him harm in practice with influence from a strength coach.

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

I haven't completely closed the door on it being a sexual encounter that was regretted. However, there are MANY more things that screams that it wasn't.

You grew up in the Catholic Church, you know most people would prefer to pretend that it never happen or even blame themselves for it being consensual. A man daring to claim that he was sexually assaulted takes courage. A large man claiming that he was sexually assaulted by a small man takes even more courage.

Their egos are through the roof by the time they reach the NBA. There are definitely kids all over America being sexually assaulted on their AAU teams though.

_________________
Be well

GO BEARS!!!

If this was a one off incident with the video coach, then I might be more skeptical. But the guy was later a proven sexual offender. So the balance of the evidence makes Beach believable.

_________________
Hawaii (fuck) You

Yeah. Beach seems sincere.

_________________
General Jim wears Fort Bragg down... to get it!

Yes, there is no reason to believe a word from the video coach. His track record has proven he is not trustworthy.

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

It's so weird that they let him keep working, celebrating, then walking away clean.

I still think Aldrich had some dirt on other players and threatened to expose them if they fired him. Maybe Kaner drug stuff, women, something.

_________________

No discipline for him. He’s free and clear.

I've been wondering about that myself. Seems plausible. And sick.

_________________
There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

That’s quite a leap. Likely they didn’t want this story getting out.

_________________
Why are only 14 percent of black CPS 11th-graders proficient in English?

get rid of the stupid racist logo, be the CHT for the remainder of the year. Then becum the Chicago Rhythmic Slapping Sounds (RSSs) going forward.