Shaw’s teachable moment
In today’s NHL, there’s no excuse for shouting anti-gay slur at official
Andrew Sobotka was playing in a hockey game late on Tuesday night, so he missed the Chicago Blackhawks Game 4 loss to the St. Louis Blues and the controversy that followed immediately afterward.
It wasn’t until the next morning that the president of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association watched the previous night’s highlights and became aware of Andrew Shaw’s anti-gay slur.
It was shocking, said Sobotka. Not so much because of what Shaw said — but because it came from a player who was on the Blackhawks.
This is an organization that two weeks ago had participated in a You Can Play event, promoting respect for athletes who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The Blackhawks lent the Stanley Cup to the Chicago Pride Parade in 2010 and 2015, with former player Brent Sopel marching along.
“In terms of sports teams, they’re leaders in the LGBT community,” said Sobotka. “They’ve not just made news, but changed hearts and minds about equality in sports by doing big things like bringing the Stanley Cup to pride parades.”
The Blackhawks continued to be leaders in that regard, with the team issuing a statement on Wednesday saying they are “extremely disappointed in Andrew Shaw’s actions last night.”
Shaw, who initially claimed he didn’t remember what he said, also apologized and told reporters that the homophobic slur he shouted at an official after being penalized in a Game 4 loss was inexcusable.
“That’s not the type of guy I am,” Shaw told reporters. “I saw the video last night and I had a tough time sleeping. What’s gotten to me is that I let my emotions get the better of me. I want to apologize to the organization, the NHL, my teammates, my family, and my friends.
“I’ll never use that word again, that’s for sure.”
Still, the league punished Shaw on Wednesday with a one-game suspension. The Blackhawks forward will also be required to undergo sensitivity training.
“While Mr. Shaw was apologetic and remorseful for both the offensive comments and the inappropriate gesture directed at the on-ice officials, he must be held accountable for his actions,” NHL Senior Executive Vice-President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said in a statement. “The emotion of the moment cannot and will not be a mitigating factor for the conduct that is expected of an NHL player.”
Maybe, said Sobotka, this can be a teachable moment.
Equality in sports — and specifically in hockey — has come a long way since the days when using homophobic slurs to heckle opponents was considered common practice. An infamous YouTube clip of Bryan Trottier shouting vulgar obscenities at Brian Bellows, while teammate Kevin Stevens giggles nearby, occurred in 1991.
Since then, players have become more sensitive and careful about what they say. Hockey might be a physical game that preys on players’ emotions. But as the fallout to this incident clearly shows, it is not an excuse to say or do anything without punishment.
“We can take this and certainly everyone can learn from it and grow from it,” said Sobotka. “I think (Andrew) Shaw will think twice in the heat of the moment with the words he uses. Unfortunately, we’re still at a point in society where people use them, not fully understanding the impact that they might have on fans or other players who are gay.
“Ideally, one day we (the Chicago Gay Hockey Association) won’t have to exist because every team will be all-inclusive and be a safe place to play. We’re getting there.”