Why do they do it if there is a penalty against it? Is it just to impress the fans?

This makes me wonder, what was the true reason why fighting started in hockey, because if you think of it like any other sport, when there is full contact fighting you don't just get a five minute "time out" and go on your way your usually taken out for the rest of the game and maybe the next few games to, so I'm wondering why it's so different in hockey?

Was he a fan favorite because he was good at hockey? Or because he was good at punching?

This phrase reminded me of theme we are working with which is work and play which I believe this specific phrase coincides with because he talks about not taking things personally because that's his job, however I feel that at one point or another it would be taken personally because of the damage that could be to done to a person physically, mentally, and even their career by another hockey player.

A question that’s been plaguing me ever since we started this unit was, “Why is violence such an essential part of hockey?” I know it’s because of my ignorance of pretty much all sports, but I pretty much thought that all one does during a hockey game is hit a puck into a goal. Apparently it’s much more than that. Has it always been this way?

I find it interesting how in such a short amount of time so much damage can be caused and especially by one person I think that the author does this to show just how forceful and feared Boogaard was in the NHL.

Gentle and Fierce are practically opposites when defined so I find it weird but done purposefully that the author would put these two words together to describe the complex person that Boogaard was.

This relates to the idea that some enforcers in hockey are there because they have no skill or talent to play the actual game, but they are there, and fighting because it's basically paying the bills, and they have the title of being in the NHL

The fans of hockey sometimes mock them, yes? But do the fans also know that it is their job. Normal people go to an office building and sit at a desk all day, but having a job to fight people is unique. This job can be seen as work and play, due to if they love what they do and look forward to it every night before they enter the arena.

Hockey players already know that they may get into a fight, even before the game. They may feel it in their gut. But that is their job if their an enforcer.

This is identifying back to the work and play theme, by telling everyone that fighting on the ice comes with the job of hockey. You may play hockey as your job, but some people find fighting on the rink fun. Yes, Boogaards job was to fight hockey players, but that isn't everyone's job.

This paragraph helps us imagine how Boogaard felt. It suggest that Boogaard felt no pain, which I feel is a double meaning, in not feeling pain physically and mentally.

The word weapon is used to describe something that hurts someone else, it can be words, etc. In the NHL Boogaard was a weapon of his own. His fists held so much destruction and made anyone who played him fearful.

The use of imagery/description is impeccable here. It helps me, as the reader, visualize what it's like to take the drug.

The author uses a medical 'reference' to help emphasize how much brain damage he had succumbed to.

It's scary to think this way. I could never imagine anything violent like this. Was his mother proud of him?

The author uses a simile here to help the readers visual what its like during a Hockey fight.

The description used to interpret how feared Derek Boogaard is very insightful. If that makes sense. The use of bigger and bolder words helps emphasize just how feared Derek really was.

The players will always be their for each other each others. Just like in Reilly's essay, the players will always be there just like the FD will be there.

Boogaard's life has not been super loving, so him getting applause and respect from the audience made him happy. This could have been one time where he felt at home, under the umbrella of hockey.

Here, I noticed how the author made a direct comparison from football to hockey. It's interesting how football is shown as a much more safe sport here as many have been saying that they should ban football because of how unsafe it is. So it's also ironic that football is shown as a much safer sport in this scenario.

This really shows how much power Boogaard wielded when he fought during his hockey games. It really shows how when Boogaard began fighting, it was really something his opponent should fear.

Branch is building up the idea of player's changing as they progress as enforcers starting with talking about Boogaard's steaks and clothes. I think that he repeatedly talks about players changing because it is what eventually leads to Boogaard's death.

Even an NHL enforcer says that they wouldn't have done it looking back. I think this comments on just how badly the effects of fighting have hurt him and other enforcers.

Personally knowing about what happens to people that are struggling with addiction, I know that many are ashamed of admitting to the addiction. When the decide to get help , it's true, they don't say anything. They're just gone for a couple months then return. But I find it interesting that the last line is "It's not that hard to see" if it wasn't hard to see, you knew he was struggling, why did no one say anything? If you're on a team you look out for them, not let them destroy themselves.

I notice that many athletes are like this, anyone who is making a ton of money, actually. They completely turn their lifestyle around just to spend money.

This to me is kind of alarming. This loving guy at home admits that he doesn't have an off switch. Meaning, once he starts he doesn't really know when to stop and I think that's scary. Plus the fact that if he didn't 'win' he took it to heart even though he said "..you can't take it personally" in previous paragraphs

Why is the attitude toward fights “just another fight”. They just brush it off as no big deal which could be the reason people get hurt easily.

I think this an interesting sentence that, in my eyes, comments on the nature of hockey and even boys. There is a unwritten rule to hide emotions and mental problems.

Like Jad said, this establishes the work and play theme we are looking at and this guy put it perfectly. When you're on the ice, yes you are playing a game but this is your work. If you know what is expected of you, you can't really take it personally. If you took it personally, you'd be angry 24/7. They're just doing their job.

An important contrast between the life Boogaard grew up knowing (the life his dad still lives) and the new lifestyle that is now necessary to fit the part.

The order has been established by players. This just shows the respect that most players have for the game. They don’t want it to be jeopardized because of uncontrolled chaos

Throughout the article, the author constantly compares Boogaard to a weapon. In this sentence, he is compared to a missile waiting to be launched. I think the author does this to stress the idea that Boogaards main job on the team was an enforcer, it's work, not play.

Repetition from the last article of using the minutes he played and the minutes in penalties. Boogard doesn't really "play" a lot. He does his "work" and takes the consequences.

This really shows the power of Boogard. The "toughest man" of the NHL was now scared of getting hit by Boogard. This is, again, where the author establishes the monster-like side of Boogard

The author uses language that is usually associated with animals. I think he does this to show animalistic behavior.

To me it seems like the fighting part of hockey > the actual hockey. I think is partly because enforcers see the fighting as work and they forget about the play which is the actual sport.

All of the details and the dynamic way the author describes the author make you think the fight was way longer. Maybe the author does this to emphasize that the small minute that fighting happens is extremely stressed in hockey.

The author is saying this to show that Boogaard was exactly that. Boogaard has little skill for the team, he is just there to fight and rile up the tram so they play better.

Boxing language is used to describe a hockey fight.

This made the think about how there is always a bigger fish. You can never be sure who will come after You.

This isn't the first time that we see this routine used by enforcers. Our author is trying to show us how normalized this is in the NHL.

I think our author uses the word restless to relate back to Boogaard's early stage career. He was desperate to prove himself to the teams he bounces around on.

Our author uses compare and contrast to show the reader what can happen in hockey games as opposed to a football gam when fights happen. I think the author uses this technique to create a sense of reconsideration in this hockey tradition from his readers.

“Weapon can allude to the destruction and hurt that Boogaard has caused. The main reason he is in the NHL is because of his “weapon”. What does this say about the NHL?

This paragraph explains why enforcers are a thing, besides the entertainment factor.

This made me think of our theme of work and play. To NFL enforcers, it is the same thing. Work and play both mean enforcing in hockey to him.

I think the author uses the time (7 seconds) that all of this damage occurred to show us just how lethal the punch of Boogaard was.

I think this author asks the question to not only get us thinking about how he will write when he's older, but how he will go on if he continues this dangerous lifestyle.

This quote displays Derek's mindset going into such a dangerous career. I think it's like a cause and effect kind of situation. Since Derek just accepted what he was going through as "the lifestyle" he blinded himself of the dangers that come with that lifestyle, which brought him to a downward spiral and ultimately leading to his early death. This part of the article prepares us for the later circumstances he deals with by showing what made Derek get to that spot in the first place.

Branch includes quotes and video interviews of former NHL enforcers in order to create a clearer image of what it's like being an enforcer. I didn't know that being an enforcer could have such a negative impact on the player. Reading about experiences of a variety of past enforcers that have "been in his shoes" adds details to what Boogaard's life was like beyond what he wrote in his notes.

The author compares Boogaard's nose to a "cartoon character," reinforcing the fact that Boogaard became an exaggerated character both on and off ice. A bent nose is also common to caricatures of violent or mean cartoon characters, since broken noses are often results of fighting (which was the case in Boogaard's life). His persona took over him, and he felt he need to look the part, such as buying expensive cars and designer clothes.

Branch juxtaposes the consequences of fighting in football and in hockey. Essentially, he puts this type of unrestricted fighting into the context of football and points out how ridiculous it seems. It is so ingrained into hockey culture that fighting is expected.

This gory description of Boogaard's hand creates a clear visual of just one aspect of the physical trauma Boogaard endured. The rhetorical question at the end of the paragraph highlights the tragedy of Boogaard's life- he didn't live to be old enough to write with his damaged hand.

Throughout the article, the author many times brings up the fact that Boogaard was shy and bullied during his school age. I feel like the author uses this repetition rhetoric to almost emphasize the irony in all of it. I mean it's really ironic how he was seen as amazing on the hockey field, but he was seen as the complete opposite in the classroom. Almost like he was living a double-life. Thanks Quianna!

I think that this goes along with the idea of connotations with the fact that Boogaard had a jersey that actually fit his stature which was hard at his size, and also the fact that he found a team which achieved his goal of being in the NHL and possibly a fit in the sense that he could get along with the people there and have a feeling that he belongs there.

I think it's ironic how the connections are made with Boogaard's pain physically and mentally being dealt with, by his drug addiction but I also think that this is an example of another way of dealing with the pain, he just kept going as if nothing would stop him from attaining his goals.

It must've been challenging for him to only be recognized initially for his fighting and now with him loosing fights that recognition probably started to fade as well.

I find it interesting that at this point there isn't even a small amount of attention on his hockey skills, or hockey skills he could have or acquire, everything that is expected of him is expected for him to use his fists too.

I find it weird how there is so much attention put on an enforcer in hockey when the most attention should be on the game itself, not the fights stimulated within the game.

I think it's possible that Boogaard turned to fighting for attention because he wasn't receiving the attention he wanted solely based off of his hockey playing skills.

I noticed earlier in this article that it was a possibility that Boogaard fought because he had a point to be proven and it gave him attention, and I am now convinced that this is another reason of why he fought because he probably had some idea that it would get him where he wanted to be and he couldn't achieve that on skills alone.

I was initially confused by the idea of "delicately" removing helmets before the fight started because I didn't think that, removing helmets would be one of their biggest worries. However, I now find that ironic because if there is already a lot of tension and energy you're not necessarily worried about how you look, you just want your point to be made.

I think it's interesting how the author uses literary devices like similes to add some lightness to the situation, when in actuality it seems like the other team was terrified of Derek

I think here the author is using a rhetorical move of acknowledging or recognizing the other side by showing that all of the penalties weren't necessarily his fault. This now makes me think that maybe a lot of his fighting on the ice was because he was being picked on by other players for his stature or whatever the case may be, and Boogaard felt the need to defend himself.

I think this shows that even from a young age Boogaard had an argumentative attitude, or a defensive attitude which could've played a role in his fighting, or this attitude could've stemmed from the fact that he was always picked on or made fun of as a kid.

I find it amazing how when he was doing this assignment and had decided that he wanted to be in the NHL he talks about having a "scoring punch" which I think is a connotation due to the fact that at the time he was probably talking about the idea of scoring many goals, and in regards to being a good player, however, as time went on that "Scoring punch" could've been referring to the idea of an actual punch since he became widely known for his fighting in the NHL.

I think it's really ironic how his family wanted to provide positive reinforcement for him, but in the end that sport ended up doing exactly the opposite because he still ended up in a really negative situation.

This connects back to the idea of Derek continuing to fight because of the fact that he received attention and appreciation when he acted out which is one of the big reasons I believe Derek continuously fought.

For most of this article I was under the impression that Boogaard began fighting abruptly when he joined the NHL, however now I have a change of thought I feel that maybe this notion of fighting stayed with him from such a young age that when he got to the NHL and had the opportunity to be appreciated and recognized for his fighting he continued to do that because he got the appreciation he never received as a child.

This shows a deeper insight to some of the pain Derek may have went through at a younger age which could've caused his life to end sooner than expected by a drug overdose because issues that were obviously not his issues at such a young age somehow became his issues, and he very well could've been the person that bottled things up inside, and then one day it became too much for him to handle.

I think that this phrase really shows a positive, more open side of Boogaard because this far we have seen him mostly portrayed as a very tough, strong person but this shows that there were positive times in his life and was a fun, loving kid like most kids his age.

I think that this can connect back to the subject of Boogaard's drug use, I think it shows how his drug use could've stimulated from both mental and physical pain, the physical of course being the pain from fighting and the mental, this pain he experienced at such a young age which he could've bottled up inside himself and finally dealt with it by his use of drugs.

"Fit" has a double meaning--it means the actual uniform fit him as well as the position of being a professional hockey player (since he was never been able to find his fit academically or with people from school, this was the perfect situation for Boogaard).

I think that this here was a turning point moment in Boogaard's life and emphasizes how Tobin was seen as an important part of his life in such little time.

The author calls "being forgotten" and "viewed as something less than a hockey player" as the same thing. This is to further emphasize the huge importance and influence over Derek's life that hockey has.

Once again, this reiterates the idea of work and play. While Boogaard enjoyed having fun with the sport and bonding with the people on his team, he knew that hockey was his "job" as he writes and he therefore needed to work hard to reach his goals.

The author constantly reiterates the idea of Derek being the opposite of the stereotype. While at first glance Derek might seem like the stereotypical bully with his great height, he is actually a nice, judged-by-the-cover guy who would do anything for his team mates. The last sentence of this paragraph also displays team camaraderie which the author writes above was one of the benefits of playing hockey.

I noticed when the author was referring to a dream earlier on in the article, he was referring to this dream of becoming an NHL player. When the author uses words such as "envisioning," "dream," and "want," he might be trying to contrast what is fantasy with what is reality (in the beginning, he talks about Derek's dream being cut short and adds "as [dreams] usually do."

Boogaard knew exactly what he needed to do in order to excel and that's exaclty what he did. He knew what it took in order to succeed that's how he became the player he wanted to be.

his father and others supported and fueled his aggression.

This shows how important playing hockey was to Boogaard. He had only one goal and not succeeding wasn't apart of his plan. He WOULD play hockey no matter what, and this shows the dedication and love he has for the sport.

There's a lot of irony here because you'd think for someone of Boogaards height and size and with his aggression that he'd be considered the "bully". But truthfully he was only trying to protect the people he cared about from the people that hurt him.

This shows the readers that Boogaard wasn't just born a fighter, when he was younger he was put in boxing lessons in order to teach him how to fight. These boxing lessons were what made him to be a well-rounded hockey player

In this quote I noticed the irony. Normally the bullies are big and large and they don't get picked on. But he was big, large and wasn't a bully but yet still got picked on.

the parents felt guilty about Boogaards struggles in school and made every opportunity available for him in hockey. I feel though this could have helped boost his self esteem it never taught Boogaard self control. Instead, hockey enabled his aggression.

This helps show that his experiences with hockey weren't all bad and aggressive.

This is a big factor that led towards his aggression in his professional career. Always being told he had no place on any team made him feel as if he could easily be replaced causing him to rebel and fight back.

Boogaard fought out of fear. He feared that if he didn't fight there'd be no reason to keep him on the team. He was mainly there for his size and fighting skills but he continued to fight to secure his dream job which shouldn't be necessary in any sport

This helps show the hostility and violence in this sport. For someone that Boogaard has never met to threaten to kill him over a simple game, whether it's a major or minor game, shows how far people are going to win.

This sentence helps set up the sentiment that Boogaard really enjoyed hockey starting out and that once he became a professional hockey player that initial enjoyment subsided and felt more like a obligation.

John Branch shows just how mistreated Boogaard was where not only the students, but also the teachers would show abusive behavior towards him. This helps establish just how difficult it was for Boogaard to fit in growing up and how rough his childhood was. Thanks Hania!

This sentence gives the reader a little chuckle. The audience knows Boogaard as a professional hockey player, but hearing his humble beginnings of scoring in the wrong goal helps show that early on, he played hockey for fun and not because he felt obligated to do and try exceptionally hard.

John Branch bluntly states that Boogaard was 28 when he dead. This mirrors the earlier sentence where he says that Boogaard was 16 when he was being first congratulated by scouts for getting into fights. The simple structure of these sentences make the impact so much stronger. It shoes that his life really started when he was 16 and it all rapidly progressed and led to him dying at a very young age.

To work off of what Nick said, I see the connection. But I also see the connection between work and play. He is standing up for his family, his team. It doesn't matter if its on the ice or not, you stand up for them.

I've noticed that some parts in this article sound like sports talk, especially when they talk about Boogard's the players statistics. I think this makes sense because this was in a newspaper so it kind of has to be straight to the point

So through this whole article, the author stops to tell little anecdotes or use anecdotal evidence to show the softer side of Derek. I think he does this to show the audience both sides of Boogard. He creates emotion through this as well.

The author makes it obvious in this part of the text that as Boogaard's hockey career is falling apart, his life is also falling apart. Some of these problems, like Boogaard's parents divorcing, have nothing to do with hockey. However, all of Boogaard's problems seem to escalate with his belief that his hockey career is over.

I have noticed through out even just the first part of this article, that the author is painting a picture of Boogard. He is making it seem like Boogard was an absolute monster. Then he goes on to call him noble and talk about how he was a shy kid and loved his family.

I can imagine it can be hard to love something so much and not be able to actually do the thing he loves. I just find it sad that he knew that he would be fighting people and getting hurt. I think it relates back to when his mom said that he doesn't really think about the consequences of his decisions.

i agree with @liaya. this surprised me as well, this is a serious threat. to hear something like this from a player you've never met before, puts so much stress and pressure on Derek. it just shows how serious of a sport this really is.

This small detail in the change of the pronunciation of his family name added to the "Boogeyman" persona. The divide between who he was and what the hockey community wanted him to be was growing larger. He might even have been losing a sense of who he was because he was expected to be someone else.

It is ironic that the enforcers "delicately remove" each other's helmets right before they fight each other. This connects to how the fights are almost "choreographed" between the rival enforcers. This irony links to the dual nature of Derek Boogaard- there is a disconnect between the shy, sensitive kid in school and the beast on the ice.

The speaker really gives the audience a aha moment or the "oh snap, i didn't know" when the author talks about the brain.

with this piece, the author gets the audience into the writing and inform them about what type of a player Boogaard was.

The author uses the two varying numbers and, actually, does this before too. I think he does this to show us how little hockey he actually played but how key his role was.

Even though the author says this is a sudden thing, I think it is the direct result of a finally constant and happy home life.

A funny anecdote that I think the author is using to illustrate something more serious. Boogaard thought he NEEDED to be stronger and bigger so he couldn't let this jaw problem interfere with that.

Facsimile - An exact copy of something. At first, I didn't know what that meant it makes sense. Boogaard bonded with his siblings when he was young and had constant dialogue and support from his parents. Now, he doesn't have that.

An interesting sentence. He steps into character LEADING with his fists. His fists are the first part of his character and what society values the most about him.

Again, a failed fight proves to be very detrimental to his hockey career because of how important fighting is in this sport and, in turn, Boogaard's mind.

The author builds this idea repeatedly that Boogard lives and dies by the fight.His fighting is the wya he advances and demotes in hockey. I think this is done because it shows how much value Boogaard placed in fighting.

Boogard knew exactly what he needed to do to elevate in his sport of hockey.

Here I noticed the juxtaposition or even oxymoron of the words "unwritten" and "established". Even though these rules were not written at all they were well known and solidified. I think the author is trying to show the really real nature of a unofficial part of the game of hockey.

Shows the extremes that some fights went to. Grown men were not able to separate these teenage players so they had to shut the lights off. Shocking.

Interesting to think that something about hockey that can get you successfully scouted is your fighting ability.

I really like this line. It is short and simple, and it really shows that there is a sweet, innocent part of him, instead of that fighting, nose breaking guy.

This is extremely relatable. Growing a lot, especially in the case of myself and David Boogaard, can lead to extreme pain when playing sports and can honestly make you dislike the sport for a period of time.

The author is repeatedly bringing up the idea that Boogard had nothing else but hockey and the life that came with it. I think that the author is doing this to show us just how significant hockey was in Boogard's life.

Proves the sheer size of this family if the younger gesticulates sister was on her way to 6'5". The siblings shared an enthusiasm for physicallity that probably was part of the reason Boogaard became such a well known fighter.

Hockey was supposed to provide positive reinforcement for David but that is not what it really did in the end.

This quote shows that there are some really fun, happy times that Boogaard had despite the bad parts of his life.

In this part of the article, I noticed that Branch repeats "It meant" when using repetition, it is to build on an idea. Normally when building on an idea especially in this article, I would have assumed that it was going to be unhappy, or unsettling, knowing how rough his life was. But, I think that Branch uses repetition to show that his life was not all that bad.

I don't know a lot about hockey, but I do happen to know that there is a lot of violence. Although some may say that is is "a part of the game" I still do not think that it should be encouraged or taught at a young age.

In order for Boogaard to be a well rounded hockey player, he needed not only skating lessons, but boxing lessons as well. I think the author provided this information to let the audience know that he was trained and bred to be a fighter on the ice, a source of entertainment.

This is a popular ongoing debate amongst contact sports including hockey and football. How many concussions is too many? When does the brain start showing effects? How does this increase your risk of dementia? Should there be laws or rules on this?

I'm glad the author brought this up because when reading about Boogaard, I kept wondering about his health after so many fights. I immediately thought about his potential for CTE, a disease caused by repeated brain trauma. Symptoms for CTE include impulsive behavior, memory loss, and substance abuse, which was definitely present in his life.

This threatening comment from an unfamiliar player helps show the violent nature of the sport of hockey, even at the young age of 16. It also helps to support and understand the background and the root of his current fighting standards.

I noticed irony here. Usually and stereotypical, the bully is the largest kid and saying that he was bullied because he was the largest person is ironic.

I think the writer is trying to give Boogaard a meaningful personality and backstory that shows he was more than the monstrous fighter we know him as.

I noticed that Branch is using parallelism in this part. I think that he uses, "It meant..." because he wants to show us what effect youth hockey had on his young life and how this background built him into the person he eventually was.

Boogaard and his family were moving all over Canada and the article says that because of this they were outsiders. This makes sense because moving schools and towns can lead to being an outsider. Im wondering how this had an effect on Boogaard's life? My initial thought is that it led him to like gaining popularity in any way possible, even fighting.

I think that this sentence is ironic. The author foreshadows that Boogaard's "dream ended early" which is most likely new information to the reader otherwise the author wouldn't have felt the need to include this. However, the author writes "as it usually does" meaning that the author didn't even need to add this sentence and it was just implied. I'm curious as to whether the author believes that every time something is referred to as a dream it is really an unattainable goal. I'm also wondering why did the author even add this sentence if he also includes "as it usually does?"

The author repeats "he loved" several times in this paragraph to emphasize and highlight how much Derek loved his sport and job, to the point that he actually put his life in danger.

I think that the two words "opportunity and obligation" can refer to the terms of work and play. The author specifically used such diction because he wants to point out that hockey was an opportunity meaning a fun situation, as well as an obligation for Boogaard to complete, given the word choice that the author uses in the previous sentence: "must."

I think it was a smart decision of the author to incorporate a simile: "it always came back, like the flame of a trick candle." Similes are good ways to grab the reader's attention as well as vividly describe how players think their job is done, but it is never really done. This connects sports to someone who doesn't understand hockey or other sports in general so that they can really understand the feeling that is going through Boogaard.

Having this kind of vocabulary in the article, helps influence the reader to know that the writer knows what their talking about.

Its interesting to see how the writer is connecting hockey to animals and not something like another human.

Jiajia and Allyssa Branch created a fearsome persona out of Derek Boogaard by using specific diction. The nickname "Boogeyman," and adjectives like "barbaric" to describe his intimidating stature on the ice. However, he juxtaposes this persona with the quiet Boogaard at school and in his personal life. He was "shy and without many friends" in school and his favorite part of hockey was seeing his parents and spending time with his dad. Branch reveals that there is a very different personality behind the "Boogeyman" in the rink.

Derek has always had to watch his back, be ready for anything and everything bad. He was always targeted, from the hockey player that threatened to kill him, to the kids in school always picking on him. This shows why he was always stressed and pushed to the limits.

3 goals in 6 seasons with 589 penalty minutes? The author places these numbers which vary drastically next to each other to emphasize something

He kept it all in, is that what lead to the overdose?

Probably because of all the concussions and finding out the reason behind his "rage" that was really not there based on the next few paragraphs.

As we know, he was very stressed over the fighting because he knew that being the big bad guy was all that he had. He had so much pressure to keep this persona up that he turned to drugs. Also, I know that I would have stress if you were up against all these amazing players and the only reason you were there was because of your mean right hook. Trying to keep up with them must of been hard.

WOW, he wasn't even a good player. Only 3 goals that is terrible and yet he gets payed that much money. Its the name that cost that much.

This is what he was taught. When you are being congratulated for breaking a kids nose you are gonna keep that with you and view that as an acceptable form of dealing with confrontation on the rink.

This threat is probably why the author started off by saying he was scared. Boogard is 6'7" so to be confronted and threatened by someone even bigger would be. It also shows the nature of how physical hockey is. Everyone is always pushing each other and it can get easily out of hand in the heat of the moment, but it really is just apart of the game.

He was probably scared because he saw a big guy on the other team. I can relate when looking at stats and seeing a player in my position taller than me.

In a different article I read, he thought of fighting as a part of the job, since all the fans and teammates encourage it and feed of of it.

From knowledge of hockey I know that Boogard was known for his fighting and powerful punches. He was always spoken about being a big strong scary dude, but the author started by saying that he was scared which was a new word to describe him which would draw the reader in since you want to know how this man could be scared since people are usually scared of him.

The author juxtaposes Boogaard's intimidating height with his "round, cherub face." Even though he was extremely tall and big for his age, he was still a child. When he started fighting at 16, he was as big as an adult, but he still had the mind of a teenager.

Branch includes a literary allusion to Gulliver's Travels, which likens Ryan's "posse of friends" to the tiny Lilliputians taking on the relatively massive Gulliver.

Branch uses parallel structure in these sentences- they all start with "It meant." The parallel structure creates cohesive image of Boogaard's experience with hockey. The details of the postgame meal and the light of the garage are incredibly personal and creates the atmosphere of warmth that hockey brought to Boogaard at that time.

This really shows that the game of Hockey was never truly played. They basically went out on the ice to fight. This confuses me as the author never really mentions why they fight or the purpose of these violent acts. Were people upset not getting what they payed for? Or was this something they expected and wanted to happen? These were all questions that arrised when reading through this article.

At first, I was confused on why they removed his brain for examination but when reading on, I was able to create an inference. I think that they wanted to remove his brain to understand why he didn't acknowledge the pain and the toll that was occurring. I think that Boogaard was blocking this pain with motivation and the idea of achieving a goal regardless of the consequences. This shows that Boogaard is divergent and different from other people.

This sentence portrays Boogaard as an essential role on the team. It lead me to the assumption that Boogaard was like a knight on the team. Since he was seen as "noble" and "barbaric", he was expected to protect the team. I think that Boogard's ability to fight far outweighed his skills on the ice which shows his significance on the team.

This connects back to the idea of opportunity and obligation because there could've been plenty more opportunities for Boogaard to thrive, and share his talent and skills, but he ended up sacrificing that by sacrificing his health because of the money, and fame that he could get by continuing to take the pain and not acknowledging the toll that fighting was taking on his body.

For me this statement implies that Boogaard continued to fight and do what he did because there was possibly a doubt in his mind that he wasn't going to get a successful hockey career due to the fact that his skills may not have been that good, or that there just may have been people who were better than them, so he felt that if he continued to do what he did he would continue to get paid and have a spot on the team.

It's said that the overdose was accidental which it could or couldn't have been, however I think that there may have been some correlation between the pressure/stress he could've been under from fighting/playing which ultimately could've played a role in his death.

I think that this statement connects back to one of the first statements made in this article which was about opportunity and obligation which shows how in this specific instance Boogaard had the opportunity to become a great hockey player for his skill, abilities to play, or even work well with others, whatever the case may be, however he may have felt obligated to continue to be recognized for his fighting capabilities because that's what people expected/wanted from him, and it could've even been the idea of fear coming back as to what people would or wouldn't have thought of him if he didn't continue to fight during hockey games.

I think that this statement is supposed to be a subtle way of showing or implying what's going to happen in the future, however I was thrown off by the statement saying "and no one had to tell him."

I find it weird how this one job that most people would feel is so minimal and has no large impact is so controversial in its description and role being played in hockey.

It's not unusual for people to have fear especially in a situation like this, the language that's used in this small paragraph like "flame of a trick candle" makes me think that the author isn't just trying to refer to the fear that may come back to Boogaard, but he could also be referring to the flame that has been ignited by him engaging in that fight the flame being the more fights he has to follow, the questions he has to answer by doing that, and possibly his own inner feelings, whatever, those may be, of living with what he did whether that be pride, regret, whatever he still has to live with those inner feelings.

I think that these two statements set the tone for this piece, by saying something that relates to the topic of hockey and fighting, but also something that relates to everyday life. I think this because with a lot of decisions people make in life it''s often an inner battle with yourself of do I do what I have the passion to do, or do I do what's the responsible choice. So I think that this shows in this specific moment both of those things collided which would allow him to fight.

This overdose, could have been accidental, but it could have not. Later in the article it states that he did indeed have addictions, but we will never know. Did the stress of his position and role while playing the sport of hockey get to him. His role in the sport, also would have caused damaged to his brain. Constant fighting, in every game he plays.

This statement, represents the other aspects of hockey that were important to the team at the time. For real though, 3 goals with 589 minutes in penalties over 6 seasons? And a contract that pays 1.6 million a year, just shows the "worth" of his playing time.

This piece stuck out to me the most by saying that so many athletes have died from C.T.E. over the years by just doing their job. This is their job, and there is nothing for anyone to do to prevent this from happening again and again.

It is sad to see that such a legend in hockey is having to be cut up and placed in to a 'deli-style refridgerator'. I have to agree with jia-jia by saying why do they refer to the fride as a 'deli-style'. Boogaard was not an ordinary player or person and having him placed next to dozens of other brains is kinda insensitive.

Seriously? Why would Boogaard's brother do exactly what killed his brother?

Branch says this many times as he is trying to signal that He thinks that the NHL is hiding things because they messed up really bad and let down Boogaard and his family.

This is huge. The people who start the fights, the enforcers, are fighting less. This is because they know how deadly it is. This is exactly why Branch included this little side note.

I don't think it's too complicated rather they play hand in hand. As Boogaard took hits he developed CTE and along with the bruises to his body he took medication that destroyed his vulnerable (because of the CTE) mine.

Obviously, why would they admit hockey links to CTE because then they would just have less players and fans and go out of business. Sports is a business too.

If you knew this would happen why would you leave your son alone? I don't know why Branch would include this because honestly it just made me question why the dad wasn't taking better care of his clearly sick son.

Boogaard puts on a persona and goes out with his friends at night. In reality, he is miserable and has a detoriating brain. Branch keeps binging up his condition to show us how bad it was at this time of his life.

It is super important to have a support circle through tough times like this and his circle was not even on the same page as him.

This is his father's attempt to try and reel him back in. Boogaard isn't the same as he once was and his father knows that.

Branch, yet again, uses specific numbers and this time I think he does it to emphasize Boogaard's loneliness and how much of a social toll this has taken on him

Just reading through things like this is crazy to me. In high school sports if you get a concussions you're most likely gonna be gone for 1-2 months. Boogaard was almost back right away. I know that enforcers would hide concussions but is it really worth it man?

The league doesn't want to end the fighting because this is what keeps fans coming back to games. This is what excites them. If they ended the fights all together there would be less and less people that went to the games. They feel that they would rather have injuries than not have money.

As his brain deteriorated, his sense of judgment did too.

You can connect what happened to Boogaard ten years ago to the opioid epidemic that America is currently experiencing. At this time, people could do stuff like this but, today, most doctors avoid opioid use as much as possible and are taught more holistic methods.

It seems like all of Boogaard's actions, even when he was a young enforcer, are motivated by fear and worry. He is always worried about making it to the next level or scared to get moved down a level. However, is it a sport at that point if every action is out of fear?

This issues behind enforcers in hockey, tragically, has become much bigger than hockey itself and then lives. Branch gets the reader thinking about the passing of time, "One month. Two,. Three.", then he suddenly brings in the sad news of two other deaths. Branch has used numbers to emphasize things before and I think he does it again here to show how deadly this really is.

Branch compares Boogaard's brain to food in this paragraph. I am confused as to why he is doing this and what it is supposed to tell us. In this paragraph he also describes the dead brain.

There were regulations put on fighting, but not enough to stop the serious injuries/fights.

Always from the beginning Derek has been scared. Scared of himself, fighting, loneliness, and scared of disappointing his friends and family. His parents won't let Derek just be by himself they know he has to be around people.

Imagery is used here. It gives us, as readers, details of what was in the room with him.

This one word is really descriptive on its own. Just thinking of it, I can imagine exactly what he's feeling like.

The simplicity of the sentence really stands out. It helps make the point of "hey, something feels different here."

Its scary to see what drugs and alcohol can do. Boogaard had a long life of drugs but when he combined drugs with alcohol it ended it.

His condition is so bad that he can't even help himself or trust himself. Why was no one doing anything? His dad obviously knew there was a problem.

The toughness and intimidation that Boogaard has just brings in more money for the team. This shows that teams will just choose money and fame over the integrity of the players lives and their health.

In all three parts of this article the author continues to say something like this. How Derek had little chance of playing in the NHL. Im not sure why it is constantly reiterated but I think it could mean that his career has little chance of continuing.

The people around Boogaard are concerned and there to help but Boogaard doesn't even recognize the issue. He is oblivious to the outside world at this time. He is not trying to ignore people, but his condition is causing him to not see the real world.

This sentence is set off from the rest of the paragraph, drawing attention to it. It is surprising that his video didn't include any of his fights, since that was his main job as an enforcer. The author specifically highlights this detail to scrutinize why the Wild may have made that decision. Is it because they know, even if they won't admit it, that constant fighting may have been a factor in his decline and death?

This quote summarizes what the author believes the NHL is doing. They put profit above the health and safety of the players. Bettman, an NHL commissioner, claims that many fans would want the fights to continue, implying that getting rid of fighting would probably hurt viewership.

"Mileage" is typically used to describe how used/old a car is. Using this word to describe Boogaard's body gives the impression that he was just treated as a player, a guy there to do his job. The NHL saw him much like they viewed a car- good while it can do the job, but once the mileage gets high and things start breaking down, it is easily replaced with a new car. Boogaard often felt insecure about his position and standing in the team, as it was made clear that he was replaceable.

Branch provides a vivid description of Boogaard's disembodied brain and the processes applied to it. Details from the weight of the brain to the way the doctor cut the brain were included. The language is scientific and surgical, and the style deviates from the "sports writing" style used in the rest of the piece. Furthermore, the author uses slightly disturbing food references, such as comparing the width of the slices of brain to "the width of sandwich bread." He also describes the brain refrigerators as "deli-style." I'm not sure why the author describes it that way.

This part stood out to me because it shows the impact Derek had on his younger brother, Aaron. Derek's legacy, despite it being sad and a good warning for future hockey players, had Aaron follow into his footsteps anyway. Aaron made no other plans for his future besides hockey just like Derek did in Derek Boogaard: A Boy Learns to Brawl. The use of the words, "no plan B" is what immediately jogs the reader's memory back to Derek's situation. In the first article, it said, “He didn’t have a Plan B,” Len Boogaard said. “Plan A was to play hockey. There was no backup plan.” And now Aaron is dealing with the same thing, serving as a reminder of how Derek died so early (or part of why). This make the reader assume that Aaron could possibly meet the same fate because he is doing the same thing Derek did.