Saturday, November 29, 2008

No law against being repugnant

Acquitted: Abusive ex-hockey coach of teen teams known for their 2-fisted drinking and 3-way sex
November 29, 2008
by Rosie Dimanno, Columnist
NAPANEE–He wore untucked fat-man shirts to court that failed to conceal the sagging paunch of a beer gut.
His hair is a modified mullet, the face slack and jowly.
Some days, he appeared greasy enough to slide off his chair.
And he's got an anatomical abnormality that, mercifully, was never entered as a photographic exhibit – a plum-sized blood sac resembling a third testicle.
But little is actually known about who David Frost is today – apart from innocent of sexual exploitation, acquitted across the board. Frost: 4, Crown: 0.
Does he even have a job, this evermore hockey pariah, decertified as an agent, stripped of coaching credentials, barred from rinks in various leagues, though often spotted? And whence the money for the sharp cookie lady defence lawyer, who so devastatingly deked a brace of accusatory witnesses out of their Jill-straps?
Court never heard. Frost never spoke.
Except yesterday of course, expletive-short, after long-winded Justice Geoffrey Griffin finally got around to the punch-line of his not-guilty verdict and abruptly left the room in a swish of judicial robes.
"Scumball!" a spectator – sibling to one of the aforementioned witnesses – hissed at Frost. "That's for my sister."
Upon which the cleared defendant turned, faced the female and spat back: "Go f--- yourself."
Now that's the Frost most people know, defiant and crude, ego wider than his girth; not the accused who sat so quietly through weeks of trial, endlessly writing notes, rarely lifting his head.
Frost: The coach whose teen teams were known for two-fisted drinking and three-way sex.
Frost: The agent targeted by one of his own NHL clients in a loony murder-for-hire plot.
Frost: The bench boss who brutalized his players, verbally and physically – there's no disputing this – slugging one of them in the face during a playoff game, pleading guilty to assault and receiving a conditional discharge.
So, a creep and a bully and a repugnant human being. But there's no law against that.
Frost walked out of court an innocent if disgraced man: Not guilty of perverting the trust of teenage boys as a person of authority in their lives, not guilty of inappropriately, directly or indirectly, touching their splendid young bodies, thus not guilty of coerced and sordid two-on-one sex involving the youths and their girlfriends.
While stating his decision wasn't simply a matter of accepting one package of evidence over another, Griffin clearly did not believe the testimony of two ex-girlfriends recalling events more than a decade after the Season of Frost, in nearby Deseronto.
Or, more accurately put, Griffin disbelieved the women more than he disbelieved the heated denials of three-way sex by a one-two combo of Frost's former player protégés.
Frost may have been "loud, vulgar, offensive, very aggressive ... abusive and intimidating'' in his coaching style, said Griffin. "But I am not prepared to conclude the level of control was as extreme and pervasive as the Crown would have me believe."
Griffin also smacked around the prosecution – led by assistant Crown attorney Sandy Tse – for failing to convince him on the crux of the case. The judge expressed amazement the Crown hadn't called players' parents, sports psychologists and police investigators, or subpoena cellphone records.
Even minus all that, the trial did expose a seamy underbelly to Canada's beloved national game, at least at the junior level, more specifically in Frost World, where females were routinely debased and males subjected to traumatizing abuse. It was an ugly environment.
"He's really relieved," said defence lawyer Marie Henein, speaking on behalf of her client. "It's been going on for four years. He has a lovely wife, lovely children and everything's been very difficult, just going out and about in town, sending their children to a regular school."
The Crown found itself in the awkward position of not only prosecuting the named defendant but needing to crush the credibility of the two "complainants'' at the heart of their case.
Now both 28, these former hockey players took the stand – in one of those courtroom gasp moments, and this trial had many – as witnesses for the defence, flatly denying sexual exploitation and three-way shags with their coach/mentor.
In coming to the testimonial rescue of a man they once feared and revered, the one-time junior stars methodically contradicted the evidence of friends, lovers, teammates, even their own previously sworn statements to police.
The four sexual exploitation charges related to alleged incidents dating back to the late 1990s, when Frost appropriated the coaching job on a rogue league junior team in Deseronto, the Quinte Hawks.
Teenage girls, some at least, were clearly giddy over the young stud players arriving in their dull hamlet and pursued them as boyfriends.
Two of these girls, now women in their late 20s, testified they'd reluctantly agreed to threesomes with their boyfriends and Frost.
Under cross-examination, one of the women admitted she'd never noticed Frost's blood sac, despite all the three-way sex she'd described.
Her ex disputed any sex with Frost had taken place, or that he'd ever touched the coach's penis, under any circumstances. There had been, he readily acknowledged, two-on-one sex, but only involving same-age teammates, with Jennifer more than a willing party.
These consensual threesomes, the player testified, included two specific teammates, one of whom was Mike Danton – then still using his family surname of Jefferson – the former St. Louis Blue currently serving a seven-year sentence in the U.S. for trying to hire a hit man to kill Frost, his then-agent.
The other key female witness, Kristy, recalled two alleged incidents of three-way sex with Frost.
Henein told court none of these sexual follies ever occurred, suggesting the women had colluded in a plot after the Crown dropped charges of sexual exploitation against them.
Technically, the "complainants" were the players – their identities protected by a publication ban – alleged by the prosecution to have been under thrall to and sexually exploited by Frost. But the players never actually complained to authorities and, driving a stake into the Crown's case, exculpated Frost of all allegations against him.
Frost will be back in court in a few weeks. He's been charged with fraud and impersonation for using Danton's credit card to buy gas.
-30-
The above column is from The Star.
Rosie seldom minces words.

Friday, November 28, 2008

That David Frost got acquitted is a travesty.
It's not the judge's fault.
Two of the players must have lied on the stand, saying that Frost never was in any of the "group sex" events.
The two former team members changed their testimony from their previously signed, sworn statements to police.
That the events happened is not in doubt. Those who have followed the sordid story of this man and his stranglehold on the players on his team, knows full well that these events did happen.
Now, the two women who described the "group sex" events will become the victims.
Just watch the media go after them.
Let's hope that some of the reputable journalists (probably women) who have space in mainstream newspapers write about this, and how the two former players changed their stories, making it look as if the women made it up.
If you follow Junior Hockey in Canada, you know that it is an unhealthy place for young people. No male who wants a career in professional hockey should have to go through what they have to go through to get there.
Just look for the dark side of Junior Hockey, and you'll find it.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Coach Patrick Roy

Patrick Roy, a coach in Major Junior hockey in Canada is an embarassment to the coaching profession.

Recently his second son was suspended for 15 games for deliberately checking an opponent in the face, after the whistle.

The Globe and Mail remarks in an editorial that "sportsmanship is not his long suit." This is a lukewarm condemnation of Roy's sense of fair play and what sport is all about. The Globe is hedging its remarks when it should adamently say that this behaviour is unacceptable.

The coach is responsible for his/her athletes' behaviour. If the coach stands by and watches this sort of stuff, as Roy did, he is negligent in his coaching responsibilities. No one would say that Roy was an angel when he played the game, so no one should expect hism to be a shining example of a coach.

The league should act. Patrick Roy as a coach should be disciplined as his son was.

Let's hope that coaches weigh in on this, to let Canadians know that this sort of violence is not acceptable. It's not sport. If the athlete did this outside a downtown bar, he'd be charged.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A Fine Line

The PM is saying that politicians and bureaucrats are going to tighten their belts: no more First Class/Business Class flights, less hospitality, fewer paperclips, less photocopying.....

Maybe politicians should have set an example long ago!

But let's not hamstring the bureaucrats so that they aren't able to do their jobs. In the sport world, effective bureaucrats are essential, and if they are supposed to be "Consultants" to sport organizations, let's make sure they can do that.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Everyone Has Advice

So here's mine, for the PM and the Minister of Finance......
Take two weeks off whatever you are doing.
Every night, turn on CBC Overnight at 1am, and listen till 6am.
Think about what some of the rest of the world is thinking and doing, and their opinions about a whole list of things.
Don't telephone your minions during to day to find out what's going on in Canada and around the world. Just think about what you heard for 5 hours.
What will you learn? You'll hear a whole new perspective on the world. You'll hear how much (or little) other countries comment upon what is happening in Canada. You'll hear what other countries are doing about their financial difficulties, and how they are learning from from each other.
Mostly, you will discover that Canada cannot be an island. We must reach out to other countries on many levels, not the least of which is financial.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Alfred E. Neuman

"What me worry?"

The PM has this look in recent pictures.

HIS salary won't likely change (unless it goes up), and his pension is guaranteed, BUT there are millions of Canadians whose earnings have pretty well dried up.

And I doubt that the leaders at the APEC Summit enjoyed being lectured to by Canada's PM, a "new kid on the block" even if he is reputed to have a degree in economics. If he doesn't, he must have missed the series of lectures on spending money like it is water coming out of a tap.

The Mike Harris Ontario years are being re-visited on Canada.

It's not too early to write Harper's epitaph as PM.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Did he Expect All These Challenges?

Queen's new principal Tom Williams has yet two more challenges on his hands.
It is reported that two senior administrators, David Mitchell and Andrew Simpson, are leaving.

Simpson't resignation is abrupt and immediate, according to reports. Simpson is the person in charge of the extremely-over-budget Queen's Centre. And, when a group of quite prominent sports people in Kingston, named "The Group for Excellence" tried to have input into the contents of the Centre, some but few of our suggestions were entertained. Speaking to him was frustrating, but not nearly as frustrating as speaking to two other senior administrators at Queen's.

Now, eavesdroppers, resignations of senior staff and Aberdeen Street are BIG messes on his plate. Wonder if they will try to re-cycle George Hood.

Lunch on Monday with the Principal will be interesting!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Dealing With Political Incorrectness

Queen's hires people to monitor conversations on campus
November 19, 2008
Students who make politically incorrect comments at Queen’s University can expect a lecture, whether they’re in or out of class, the Canadian Press reports.
The university has hired student facilitators to step in if they overhear students making homophobic or racial slurs, remarks bashing women or other offensive language.
The dean of student affairs at Queen’s says if students are making offensive comments loud enough for others to hear, it’s not a private conversation anymore.
Jason Laker says the facilitators use a respectful, non-confrontational approach.
But Angela Hickman, who edits a campus newspaper, says having such a program could stifle public discussion
---------------taken from The Whig website----------

This is amazing.
On the same day that the Principal "cancels" fall homecoming, the university acknowledges that there are students who are "trained" to help other students see the error of their speech.
The question is: Is this the best way to let people know that they should respect others?
How about parents teaching their children (and setting a good example) that calling people names isn't a positive way to live? When are parents going to teach their children some manners and how to behave?
Sure, people feel stressed, unimportant and lots of other things, but it's time for adults to teach their off-spring how to behave.
It's no wonder we see such dreadful behaviour in the House, and that TV viewers think it is OK to behave like this. It's NOT OK.
It's long past time when our leaders demonstrated civility. Perhaps our students would see that one can be oneself and express an opinion without using labels for people.

And, while we are on this topic, those who are in classrooms will attest to distrespectful behaviour by students. I spoke yesterday with someone recently retired from the classroom. He can recount endless stories of lack of respect and mouthy students. He said he was glad to leave. And these were young people, some of whom will end up at Queen's (and other universities). When he "called" them on this sort of behaviour, on one occasion he was reported to the principal!
I call this "doing what a teacher should be doing."

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Two Events

Everyone knows that a blog is a "public diary." Open for criticism, opinionated, and timely, we hope!

Yesterday, two events rang in this part of the world.
The Commons elected Peter Milliken as Speaker, once again. While doing this, they affirmed the common opinion that MPs in the last parliament behaved poorly, almost all the public time, and intimated that this parliament should see better behaviour.
Well, the ball is in the MPs court. They have to be responsible for their own stuff, and not act like children.
Yes, the Speaker has authority over them, but the House Leaders can insist that their members don't act like badly-behaved children. In comments on one public blog, virtually everyone said that they strongly objected to MPs behaviour in Question Period, and want this changed.
Let's hope that these MPs who are up on their hind legs today, remember down the road what they said.

And, Queen's (of which I am a graduate), decided that the fall Homecoming will be put off for two years, and there will be some kind of spring alum event.
Well, yes, I did express my view to the Principal about Homecoming.
Students won't let the change of date affect their party. They will just pick a weekend (football game, of course) and have the Aberdeen Street party then.
The most galling part of all this, is that since Queen's has washed its hands of the Aberdeen event, taxpayers of Kingston will alone be on the hook for the cost of this party. In 2008, the cost of this party, police, hospitals, emergency staff, etc, was over $320,000. Queen's offered to pay the city about $150,000 toward these costs. Now, we taxpayers will pay the whole thing, and Queen's will be smiling at the bank.
Principal Williams is speaking at a lunch I'm going to on Monday, so it will be interesting to hear his rationale.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Golden time with Wetzel

by Cory Wolfe
The StarPhoenix
Thursday, November 13, 2008

Olympic rowing gold medallist Jake Wetzel speaks Wednesday to grade 9 and 10 students at Aden Bowman Collegiate
"We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And we can stay here, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can fight our way out of hell one inch at a time." -- Canadian rowing coach Mike Spracklen
Olympic rowing champion Jake Wetzel doesn't intend to pick up an oar ever again.
But when he hears the words of his coach Mike Spracklen -- a 71-year-old Brit who "looks like a janitor" but roars like a lion -- Wetzel's competitive juices kick in.
"When I hear that stuff, it's just so hard-wired into you and you never feel like you're not an athlete," said Wetzel, whose Wednesday presentation to Aden Bowman Collegiate students included a video with a rousing speech from Spracklen.
"People can say they're retired and all of that stuff, but (the competitiveness) is still in your head."
The 31-year-old Saskatonian retired from rowing in September after helping the men's eight win gold at the Beijing Olympics.
He's now working toward his doctorate in finance at the University of British Columbia. Wetzel has one year of studies under his belt and another three or four to go.
"When you've been so focused on one goal for so long, you don't think past it," said Wetzel, an Aden Bowman grad. "You use up so much mental energy on what you've been focusing on, so to shift gears and refocus is a real challenge.
"When you're the best in the word at something and then you go into something where you're at the bottom, it's hard on the ego."
In his youth, Wetzel excelled at multiple sports, including fencing, cross-country skiing and cycling. His parents, Kurt and Eva, were both professors who lectured at the University of Saskatchewan, but Wetzel told students Wednesday education wasn't at the top of his priority list during high school.
His interest in education blossomed while he was attending the University of California, Berkeley, on a rowing scholarship. But even now that he's returned to academia, he admits to feeling a little like a rower out of water.
"On the academic side, there's not as much measuring. You don't know where you're at every day -- you don't know if you're winning or losing," said Wetzel.
"When you leave rowing, you lose all of your structure. You have different goals and now I have to figure out for myself how to get there. Before, I had a coach and there was a very clear path laid out. You could tell, on a daily basis, whether you were getting closer or further away."
Wetzel is one of several Saskatchewan Olympians who'll be recognized today during a ceremony at the legislature in Regina. In addition to sharing his experiences with students, Wetzel is also using his profile to lobby for Canadian Athletes Now (CAN).
"It's a great organization that has raised over $6 million to fund athletes directly," he said. "It comes from ordinary Canadians and bypasses the whole sports system to give athletes help when they need it."
To support the CAN Fund, a nationwide telethon is scheduled to be broadcast on Shaw TV this Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saskatchewan time. Hundreds of items are up for auction -- including Wetzel's unisuit, autographed memorabilia from the likes of Henri Richard and a Canadian team jacket from the closing ceremonies in Turin.
Shaw has committed to matching every dollar pledged up to $500,000.
"I think all but two of the (Canadian) athletes that were in Beijing received grants from the fund," said Wetzel. "It's something that's really worth supporting and it really makes a difference, so I hope people will have a look."
cwolfe@sp.canwest.com
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008
-------------------------
Comment: Jake Wetzel grew up on the prairies and became a rowing Olympian.

As Brian Price said last week: set your goals, and go for them.

Among the legacies of the 1989 Jeux Canada Games is a boathouse and a 2000m rowing/canoeing course on the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon. Wetzel is a product of that legacy.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Now There's a Joke

Mr Harper is going to Washington to meet with other world leaders.
He is saying that he will promote open and global action for the financial crisis.
Now, the question: when did Stephen Harper EVER do anything in an open fashion???

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Brian Price at Loyalist

While the Advisory Committee to the Sport Journalism program (on which I serve) was meeting, the Co-ordinator of the program had teed-up an Olympian to speak to students at Loyalist. Well, actually, apparently it was coincidental, as November 10th was the only day that 2004 and 2008 rowing OLYMPIAN BRIAN PRICE was able to give a talk at the college.

I'd never heard Brian speak, so was very interested to hear his perspective on the Olympic Games, as well as many other facets of his life, his involvement in sport, and his role as the cox for the Mens 8s . Having been involved in the Olympic Movement for almost 15 years, I am interested in the athletes, for whom the Games are intended. The road to an Olympics is a long expensive road; it takes years to get there, and few actually make it.

As I sat there with my notebook, I was surprised that there were so few students present to hear him speak. No, he's not one of the "big name" Olympians, and his physical stature (essential for his position!) would never make him stand out in a crowd.

Students from the BJ program as well as Sports Journalism programs had been told that he would be on campus to speak. One would think that every breathing, interested student in BOTH those programs would have gone to hear him speak. But no, there were few students in Alumni Hall when he started to speak, and fewer when he finished. Perhaps 25 people were there when he was introduced.

Price spoke about his role as a cox, the team's approach to the Olympic village, their routine in the months leading up to the Games, distractions, the future. Toward the end of his talk, a few questions were asked from the audience, particularly about his future as an elite rower. He is 32, he said, and London is 4 years away. That is a long time, he has a child, and he would have to live in Victoria where the rowing team is centralized.

I loved his "It's fun to beat people" comment. So true. It's more fun to win than lose. Somehow, we can't get this idea in balance in this country, but that's another story.

There was a planned "media scrum" after the talk, so that students in the two programs could participate in one of the most common aspects of journalism. But, by my count, there were 4 scholars in the scrum: two had tape recorders, one female seemed to be with radio, and one seemed to be with print. But it was hard to really tell from my location. The point is that as a media "scrum' it sure was a bomb. Four questionners? Ridiculous, considering that Price would have appealed to two Loyalist programs, having 45 students or more???

In retrospect, it would have been interesting to participate in it. One of the things that would have been interesting to hear his views on, is "Money for Medals" that media so often spoke of when in November 2007, the COC rolled out its plan to give money to Canadian medallists.

Giving money to medallists is the most significant turn-on-position that the COC has done since it introduced its unpopular (but executed) Team Selection Criteria of 'top 16' in the early 1990s. Debate on money for medals inside the COC was heated, but in the end, those who acknowledged the time and finances that it takes to get to the Olympics, and then to be in the top three in the world, prevailed. Finally, Canadian athletes would be rewarded as Spanish and American Olympians would be.

No one should think that $20,000 to a gold medallist will cover the cost of living and training and competing in this day and age.

The COC reportedly handed out $515.000 in Toronto on October 11, 2008. Some medallists were present to receive their cheques; of the 34 athletes who were to get cheques, just over 20 were there.

Only the Toronto Sun reported on the smiling faces of our Bejing medalists. It also reported on the pending visit of Canada Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada).
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/alison_korn/2008/10/10/7037681-sun.html
(As an aside, the reporter who ran with this story, including the tax aspect, is herself an Olympian, 1996 & 2000)

So it would have been interesting to har Price's perspective on his "windfall." With a family, training expenses, competition (including travel) expenses, and no job Price's viewpoint would have been pretty typical of a Canadian Olympian.

Let's hope that the few students who took advantage of the opportunity to meet and interview an Olympian, appreciated that what they had won't be repeated often in their lives. Even if they think it will.

If there IS a next time, they will have to create it, and given their apparent attitude on Monday, don't bet your house on it.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Loyalist College, Belleville: Sports Journalism Program

The Sports Journalism program at Loyalist in Belleville is well into its first year, and from accounts of the students in the program, is a great success.
At a meeting yesterday of the Advisory Committee, we heard from the student representative Darren Matte as well as faculty involved in delivering the program.
Our day started with an informal meeting with the eleven students in the program, and ended with a meeting of the Advisory Committee, faculty and senior administrators of the College.

More later, but......this is a program well worth consideration by people who are keenly interested in sports and journalism, both written and broadcast.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Kingston's waterfront is a jewel in the rough

Blue-Ribbon Panel
By DIANA DAVIS DUERKOP

The waterfront is Kingston's premier recreational resource. It offers opportunity to get outdoors, to be active, to celebrate nature and to enjoy our natural advantage.
But Kingston needs a waterfront that is accessible to everyone, not just a few people, from Collins Bay to Ravensview. Accessible means that people can get to the shore via public walkways. They can ride bicycles on the pathway. Persons with disabilities can manoeuvre their wheelchairs easily, and people can actually use the shoreline and water. There is no shortage of ideas; just ask your family members and neighbours how they imagine the waterfront.
Kingston's waterfront pathway should be widened to offer separate cycling and walking lanes. The gaps in the trail need to be eliminated. The trail should have consistent pavement, signage and other markings along its entire length from west to east. The waterfront needs picnic tables, little fireboxes
to cook hot dogs, bathrooms and emergency communication in case assistance is needed.
Citizens and tourists should be able to visit marinas, walk on the docks and view the harbour from a boardwalk constructed on the breakwater at Flora MacDonald Basin. Private developers must no longer be able to build on the precious little bit of land left beside the water that has not been developed.
Make swimming in Lake Ontario and the western end of the St. Lawrence River a priority. Easyaccess beaches, ladders at docks and life-saving gear would encourage use. Put a couple of rafts out at Richardson Beach, restore the bathhouse, open a canteen and look for the swimmers. Open-water swimming is a natural for this area, so Kingston should have lots of athletes trying to qualify for the long-distance 10-kilometre events at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Continued After Advertisement Below
Advertisement

Hang-gliding and sailboarding are naturals for Kingston's waterfront. Provide suitable facilities at the PUC docks, where hang-gliding now takes place. There has been rowing in the Kingston area for almost 170 years. The Cataraqui river is perfect for rowing and canoeing (especially the competitive kind). A long competition course and new, attractive easy-to-access facilities, launching ramps and parking would draw more people to that part of the waterfront, and offer more "on water'" activities. This part of the waterfront is ideal for rowing and Olympic-style canoeing.
Recreational canoeing and kayaking are quite inexpensive activities, but there's no place to launch easily. Launch sites at West Street and at the rowing club are slippery and not planned for getting underway in one's canoe or kayak. As well, those sites aren't designed for trailering a small boat with an outboard motor or a Laser with a mast and gear. Besides, where do you park your trailer while you're out on the water?
The waterfront trail needs to be opened up from Collins Bay to the Woolen Mill, and along the shore to Ravensview. Post historical information all along the trail, as well as information about flora and fauna. There are many varieties of flowers, weeds and trees to see; wildlife is common. Walking tours with this sort of information available in windproof and waterproof boxes could be provided, and would be very popular.
Kingston's waterfront needs a champion. It needs someone or some group willing and able to go to bat for the waterfront, remove obstacles that are in the way and keep a citizen-focused vision in front of everyone. The waterfront champion needs to engage the municipality, province, federal government and citizens. Everyone in Kingston has opinions about the waterfront, and most of us yearn for the day when we can boast about our greatest treasure.
Our waterfront champion will empower us to take pride in what has been referred to as "the crown jewel of Kingston," will advocate for the waterfront and will enable us to find the means to do what Kingstonians wish for. Together we must do everything we can to develop this opportunity. It's long overdue.
-30-

* Diana Davis Duerkop is a former vice-president of the Canadian Olympic Committee and former president of Synchro Canada. She oversaw development of the rowing/canoeing course and river-edge boathouse for the 1989 Jeux Canada Games in Saskatoon. She has an extensive involvement in recreation, particularly swimming and boating, and is a waterfront enthusiast.
Article ID# 1279959

from The kingston Whig Standard, October 31, 2008.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Bishop Dolegiewicz Dies

Shot putter admitted his steroid use
Dolegiewicz, 55, died this week in Utah
Oct 31, 2008 04:30 AM

by Randy Starkman SPORTS REPORTER (The Star)

Canadian shot putter Bishop Dolegiewicz, a three-time Olympian who had a larger-than-life personality to match his mountainous physique, died Tuesday night in his sleep at the age of 55.
Dolegiewicz, a Toronto native who starred at Parkdale Collegiate, won two gold medals at the Pan Am Games, two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and 13 medals at Canadian championships. He was 11th at the 1984 L.A. Olympics and fourth in 1980 in a world's strongest man contest.
He was later stripped of his Canadian shot put record after admitting during the Dubin Inquiry to using steroids for more than a decade.
Dolegiewicz, who had success as a coach at Southern Utah University, was suffering from cardio and circulation problems. He died in Lehi, Utah, leaving behind his wife Anna, 30, a thrower he coached.
Former teammate Bruce Pirnie said Dolegiewicz's testimony at the Dubin Inquiry, where he also admitted to supplying steroids to athletes, cost him his coaching job at the University of Saskatchewan and took a toll on his health. Justice Charles Dubin also died this week.
"It's definitely (a coincidence) that Bish and Justice Dubin should pass away at the same time," said Pirnie, adding that Dolegiewicz had a positive coaching legacy in Canada. "Saskatchewan still sees the benefit of Bish's imprint. They turn out more throwers than anyone in the country."
Former Canadian discus champ Rob Gray was saddened by the news. "Whatever you say about the guy, he was a great competitor, a mountain of a man and a great athlete," said Gray, who also admitted to steroid use. "He was a big, strong guy because he worked his butt off and showed us how hard you had to work to get to the next level. It's hard to call him a role model, but he was in some ways."
Dolegiewicz told the inquiry he regretted using steroids because of the toll it had on his mind and body and that as a coach he strongly warned athletes against them.
"I give people the examples of individuals that I have known that have gotten sick from the use of steroids and I try to come across and give the kids the message, `Look, you're going to pay the price at some point in time,'" Dolegiewicz said during his testimony.
Pirnie said he had been pondering whether steroids had a role in Dolegiewicz's health issues. "I would be very surprised if there wasn't a connection," he said.
Gray said, "I suspect it has got a lot more to do with that he was a 6-foot-6, 330-pound man who was probably overweight."

-30-


THE BIG ONE
Terrible headline as his claim to fame was that he was the greatest thrower in Canadian history. We called him the "Big One" as he was the biggest and strongest of us all. Athletics Canada wiped out his career achievements for telling the truth at the Dubin inquiry (funny how all the liars at the inquiry and those who avoided testifying still have their tainted performances recognized). I can't believe that Athletics Canada has already taken down their announcement of his passing -possibly as a result of the Star headline ? Athletics Canada should reinstate his performances instead of pretending he didn't exist like they are doing again. He will live on in my memories always as a mentor,friend,training partner and teamate. He was a great man who accomplished a great deal and I would hope that his memory shouldn't be tarnished by the fact that he admitted to doing what everyone was and is still doing to reach the highest levels of sport. Rob Gray
Posted By Rob Gray at 4:47 PM Friday, October 31 2008
---------
I remember Bish
As someone who did look upon Bishop as a role model being a young thrower in the 70's with a modicum of success in the 80's I am saddened at the loss of an old friend, former room mate and training partner. Despite any admissions of errors by Bish I will always recall the gentle giant who helped me along, the hours spent working out in California as the sun went down, bbq's in Dallas, the friend and role model. Shame on anyone who has hind sight sanctimonius judgement, look in the mirror. My condolences to his wife and family.
Posted By jharkness at 11:08 AM Friday, October 31 2008

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Dolegieweicz admitted his drug use and if the pictures on the internet are recent, it seems that he continued to use them.
Bishop played a large part in speedying the evolution of throwing events in Canada, and deserves to be remembered.

The story of this death was posted on www.athletics .ca the website of Canadian Track and Field. It was taken down. That's unfortunate. Bishop, like Ben, is a recognized figure, and he lived his life in this country. Both men, although acknowledged drug users, lived and deserve to be recognized. To ignore Bishop's death is pretending it never happened.