Each day during the sports pause stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, NESN.com will publish a diary full of random thoughts, opinions, takeaways, and other cool tidbits we’ve stumbled across in the absence of actual games. Because why not? We’re all in this together.
If you never heard of Brendan Leipsic, chances are that changed Wednesday.
Leipsic plays for the Washington Capitals — his fifth team in his *checks notes* five seasons in the NHL. There’s always questions about why someone may bounce around from team to team, especially someone who’s only 25 years old.
But Wednesday may have shed a bit of light as to why he has issues finding a team to call home.
Screenshots were leaked of private Instagram messages that involved Leipsic. And his comments were quite disgusting.
A Twitter account leaked all 55 screenshots of the messages (just a warning, some include NSFW language on top of everything else) that included Leipsic making sexist, misogynistic and downright hateful comments. These comments stemmed from disparaging former and current teammates and making comments about women’s appearances, mainly their weight.
Leipsic, naturally, issued an apology claiming his account was hacked and the messages were leaked. He also claimed he would be “committed to becoming a better person.”
— brendan leipsic (@19LEIP) May 6, 2020
But here’s the thing: he’s 25 years old. He’s not a teenager, he’s not some young kid who has a Twitter account. This is a grown man knowing exactly what he is saying, knowing exactly what he is doing but thinks it’s just fine because it’s just a DM group chat with the boys.
It’s disgusting, particularly his comments toward women and their appearance.
Not one of those women he criticized were put on this earth to be “beautiful” by Leipsic’s standards. Not one of them were put on this earth to be ridiculed privately for anything about their appearance. These women — all of them — are beautiful and confidently posting pictures they feel beautiful and confident in. If they see those messages (and I’m sure they will), who knows how it will affect their self-esteem.
Hopefully, it won’t, but words hurt. And social media has destroyed people’s perceptions of what and who is beautiful, what women should and should not wear, etc. Let them be.
Someone’s weight does not now, nor does it ever, define who they truly are. Comments like the ones made can lead to so much negativity, body issues and struggles about their image. It’s not right. Let women be confident in who they are and stop being so small-minded to think that because she isn’t stick-thin she isn’t attractive. The only person who isn’t attractive is one who truly thinks that someone’s weight defines their beauty.
Women don’t post pictures on Instagram to be sent to a group chat full of boys to be torn apart for whatever reason they can think of. Why don’t you just go and send it to her directly? Or post it in the comments?
Right. Because it’s easier to be a coward and do it privately.
Also, ragging on Connor McDavid’d girlfriend’s legs? Really? Are you that lonely?
I doubt Leipsic would want anyone speaking the way he was about any woman in his life who he is close with. How would/will his mom feel if/when she sees these? Or his sister? Yikes.
It’s 2020. Why are we still doing this? How hard is it to be a decent human being and respect people?
Anyway, here are some other notes from another Wednesday without sports:
— Could there baseball in July?
Former Major League Baseball player Trevor Plouffe tweeted he heard “spring training 2.0” was set for around June 10, with Opening Day coming July 1. The theory quickly was refuted but resurfaced again Wednesday via The New York Post’s Joel Sherman.
MLB reportedly is expected “to present to the Players Association a proposal that will include what is currently the most optimistic hope: What would a season look like if spring training 2.0 began in June and the regular season in July?,” according to The New York Post’s Joel Sherman.
Of course, having baseball back would be amazing. As long as it’s safe for all involved and the players agree to the terms of what the restrictions could be, I’m all in.
— The 50th anniversary of Bobby Orr’s famous Mother’s Day goal is coming up Sunday.
I wasn’t alive in 1970, but hearing stories about that goal from family, watching the video and listening to people like Derek Sanderson and Johnny Bucyk recount the stories from that day really makes me feel as if I was in attendance that night.
Last year, I covered the Boston Bruins’ Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes and Orr served as the banner captain. The game fell on Mother’s Day, so of course, it only was appropriate the legend would wave the flag.
Bobby Orr and John Dunleavy getting the @NHLBruins fans goin' for Game 2 at @tdgarden! pic.twitter.com/euSRhitygA
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 12, 2019
Dang, do I miss hockey.
— The NBA reportedly told its 30 teams that practice facilities can open with restrictions, as long as the state has loosened its stay-at-home advisories and what can and cannot be open.
Massachusetts is under a stay-at-home advisory until May 18, so the Boston Celtics won’t be heading to Auerbach Center on Friday. This potentially could lead to some teams gaining a competitive advantage, but that’s a bridge that will be crossed when we get to it.
But hey, this is a good first step.
— And in case you forgot, the NFL schedule will be released for the 2020 season Thursday. For now, it’s still slated to kick off in September.
