|
|||
|
Steve MaichPublisher and Editor-in-Chief The ghosts of HC Lokomotiv We elevate stars of the game to mythical status. It takes a tragedy to remind us of all we have in common with them. This is the sixth regular issue of Sportsnet magazine, and in just a few months we have produced several exclusive stories of which we are very proud. But in this issue, we present a piece that is special to all of us here at the magazine. It’s a story we felt needed to be told, but wouldn’t normally make the lineup of the daily newspapers and the torrent of online breaking news. We sent senior writer Brett Popplewell to Russia last month to report on the crash of flight RA-42434, which killed 44 of the 45 people aboard, including the team and coaching staff of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League. We wanted to tell the story for a simple reason. We knew from experience that after the initial rush of stories and tributes to the fallen coaches and players, many of whom were former NHLers with links to Canada, attention would naturally wane. Those who continued to pay attention would rightly focus on the question of “why?” Russian government officials would produce a report on the cause of the crash, and soon after, the Railway Men of Yaroslavl would fade from public consciousness, to be quietly grieved only by friends, family, and a clutch of diehard admirers. That report was released last month, and not surprisingly, the verdict was human error. The pilots were deemed responsible, but they died in the accident, so there are real questions surrounding the causes of this tragedy that will likely never be answered. Was the plane properly maintained? Were safety standards ignored? Did the experienced pilots really make a string of inexplicable errors?
Amid the search for responsibility, it’s easy to forget everyone who was left behind. We wanted to provide a permanent remembrance of the emotional shockwaves that emanate from such a disaster. As Brett notes in his piece (“The team that disappeared,” p. 56), professional sports elevate players to mythical status. Those who put on the colours of our favourite teams seem larger than life, and we like it that way. But what the players know is that the brilliant TV lights distort reality. Ask just a few questions, spend just a little time with these men, and it’s clear that they are just like us. They dream of the future—for some a retirement villa in Italy, for others the chance to lace up and play at Madison Square Garden. They have career frustrations and insecurities. They make mistakes and they worry about their children. They are celebrated as heroes, but that does not afford them any special exemption from the realities of life. The families and friends of Lokomotiv were accustomed to long absences, but the holiday season would always afford a few days together. This year, there will be no homecomings or reunions, just one more step in the long road through grief. Our thoughts are with all those touched by the tragedy. We hope that perhaps their loss might remind us to hold those we love close this holiday season, and that our time together is precious and fleeting. This is our final issue of 2011. In it, we have marked some of the high points, the funny moments and the lows of a remarkable year in sports—none lower than the loss of the Railway Men. I want to thank you sincerely for reading and supporting Sportsnet magazine in this the first year of our existence. We are thrilled to bring you the stories that fuel our love of the game and our fascination with those who play. And we look forward to bringing more of those stories to you, beginning in the second week of January. Happy Holidays to you and yours. |
||
|
|||
More from Sportsnet magazine