I don't talk hockey much, but this transcends hockey (RIP Brendan Burke)

I don't talk hockey on-line or off much these days, but I have to admit this story and this follow-up interview caught my attention late last November. The son of the belligerent, irascible, pugnacious "man's man" GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs Brian Burke came out of the closet publicly regarding his orientation. He'd come out two years earlier to his family and a year after that to the players on his Miami (OH) hockey team where he was a student manager who analyzed video and tracked stats for the team and received tons of support in both places. He had been a goalie in high school, but quit in his senior year because he didn't think he could keep his secret from the team much longer. It looked for a little while like he might become a trail blazer, not just for hockey, but for all of sports as the first openly gay executive, but sadly that won't happen now as he died yesterday in a car accident in Indiana. Maybe somebody else will have the guts to pick up the torch for him eventually, but for now RIP Brendan and condolences to the Burke family. :(