Sean Gordon
Globeandmail.com
September 15, 2009
First, the eyebrows arch quizzically, then the legend’s nose crinkles in disapproval.
“Ferguson never would have accepted it,” huffs Henri Richard, 11-time Stanley Cup champion, uber-competitor, the Pocket Rocket himself, speaking of John Ferguson, the former Montreal Canadiens tough guy.
It’s a natural enough reaction from a man whose off-season preparations used to consist of switching from golf to tennis in early August.
He has just been informed that Canadiens forward Georges Laraque, boulevardier, animal-rights activist and perhaps the most feared pugilist in the NHL, is a vegan (“a what?” Richard said), a militant one.
No dairy, no poultry, no fish, no more leather shoes or animal byproducts, Laraque has been on a strict diet of vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes since June 1.
While he says he was partly motivated to improve his health for the hockey season, Laraque insists the decision was made primarily for political, rather than nutritional, reasons.
Everything changed, Laraque said, after he saw Earthlings, a 2006 documentary that is widely celebrated in animal-rights circles.
“It’s unconscionable what’s happening to animals in this country and the way we treat animals we eat. … I realized I had to make some big changes,” Laraque said.
Though Laraque said he will no longer buy leather of any kind, he hasn’t rid his closet or hockey bag of previously purchased leather products because, “that would be a further waste. And this way I don’t forget.”
Laraque, who also does yoga daily, an activity he picked up as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, said he’s never felt better and reported for training camp at a comparatively svelte 245 pounds.
“I’ve lost some weight, but I’ve been working with a really great nutritionist and I’ve never had this much energy,” he said.
“I think it’s also important to break the stereotype that all vegans are skinny people with long hair,” added Laraque, as unlikely a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals as the NHL has ever seen. (This summer he sent a letter on the group’s behalf to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, protesting the Canadian seal hunt.)
Laraque couldn’t think of any other vegan NHLers off the top of his head.
But the burly winger finds himself among a vanguard of current and former pro athletes who are eschewing most meats.
Laraque cites Major League Baseball player Prince Fielder, former Olympic sprinter Carl Lewis, NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez and retired NBA player John Salley as vegetarians who inspired him.
Richard, who readily admits that he’s often astonished at the lengths to which today’s hockey players go to train, hails from an era when Guy Lafleur prepared for the season by cutting back from three packs of cigarettes a day to two, or so the legend goes. (“It didn’t matter, he was always faster than everyone,” Richard joked.)
And though Laraque is undoubtedly an outlier in the Canadiens dressing room and in the league, he’s not alone in his approach.
Mike Cammalleri, who joined the Habs as a free agent in the summer, strives to eat organic, fresh and local foods.
“I find it helps my energy levels stay high throughout the season,” he said.
Cammalleri also regularly practises Pilates and occasionally will throw in a few yoga exercises, “but I don’t really have the patience for yoga.”
Not all the Habs are in tune with the new ethos. Fourth-year forward Guillaume Latendresse, who has overhauled his off-season regimen in each of the past two seasons, says he switched to a high-protein diet, but that he’s not willing to renounce meat altogether.
“[Laraque] has invited us all out to a vegan restaurant … but if I go, I’m bringing a steak in my jacket pocket,” he joked.
So in a tough-guy, famously hidebound culture like pro hockey, Laraque remains a curiosity, but he’s resolved to carry on spreading the word.
“People still think it’s kind of funny, but I’m not doing this to be funny,” he said. “There are more puppy mills in Quebec than anywhere else in Canada, and no laws to shut them down. People get slapped with a fine and six months later they reopen. Do you think that’s funny?”
7 comments:
I think there are some great benefits to being a vegan. It may not be the lifestyle for everyone but most people, I think, could stand to improve their diet.
And many athletes are now using yoga as it is proven to lengthen your muscles and improve flexibility. Attributes that most athletes could benefit from.
I don't diagree with George's choice of being a vegan but I do disagree with his stand on the seal hunt up north. The people of the north have been living this way for hundreds of years. This is their way of life and have used seals to survive. Being a First Nations person I can relate to them because many times in my life our family has been very dependant on hunting and trapping deer, moose, rabbit, and fish salmon and trout. Without this it would be quite difficult survive.
Sam, you are right it isnt for everyone but could be great for a lot of people.
Athletes need to be on top of their game and make sure their diet is well balanced/healthy, because if not they will have trouble to keep pace. I think athletes are starting to have a more open mind due to the amount of great players, roster spots can easily be filled by many different players, so they need to get whatever edge they can. ie: Nutrition, work outs, and equipment modifications (skates, etc)
The evolution of sport suggests we continue to learn more about nutrition and human performance (ie. Athletes used to eat steak as a pre-game meal). This is no longer common.
In the macho and conservative world of NHL hockey, I admire Laraque's courage to declare his thoughts publicly. Whether you agree or disagree, it is refreshing to hear that athletes have an opinion.
I admire George for his decision of becoming a vegan. Not only is he receiving a healthy lifestyle, he is also becoming a rolemodel for other nhl'ers and people around the world.
I myself was a vegetarian for one full year when i was 17 and believe me it is much harder than it sounds. But it is a very unselfish thing to do. I really respect George for what he is doing.
Also, the article talks about George attending Yoga and participating in other activities of that nature. I watched an interview with George St.Piere two days ago and it seems that the two ran into each other a week ago in the same Yoga class (small world). Anyways, I would just like to point out that many pro athletes are doing Yoga and it seems like it is working for them.
*Do whatever it takes to be at the top of your game.
I like the fact that the article not only included George Laraque vegan diet, but also talked about players in alll leagues who have taken on this lifestyle. Players are now finding alternatives to training routines (yoga and pilates) accompanied by new age diets, whether it is being a vegan/vegetarian or eating organic. It's nice to see that we are adopting an overall healthy lifestyle, and players like Laraque or Cammalleri can be the new role models for young players looking to compete. There is never one way to do something, these players just prove that.
The more information athletes AND non-athletes can learn about nutrition, the more we understand how our health can be positively or negatively affected by what we eat. There are still many nutrition myths that persist; a popular one is that we "need" meat for our daily protein. This is false.
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