Adam Johnson’s death is a tragedy, not the next true crime story

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‘Semi-famous person dies tragically’ is a two- or three-day story. A day for shock, a day for explanations and a final day for tributes.

But ‘Semi-famous person dies suspiciously’ can run and run.

Maybe that explains how the accidental midgame death of ex-NHLer Adam Johnson has gone from a tragedy to a whodunit. Whatever the cause, the result is obscene.

The entire internet is itching at all times to go Zapruder film on any shocking news event. Bomb drops? Let’s check the non-advanced calculus on missile trajectories done by people who’ve never seen a missile, much less been under one when it hits.

Report claims someone you’ve vaguely heard of did something they shouldn’t have? Let’s get dug into 10 years of their social-media history to find three things they said as teenagers that prove they are scum.

Johnson’s death falls between two modern trends – the need to be loudly contrary about everything that happens in sport and the dream of many creatives be in on the ground floor of a hit true-crime podcast.

This has got to be the reason Fox had hockey’s most notorious verbal arsonist, Sean Avery, on to discuss the fatal encounter.

A responsible newscaster would have leaned back and let Avery lead the conversation. He’s actually played the game.

Instead, the interviewer led with, “Well, to me, Sean, it looks like homicide. What does it look like to you?”

If you’re going to start out with full-on bonkers, the best the interviewee can do is pull it back to deeply irresponsible.

That’s what Avery managed – “That’s a pretty dangerous word to throw around. … Was he trying to make contact of some sort? Absolutely. Do I think that he woke up and think that I’m going to murder someone today? No.”

So now we’re talking murder?

Johnson’s death was a homicide – he was killed by another person. But when people hear that word, they aren’t making the distinction between a purposeful act and an accident. They’re thinking about cop shows.

The really dangerous word in there was “absolutely.” Nothing is absolute. When it comes to something this consequential, nothing should even be treated as likely.

Adam Johnson and the death of a hockey lifer

A real person has died. He had a life. People loved him. He isn’t a listicle or a memeable line from last night’s awards show – something that can be batted back and forth across the internet for an afternoon’s diversion. But that’s how Johnson is being treated.

Worse yet, there is the indictment of the player whose skate struck him – Toronto hockey journeyman Matt Petgrave.

Petgrave also has a life. He’s also someone’s son. There is not one whit of evidence that he intended to kick Johnson with his skate blade – because that’s what we’re saying here – much less kick him in the head/neck area.

If you disagree, let me ask you this – would you say that to Matt Petgrave’s face? If not, then you have no business saying it online. If yes, what’s wrong with you?

But freed from the bonds of decency by Avery’s Fox chit-chat, the rest of the internet came pouring in. Go on Reddit right now. Johnson hasn’t had a funeral yet, and his death is being treated like the implosion of the Titan submersible. All the overnight submarine experts have become overnight hockey kinetics experts.

While the message boards spin out their fever dreams, the yellow press has waded in.

“Adam Johnson’s teammate DEFENDS Matt Petgrave after horrific death,” screams the Daily Mail.

Defend is in all caps. I’ve guess we’ve gone from awful mistake to a pretty clear crime that is being excused by Johnson’s teammate. So what’s his deal? Is this some sort of hockey brotherhood cover-up?

That’s what that headline says to all the people who read it, but don’t bother clicking into the story, which is the vast majority. The world is divided between two types of people – headline readers and story readers. The headline readers are in the ascendant. That’s why everything around you feels so stupid.

“Controversy rages over fatal Adam Johnson hit as video emerges,” the New York Post leans in to say, just in case you haven’t caught its meaning.

Who is this controversy “raging” with? Sean Avery and the amateur prosecutor on Fox who slo-pitched him “homicide.” That is the extent of the “raging.”

Again, if you only glance at that headline, you’re left thinking that there is little doubt a serious crime has taken place.

The fact that British police are investigating the matter has been repeatedly raised to prove something is wrong.

Something is wrong. A 29-year-old died by violence. Of course the police are investigating. That’s what they do when people die this way. It does not suggest in any way, shape or form that something nefarious has occurred.

I’ve watched the video over and over and I’ve come to a couple of conclusions – that I’m not a collision expert and that I’m not inside Matt Petgrave’s head. So like every other person spouting off on this, I am deeply unqualified to offer an opinion about the motivations behind something that happened while 10 men were moving chaotically around each other at 30 or 40 kilometres an hour. I’m not sure anyone is.

I do have some expertise about people and the things they do, based on several decades of close observation.

It would be one thing if he’d swung his arm out, but Petgrave swung out his foot. He knows there’s a knife attached to the bottom of it. While a soccer or football player may occasionally lash out with his feet, hockey players do not. It is an unnatural act for them. To do so – even if no harm had come of it – would be deeply taboo.

So do I think he did it deliberately?

I think that absent compelling evidence from experts who’ve studied this closely, the rest of us should have enough basic decency and common sense to keep our opinions to ourselves. Not everything is your fun puzzle to solve. Some things are still sacred, and deserve to be treated as such.