Sad, sad, sad.

April 18, 2004 1:21 PM

Murder for hire in professional hockey: After being eliminated in the NHL playoffs, St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton (formerly Mike Jefferson) was arrested by the FBI for "conspiring and using a telephone across state lines to set up a murder". But there's more to this sad state of events than meets the eye: Danton is rumoured to have been arranging the murder of his male lover supposedly to prevent his outing to the sports world.
posted by loquax (21 comments total)

It should be noted that Danton's motive is being denied by his agent, but if a pro athlete would go so far as to kill to prevent his homosexuality from becoming public, maybe the sports world has more to worry about than performance enhancing drugs.
posted by loquax at 1:26 PM on April 18, 2004

This is very sad...but predictable. Someday someone in professional sports will actually come out while they're still playing, and everyone will see that the world won't end or anything. And here's more from Outsports' forum.
posted by amberglow at 1:34 PM on April 18, 2004

First heard about this at the (excellent) Rufus Wainwright show in Toronto last night - Rufus, after the second song, paused to introduce himself and to deliver this salacious bit of news.
posted by stonerose at 1:56 PM on April 18, 2004

While I, for one, love salacious gossip as much as the next guy -- and does it get any more salacious than hockey player calling a hit on a gay lover? or maybe that's just because I'm Canadian -- I did read in one bit of coverage one fellow suggesting this might be a mental health issue, as Danton was acting more than a little paranoid.

But hasn't hockey already had an gay player?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 2:04 PM on April 18, 2004

Ok lupus, move along, you got your shot in.
posted by loquax at 2:08 PM on April 18, 2004

Good show, eh stonerose? I'm checking him out on Tuesday. I don't really know Rufus' stuff, but I'm looking forward to it.

As to the post, I would lay good money down on Danton getting diagnosed with something. My 0.02
posted by ashbury at 2:18 PM on April 18, 2004

Unequivocally, I can tell you it had nothing to do with drugs and alcohol, period.
-David Frost, Danton's agent
From the Toronto Star, linked fourth

It seems like such an odd thing to say-- like somehow this makes it all ok. David Frost seems like a creep all around, and I wouldn't be surprised if it comes out that he was somehow involved, directly or indirectly.
posted by Harvey Birdman at 2:24 PM on April 18, 2004

Go Flames!
posted by Quartermass at 2:29 PM on April 18, 2004

Thread at SpoFi
posted by yerfatma at 2:38 PM on April 18, 2004

OK, so I love the daytime drama / supermarket checkout line aspect of this whole thing, but I actually want to pause just a moment and say how sorry I feel for this guy... C'mon, how beyond the limit would this poor sap have to feel pushed in order to go to these lengths? How completely devoid of options would you have to consider yourself if killing the man you love is what appears to be the only way out?

OK, let's return to our regularly scheduled slasher outing episode...
posted by JollyWanker at 5:40 PM on April 18, 2004

There is also speculation that Danton merely wanted to keep the man from leaving him. I, for one, can't wait to see the soft focus, terribly earnest CBC-made-for-TV movie that is surely in the works.

Does anyone know anything about this guy?Does anyone know if he is the first person in the NFL to hire a killer?

(I hate to reinforce stereotypes, but I'm kinda of a girly boy who doesn't really follow football. /bats eyes ironically?/)
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:09 PM on April 18, 2004

Ummm. That's hockey gesamtkunstwerk. But close enough!
posted by loquax at 7:20 PM on April 18, 2004

I'm in the room with gesamtkunstwerk - he's just trying to be even more of a girly-boy than he already is, to drown out the testosterone-laden howls of the Leafs fans downstairs.
posted by stonerose at 7:27 PM on April 18, 2004

what? is there a big girly-boy commune up there? make room for amberglow! : >
posted by amberglow at 7:41 PM on April 18, 2004

Harvey Birdman's excellent link mentions Frost's relationship with Sheldon Keefe, Mike Jefferson (Danton) and two other players who were known as The Quinte Four.

Sheldon Keefe's player bio at the CBC: "... Has gained a reputation in the OHL and minor leagues for insubordination.... Keefe's biggest problems have come off the ice." Superficially similar to Danton's year-long suspension in Jersey for saying he wouldn't drink the manager's Kool-aid.

>how beyond the limit would this poor sap have to feel >pushed in order to go to these lengths?
Yes. You're right.
posted by philfromhavelock at 9:20 PM on April 18, 2004

Can not find why he was suspended or traded. Please some links to these?
The reasons for him changing his name then the reasons to the above my point out some better answers. May steroid use be a factor?
posted by thomcatspike at 11:08 AM on April 19, 2004

Many are now saying that there is no longer a gay angle to this story /yawn/ Being gay really isn't that interesting. Now, being a paranoid member of a hockey cult with ties to hit men, that's a story that can make me open up a sports page.

The Globe and Mail reports that Mike Jefferson changed his name to Mike Danton, the name of a boy he had coached at hockey camp. That's just a little icky.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 11:11 AM on April 19, 2004

paranoid member of a hockey cult with ties to hit men
Thought one of the links said; Mike was hiring a hit man for the hit man after him?
posted by thomcatspike at 11:35 AM on April 19, 2004

Here's the police report (via The Smoking Gun, of course).
posted by Reggie452 at 1:30 PM on April 19, 2004

thomcatspike: He was suspended/traded because he didn't get along with the GM of the Devils and refused to report to their minor league team.

I guess this story really has gone nuts with the addition of David Frost. Who knows now? TSN (Canada's ESPN) had an interview with Danton's father, and they asked him what advice he would give his son. He choked back tears and said "stay away from David Frost". Bizarre.
posted by loquax at 1:51 PM on April 19, 2004

thanks, loquax
posted by thomcatspike at 3:41 PM on April 19, 2004