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October 03, 2002
For Some Time Now. .
For Some Time Now. . . I've had my doubts that we're getting the whole story on Theo Fleury, the oft-troubled winger who now plays for the NHL's Chicago Black Hawks. Sure, we've heard the stories about how substance abuse has rocked his life. And God knows we've seen the constant meltdowns on the ice -- something that was never more apparent than last season when Fleury was playing for the New York Rangers. Now, as many readers already know, I'm not exactly kind to highly paid athletes who constantly misbehave. But for some reason, I'm inclined to give Fleury more passes than most. It isn't his grit and talent -- two undeniable qualities that led Wayne Gretzky to include him on the Team Canada roster at the Olympics earlier this year. In too many cases awe and respect for an athlete's abilities blind us to their other shortcomings. But in Fleury's case, we don't see a history of violent behavior toward others. What we see is a person who is in dire need of some help. On some level most of us can't understand, I fear Fleury is damaged -- and perhaps beyond repair. That's why I winced when I heard that Fleury missed a Blackhawks practice yesterday without explanation. I'm sure many of you might just say it's time to stop giving him second chances, and force him to clean up his life on his own. Who knows, maybe that's what Fleury needs. But I'm afraid that this situation is far more complicated than anyone is letting on.
Eric
04:25 PM
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