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January 23, 2003
For Theo, The Other Shoe Drops
Like a lot of other hockey fans, I wanted Theo Fleury's return to the NHL after a battle with substance abuse to be a successful one. Hockey is more fun with a Fleury that is running and gunning his way through the NHL. But now, news out of Columbus, Ohio seems to indicate that it isn't going to be that way: Sgt. Brent Mull, spokesman for the Columbus, Ohio police department, said officers received a call from an attendant at a gas station across the street from the Pure Platinum strip club about 4:45 a.m. EST Sunday. A group of men had used a pay phone at the station to call a cab, and Mull said the attendant was concerned because one of the men looked as if he'd been assaulted. Fleury met with Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Mike Smith to discuss the incident yesterday, but neither he nor the team had any comment. If Fleury indeed was drunk, it would mark another violation of his after care agreement, the second since the diminutive winger signed a two-year $8.5 million contract with the club during the offseason. His first misstep with the team came during training camp in September, and as a result of the suspension that followed, Fleury didn't hit the ice this year until December. Besides the money, the team has also invested in hiring one of Fleury's close friends to serve as a 24-hour a day personal chaperone. Something tells me he'll be looking for work soon. Whether or not Fleury will be is another question, as I have to wonder how much longer the Blackhawks will keep putting up with his antics. UPDATE: The Blackhawks say Fleury won't be suspended, the matter will be handled internally. Whether that's what's best for Fleury or the team is another matter entirely.
Eric
12:49 AM
Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for this entry: CommentsI had the dubioius job of trying to explain to my 10 year old why this jerk Fleury isn't playing hockey without mentioning the words "drunk" or strip club. While so many other of his team mates visit sick kids in the hospital, this is his contribution to society? I hope he gets just what he deserves! Posted by: at January 23, 2004 02:23 PM Post a commentThanks for signing in, . (If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.) |