Demons & Demons

Am I the only one put off by the whole Theoren Fleury situation? It would appear so. Having been subjected to the release of his tell-all book, and believe me, he told us a lot, and countless television interviews, we've all gotten to know a little bit more about the man behind the mask (or visor in this case). Don't get me wrong, some terrible things have been done to Mr. Fleury. But I have to question, simply because nobody else is, Theoren's response to what Graham James allegedly did to him and his subsequent attempt to profit from it all.

Many people turn to alcohol and drugs. I could never understand why. Whether we're talking about professional athletes or an average Joe, or Jane, on the street, it seems to happen far too often. In Fleury's case, people keep making excuses for him. "He was a victim," they say. "He was caught up in the temptations of a big city like New York." And the worst excuse is the one I hear the most - that drinking is "part of the culture of hockey." Give me a break. If Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are going out partying and getting drunk every night, then I'm getting drafted first overall next June. I'm not naive enough to deny that most players drink on occasion, or that some players drink heavily on a more regular basis, but that doesn't mean that drinking and drug use are part of the culture of hockey. Alcoholism and drug abuse are part of the culture of the individual. Theoren Fleury's adventure into the abyss, regardless of his motivations, was a product of his own choice, and ultimately, inexcusable.

He has "demons" they say. As if he were some kind of angel corrupted by the NHL. Theoren Fleury was a man that had wrong done to him and being confused about what to do come decision time, made a bad call. There are people everywhere who have been dealt a bad hand. It's what they choose to do about it that really means something. It's cliche, but two wrongs don't make a right. Theoren Fleury chose to bankrupt himself on drugs and alcohol (lest we forget he made almost $13 million playing for the Rangers). Now, he's begging for sympathy, and hoping the nostalgic fans of Calgary, and this country, will re-load his bank account. I guess there really is no honour among thieves, even when the victim and perpetrator are one and the same.