September 10, 2008
Sundin's wait no surprise
Dan Kingerski doesn't agree with the amount of time Mats Sundin is taking to decide his future, and thinks this trend will continue.

[Pittsburgh, PA] -- Mats Sundin, Brett Favre, Teamu Selanne and Scott Neidermeyer. Fake retirements and long delays aren't just for boxers anymore.

In generations past, even not so long ago, athletes would use the off-season to take time away from the game, rest and - maybe - enjoy the spoils of being a professional athlete.

Golf games saw more attention than the hot blonde in the first row.

Something changed when professional sports became a billion dollar industry. More changed when dedicated sports channels turned up the heat by dissecting every move, 12 months a year. The mental restoration needed to remain sharp has been replaced by brutal workout routines that create nearly perfect physical specimens, which never lose a step (see Sidney Crosby and Gary Roberts).

There was a time when Mario Lemieux would prepare for training camp by cutting down the number of daily cigarettes, and not getting fries with his steak sandwich. There is a reason he and Dan Quinn have had success -- Quinn much more so on the celebrity golf tour.

How many current players have the time to build such complete golf games?

Sundin, like the most recent wave of athletes, has no problem playing the game. It's the never ending physical grind, which carries through July and August, that he no longer has the heart for.

It's the 20 meaningless games before December for which the former Toronto Maple Leafs captain cannot find the competitive juices. It's the thought of going back to the hapless and directionless Leafs, for whom he professed his loyalty and love by not agreeing to waive his no-trade clause last season, that dampens the juices.

In a perfect world, the Maple Leafs would be Stanley Cup Contenders. In a more perfect world, Sundin could sit out until December. Unfortunately, Sundin's choices are far from perfect.

Sundin may sit until well into the upcoming NHL season, which probably limits his choices to Toronto or Montreal, two teams he met with over the weekend while in town for a charity hockey game (he split for Sweden today).

Toronto and the locker room are familiar faces, while Montreal does not need a captain or leader, just a gamer. If he chooses to return in time for camp, his choice of team will speak volumes. Will he choose a high profile team like the New York Rangers? Low profile in Vancouver? Or perhaps he'll find big money elsewhere?

His choice will tell you more about the man and his station in life than any interview.

Jaromir Jagr was beaten, battered and tired. He took big money and no pressure elsewhere. Neidermeyer chose to let the tank refill, then returned to his team in Anaheim.

My bet is that Sundin returns to the Leafs this fall. I will also bet that older stars will increasingly delay decisions to return. There are too many games and too little reward for most of them, but that is a subject for another day.

Daniel Kingerski is the host of The Fourth Period Radio Show and the Pittsburgh Correspondent for The Fourth Period Magazine and a Columnist for TheFourthPeriod.com.