Yes the media love to comment on the over-hyped hockey atmosphere in Toronto as if they are the victims but lets face it they are the cause. The four daily papers, two sports networks, two talk radio stations and countless other radio, print and television outlets compete for Leaf coverage.
So no surprise that all week long the media has been talking about Mats Sundin's return to Toronto. And how much is there really to talk about? Will he be cheered? Will he be booed? What will be louder the cheers or the boos? What boos be louder in the lower bowl of the upper bowl of the ACC?
Come on do we really care? Not me. Once a player moves on to another team he is just another opposing player. I imagine that after retirement Sundin will return one day to be honoured by the Leafs. He played longer and produced more than either Douig Gilmour or Wendel Clark (though he will never be revered as they are). No one ever criticized previous captains for not taking the Leafs to the Stanley Cup finals. Sundin holds team records for most points, most goals, most goal winning goals, most overtime goals, and more.
But all anyone talks about is his refusal to be traded last year for some prospects. Get over it everyone. Since when is it the responsibility of players to rebuild a team? I thought it was their job to bust their butt while on the ice - which Sundin did. It's not the players' fault that past mangement was incompetent and they should not be expected to come up with a fix. How do we know Cliff Fletcher couldn't have pressured Sundin to move on? Maybe Cliff was to busy trying to make nice with Mats.
