Some believe that children should not look to professional sports players for role models, and much of what’s occurred in Major League Baseball this year supports that view. Dozens of players, including Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, have been implicated in the Mitchell Report examining steroid use in baseball. Clemens and Bonds were heroes a few years ago, some of the best players to step foot on a baseball field, and now villains who could face jail time for perjury.
One motivation for players to take steroids is the desire to win at all costs. This passion is often considered admirable, yet no one is applauding Bonds and Clemens for ingesting illegal substances.
It’s ironic that Mats Sundin, who has done nothing but meet or exceed expectations in his 13 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is vilified by some fans and members of the media for refusing to win by any means necessary. Sundin was asked by interim general manager Cliff Fletcher to waive his no-trade clause to go to a Stanley Cup contender in exchange for young players, prospects or draft picks. This trade would give Sundin a chance to win a championship with a talented team, and the chance for the Leafs to kick-start a badly needed rebuilding process. Sundin would likely have the opportunity to re-sign in the summer. But Sundin has continually stated his desire to retire, risking the chance that he may never win the Cup. He sees no honour in becoming a rental player. Spending only a few weeks with a new team before heading to the playoffs doesn’t sit well with him. He’d rather play for a team he truly feels a part of. Yet, Sundin’s loyalty is questioned for his refusal to allow himself to be traded for prospects, and his passion doubted for his loyalty to a losing team. He’s been called selfish by journalists and fans alike.
The notion that steroid use is cheating is widespread, and for many, it’s a cost of winning that they’re not willing to pay. We all draw the line somewhere. For Sundin, winning is not worth sacrificing his loyalty or compromising his concept of what makes a team. Sundin’s critics may not share his views, but the inability of so many fans and members of the media to do so is mind-boggling. Some people may, oddly enough, consider staying with a team a sign of disloyalty, but that doesn’t mean Sundin’s concept of loyalty is disingenuous.
While facing the difficult task of deciding whether or not to waive his no-trade clause, the legendary Phil Esposito called Sundin to offer advice. Esposito did not tell Sundin about the joy that comes with winning a Cup, but rather advised him to follow his heart. Esposito is known not only for his 717 NHL goals and 1590 points, but also for his inspirational leadership in the 1972 Summit Series. Sundin also sought Leaf hero Borje Salming, who expressed his regret at retiring with a team other than the Leafs. If two players as respected as Esposito and Salming understand Sundin’s position, why can’t fans? Salming’s opinion may not mean much to those who judge a player’s heart by his passport, but it’s difficult to argue that he should be evaluated according to a Don Cherry-like anti-European prejudice, and not a logical evaluation of whether their actions confirm what they say.
It is possible that Sundin is too comfortable in Toronto, and that he’s a selfish player who would rather make millions of dollars playing for a mediocre team, booking tee-times in mid-April while other teams are just starting the two-month playoff grind. But if that were true, it seems unlikely that he’d want to play in the biggest market in hockey. Sundin could surely live as comfortably in a number of American markets with a small chance of making the playoffs, where he would not have to deal with being lambasted by fans and writers on a regular basis. His reserved nature may give the impression that he lacks passion, but his coaches and teammates have never questioned his loyalty. While Sundin and Oscar may share a hair style, it seems doubtful that, if Sundin were as selfish as his critics suggest, he’d have the acting chops to maintain such a façade under the watchful eyes of the Toronto media and Leaf fanatics.
Yes, it may be difficult for the cynics among us to believe Sundin’s unwillingness to sacrifice his principles for the Stanley Cup. But to suggest that he doesn’t care about winning just because he’s loyal to the Leafs is a conclusion that the facts don’t warrant. Given Sundin’s behaviour in his long tenure as team captain and the testament to his character given by those who know him well, there is no reason not to take him at his word. There is, however, reason to question how fans who live and die with the Leafs can throw their captain under the bus for doing the same, and how parents who teach their children that winning at all costs is less important than sportsmanship can criticize Sundin for exemplifying that principle.
