Pro
hockey has been getting bigger and bigger over the last 25 years, and
it's no surprise now to see much of a team's roster with players at
six foot six or taller. But even back in the late 80s, when players
were still routinely spotted over six feet tall, one stood out
because he was so short; Theoren Fleury.
Fleury
rapidly gained a reputation for hitting anything and everything that
moved on the ice, as well as scoring goals. Lots of goals. He also
gained a reputation for mouthing off at opposing players, coaches and
even the on-ice officials. All of this was taken in stride by his
teammates, who enjoyed the benefits of this behavior. He won a
Stanley Cup in 1989 and Olympic Gold in 2002. His off-ice behavior,
though, was a little more than strange.
Fleury
went through trouble in junior hockey before making it to the pros.
The kind of trouble that would scar him for his entire hockey career;
the kind of situations that would lead him to reckless gambling,
drinking and drugs. He was in and out of rehab many times, and
ultimately, while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, it led Fleury
to simply walk away from the game, just like that.
It's
a tale of incredible highs and lows, triumph, and professional
tragedy. Be warned, some of the things he talks about are not for the
timid. The subject matter and language can get coarse at times, but
you truly get a handle on where Mr. Fleury is coming from. He bares
his soul as he reveals it all.
You
can see and feel the pain as he finally comes to grips with the
situations in his life. It's a moving tale, as well as something that
makes you think... “What would I have done in that situation?”
Link
to Powell's City of Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781600786372-0
Link
to Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Fire-Theo-Fleury/dp/1600786375/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359941668&sr=1-2&keywords=playing+with+fire
Link
to Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-with-fire-theo-fleury/1102044116?ean=9781600786372
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