10 years ago, Lemieux super in comeback

By Kevin Gorman, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Sunday, December 26, 2010


With a spotlight shining a 66 on the Civic Arena roof, Gotham signaled for its superhero. Mario Lemieux answered it by making the most spectacular comeback in sports history to play once again for the Penguins.

There were Batman references aplenty on that December night 10 years ago tomorrow, when a 35-year-old Lemieux became the first player-owner in modern-day professional sports and did so in dominant fashion.

Super Mario wore a suit by day and a cape by night.

"It never happened before, never will again," said Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan, recalling that Dec. 27, 2000, game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. "It had to take a unique set of circumstances for it to happen."

What made it so improbable wasn't just that Lemieux returned at midseason, but he did so in a shroud of secrecy. He trained with former teammate Jay Caufield for a month before his intention was revealed, keeping it top secret at the dawn of the instantaneous news cycle.

Lemieux's comeback became one of the first major sports stories to break on the Internet, as Kevin Allen posted it on USA Today's website the morning of Dec. 7. Nowadays, in the never-ending rush to be first, it probably would have appeared as a rumor on a social network site or sports blog.

"It was an incredibly big story, as you can imagine," Allen said. "It would be completely different now. Somebody would have Twittered it."

To Allen, what was lost was Lemieux's reason for coming back.

To the cynical, it was for financial reasons. To the sentimental, Lemieux wanted his son, Austin, 4 at the time, to see him play.

Then there was this: Mario missed the game he loved.

"It really flew in the face of the thought that Mario was not passionate about the game," Allen said. "You don't do the things Mario did unless you loved the game, unless you loved Pittsburgh."

Already inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Lemieux insisted that the Penguins lower his retired No. 66 from the rafters, and an awe-struck Austin watched the pregame ceremony with his mouth agape.

Then, in his first game since April 11, 1997, Lemieux assisted on a Jaromir Jagr goal 33 seconds into the first period. Lemieux added a goal and assist in the 5-0 victory, on his way to 16 points in his first six games and an astounding 35 goals and 76 points in 43 games.

"I do remember how much fun it was in the press box," Allen said. "We all looked at each other like, 'This is so Mario.' It was fun to be there, to witness it and chronicle it. This was a guy who didn't love the spotlight, but nobody seized the spotlight like Mario did."

The spotlight will shine on No. 66 once again Friday, when Lemieux will play in the Winter Classic alumni game at Heinz Field.

Don't call it a comeback, but don't be surprised if you see Super Mario wearing the cape one more time.