Pleasant Mathis rolls back into town

Clint Mathis came and left with the rain Saturday afternoon. But isn't that how it went last season? His entire year was overcast and cold.

Then came the thunderclap, that December day he was traded to the Colorado Rapids.

Just like that, the colorful if not always productive career of Mathis took another turn. Call it fate, karma, or call it what many suspect: a star who simply didn't bother to get in shape.

When you're a young franchise trying to find a foothold in a new market, there isn't time for patience. So Real Salt Lake dealt Mathis for Jeff Cunningham and that was it. The man made famous by the Mohawk — or is it the other way around? — was gone as quickly as he came.

Which leaves one to wonder: Was he really here, or was it just a dream? It's hard to tell by his statistics. Although he was the highest-paid player on the team, he scored just three goals all season. In the trade, Real got a more productive player — Cunningham already has four goals in nine games — and Colorado got someone who often draws more attention for his antics than his scoring. Last year he was suspended three games for punching an opponent, after which he booted the ball into the stands.

"He's a good guy. What you see is sometimes just his competitive nature," said RSL coach John Ellinger. "But I think that's what has made his game."

Whatever his game is, as he approaches age 30, Mathis brought it to Saturday's 2-2 tie between RSL and Colorado. He didn't score, but that's not news these days. That's because the Mathis who once appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated isn't around much anymore. Why his game has lagged depends on perspective. Maybe it's because his skills are simply starting to erode. It could be due to injury. This year he has missed one game and played 31 and eight minutes respectively in two others, due to a groin pull. But he logged 80 minutes Saturday.

"I was fine today," said Mathis. "I've just got to continue to get more and more fit. I haven't played the last few weeks, but I'm fine now."

Getting fit was one bone of contention a year ago. Ellinger made no secret of his disgust over some players' conditioning. Though he avoided naming names, it was widely accepted that Mathis was among his targets.