Real Salt Lake's Mathis is changed, but same

They're saying he's a different Clint Mathis than the one who flamed out nearly three years ago, after a tepid yet turbulent 27 games with Real Salt Lake.

But that's not entirely true.

He still has a flare for the flamboyant. At his suggestion, he and his wife named their two-week-old son Maximus. Not Max or Maxwell. Maximus. Like the Roman general on "Gladiator."

"I like the movie," he said. "And it goes good with Mathis."

Colorful midfielders never really leave, they just change their approach.

So the most controversial player in RSL's brief history is back. Responsible. Subdued. The guy who made more news in Salt Lake for his Mohawk and mismatched shoes than his goal-scoring is now a family man.

"Even when I was here before, I don't think I was wild or anything like that, but people always had that impression of me," said Mathis as he prepared for Saturday's match at Columbus. "People are always going to have that impression of me, and that's fine. But I don't really do a whole lot. I come here (to the training center), work out, go home and spend time with my family."

So much for being the Dennis Rodman of MLS.

It was indeed a toned-down Mathis who showed up for an interview Thursday. He now sports a shaved head.

"I don't have enough hair for the Mohawk," he said.

He's not even going to be wearing different colored shoes, as he did when he returned with Colorado in 2006.

"I'm pretty laid back," he said. "Just black shoes. You won't see so much stuff any more."

Whatever he is now, there's no doubt Mathis was an entertainer when he was younger. If it wasn't his look — which he says was to keep things fun — it was his situation. Frustrated over playing time in Germany, he once entered a match as a late substitution. After scoring the game-winner, he ran past his coach and tapped his watch, signaling that he deserved more minutes.

In 2005, then-RSL coach John Ellinger complained the former Sports Illustrated cover subject — and the team's highest-paid player — wasn't in shape. Ellinger even replaced him at halftime of one game. Asked by a reporter if Mathis appeared to be looking ahead to the next year, Ellinger replied, "I hope not. There might not be a next year."

Mathis, who was also suspended for fighting, scored just three goals for RSL before being traded to Colorado. From there he bounced to New York, Los Angeles and Greece, with a trial in Norway thrown in.