Robert Luongo's Problems Lurking Under the Surface

It is known that Roberto Luongo will overwork himself.  He likes to play every game, every practice, and stop every shot. Left unchecked, this trait has left Luongo exhausted at the end of the season in both his years as a Canuck. I thought this was recognized by ownership as a fault in Nonis' management. When the Canucks did nothing at the trade deadline to relieve the pressure on Luongo (and the Sedins) they cost themselves the playoffs. The situation was understood—or so it seemed.  Sanford wasn't being played down the stretch, and wouldn't be retained. I noticed that Luongo couldn't watch a peer in net without getting involved with the game. He can't switch off, so he isn't really rested. This is pretty common in sports, and strategies to deal with it are known. Platooning a competitive individual requires addressing that drive, and ensuring that it doesn't interfere in off-days by engaging inappropriately. Some competitors "play by proxy," and become as involved ... (link)