| Brendan |
 | 10 Comments |  | 992 Read | Dec 03, 2008 |
Well I will begin with making sure everybody is aware of what happened. Once upon a time Sean Avery was dating actress Elisha Cuthbert. They broke up. Since the breakup less than two years ago Elisha Cuthbert has reportedly been involved with Mike Komisarek and is now currently in a relationship with Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames. In addition Sean Avery used to date model Rachel Hunter who is the current girlfriend of Jarett Stoll of the LA Kings. So anyway yesterday the Dallas Stars were preparing for their game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary with the potential for on ice drama between Avery and Phaneuf to develop. Then Sean Avery made this statement "I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada, I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight." He was almost immediately suspended both by his team and the NHL indefinitely and is awaiting a hearing with Gary Bettman.
Now where do I being with how I feel about this one. So many people, including Avery’s teammates are coming out and saying they are disappointed, offended, disgusted, and whatever else with his statement and how poorly he is representing his team. Um, when did it become so offensive for a guy to do a little trash talking about his ex-girlfriend being with another guy? Secondly, I would like to commend Mr. Avery for showing some class and not even using one of the seven dirty words (that the great George Carlin told us about years ago) while addressing the situation.
Now yea yea people are going to say that it is unnecessary and immature to make the statement publicly and bring a personal issue on to the ice. I guess you can look at it that way if you choose. But come on, this is entertaining, Sean Avery is entertaining. He is really the NHL’s best hope right now for publicity. In the off season Avery gave an interview with ESPN criticizing the NHL for how it markets the game. He said that nobody cares about players like Jerome Iginla who is one of the NHL’s best goal scorers over the past five years. Avery said fans want to see good guys and villains (Avery considers himself a villain). I agree with this statement. I love hockey, I love watching skilled players like Jerome Iginla, but here in the US the NHL is not extremely popular and does not get an overwhelming amount of publicity.
To continue to use Avery’s example Iginla; I would not consider him a top tier superstar, Sidney Crosby (who as I’ve said I personally feel is overrated) and Alexander Ovechkin are the only two players that are marketed as top superstars. But, Jerome Iginla is easily on the second tier of NHL superstars. To make an analogy to NFL quarterbacks, Jerome Iginla is not Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but is comparable to Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger. Now go ask an average sports fan that has sports knowledge, watches games here and there but is not really a die hard. I bet you they know exactly who Roethlisberger and Eli Manning are, but will say Jerome who? Now ask them if they know who Sean Avery is. Maybe they won’t know him, but it is likely that they probably will now. He is making headlines today for this most recent incident and during his stay in New York with the Rangers was in the newspapers almost daily; if it wasn’t for something hockey related it was his summer internship, or being spotted with a celebrity at Nobu. This guy is a star, he is funny, he is entertaining, and what do you know, he is a great hockey player. Why is the NHL trying so hard to get rid of him? They need guys like him to maybe attract new fans and more media attention in the US.
I know that many hockey fans that love great players who were role models like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and just want to see players play the game are thinking I am nuts. But I think the NHL missed an opportunity to see a very entertaining soap opera maybe play out on the ice between Avery and Phaneuf had Avery been allowed to play last night. If Avery started his trash talking and they dropped the gloves it would have been top notch entertainment and gotten the NHL some attention. Negative attention, maybe, but any press is good press and if I were the NHL I would be cashing in on personalities like Avery, not suspending them.
Oh and for the punks in the Dallas Stars organization that all publicly chastised their teammate and had not one positive or even neutral thing to say about Sean Avery shame on you! And if you don’t want him he’s always welcome back in New York!
Tags:
NHL , NY Rangers (NHL) |
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Brenden,
I know you're right, but you are beating the proverbial drum when you say the NHL isn't marketed correctly in the U.S. And Betman seems to be following his good ole buddy and fellow New York City squatter David Stern in trying to "clean up" the NHL. remember Stern's dress code and suspensions for what the NBA deems inappropriate behavior. It's all a joke just to help make soccer moms and IBM working dads feel good about the athletes their kids are following. it would be amazing to see some real honesty come out of the commissioners' office in both the NHL and NBA. Keep up the good work and honest reporting.!
-Mattiello'
I have to agree with most of the comments on here. I think the comments Sean Avery made were immature and uncalled for. There's no reason to go around and air your dirty laundry in the press. She most likely dumped his sorry ass and he's still bitter about it. This guy has been running his big mouth for years, and you would think he would learn to shut his trap. Yet he just keeps talking shit, and getting fined and suspended. And not only that, but he shows poor sportsmanship during games. The NHL doesn't need this kind of bad publicity and it's gonna hurt the league in the long run. Although I do love the occasional fight, I don't tune into a hockey game to see "good guys vs bad guys." This guy is nothing but a fucking pussy, and hopefully one day he'll get his clock cleaned. Until then, I guess we will all just have to deal with him.
Sorry, shouldn't have used the term "idiot". Three games. Rest goes.
LJD
Last line, third paragraph.
Let me make this perfectly clear. Hockey is a Canadian game. We will not give it up. It is perhaps the most exciting sport in the world, and we will not give it up to idiots, such as this guy, who are looking for nothing more than a good cockfight. We never wanted to give it up to any American cities beyond the original six. I do not want to see it marketed in the US. I hate seeing it slowly becoming a WWF alternative! Mr Coyle, if you promise not to try to market hockey in the US, I'll do my best to get you in touch with Micheal Vick, as I expect to see him up here in the CFL shortly. So far as entertainment goes, I think he has what you're looking for.
LJD
p.s.
A leaf fan! You can't get anything right can you!
avery is an interesting character, sure. but the press he's bringing to the league ain't the kind of press the league wants. what the league should be doing, is marketing the POSITIVE characters, and not just the good players. guys like darren mccarty and mike commodore, that are INTERESTING but not douches.
oh, and spelling jarome iginla correctly ain't that hard. if you were writing his ENTIRE name and got one letter wrong, i'd let it go.
Maybe the punks in the Dallas organization are tired of him being a cancer in their locker room. 10 minutes before making his comments, he told his coach and PR people he would not be speaking to the media at all. He then approached the reporters w/this load of crap. The 'punk' players and coaches here in Dallas don't like the guy because he's proven he's not a team guy. So if you know people in the Rangers' organization who'll pick up his contract, have them contact Brett Hull, Les Jackson, or Tom HIcks. I'm sure they'll be glad to cut a deal. Or maybe you can be Avery's next little tryst since you so admire him. Either way, it sounds like NY is just the place for punk Avery.
Avery just should have said, "for lack of a better word" before he labeled her 'sloppy seconds' and it would have made it all better. But seriously, I do not like to think of Elisha Cuthbert as anyone's sloppy seconds...hell I don't want to hear that Elisha's was anybody's first. Beautiful girl running around the NHL, what the hell is that about?
Sorry Brendan, Avery is a complete jackass! However, I don't think that he should have been suspended for this particular offense.
Hey Bren, I agree with you totally. I still remember getting yelled at for picking the Devils as my team over the Rangers. I think that was in the AM. Never forget that. As for Avery... I agree, he is the only one giving the NHL some PUB. the only problem is that the nhl isn't ready for that yet, even though they should be.
keep writing, i will read. Good work.
Can I get sloppy thirds? Fourths? Anything?...You're right: Any press in the US is good press for the NHL. They've got guys with great humor, like Scotty Gomez, but they can't be individuals. Down with Bettman! I know that Barry Melrose didn't have success behind the bench in TB, but I'm thinking "The Mullet" for commish!
-Pete, Oneonta
