12/03/2008
Sloppy Seconds
I guess I have a few thoughts on this;
- I understand the NHL wanting to drop the hammer on Avery, but this still seems like a reach, though the fact Elisha Cuthbert (the 'seconds' in question) was once an NHL employee writing a column for their blog may play a role.
- The team should have stepped in on this one first - not second.
- If Derian Hatcher were still the Captain of the Stars there is exactly zero chance this would have occurred. Hatcher would have pulled a Messier-on-Carson routine and left Avery a few chicklets shorter for even thinking this was something he could pull.
- What is the proper suspension for 'embarrasing slur' these days? Is it worse than baseball swing to the face? Or a routine spear to the groin? Is it worse than a match penalty? And if 'yes' to any of those....why?
- For anyone who has been paying attention, this is all part of Avery's schtick that the league needs more 'villains' to market in the game (he was even more specific when he went on to call Iginla 'boring'). In truth, Avery is right about this. Despite being a third line pest he is the first thing marketed about any matchup with the Stars. He gets the jaws wagging and gives journalists a hard-on because he is always a money-quoute. In short, his schtick may be offensive, even tired - but it works.
- Lastly, am I the only one dissapointed that Phaneuf wasn't allowed to sort this guy out on the ice? Who wouldn't pay to see that? (which goes to my point above).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
First off, pro atheletes should not be spouting off at the mouth to the media like that, they are supposed to be role models. Leave that crap on the ice, or in the room to be dealt with.
Hatcher would have left him tossing his own salad had he been there.
I would have loved to see Dion leave him face down at center ice had the NHL cops not stepped in prematurely. They should have let the players sort that out.
I think something infected his brain while he was in New York. WTF was that during the playoffs against New Jersy?! That is not hockey.
Avery is an ass. If he were a man like he claims, he would have said that to Dion face to face on the ice.
But, the league sensed Avery would not have left the building walking had they not stepped in.
Avery, you can lap up my sloppy seconds bitch.
Is this the most offensive thing that Avery has done - amazingly, no. Calling G.Laracque a monkey and a ni**er not to mention going at J.Blake following the discovery of his cancer is up there. I'm ok with being a smart-alec villian but I prefer more of the J.Roenick, P.Roy variety. If you are going to be an agitator, a la M.Barnaby, again, fair enough, but then have the guts to stand up and take your licks. Avery doesn't, he turtles.
The chorus of Stars standing up defending him was deafening in their silence.
The NHL should suspend him as a repeat offender - which he is - but, no, this is not where the book should be thrown at him. A few games and a fine will do.
What the Stars do to him, however, is a different matter. They are trying to sell Hockey in a good, but not great market. Hockey players are, relatively, the good guys in the sports-world (and in Dallas the anti-heroes will be the Cowboys). Hicks, the Stars' owner, should not stand for the tarnishing of HIS brand.
Who are the Stars' ECHL Affiliate?
Let me say Mike that I disagree that Avery has to be a role-model - he doesn't. He can be the bad guy if he wants to (and he clearly does) and the fact is he is good at it.
I also think that 'bad guys' and there have been many; Dave Schultz, Ken Linesman, Bob Probert, etc.) are a good thing for marketing the league, and Avery has shown he can be AWESOME in that role.
My only issue with his antics is that he tends to stray over the line (i.e. using racial slurs = bad, referring to your ex as sloppy seconds = also bad).
Here is the main thing.... how many people wanted to see the game last night? How many still wanted to see it after finding out he was suspended?
Yes he is an ass but an entertaining one at that. Atlanta or Florida needs someone like that but Dallas not so much.
Bladerunners GM might be considered biased seeing as Avery on our team, but here's our 2 cents worth:
Comment was rude but also funny. I laught at all those offended because like Cam says, is what he said really worse than someone smashing another player head first into boards or attemnpting to chop fellow player's head off with stick? No - Elisha Cuthbert and the other ex girlfriend didn't deserve the comment, but I really think that Avery wasn't saying it just to be mean, but because he likes to stir things up. Damn, I was already looking forwrd to the game because of his comment about Iggy earlier (hence my dressing Iggy as my 2nd TG on the week) then when Avery made his comment, I though holy f*** - this is going to be a game!!!! I think Rob was looking forward to Phaneuf's pts / penalty minutes too... although not Phaneuf's potential suspension if he killed Avery (hmmm, death of Avery might not have been good for me either).
Anyway.... its now nice to see another one of my top picks disappear from action. sob. At least Visnovsky came back right away from his head into boards.
And really when it comes down to Bettman reprimanding Avery... which guy is really the bigger asshole or detriment to hockey??
Post a Comment