Oh, NHL, why do you not like natural rivalries? Why do you mess with a good thing?
I’m not a big Sean Avery fan, and probably never will be. As much as I dislike Martin Brodeur, I still couldn’t stand Avery acting like a jackass in front of him, making a mockery of the sport.
But still, when you are handed a golden ticket, such as this (via Eric McErlain at Fanhouse):
Sean Avery, in Calgary with the Dallas Stars to play the Flames and never one to shun the spotlight, actually summoned a camera crew from Canada’s TSN to deliver the following statement as reported by the Calgary Herald:
“Uh, I’m really happy to be back in Calgary. I love Canada.
“And 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.”
You use the golden ticket. You don’t do something stupid like this (via Kukla’s Korner):
The NHL has suspended Dallas Stars’ forward Sean Avery indefinitely, pending a hearing with the league, and he will not be playing in tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames.
Avery is being suspended for disparaging remarks he made this morning in reference to Calgary player Dion Phaneuf and Phaneuf’s girl friend Elisha Cuthbert, who previously had a relationship with Avery.
So, now, not only does the national audience not care about a bottom dwelling team taking on a mediocre Northwest Division team, but the tension that the local fans were hoping for is gone. If the NHL wanted to suspend Avery, they should have done it right after warmups and Dallas had committed to it’s 20 man roster for the game. Make things interesting, at least.
9 responses to “NHL Renders Flames – Stars Unwatchable by Suspending Avery”
“So, now, not only does the national audience not care about a bottom dwelling team taking on a mediocre Northwest Division team, but the tension that the local fans were hoping for is gone.”
Couldn’t be more true! Great blog!
You have a really nice website here. I will spend more time on it in the next few days.
“If the NHL wanted to suspend Avery, they should have done it right after warmups and Dallas had committed to it’s 20 man roster for the game. Make things interesting, at least.”
Don’t these guys in NHL understand that they are drawing away not only public attention acting like this, but their own profit as well?
Avery is always stirring things up… It’s what he does best.
Now that he’s back on the ice, he’s actually playing well (never thought I’d say that!).
Like the article, btw. Well written.
Avery will be out of a job soon enough. New York will only put up with him as long as they have to, and no other team is going to want him unless he’ll play for peanuts.
The guy is a good hockey player, but its behavior like the stuff noted in this post that makes him a cancer to the teams he plays on.
I agree that the NHL wasn’t smart with the way they didn’t think of exposure for the Avery situation, but I guess they don’t want drama in the league. I also cannot stand Avery.
I sometimes think it’s a question of lack of thinking by certain sportsman, like Avery that they become bigger than the actual sport (in their minds that is)
The NHL has always done things like this and continues to do so until they realize that the fan base will decrease.
It’s a sad subject and a sore one at that since I live so close to Canada.
New York will only put up with him as long as they have to, and no other team is going to want him unless he’ll play for peanuts, but their own profit as well?