Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Is boor, can travel (and travel he will do)



Once again Sean Avery has stepped across a line, though in this instance it was purely his verbal tendencies that have landed him in hot water with the NHL.

Avery took some time on Tuesday to gather the media around him while preparing for Tuesday night's match with the Flames, to express his thoughts on the dating habits of NHL players these days.

Avery, exhibited just how much of a boor he is, by wondering aloud about the number of his ex girlfriends that have found their way into the arms of other NHL players in the last few years.

Though he didn't exactly use a term of endearment to describe those women who showed the infinite wisdom of abandoning a relationship with such a classless moron.

For his clever little press conference, Avery has found himself called up on the NHL carpet and suspended indefinitely for his crass behaviour.
.
It was a move which was applauded even by his own team the Dallas Stars, who outlined that they would have suspended him if the NHL hadn't taken the time to do it themselves. Stating that "This organization will not tolerate such behaviour, especially from a member of our hockey team."

The Stars of course have a history with unwanted sexual references, as former owner Norm Green, reached unique levels of derision during his reign as the Stars owner, both during their Minnesota days and then upon their move to Dallas before he sold the team.

So perhaps they have a special interest in how boors behave and the need to take a stand.

Presumably Avery chose Calgary as his foot in the mouth destination, as the Flames Dion Phaneuf is currently dating one of Avery's former girlfriends. Phaneuf did not rise to the bait and didn't have to deal with the annoying twerp on the ice either, as the suspension took effect starting with the Flames game on Tuesday.

The official announcement from the NHL outlines that he was being suspended due to his "inappropriate public comments, not pertaining to the game."

Or as we prefer to explain, for being one of the biggest jack asses to ever put on a hockey sweater.

We're not sure of the concept of being suspended for what you say, as opposed to what you do on the ice. There have been more than enough opportunities in the past to lower the boom on the Avery show, that the NHL let slip by.

But in this case we'll accept the wisdom of the league's head office, which is not something we do very often. But in this case they seem to have made the right call even if it had nothing to do with the on ice product.
.
While freedom of speech is a treasured concept in North America, the freedom to be a jerk needs to be reigned in from time to time.

Hopefully, he finds that by running his mouth off yet again, he's run himself out of a roster position in Dallas and if there's any form of karma out there, perhaps out of the league as well for a very long time.

Globe and Mail-- NHL suspends Avery
New York Times-- Avery Punished for Vulgar Remark
USA Today-- Avery suspended indefinitely for 'inappropriate' comments
Boston Herald-- Dim Dallas Star Sean Avery in trouble
National Post-- Avery suspended for controversial comments
ESPN Sports-- Isolated incident? No, Avery's career has been defined by indiscretions
Los Angeles Times-- Are ex-King Sean Avery's 15 minutes up at last?
Sporting News-- NHL makes the wrong call on Avery
TSN.ca-- NHL SUSPENDS AVERY INDEFINITELY FOR COMMENTS, PENDING HEARING
Sportsnet.ca-- Sloppy suspensions
Sportsnet.ca-- Brophy: This Star is falling fast
Dallas News-- Dallas Stars frustrated with suspended Avery's actions
Dallas News-- NHL should have let Flames punish Dallas Stars' Avery
Fort Worth Star Telegram-- Dallas Stars' image 'tarnished,' by Avery's comments, Modano says
Gothamist-- Sean Avery Keeps It Not So Classy, Gets Suspended

No comments: