And like I said before, despite Avery's requisite apology, he's still getting the last laugh. He said what he said to piss off Elisha and Phaneuf. The publicity is just making it worse. How can they not both picture his sleazy smile saying 'sloppy seconds' every time they're in bed together!!!
Fine, they might have suspended him for the one game, to avoid a blood bath on the ice, but beyond that, it's none of the NHL's business!
I'm not disagreeing that Sean Avery is a classless piece of trash, but this suspension is too stupid!
After morning practice on Tuesday, prior to their game that night against the Calgary Flames, controversial Dallas Stars winger Sean Avery walked over to a group of reporters, asked if the cameras were rolling, and made this statement:
“I’m just going to say one thing. I’m 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. But enjoy the game tonight.”
Avery was primarily taking a shot at Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf who is dating Avery's ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert (best known for her roles as Jack Bauer's daughter Kim, on the hit TV series 24, the sexy new neighbour in The Girl Next Door, and the heroine in the cheesy horror flick House of Wax).
Avery also used to date LA Kings center Jarrett Stoll's fiancé Rachel Hunter (former Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model).
Watch Avery's statement here, along with the reactions from his teammates (before they knew that he was going to be suspended).
Within hours, the NHL suspended Avery indefinitely - explaining their decision in following press release:
"Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery has been suspended indefinitely, pending a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, in accordance with the provisions of NHL By-Law 17 and Article 6 of the NHL Constitution for conduct "detrimental to the League or game of hockey," the National Hockey League announced today. The suspension was imposed following inappropriate public comments, not pertaining to the game, made by Avery earlier today."
This is too stupid! How exactly were his comments "detrimental to the League or game of hockey"? Clearly, Bettman was just trying to avoid a blood bath on the ice. If they'd allowed him to play, every single member of the Calgary team would have been out to get him. Like Stars goalie Marty Turco said: "let's hope he doesn't back down, he better show up like a man". None of his other teammates sounded like they'd be too quick to pull off the gloves in his defense either.
But suspending him should have been a Team decision. The NHL cannot be stepping in suspending players (indefinitely!) when guys trash talk each other in the media. A fine would be sufficient.
And despite the loss of income from the suspension and his public apology in the Sporting News, Avery is surely snickering to himself. The publicity around this whole thing is just adding more sting to his words, and rubbing salt in the wounds of Phaneuf and Stoll. You know they've got to be looking sideways at Elisha and Rachel and thinking 'what is wrong with you that you were dating that low-class scumbag?!' To be truly tasteless myself, there's no way Avery's words won't be going through their minds during their next 'romantic interludes'.
