Tuesday, December 2, 2008

What is the NHL doing?

I'm making Cheap Seats history today, and writing the first article ever devoted to hockey. Don't get used to it.

For some reason, the only time I find the NHL significant when something bad happens. And this time, I am outraged. According to ESPN, the NHL has suspended Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery indefinitely for off the ice comments. Avery is no stranger to controversy, and when I heard about this incident, I expected something incredibly vulgar and offensive. But I was shocked when I found out what Avery actually said.

"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."

Now I understand why NHL commissioner Gary Bettman found these comments offensive, but to suspend him indefinitely is a crime. How could you possibly suspend a player for making a comment directed at somebody who is not even in the NHL? Plus, is the term "sloppy seconds" really that offensive to anybody? Come on now.

In a sport which promotes fighting and aggressive play, you have to expect guys like Avery to be rough around the edges. But to me, this is a non-issue. To be honest, after watching the interview I feel like Avery was joking, and for what its worth I actually found the comment funny. Players like Todd Bertuzzi (who struck a player with his stick from behind) deserve to be suspended indefinitely. Not Avery. The NHL continues to puzzle me, and this is yet another reason I don't watch hockey.

2 comments:

  1. Alright, i stumbled across this blog i don't know why. but for some reason I read it.

    Im gonna start off by calling you a fucken idiot, The comments avery made WAS directed towards a player in the nhl, a player on the opposing team to be exact. It was also the manner in which he conducted it in, He specificaly asked for an interview with the media in attempts to humilate Phaneuf in public,before the game. Although i thouhgt it was kinda funny too, Gary bettman said it was an unproffesional thing to do, as he tried to take a personal attack towards phaneuf, he also said if he he did it on the ice that it would have been a completley different story and nothing would have come of it and second bertuzzi didnt attack someone with his stick from behind, it was a punch, with a hockey glove on, to the side of the helmet.

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  2. hey well thanks for coming, hope to see you again soon!

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